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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Ambien question.

3dmusic

3dmusic

Bluelighter
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
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Hi

You hear of people taking conservative doses of ambien nightly before bed, and getting addicted while having withdrawal symptoms, yet this drug only has a 2-3hr half life. You'd think that 10-20mg would be well out of the system after 24hrs, so how come people who only take it once a day get withdrawal symptoms?

thanks
 
3dmusic said:
Hi

You hear of people taking conservative doses of ambien nightly before bed, and getting addicted while having withdrawal symptoms, yet this drug only has a 2-3hr half life. You'd think that 10-20mg would be well out of the system after 24hrs, so how come people who only take it once a day get withdrawal symptoms?

thanks
Click to expand...


Maybe BZD/GABA-A receptor downregulation?

Assuming zolpidem has a 2 hour half-life, in 24 hours only around 4 micrograms would be left in theory. (10mg)
 
DL-ark said:
Maybe BZD/GABA-A receptor downregulation?

Assuming zolpidem has a 2 hour half-life, in 24 hours only around 4 micrograms would be left in theory. (10mg)
Click to expand...
Hi

Would 4 micro grams be enough to downregulate GABA?

Thanks
 
3dmusic said:
Hi

Would 4 micro grams be enough to downregulate GABA?

Thanks
Click to expand...
No, downregulation is caused by relatively large doses of an agonist. Everytime you take ambien GABA-A receptors are downregulated, meaning you have fewer GABA receptors for a short period of time. Chronic use of ambien could result in heavy downregulation, as GABA receptors may not be able to reform all the way in between doses.
 
DL-ark said:
No, downregulation is caused by relatively large doses of an agonist. Everytime you take ambien GABA-A receptors are downregulated, meaning you have fewer GABA receptors for a short period of time. Chronic use of ambien could result in heavy downregulation, as GABA receptors may not be able to reform all the way in between doses.
Click to expand...
That is interesting.

How long, roughly would you say, it takes for GABA receptors to upregulate?
Would it be the same amount of time that it takes for ambien to be eliminated from the system, or would it take longer?
I'm asking because I take it once or twice a week.

thanks
 
Taking ambien 1-2 x per week should not cause downregulation or dependency, so long as you are not exceeding the recommended dose of typically 5-10 mg.

I personally have taken 40mg x day intranasally for 2-3 weeks and when stopping the only side effects were some reduced sleep in the 1-3 days after stopping, but thats just me, results may vary.
 
dexamine said:
Taking ambien 1-2 x per week should not cause downregulation or dependency, so long as you are not exceeding the recommended dose of typically 5-10 mg.

I personally have taken 40mg x day intranasally for 2-3 weeks and when stopping the only side effects were some reduced sleep in the 1-3 days after stopping, but thats just me, results may vary.
Click to expand...
Hi thanks

A while ago, I used to have a dependency on diazepam and I weaned off them over a period of time.
I am not sure if the ambien can 're-awaken' the benzo dependency with them both being GABA agonists.
I have only got a very small amount of knowledge about GABA from when I was tapering valium, but I know both drugs are cross tolerant.
 
dexamine said:
Taking ambien 1-2 x per week should not cause downregulation or dependency, so long as you are not exceeding the recommended dose of typically 5-10 mg.

I personally have taken 40mg x day intranasally for 2-3 weeks and when stopping the only side effects were some reduced sleep in the 1-3 days after stopping, but thats just me, results may vary.
Click to expand...
I assumed he was asking about every night, which could cause some down regulation.
 
i for one know that zolpidem can definitely down regulate the gaba receptors to a point - after using 10mg for 3 weeks was left sleepless and anxious for 8 days straight. was a total nightmare however i was in a controlled environment (rehab) which meant i didn't lose it.
 
GABA-A is a strange beast. This is the same receptor that Xanax, Soma and Valium target. I take 12.5 mg CR ambien every night and if I ever have to skip it (like because I forgot to get my monthly script refilled on time) I have hardcore withdrawals and can't sleep and have fitful vivid dreams. I basically have a dependency on Zolpidem but I would call that different from an "addiction". I also take an SSRI and also get withdrawal symptoms within 24 hrs if I skip so that is also a dependency, but again, not an addiction. I don't think I know how to define "addiction" per se, but the opinion of most physicians is that it is different from "dependency"
 
Pilll_head said:
GABA-A is a strange beast. This is the same receptor that Xanax, Soma and Valium target. I take 12.5 mg CR ambien every night and if I ever have to skip it (like because I forgot to get my monthly script refilled on time) I have hardcore withdrawals and can't sleep and have fitful vivid dreams. I basically have a dependency on Zolpidem but I would call that different from an "addiction". I also take an SSRI and also get withdrawal symptoms within 24 hrs if I skip so that is also a dependency, but again, not an addiction. I don't think I know how to define "addiction" per se, but the opinion of most physicians is that it is different from "dependency"
Click to expand...

i believe its the GABA-A sub receptor type 1 thats the beast. a hard one to tame in my experience.
 
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