Not all meds used to induce sleep are physiologically addictive, best to discuss ur meds with ur doc. If ur running out, are u perhaps abusing them to self medicate? Otherwise, why wouldn't ur doc prescribe the med u currently take to sleep?

On my tv this evening Luneste.com (spelling is probably off) offering a $15 copay for its sleeping product.

I had what I think is a similar type of issue. I would take my ambien and sleep or 4 hours, wake up FULLY AWAKE mind you and take another for another 4 hour sleep period. That was not good for me. I AM NOT SCOLDING YOU just saying it wasn't good for me.

I spoke to my pdocs and things are good now. I am on Seroquel for psychotic tendencies and after a while that did not knock me out ( been on it about 2 years now up to 300 mg dosage). I take benzos throughout the day as necessary and they ARE addictive. :( I'm still up and it is after midnight. I can sleep as late as I want tomorrow so that isn't an issue for me.

My pdoc told me that if I was laying in bed ruminating about things for 15 to 20 minutes just get up and do something relaxing and soothing not something to rev me up more. He said that actually laying there and ruminating about stuff would rev me up more and he was right I have found.

While most of this reply is not related to medication I do have another suggestion.

Make your bedroom set up so that successful sleep could be a byproduct don't know as this is the right word to use but an oasis maybe? Meaning no TV, no computer, alarm clocks are OK, but nothing else electronic with the exception in my case at least of an iPod as the iPod wakes me up when I need an alarm and sometimes I need soothing music to calm down.

Oasis = Refuge, Sanctuary, Haven, Retreat.

When my bedroom is not in order I do not sleep as well. My point in all this is just the suggestion that the actual room one sleeps in and how it is set up can have an impact on a person for good or bad. Just my feeling on this not fact in everyone's book I am sure.

If indeed you are addicted to the meds we will be here for you to help see you through.

Best Wishes

lack of sleep can b deadly. one of the side effects of my hepatitis C treatment was insomnia. i slept very little for 3wks. my doc gave me ambien, nothin'. at this point if my doc hadnt found something that worked for me i would have killed him or someone else. so insomnia can b deadly, for people around me

I was very dependent on sleep meds and got to where you are now... We cut back on them very slowly and I actually started sleeping much better. I do take a little bit of seroquel now at night, but my life is much better since I stopped taking the sleep meds. Good luck sweetie, big hugs. It sucks so bad when you can't sleep.

I had a really bad problem like you too. I was prescribed Ambien after not sleeping for 5 nights straight, and it was wonderful. Was also given Seroquel and the combo was great for sleep, but gave me mild (not unpleasant) hallucinations. Took myself off all meds except for the Ambien and it worked for a few years, even though my physician warned me to get off it. When I was diagnosed BP, I was put on Symbyax which made me gain 35 pounds. The prescribing doc said it was the Ambien in the equation (it was the Zyprexa in the Symbyax) which inspired me to finally wean myself off the Ambien. At that point I was abusing it, taking 2 or 3 when I could, taking it during the day to nap - to be unconscious. I kicked and screamed for about 3 weeks but finally kicked it.

But I still had refills, so one day I had it refilled," just in case." I went home - it was a Thursday afternoon - and decided to go to bed early, watch a movie on my laptop, have a nice long restful weekend. The next thing I remember was my phone ringing on Sunday late morning. I'd taken the whole bottle (30 pills, 10mg). In between, I had apparently driven to the store and bought my first pack of cigarettes in 20 years, locked my keys in the ignition while the car was still running, talked to two police officers in my bedroom when they came over for a welfare check after my frantic sister called them, cooked and ate a tart. That was almost a year ago and I have not taken a sleeping pill since. I was a bad addict.

thank you for all your responses. I didn't call my pdoc yet because I'm away. But I will be calling him as soon as I get home.

I've had enough of this.