Ambien use

[[fa...]]

Hello. I used ambien about 10 times, which led to a weird reaction with my muscles.  Then I took lexapro for a few months.  I am currently in wjthdrawl for 6 months.  I had this insane heavy body feeling for months. It has gave way to such intense muscle contraction that I cannot sleep.  It is my neck, back, legs.  I have been reading so many stories on here and I don't see any where the muscle stuff goes away. I'm terrified. 

[[...]]

Hi, @[fa...], Welcome to BenzoBuddies! So good you've found us.

I personally haven't had any experience of taking ambien but there are people here who definitely have. I'm sure they will share their thoughts to the point.

As for me, i don't think you should be scared of muscle spasms and suchlike. I have had a lot of it because of benzo and pretty positive it will be over one day. All the pain and stiffness means exactly healing. Good luck to you!)

 

[[fa...]]

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 @[fa...], i do know what you mean. It's similar for me. Some days i feel comfortable and some "lucky" days it starts all over again but i'm kind of used to it. Do you feel any changes in your condition? I do. Some muscles are definitely back to normal but others take over the squeezing at once. I'm just waiting for all my muscles to get properly squeezed and relaxed in a healthy way. I guess my healing must feel smth like that.

I believe it's wise of you not to use any medication. Our brain should figure out how to control muscles on its own.

You know there are success stories where muscles are completely recovered the same as other things but as for me, i just feel the healing, true!)

 

[[fa...]]

Thank you. I've been trying to look thru the success stories. It's so scary. 

[[...]]

15 minutes ago, [[f...] said:

Thank you. I've been trying to look thru the success stories. It's so scary. 

I think if they frighten you, just don't read them. But why be scared? They mean Success. I think it's the main point, no?

[[fa...]]

[[jo...]]

28 minutes ago, [[f...] said:

Sorry. I didn't explain well.  The success stories definitely don't frighten me.  All the other stories where people have it for decades. 

These stories do exist but are VERY rare. I think the majority of people are fully recovered well within 18 months. 

[[fa...]]

Just now, [[j...] said:

These stories do exist but are VERY rare. I think the majority of people are fully recovered well within 18 months. 

Do you think they are rare because that symptom doesn't resolve? 

[[fa...]]

3 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

These stories do exist but are VERY rare. I think the majority of people are fully recovered well within 18 months. 

Or do you mean it is rare that it is that bad?

[[fa...]]

5 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

These stories do exist but are VERY rare. I think the majority of people are fully recovered well within 18 months. 

Sorry.  I see what you mean. I reread.  I'm a little slow lately. 

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51 minutes ago, [[f...] said:

Sorry. I didn't explain well.  The success stories definitely don't frighten me.  All the other stories where people have it for decades. 

I've never heard of non stop suffering of the same intensity due to benzo lasting for decades.  It's true some people suffer more and longer than others. Our healing goes at different pace for everyone and yet it goes. I don't know well about ambien but think it can't be much worse than benzo and you took it just 10 times. I'm sure you're going to be ok and soon!)

[[jo...]]

10 minutes ago, [[f...] said:

Do you think they are rare because that symptom doesn't resolve? 

I think it has to do with a lot of factors. Some people have been on this stuff for very long periods of time. Some have other health conditions and medications that complicate things. The list goes on. The people who suffer this long I think tend to use support groups like this one, which is great, but if you see a cluster of extreme stories in the same place then you could wrongly think they are common. They are not common. It is FAR more common to be recovered within 18 months.

Edited May 16 by [jo...]

[[jo...]]

5 minutes ago, [[f...] said:

Or do you mean it is rare that it is that bad?

both

[[fa...]]

10 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

both

Mine is so bad I ended up in the er.  It felt like labor contractions in my back and pulling on my scalp.  

[[jo...]]

Just now, [[f...] said:

Mine is so bad I ended up in the er.  It felt like labor contractions in my back and pulling on my scalp.  

Yeah it can be intense and a lot of people go to the ER, this in itself is quite common but it doesn't mean you are going to be this way for years. Even people who recover in a few months experience extreme symptoms such as these. I know it's hard but try not to think to negative. There are many stories of people who were suffering intense symptoms and were fine weeks later. It's crazy and unpredictable how this thing works.

[[fa...]]

Just now, [[j...] said:

Yeah it can be intense and a lot of people go to the ER, this in itself is quite common but it doesn't mean you are going to be this way for years. Even people who recover in a few months experience extreme symptoms such as these. I know it's hard but try not to think to negative. There are many stories of people who were suffering intense symptoms and were fine weeks later. It's crazy and unpredictable how this thing works.

Thank you. I appreciate that info.  That is helpful. 

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28 minutes ago, [[f...] said:

Mine is so bad I ended up in the er.  It felt like labor contractions in my back and pulling on my scalp.  

I did have smth of the kind too. Wouldn't like to describe but i remember i wrote it somewhere here. The intensity started to lessen a bit in my 9 month of WD. Once again), @[fa...], i'm sure, believe it or not, you will get better!

[[fa...]]

[[...]]

2 hours ago, [[f...] said:

Thank you. I can barely even get comfortable to sit

Yes, @[fa...], i can imagin. And do know that it's difficult to believe but easy to doubt. To be honest, i also have to make a bit of an effort to stay that positive on my bad days but then i remember what it felt like and compare to what i have now. Clearly better! I hope you'll soon get proofs of healing for yourself. 

Speedy healing to you!

[[La...]]

Hi. I saw this and since I was only on Ambien, I decided to share my experience with it. Ambien was the only medication I was on but while I was on it I did have two surgeries within 3 months of each other in which I’m sure I was probably given benzos. I just thought about this on yesterday when trying to figure out why my recovery has been unlike others who only took Ambien. But anyway I’m 3 days from 47 months….don’t let that scare you. As the others have said, most Ambien users have a shorter recovery time especially if they’ve only been on it for a short period. In my case, I was on it for about 6-7 years ( that includes my 10 month taper). You were on it for 10 days. You are lucky IMO to have stopped sooner than later. 
Yes it has given me muscle issues which are very common. I still have muscle issues but they are much milder and not daily anymore. Now that symptom only circles back on my rougher days ( like yesterday and today) but it still comes and goes within those days then it leaves again for awhile. They are tight tension with soreness and some weakness as if I’ve been exercising hard…which I haven’t. I get them on random parts of my body but mainly my back ( around shoulder blades), legs, belly and sometimes back of my neck. With time, it will go away. When I had this in acute I used a heating pad. It helped very much. Or a warm bath. Gentle one direction massaging of the area also helped. Like as if your rubbing the back of a cat- one direction strokes. 
I hope this helps you in some way. 

Edited May 17 by [La...]

[[fa...]]

6 hours ago, [[L...] said:

Hi. I saw this and since I was only on Ambien, I decided to share my experience with it. Ambien was the only medication I was on but while I was on it I did have two surgeries within 3 months of each other in which I’m sure I was probably given benzos. I just thought about this on yesterday when trying to figure out why my recovery has been unlike others who only took Ambien. But anyway I’m 3 days from 47 months….don’t let that scare you. As the others have said, most Ambien users have a shorter recovery time especially if they’ve only been on it for a short period. In my case, I was on it for about 6-7 years ( that includes my 10 month taper). You were on it for 10 days. You are lucky IMO to have stopped sooner than later. 
Yes it has given me muscle issues which are very common. I still have muscle issues but they are much milder and not daily anymore. Now that symptom only circles back on my rougher days ( like yesterday and today) but it still comes and goes within those days then it leaves again for awhile. They are tight tension with soreness and some weakness as if I’ve been exercising hard…which I haven’t. I get them on random parts of my body but mainly my back ( around shoulder blades), legs, belly and sometimes back of my neck. With time, it will go away. When I had this in acute I used a heating pad. It helped very much. Or a warm bath. Gentle one direction massaging of the area also helped. Like as if your rubbing the back of a cat- one direction strokes. 
I hope this helps you in some way. 

Thank you.  I also used some mirtazapine 10 times or so.  And then the lexapro just exploded everything. The muscle tension today is excruciating. It causes me insomnia which is ironic.  I slept better, when I thought I had poor sleep and used the ambien. I also have hypnic jerks.  I'm assuming that is from the ambien

[[fa...]]

Those hypnic jerks can last 5 hours.  

[[fa...]]

Another weird symptom is the muscle pain can go from level 10, to lax joints and muscles.  How on earth does my body figure out what is normal. There is seldom an in between there. It is weird. When the lax muscles come on my hearing js diminished and it is like my physical sensations are all muted.  When they are tight j have hypercausis and some burning pain.  

[[La...]]

Those are all WD symptoms and will go away with time. All we can do is self care, pleasant distractions of things you enjoy or can do and rest breaks throughout the day. If you haven’t read Parker’s post on what’s happening in the brain…it might be of help. 
When going through this in the uncomfortableness of our symptoms, sometimes the thoughts flood the mind that your symptoms are unique. But if you do a search on the forums you’ll find there are others with your symptoms. The good thing is you’ll also read that the same people said it went away. Hold on to that fact!