Spaceman Spiff,
I definitely know firsthand that Ambien can be a literal lifesaver during opiate withdrawals!
You did not post how many milligrams of Ambien you were scripted, so it is a bit hard for me to say how much I assume it will help you. I am not saying that just to be a precise bitch, but merely because I've noticed the dosage can be a contributing factor in the effectiveness of the drug during withdrawals. For example, someone who has always had problems sleeping, is obviously most likely going to have a tougher time beating the insomnia. If you have a tougher time beating insomnia, a higher dosage will be far more helpful in alleviating the insomnia. You may 'trip' a bit initially while feeling like you're crawling out of your skin. When I say 'trip', I am not saying you'll be seeing pink fucking elephants, haha. 8) When first using Ambien, I did see some very mild trail type hallucinations, though. Nothing that made me feel as though I was experiencing something otherworldly, but definitely enough to make you feel 'out of it'. Personally, Ambien initially always made the light fixture above my bed look as though it was coming closer to me, haha.
Also, the longer you are awake after the Ambien kicks in, the more you'll feel both 'mildly tripped out' and just plain uncomfortable. Everyone's body works differently, but I tend to go through a period of hypersomnia while on Ambien. After taking it, I will sleep for 15 hours like nothing if I have really been binging on opiates. Without it, I can't sleep at all, unless I'm on high doses of NyQuil. I have been taking 10mgs of Ambien for about one year.
To give you a bit of a brief background, I would say that I definitely became addicted to opiates about three years ago (with experience dabbling in them for years prior). About two years ago, I had an opiate habit so bad that I didn't (and couldn't) even keep track of how many pills and milligrams I was consuming on a daily basis. Anyway, with that said, I too have experience taking 60-80mgs of Oxycontin a day. The good news for you, is that you weren't using for long!
The area where it becomes difficult for me to advise you, is the one previously stated. You haven't been using long at all in comparison to my history. My body is used to being fed opiates for so long that I get
extremely ill whenever I detox. For me to be able to tell you what you are about to experience is hard for me. I've been so caught up in my addiction for years (up until recently), that what I thought of as a 'detox' is seriously a walk in the park now in comparison.
Basically, prepare to feel as though you have a horrible case of the flu and you are having a nervous breakdown all at the same time.
Best of luck, and congratulations on your decision to detox! :D