Drugged night time eating

Mar 26, 2012

So as it turns out, Ambien really can make you eat in your sleep.  I've had significant insomnia since childhood.  I remember getting ready for school in the morning some days after having not been to sleep all night.  I've been taking Ambien for several months now and I love Ambien!  I take it at night and fall asleep easily.  Then I wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and the most rested I have in years.  Then I walk into the kitchen and find evidence of eating.  Sigh...

I had found the occasional odd thing left out in the kitchen and thought I might be eating and not remembering it.  I stopped losing weight about a month ago.  For about three solid weeks I've was finding evidence of 500-600 calories a night, every night.  Ask me why I'm not losing!  Fortunately, I've not gained.  But I'm not ready to stop losing!  I really didn't want to give up the Ambien sleep, but then I had a scarey event. I took the med and sat on the couch.  (Too many years of lying in bed staring at the celing for hours, waiting for sleep.)  While I was waiting for the drugs to kick in, my husband came in asking what was burning.  I tried to tell him it was the dishwasher, but as it turns out, it was the graham cracker/peanut butter toast in the oven under the broiler (I don't know, somehow it made sense at the time).  I didn't even remember putting it in the oven as the house filled with smoke.  So, as scared as I was (I really don't tolerate sleep deprivation well), I called my doctor and requested something different.  Lunesta is over $8 a pill and my insurance covers $6.  That's still $2 a night.  It's not nearly as effective, but I don't appear to be eating in my sleep any more. 

I'm not terribly impressed.  Last night I took a half ambien at 1 am as I was STILL awake.  Finally made it to sleep about 2.

Good news, I'm eating a little less (getting the munchies, but not 500 calories worth).  Bad news, I don't like working so hard just to get a little sleep.  Better news, I'm back on the losing train (yes I am!).

0 Comments