Zolpidem/substance abuse/rehab

[matt damon]

Read posts on bluelight for a while, but was usually just interested in the good experiences people had with certain substances. I've got to a point now where I am just using to numb and forget. I have been on a 6 month binge and have been admitted into a rehab facility in a few days. I am uncertain and a little bit scared, would appreciate any advice, what to expect, tips on being successful? Also a warning on what I believe is a very dangerous drug, and the major cause of myself taking large amounts of illegal and prescription substances, usually after being under its influence..anyone else had similar experience and love/hate relationship with zolpidem/stilnox/ambien? I'm really at a point where it's either start living my life again, or end up much sicker or worse.

Thanks

 

[swimming around]

Zolpidem is a bad substance dude ..it will eat your soul.....

 

[matt damon]

Been binging on it for 10 years. And everyday for the last couple of months..up to 30 a day. It can really eat your soul..for me it's as bad and powerful as meth, it's like purposefully giving yourself amnesia, strongly advise no one to take it. It's just as addictive as any benzo, but will make you do crazy and stupid shit. Ruined everything I had going for me in my life. It should be banned. I agree with you man.

 

[swimming around]

I had a freind did 4 years at her majestys pleasure for doing an armed robbery on zolpidem he used to take stupid amounts .... He's joined the great gig in the sky now bless him.. You should try substituting it or doing a taper before it destroys you dude

 

[ErgicMergic]

^ lol

Well, I can't really comment on Zolpidem addiction since I've never tried it, but it sounds like a benzo/deliriant/dissociative nightmare addiction once abused, and I highly recommend going to detox/rehab center that actually tapers you off of it. Since Zolpidem is a non-benzodiazepine, it has benzo physical addiction properties and can cause seizures if not carefully and slowly tapered off with valium or Klonopin.

Take my post with a grain of salt, and good luck, man! Keep us updated

 

[Nately's Whore]

welcome to bluelight matt, if you don't mind I'll just pop your thread under the BLUELIGHT SORTING HAT to see where it belongs...

BLUELIGHT SORTING HAT says: "other drugs!"

well you can't argue with a hat
NMI --------------------------> OD

You can if you're on a shit-ton of ambien. I have.

I feel you mate.

Though I've never had the inconvenient displeasure of becoming dependant on the state of amnesia you describe, I know it well. I was put on 'sonata' (not sure the generic name) at age 15 and ended up snorting an entire bottle without any intentions of doing so, ended up fragmented and disfigured, delerious as though I'd taken datura. I've taken datura - this was worse.

Several years later I had the misfortune to acquire 3 zolpidem pills and woke up finding myself in someone elses backyard. Again, the one time I took datura and my sitters let me go I arrived home safely by car (me driving). If I'd had a car at that time I'd surely be dead, in jail, or worse-yet, paralized.

Good luck.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Shit is nasty. Was a young addict. Don't remember the withdrawal too well but it rivaled that of opiates in the constant, constant mental discomfort.

 

[WeeksendinginY]

If you snort a bottle of any drug it's to say the least careless, and taking 3 random pills and blacking out just smacks of a lifestyle change, sir.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I know this is OT but does anyone remember the thread entitled something along the lines of "Is it ridiculous to believe that is really Alexander Shulgin?" Because there's a user named Alexander Shulgin. The guy actually made a thread asking that question. I just thought that was beyond hilarious. I'm reminded of this because of the OP's username. Just fucking hilarious.

Just have to say that when I was prescribed zolpidem it was a relatively new substance, and thought of as having all the benefits of a benzodiazepine in terms of hypnotic effects with none of the negative ones (addiction, tolerance, etc.). It was, along with prozac and zoloft, the only drug that my GP said he was comfortable prescribing. Ironically enough its now thought to be just as potentially harmful as benzos, perhaps worse in that it can be snorted to greatly increased effect. Anyways, it definitely has anxiolytic/muscle relaxant effects.

 

[WeeksendinginY]

Ho chi min at one time I was prescribed 4 mg clonazepam daily, and when I complained it wasn't helping he added 4 mg of lorazepam a day.

I think nowadays that would be considered excessive, even almost ld/50 dose? I don't know, maybe in rats. Someone correct me.

It seems like its always been what the drug reps are pushing that year.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Nah man for all intents and purposes you can't die just from taking benzodiazepines. That definitely does sound excessive, though. 4mg per day of clonazepam is about the maximum that doctors should be prescribing unless you have epilepsy. Was that really not helping, or did you just want more drugs?

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Yeah its usually like that with benzos.

Oftentimes it takes twice the recommended dose or more and a mean vigilance to stay awake for any euphoria to be had, if it can be, that is.

I went through about 150mg per night.

You don't really remember the fun, so idk if its even worth it, not to mention I consider it more dangerous than alcohol and benzos in terms of potential for causing a blackout.

 

[Rybee]

For swim (start using that word), it is not just the ridiculous amount I was taking, it was the side affects of delirium, out of body, dreamlike affect, that lead to binge drinking, to shooting meth or shooting heroin all on the same night. But the amnesiac effects overpowered all other substances. Swim went and sought zolpidem first day out of a succesfull detox, which was great due to the high levels of benzos to begin with. I found detox quite a paradox. No contact on the outside world, no cigarettes. And plenty of people just reminiscing about the glory days and glorifying drugs or alcohol. It was kind of like prison. E.g I was a newbie, I dabbled in illegal recreational drugs but was not an addict, in there I found new contacts, hooked up with a great chick who was trying to kick heroin. When we got out I was about to get a cab and she pops round the corner 'fate' maybe, anyway swim ended up shooting heroin for the first time with er in a whirlwind 3 week relationship. Which I have dabbled in since, would never endorse it but love it. No amnesia, no shaking, no arsehole personality or bizzare behaviour. But deadly! I have not been hanging out and my goal is to stay that way.

Anyway swims experience is kind of like weed is a gateway drug for most, zolpidem was for swim. As weed was never a pleasurable drug, paranoia etc. Every brains different.

In all seriousness though substances ruined swims marriage, career, relationships with family and friends, finances. WRONG. I ruined it with selfish behaviour, and pissweak excuses.

Don't get me wrong as we know there are great times. And I can say I have tried every substance interested in. Life is starting to look rosy. As long as the abuse of 1 substance has been substituted for a more dangerous 1!

We don't use SWIM on BlueLight, it's against forum rules.

As for Zolpidem being compared to meth...

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^^

This. Please edit the SWIM out of your post Damon. It doesn't legally protect you anyway.

 

[biomech]

Zolpidem substance abuse? What the heck. I can maybe understand taking more than a regular dose on a particularly hard night to sleep, but I don't get the recreational appeal. <<<Takes Zolpidem for sleep

I tried Stilldem/Zolpidem for the first time last week, my mother-in-law gave me one after I mentioned how i'd suffered insomnia for years. It was amazing - I was out within 15 mins of taking it and slept a solid 8 hours. Went to my doc today to see about getting a script and she said it was evil & addictive and that she'd NEVER prescribe it to me - then offered me valium instead!

I said no to the vals because i've had bad experience with benzos in the past, and never found them effective for sleep anyway. So i'm guessing there must be an issue with zolpidem & substance abuse for my doc to say it's worse than valium

Pity, because that one nights sleep was absolutely magical -i don't think i'd slept like that since I was a kid. I'm ever considering a second opinion - but from what i've heard most docs are loath to prescribe it

 

[zero_pulse]

Just my two cents, but while Zolpidem may have the potential to be addictive, I think the danger is more with the side effects, for example sleepwalking.