Sleep Eating & Long-Term Ambien Use

Hi there, my surgery date is October 5th--my one concern and fear that I will discuss with the Surgeon on Friday is the following; I have taken Ambien for about 7 years...the one HUGE problem I've had is I tend to have no inhibitions (middle of night) on it, I can rarely say no to food temptations. If you've experienced this problem (Ambien and night night eating) prior to your procedure please tell me what your experience has been following your sleeve and how things have changed? This really scares me, I don't want to get up every hour having a tsp of peanut butter or other things! I know I would lose 15lbs at least if I no longer took Ambien.

I do know I will sleep better after weight loss, however, sleep has ALWAYS been an issue, since I was a child, and I was not successful on a CPAP.

Thank you so much!

***I can't take Benadryl or other OTC with diphenhydramine. I have taken the liquid melatonin, however it only works for a few days, and the liquid form has alcohol in it. I get depressed very easy from lingering medications such as lorazepam, valium, trazodone...

Might it be possible to switch from a hypno to a benzo? I'd be concerned about overeating and hurting yourself on something like Ambien. 

I injured myself sleepwalking on Ambien, but have no trouble when I take Xanax or Ativan (to fall asleep) or Restoril (to stay asleep) since it works in the brain in a different way. That might be one option.

If you're concerned about sleep-eating and you stay on Ambien, could you recruit someone to lock up the food while you sleep? Seems extreme, but eating peanut butter in the week or two immediately post-op could cause SERIOUS physical damage, and it's very important to stay on the slow post-op diet progression.

Julie,

Does Lorazepam have any influence on you personally the next day? Benzos tend to build up in my system and cause me a bit of depression over time. I tried Restoril years ago, didnt work for me. Usually staying asleep isnt an issue...sleep walking, ugh

No, that one doesn't seem to affect me after taking it, no hangover or residual depression I took Ativan for years until it crapped out, and now I take Xanax (alprazolam) instead. I do take a very small dose, though-- half of a .5mg pill usually does enough for me-- and take it very seldom for sleep trouble when I'm manic, or when I have panic attacks.

Of course, meds affect everybody differently, check with your doc first ;)

This was me! So I took ambien for about 6 years but really wanted off of it because it's hell not being able to go to sleep without taking a pill.  If you drop one you freak out because that would be a night without sleep.  I took Ambien because of a long history of thinking about too many things before bed, the more I'd think about going to sleep I'd start to feel anxious, and then sleep would never be had.  So here is how WLS and weight loss has helped.

On the first night I came home my hubs really wanted me to take my ambien.  I didn't want to because I knew I'd be up every couple hours no matter what but I did take it.  I was up every few hours and I don't like being awake while ambian is in control.  So I thought about it a lot on Day 2, I had a lot of time to make a plan because I was in bed mostly and jus****ching silly things on tv.  I was really tired, and the meds made me a little sleepy anyway... what if I didn't take it at all?  And that's just what I did.

I used my recovery time to stop taking ambien.  I have used my xanax on evenings that I've felt like my head was thinking about too many things to sleep.  But other than that I just go to bed like a normal person.  As I've lost weight sleep has become even easier as I sleep harder, longer, and am more comfortable.  I do not snore and I just fit better in my bed!  Heck now my knee bone**** and that's so weird LOL

Good luck, but consider trying to pull yourself off of it, there's hardly a better time to try than when your already going to be really tired.  You'll have days off work so you shouldn't be too stressed out, and you don't have to go to bed or wake up at any certain time. 

Ambien is well-known for causing sleep-eating as well as sleep walking.  I generally see clients take it for a few days and no longer if possible. 

Benzodiazapines can help with sleep, however tolerance to them develops over time, and they are also addictive.  Typically they were originally intended for PRN use, but they are now some of the most frequently abused medications.  Lorazepam and valium you mentioned are benzodiazapines.  They are so powerful they are also used as anesthetics sometimes, or as a precursor to anesthetics.  They can cause amnesia.  I would definitely recommend not using them unless it cannot be avoided - consult a doctor for sure, as they are the expert.  For severe panic and anxiety, nothing else works as well.  As daily medications, eh.  There are varying opinions among all of us clinicians.

Trazodone rarely causes depression; more often it helps relieve it.  It is an antidepressant.  Many antidepressants cause sleepiness, however they also cause a side effect of appetite stimulation.  If you take other psych meds, melatonin can have a cross tolerance, and it almost always does not work long term because the brain adapts.  

What is the cause for the lack of sleep?  Did they say in the sleep study? 

Having said all that, I sleep 100x better after my VSG, aside from the dumb reflux.

Hi Donna, As an Administrator of a Psych and drug recovery clinic for 7 years I'm familiar with all of the medications, this is another reason why I hate being on them. I take a .25-.5 prn in hs for anxiety if needed as well. Melatonin is also short lived as you mention. Im told I do not get into a long term deep enough 3rd sleep? I have been diagnosed with PTSD and I def have anxiety. I tried Prazosin fr dreams and anxiousness, but it leaves me with awful migraines. I think I will ask to try Trazodone again, mistake was the last time I couldnt sleep for nearly a week the MD tried me on that and amitriptyline at the same time, it was just too much for me... but the amitriptyline did allow me to get to sleep, that is def a once in a lifetime or two experience. I will learn more with my next sleep study in two months. Im so hyper sensitive to medication, anything can alter my mood, benadryl, NiQuil, even too much Melatonin. Pain also wakes me up, fibromyalgia since in my 20's prior to gaining weight... Last evening I took a Tylenol PM and I'm still groggy.  In the meantime my surgeon says he would rather me not disrupt whats working for me (sleepwise, being on it for so long) just yet, but that being said, I do want to try Trazodone again. I pray the VSG will help! Thank you for your reply, I really appreciate it!

Oh my gosh, that sounds so frustrating to deal with!  I hope the VSG helps, too.  Even with my depression and anxiety it's helped a lot.  It's hard with PTSD.  

Benadryl absolutely alters mood.  They actually (rarely) use histamines to treat anxiety which you probably know, so I am not surprised.  It can cause anxiety in a lot of people, or make it worse.  

I have degenerative disk disease so I totally understand about pain waking us up.  It's frustrating because there isn't much that can be done.  I hope the VSG works well for you too and you get some relief!

Did you try multiple mask styles for the CPAP?  If not, you might want to try that?  

I've battled insomnia my entire life and it sucks.  The only thing that has ever helped me, and I've tried everything, is taking 5-HTP.  I take it for about a month and then I'm good for a year or so.  

I hope you get good answers!

I did find the perfect mask, however, did not stick with the machine, the noise itself kept me awake. My mom and I both are very light sleepers, in the most worst way! I have another sleep study in two months, we agreed to do it after Ive lost some weight because obviously that may change things up a bit. Thank you for your input, I will look into 5-HTP Ive heard of it but never have given it a try! Thank you!