Hi, I'm new here. Umm I noticed your link, so I went to it, would like to join it. Did not see how to do it. I take 10 mg. of Ambien a night to sleep have been for almost a year. I have major insomnia, right now my "cocktail" to sleep is prescribed by dr. 1,000 mg. Depakote, 100 mg. Trazadone, and 10 mg. Ambien, my question to people is this? Does this seem like an awful lot? I paranoid if I told anyone they would think I am weird or a druggie.

Hi Stimpy, no you don't sound like a druggie at all, lol. :-) People often become tolerant to certain sleep medications and need additional medications, etc. My mom took amitryptiline for 35 years to sleep and when she quit taking it, she didn't sleep for MONTHS as her body literally didn't know how to fall asleep on its own anymore! I actually can't take ambien (visual hallucations) or trazadone (it had the opposite effect for me) and I haven't heard of Depakote so I can't speak to that one but it's nice you've found something that works. :-)

If you do however want to cut back or be less reliant on a particular medication, I suggest a sleep specialist. I went to one as I had MAJOR sleep problems due to circadian rhythm issues (ironically my sleep problems are not related to my anxiety even though I also have massive anxiety, lol), and it changed my life. He gave me sleep hygiene / CBT strategies and I was sleeping within a couple of weeks with NO sleep aids!!! It was amazing! Sadly I can't use any of the strategies with where I'm at in my life (young toddler and baby on the way) but it is empowering to know I will eventually be able to sleep med-free again. :-)

Thanks Kaylee: I WISH I could go to a sleep therapist, but unfortunately I live out in the uncivilized world, and just the driving hours on the freeways gives me stress. Plus, I know my insurance would not cover it. But it is good to know that what I am taking is not considered a drug addict, heck sometimes I throw in motrin, just because of muscle aches and pains. I am 60, and I do ride horses and where I live tomorrow is going to be 110 so I am trying to keep calm about the heat. Okay, well I certainly know about small children, they don't tell you how much work it is in the manual. LOL.

Hi Stimpy, if you want to message me personally (since I'm not sure everybody wants to hear the techniques I learned) I can literally tell you verbatim exactly what the sleep specialist had me do in order to get my circadian rhythm reset to sleep naturally. I'm more than happy to, since I totally understand about insurance and doctors being far away. I was lucky, my insurance at the time covered my sleep specialist!! :-) But yeah, just so you know I'm happy to share what I learned if you ever want to try it! Good luck :-)