does anyone here take ambien? does it work? will i sleep through a hit or will the pain wake me? my doc wrote me a script for ambien CR because i haven't slept in what feels like months. if anyone has had success getting rest with it?

Suggest you ask your doc for a trial of Ergomar SL. This is a formof ergotamine, dissolved under the tongue about one-hour before bed. It will often block development of night time attacks.

This was an old favorite a zillion years ago but has fallen from use--but still worth a try.

i take ambien 10 mgs every night. Less night time hits for me ! however you will still wake up from the pain if its that bad. i think the only thing that can make you sleep threw a attack is anesthesia.

Ambien vs Anti-Inflammatory Regimen with 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3...  You decide.

Ambien Cost Per Dose - Ambien 10mg is $2.75 - $3.00 per pill
Desired Effect for CH'ers – May let some CH'ers sleep through minor hits
Even with normal usage, Ambien side effects include:
* headache
* dizziness
* drowsiness
* difficulty walking
* diarrhea
* constipation
* difficulty walking without an unsteady gait
* flatulence
* shaking of the arms or legs
* appetite changes
* unusual dreams
* dry mouth
* dry throat
* unsteady balance
* heartburn
* tingling in the hands, feet, legs or arms
* pain or burning in the hands, feet, legs or arms
* tingling of the tongue
* burning or redness of the tongue
* ringing in the ears
* tingling in the ears
* itching in the ears
* redness of the eyes
* muscle aches
* joint pain
* back pain
* neck pain

Serious or life threatening Ambien side effects may occur:
* difficulty breathing
* difficulty swallowing
* rash
* hives
* swelling of the eyes, lips, tongue, throat or face
* rash
* itching hives
* itching
* throat closing up
* hoarseness
* shortness of breath
* pounding or racing heartbeat
* vomiting
* nausea
* chest pain
* blurred vision
* vision problems

Deaths reported to FDA involving Ambien – Read for yourself at the following link, but the figure is 702 deaths reported from (11/01/1997 to 06/30/2012) where Ambiien is the primary suspect:

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Anti-Inflammatory Regimen with 10K IU/day vitamin D3 Cost/day – 20 to 25 cents/day
Desired Effect for CH'ers – 70% to 76% effective in preventing CH
Anti-Inflammatory Regimen Adverse Side Effects – Essentially none.  (See link below for details)
Deaths deaths reported from (11/01/1997 to 06/30/2012) where Vitamin D3 is the primary suspect: None

Read for yourself at the following link:

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Note this report is for all vitamin D (D2 and D3)

Verapamil is a little better than Ambien...
See the following link...  only 188 deaths from (11/01/1997 to 06/30/2012) where verapamil was suspect...  Read for yourself at the following link:

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I used Ambien for several months, but it stopped working. I use triazolam and it has worked well.

Unfortunately D3 has not worked for me...

Hey CDog,

Are you taking the basic anti-inflammatory regimen or the complete regimen with all the cofactors...  including vitamin K2 and vitamin A? 

Have you had your 25(OH)D lab test?  If you've had the test, what was the 25(OH)D serum concentration?

How much vitamin D3 are you taking?

If you're still taking the basic regimen with at least 10,000 IU/day vitamin D3, check with your doctor to see if you can take a single low dose 81 mg enteric coated aspirin a day for a couple weeks.

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This is a recent addition to the basic regimen and it appears to improve the cluster headache response.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

I would not take Ambien if you are in any way prone to getting up and stumbling around during a hit (or worse, sleepwalking like me). There are two potential serious problems with Ambien, from a CH standpoint. One, it can cause some people to get up while still asleep, even cooking or driving! Two, it causes retrograde amnesia meaning you won't remember what you did. Therefore the potential for injury is there, especially with any condition which can cause you to partially wake up during the night.

I want to emphasize that the majority of people don't get these side effects. It's just that for those who do, the consequences can be serious. If you live with someone, ask them to watch out for you after you take your first few doses.

(I have sleepwalked and seriously hurt myself while on Ambien, but I am in the minority on that one. Apparently I even prepared Ramen noodle burritos for my ex. No memory of that.)   :D

I have been on the d3 for over a year, 20,000 a day and all cofactors. Test was 105 ng/ml and that was four months ago...

Hey CDog,

Your numbers are good and look like mine...  Ask your doctor about the Low Dose 81 mg. enteric coated aspirin.

My doctor at NIH and I decided on the low dose aspirin four years ago...  I was getting hit 6 to 8 times a day during a high cycle when I started taking them and they made no difference on frequency, intensity or duration.

However, they do make a difference now.  Don't know why just yet and the evidence is very anecdotal, but the aspirin may provide an additional anti-inflammatory response when taken with vitamin D3 as salicylates are COX-1 inhibitors.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Would be helpful if you would give us some history about you Cluster experience.

What kind of doc are you seeing now? What is your treatment plan--using what?, dosing?, etc.

Quote:

will i sleep through a hit or will the pain wake me? success getting rest with it?

Ambien was only prescribed to me while on a predsinone taper, a time hits were held until a preventive med was built up.  I wouldn't have faith in it alone to sleep through any hit, and would need to navigate the way to oxygen coherently, as mentioned.  I was able to get some sleep with it while on prednisone.



Quote:

my doc wrote me a script for ambien CR because i haven't slept in what feels like months.

To make up sleep time, melatonin can get a couple short hours when needed.  Seems safer and available off-the-shelf in the vitamin aisle, but also not any hit-stopper for me.

Batch wrote on Nov 13^th, 2012 at 11:39am:

Hey CDog, Your numbers are good and look like mine...  Ask your doctor about the Low Dose 81 mg. enteric coated aspirin. My doctor at NIH and I decided on the low dose aspirin four years ago...  I was getting hit 6 to 8 times a day during a high cycle when I started taking them and they made no difference on frequency, intensity or duration. However, they do make a difference now.  Don't know why just yet and the evidence is very anecdotal, but the aspirin may provide an additional anti-inflammatory response when taken with vitamin D3 as salicylates are COX-1 inhibitors. Take care, V/R, Batch

I'll give it a shot, thanks!

Ambien has been part of my aresonal for several years.  It doesn't stop attacks from waking me but following attacks I'm drowsy enough to get right back to sleep instead of remaining awake for long periods of time.  Essentiallty it helps me get as much sleep as possible

Been on the aspirin for two weeks now and nothing so far...

Virapamil does nothing for me,neither did ambien,high dose of d3,fish oil ect...02 only helps for about 20 minutes then there back,,,asprin i take daily and have for years,prednizone did nothing,,,only thing that helps is sumatriptan pills but i can only take 4 in a 24 hour time frame. I am still taking verapamil but i am considering getting off it as you have to ween off it and just cant stop taking it.Some are lucky i suppose that home remidies are helping them.

Hey CDog,

Try cutting out the calcium for a few days...  The other cofactors including magnesium, zinc and vitamin A are still very important.

Take care and please keep us posted.

V/R, Batch

Don't know about Ambien, but I have taken Temazapam for insomnia.  I can sleep though a hit (kinda), but it's a thousand times worse if I do.  Usually I'll wake when I start feeling my cluster, but not if I've taken sleep meds.  Then I don't wake until I'm at a Kip 9 or 10 and it's a hell of a lot worse.

One thought is that many people who have tried the LSA containing seeds say the only effect they get from them would be a really good nights sleep.  Might even bust your clusters into submission.  Just saying.... :)

-Ricardo