Method SN and Ambien

[EndItNorth]

Does anyone have any thoughts or knowledge about any interactions or whether it would be problematic to take Ambien right after dose of SN. I am thinking taking the Ambien in place of the benzos.

 

[cosmicpixiedust]

Ambien is a nonbenzodiazepine. That means that it is very benzodiazepine-like in nature (it has similar effects), but it does not have the same structure, therefore making it completely different on a molecular level. Ambien has strong hypnotic properties, but it is a weak myorelaxant (muscle relaxer), anticonvulsant (anti-seizure), and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) medication. It's best used for sleeping, and you'd really want/need to time it right because it takes a while to work. You don't want to fall asleep before you drink the SN, and you also don't want to still be awake and be hallucinating/drunk off of the Ambien while waiting. That being said, I have absolutely no idea how they could react to each other when taken in conjunction. I would recommend getting a benzo, there just seems to be too much unknown and not enough benefit with Ambien.

 

[Quarky00]

because it takes a while to work

Ambien CR (slow release) takes time, but regular Ambien/Zolpidem (especially sublingual- same formulation) are very quick -- 15m to 30m. Everything else you wrote was spot on and clearly put:)

So it's similar to benzo onset in regimen, to be taken 30m before. But fast affecting Zolpidem might need to be taken 10-15m before. Sublinguial Zolpidem is something new for me , that I discovered recently (there's also oral spray). We're interested here in SOL -- the length of time that it takes to accomplish the transition from full wakefulness to sleep.

latency to persistent sleep (LPS), sleep onset latency (SOL) and latency to stage 1 (ST1L)


To answer OP:

about any interactions or whether it would be problematic to take Ambien right after dose of SN.

There are no interactions, but it would be useless taken after SN (SN effects 10m-20m and only after Ambien kicks in) . Should take a bit before SN . For other issues and effects @cosmicpixiedust explained well .

 

[cosmicpixiedust]

Ambien CR (slow release) takes time, but regular Ambien/Zolpidem (especially sublingual- same formulation) are very quick -- 15m to 30m. Everything else you wrote was spot on and clearly put:)

Sublinguial Zolpidem is something I discovered recently (there's also oral spray).

Thank you! I had no idea there was sublingual and oral spray versions of Ambien! They would be great additions to my collection of sleeping medications. x]
I've only ever been prescribed CR and the one time I did try regular Ambien it took over an hour to work on me, but that could just be the way it reacts to my body chemistry.

 

[squirtsoda]

Specifically JUST talking about how quickly the ambien tablet dissolves in your stomach, it's within a matter of 2.5 minutes or so. I've been on ambien for years and years so there's definitely a tolerance factor at play for me, but as said above there are definitely no muscle relaxer, anxiolytic, or anticonvulsant properties. It is a fast acting drug, I've never come across the CR version.
Ambien works very differently in different people. For me it simply may make me tired. If I'm drinking on it, inhibitions in conversations get way lowered.
I couldn't imagine an interaction other than it knocking you out at the wrong time interfering with the steps you need to take in the SN process.

 

[Quarky00]

the one time I did try regular Ambien it took over an hour

Was it on empty stomach ? If you had eaten 2 hours before it really slows down things (so I've learned), because of liver function . Sublingual skips that first pass metabolism (though it's not for CR of course) . Btw my CR experience was bad: slept 6h (okay I guess though I need more) , but then woke up and had 12h of blurry vision , couldn't move , feeling like zombie . Tried it several times , same . Strange as most patients have no such issues

I had no idea there was sublingual and oral spray versions of Ambien!

New to me too ! Sublingual helps early awakening . If I woken up during the night and can't sleep , I take 3mg under the tongue , wait 10m , and then sleep for another 4h . Very new practice here at Quarky00's house .. Haven't tried the spray (should be quicker like onset in 5m)

 

[EndItNorth]

Ambien is a nonbenzodiazepine. That means that it is very benzodiazepine-like in nature (it has similar effects), but it does not have the same structure, therefore making it completely different on a molecular level. Ambien has strong hypnotic properties, but it is a weak myorelaxant (muscle relaxer), anticonvulsant (anti-seizure), and anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) medication. It's best used for sleeping, and you'd really want/need to time it right because it takes a while to work. You don't want to fall asleep before you drink the SN, and you also don't want to still be awake and be hallucinating/drunk off of the Ambien while waiting. That being said, I have absolutely no idea how they could react to each other when taken in conjunction. I would recommend getting a benzo, there just seems to be too much unknown and not enough benefit with Ambien.

Thank you for your reply. I guess I will wait for my benzo script to be refilled. I just have standard Ambien. It usually works between 10 and 30 minutes depending on the contents of my stomach. My CTB time must be successful and not just an "attempt". I will stick with Stan's guidelines.

 

[Quarky00]

there are definitely no muscle relaxer, anxiolytic, or anticonvulsant properties

I'm not sure about 'definitely no properties' :) It's mild , I wouldn't say totally non existent... It's a rather fine point on my behalf (minutia), so maybe it's just a question of phrasing, or personal experience.

"Zolpidem is a nonbenzodiazepine Z drug which acts as a sedative and hypnotic" . Sedatives reduce irritability or excitement ; act as CNS depressants ; produce relaxing effects by increasing GABA activity.

So it's not anxiolytic or muscle relaxant per se -- but does posses these/similar effects to some extent. I do not have tolerance and I'm fragile (sensitive) so I feel it. True that for high tolerance or severe anxiety it would be useless. I hope I did not come off argumentative squirtdsosa , it's just my take on it , what I understood :)

 

[squirtsoda]

I'm not sure about 'definitely no properties' :) It's mild , I wouldn't say totally non existent... It's a rather fine point on my behalf (minutia), so maybe it's just a question of phrasing, or personal experience.

"Zolpidem is a nonbenzodiazepine Z drug which acts as a sedative and hypnotic" . Sedatives reduce irritability or excitement ; act as CNS depressants ; produce relaxing effects by increasing GABA activity.

So it's not anxiolytic or muscle relaxant per se -- but does posses these/similar effects to some extent. I do not have tolerance and I'm fragile (sensitive) so I feel it. True that for high tolerance or severe anxiety it would be useless. I hope I did not come off argumentative squirtdsosa , it's just my take on it , what I understood :)

Hence my caveat of tolerance lol

 

[cosmicpixiedust]

Was it on empty stomach ?

It was mostly empty, I had a handful of Sunchips for dinner that night. That could have been it, though.

Btw my CR experience was bad: slept 6h (okay I guess though I need more) , but then woke up and had 12h of blurry vision , couldn't move , feeling like zombie . Tried it several times , same . Strange as most patients have no such issues

That sounds terrible, I'm sorry. :( You might just have some sort of allergy to CR.

New to me too ! Sublingual helps early awakening . If I woken up during the night and can't sleep , I take 3mg under the tongue , wait 10m , and then sleep for another 4h . Very new practice here at Quarky00's house .. Haven't tried the spray (should be quicker like onset in 5m)

That sounds amaaazing! I will definitely have to ask about it once it's been long enough for them to give me it again (My provider likes to only have me on it for so long because of the potential side effects). The spray would be nice, but I doubt where I go for medication would have it.

Thank you for your reply. I guess I will wait for my benzo script to be refilled. I just have standard Ambien. It usually works between 10 and 30 minutes depending on the contents of my stomach. My CTB time must be successful and not just an "attempt". I will stick with Stan's guidelines.

You're very welcome! It's definitely best to be safe and also stick to Stan's guidelines. :)

 

[Quarky00]

It was mostly empty, I had a handful of Sunchips for dinner that night. That could have been it, though.

That doesn't sound much so your gut instinct is right , its onset is slower on you . Thanx for sharing (and caring)

 

[cosmicpixiedust]

That doesn't sound much so your gut instinct is right , its onset is slower on you . Thanx for sharing (and caring)

Always, love!