sleep-please help

hadnt been able to sleep since 4/13/2010.  MY gi

prescribed ambien, 12 MILLIGRAMS, i AM SCARED TO TAKE BEEN reading side effects i am already on prednisone and asacol weening off pred.

he also prescribed buspirone for ant anxiety, which i only took twice and didnt help, he said i need to take it longer

to get in my system, i dont want to take the AMBIEN

AND BUSPIRONE AT SAME TIME  if u had a choice which one would u take. also would u just take a half pill of the ambien to try it,

are there any other maybe over the counter sleeping pills that might be as good without so many side effects,

buspirone is similar to xanax

thanx tigerpawn

I agree. If you have medcation issues go back and ask your doctor. they are the only onse qualified to answer those questions.

Tigerpawn,
Why don't you try the pharmacist, they are experts at answering these questions, really. I have no experience with these drugs, so I can't share from that perspective, but a pharmacists can tell you how to combine them. Trust them.

And Hon, the steriods are playing with you, I can read it in your posts. Remember on roids everything goes to 11, our emotions, our anxiety, and our reactions.

Please try to give yourself a break and find anything else to occupy your mind, lame tv will do.

Like you, I've done CD alone, it is hard and you do need support. Do you have some friends you can talk to and spend time with, you'll have to explain, calmly (roids again) what's going on for you, but good friends will get it.

Don't stop coming here, but keep in mind we are not doctor's, our support is here but it's limited to some degree.

So, tell me, what do you like to do? Do you play an instrument, draw, read, video games, movies, ... what?

I read, play bridge online, watch lame tv and good tv and movies, I'd play my guitar but my shoulder is still messed (missing my guitar) so instead I put on my favorite music and sing as best I can without stomach muscles.... It helps...

tigerpawn- I am so sorry you are going through this and I can definatly tell you I know EXACTLY how you feel because I suffer from severe anxiety and panic disorder. Everytime the doctors prescribe a new medication for me I am on the computer looking at all the side effects (which is not a good thing at all when you have anxiety). I take Xanax 1mg. three times a day for anxiety and have been on that dose for about 6 years after my father passed away. I see we are not allowed to give medication advice and I don't want to get in trouble. I have always found that when I am really nervous about taking a medication I will talk to the doctor and also ask the pharmacist. I will tell them I have anxiety disorder so I don't look like I am so crazy about why I'm freaking out over the medication. The pharmacist are always very helpful and once I start the medication, so far, they have been correct and I do fine.

I have to start on steroid and 6mp next week and I am freaking out. I think I am way more nervous about the steroid because I already suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and from what people are saying about them it seems like I am going to end up the way I was years ago when I couldn't even leave the house because I would have severe panic attacks. I don't have any family ouside of my kids and husband who support me as much as they can. I also have tried buspirone many years ago but it didn't work for me at all. One thing I am trying to learn what to do is not to read side effects because that will freak me out. I know you already read them but take a look at the side effects for tylenol and you will see stuff that is scary too. I'm not sure if I am allowed to leave you my email and I don't want to get kicked off the forum because it has been very helpful to me in the short time I have been on but if anyone knows if I am allowed to post it please tell me and if you would like to email me I would have no problem with that at all.

How long have you been on the steroid? what dose are you on? did you start feeling this anxious after the steroid or is this normal for you? I was on Entocort EC (a milder steroid, well it works different and only about 10% goes into the blood stream) and I was ok for about 4 days and then on the 5th night I couldn't sleep, started having anxiety, and then very bad panic attacks that lasted till the morning hours. I believe that lasted for about a week or so and then the symptoms went away. I definatly think it was from the steroid (entocort) so that is why I am so nervous to start pred. (steroid) but I am going to make sure they don't start me on a high dose and I pray that helps.

Something else to understand, your not sleeping is messing up your perception and guess what else lack of sleep causes, anxiety and panic.

Between the steriods and 2-3 hours of sleep a day I became manic to some degree. The thing was, I understood the effects were not me, having miss-spent some of my youth, I knew what was the drugs, what was lack of sleep and what was me. I focused on me, and did my best to get help with the rest.

Follow the pharmacist's advice, and give over to sleep. You might need a while of lot's of sleep to recover, and you will recover.

Right now you need to sleep more than anything, hang in there, this will pass.

Tigerpawn,

I actually don't have alot of family near me, just my husband. But I do agree with the others I think the Pred is really effecting your anxiety. I know it does it to me too.

But these are not questions, we folks on the forum can answer for you. Please do contact either your doctor or your pharmacist. I would hate for you to be hurt, by someone inexperienced giving their opinion, and things getting even worse for you.

Good luck!

I take Ambien every night, and it is a godsend if you're lacking sleep. I tend to overreact to any and all medications, but surprisingly, I have not had any side effects at all from it. I take a small dose, only 5 mg. If you are really concerned, as others before have said, talk to a pharmacist or a doctor. Good luck!

I know that the prednisone can also affect your sleep...At higher doses, I was lucky to get 3 hours of sleep at a time...
We're here from you...and I too have been through the emotional stuff that steroids can do...

I am another who takes ambien almost nightly (it is to conteract another medication)...so if you are worried, call your doctor or pharmacist...