Is this a new Dr.? If not, why after 8 years would they take it away without offering another solution? My Dr. gave me immovane which is similar, but I only took it for a few weeks until Cymbalta kicked in. I have read that they should be used for short term only, but I think it is common from what I have read for Fibro patients to take sleep medication long term. I'm pretty new at this, maybe someone else has more to say...

If you are not on any antidepressants, trazadone and amytriptilline might be something your doctor might be willing to give you.

There are some supplements than can help, kava, valerian, passion flower, 5htp and/or tryptophan. Make sure none of these things might cause problems with other things you are taking. I also use the homeopathic remedy Quietude. It particularly helps me get back to sleep if I wake up.

Hope you find something that works.

I am also someone who will need to be on something longterm the rest of my life. Ambien just stopped working for me. I'm also shocked that she didn't offer a solution - good sleep is crucial to a fibro patient.

I am trying Lunesta now. I was doing better at first, getting six hours a night, but then it dropped back to the 4-4.5 that I was getting with ambien which is just a bit more than I get with nothing. I also take 1mg klonopin and my 150 lyrica at the same time right before bed and still nothing that is that deep restorative sleep.

But Lunesta I think is the one drug that is approved for long term use, though the others can be in certain situations (like ours). See if your doctor will prescribe you that since that shouldn't have side effects.

Cymbalta.

I've never known anyone on ambien that long among the few I know who do take it---my own doc sees it as a very short-term thing, like 10 days at most--and I quit after 6. So... No idea, but for sleep I use
meditation breathing
no tv or computer one hour before bed to help my mind calm down
easy puzzles to keep me off my worries
Herbal tea (lemon balm or chamomile)---and check all herbals for side effects with an MD b/c some do play heck with meds
soothing scents (I can't stand lavender, but I find vanilla soothing, also a very very single tiny drop of jasmine essential oil at the other end of the bedroom---it's very strong)
and if I still can't sleep or stay asleep, I give myself an hour to get up, do stuff, and return to bed---sort of "break the no-sleep anxiety" pattern....

I do takea med that helps me sleep but it's really or prevention of PTSD nightmares, so....

No sleep is by far the worst thing I know. Been there, done that. BUt with my epilepsy meds, not much I can take. (argh)
Wish I had more than good iwshes, but that's what I've got...

I've taken clonopin for many years, but I still don't get what I would call normal sleep.

I'm sorry, but a dark, fibro, place in my mind laughs at your doctor wanting to take you off Ambien because it MIGHT cause side effects! Good grief! has this person read the long lists of possible side effects of every drug we take?! I know, when I hear the cautions for drugs on TV ads, I wonder what daring person is willing to take something that could kill them. I think your doctor needs an education in FMS/ME. We HAVE to have sleep, even the wonky experience that passes for sleep in my life. It's better than nothing. Good grief!

An alternative should have been offered - we fibro people need our sleep. I take Trazodone for sleep. I use to take elavil - generic name amytriptilline - might be spelled wrong. I am not familiar with Lunesta - I would research it - if it can be used long term it may help.

My ex has been on ambien for probably five years.

I've been on ambien for a long time. Some doctors are getting nervous because of the new FDA recommendations, but that was only about dosage, not about long-term usage. Turns out is stays in your system longer than they thought and you have to be very careful to get eight full hours of sleep before you drive or do anything requiring a clear head.

Other than that I don't know why your doctor would want to change what's working.

camas,

Is this the same Doctor that originally prescribed it you you?
I would ask the Doctor what specifically is her reason for just taking you off of it cold turkey. Also does she have another sleep Medication that she can recommend or prescribe to you? Definitely talk to your Doctor and ask her reasoning behind her decision. Did you tell her that it helps you and that you have not had any negative side effects? I hope she can help you. Good luck.

Maybe your doctor can give you a script for a different sleep aid. I was on Ambien for 5 years and it seemed to help me get to sleep but left me so draggy in the morning. I've had chronic sleep issues all my life. When it got to the point I was too draggy to functional work, I finally got off it with the help of my naturopath. (If you go cold turkey you may have severe side effects. I learned the hard way.)

I tried Melatonin and it put me right to sleep but I had really bad nightmares. (I have a problem with nightmares anyway, but the Melatonin made them worse.) It works very well for most people and was recommended by my physician and a sleep study I attended. Now I only use it for jet lag, but it did help.

I was prescribed Ambien after my total hysterectomy. Although I had no side effects, I found that it did not work for me. I would sleep sound for about four hours and then lay awake. I even tried the extended release.

My Mom, who also has Fibromyalgia, has been on Ambien for many years with success. She also takes Elavil for sleep. I think the side effect that your doctor is probably concerned about is sleep walking. My mom did have an episode where she went out to her car in the middle of the night with just a nightgown on (she lives in an apartment complex so her neighbor witnessed her) and she got a six pack of coca cola out of her trunk. When she woke up there were empty soda cans and she had no recollection. However, she is still on the Ambien and swears by it.

I also tried melatonin but it also did not work for me. Luckily since I went on HRT, the sleep has come back.

I take Cymbalta but found that I have to take it in the morning. If I take it in the afternoon, I cannot go to sleep.

I would just explain to your doctor how important the sleep is for you and if he can prescribe something else. I wish you luck.