Finding True Self: Ambien Wiped Out Six Years of My Life

[Indigo1983]

The prescription drug Ambien caused me to lose huge chunks of my memory.

The sedative contributed to five years of writers block for me. The pills were wiping out my brain cells.

A lot of my memory is gone. Don’t know if you’ve ever taken Ambien, but it’s a basically a memory eraser. That shit wiped out six years of my life. I recently saw myself in a video at a workshop in Arizona and I was like “When did that happen?”

I have journals from that period and it fk’ing scares me. Huge letters flowing down all the pages. All that shit is in a box in my closet as a reminder that I don’t want to go back.

During the height of my addiction right around the time I got off probation for felonies and didn’t have to do a urine analysis anymore, I was necking 30 Klonopin and 20 Vicodin pills a day. I was getting fk’ed up every night. In 2017, I OD’ed on Suboxone.

My cousin who celebrated 10 years of sobriety this year was one of the people who helped me overcome my addictions. He checks in with me every week just to make sure I’m continuing well. He was one of the first people I called when I decided to get clean.

So I want you to know that life does get better. It really does.

 

[sglowrider]

Why did you start taking it to start with?

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

The prescription drug Ambien caused me to lose huge chunks of my memory.

The sedative contributed to five years of writers block for me. The pills were wiping out my brain cells.

A lot of my memory is gone. Don’t know if you’ve ever taken Ambien, but it’s a basically a memory eraser. That shit wiped out six years of my life. I recently saw myself in a video at a workshop in Arizona and I was like “When did that happen?”

I have journals from that period and it fk’ing scares me. Huge letters flowing down all the pages. All that shit is in a box in my closet as a reminder that I don’t want to go back.

During the height of my addiction right around the time I got off probation for felonies and didn’t have to do a urine analysis anymore, I was necking 30 Klonopin and 20 Vicodin pills a day. I was getting fk’ed up every night. In 2017, I OD’ed on Suboxone.

My cousin who celebrated 10 years of sobriety this year was one of the people who helped me overcome my addictions. He checks in with me every week just to make sure I’m continuing well. He was one of the first people I called when I decided to get clean.

So I want you to know that life does get better. It really does.

Glad you are getting it behind you.

That’s hard work.

Addiction sucks.

Keep it up.

Plain ol’ life is good.

 

[largemouth]

The prescription drug Ambien caused me to lose huge chunks of my memory.

The sedative contributed to five years of writers block for me. The pills were wiping out my brain cells.

A lot of my memory is gone. Don’t know if you’ve ever taken Ambien, but it’s a basically a memory eraser. That shit wiped out six years of my life. I recently saw myself in a video at a workshop in Arizona and I was like “When did that happen?”

I have journals from that period and it fk’ing scares me. Huge letters flowing down all the pages. All that shit is in a box in my closet as a reminder that I don’t want to go back.

During the height of my addiction right around the time I got off probation for felonies and didn’t have to do a urine analysis anymore, I was necking 30 Klonopin and 20 Vicodin pills a day. I was getting fk’ed up every night. In 2017, I OD’ed on Suboxone.

My cousin who celebrated 10 years of sobriety this year was one of the people who helped me overcome my addictions. He checks in with me every week just to make sure I’m continuing well. He was one of the first people I called when I decided to get clean.

So I want you to know that life does get better. It really does.

So, how are you sleeping these days without the drug?
Just curious, I use a CPAP (actually BIPAP) machine because of apnea and I rarely sleep more than five hours. Sleep deprivation is not fun. I was a very light sleeper before my diagnosis of apnea, but used to get 6 or 7 hours. Old age has something to do with it, I 'spose.

 

[cryano]

If I start using now - can i choose which 6 years to wipe from my memory? They dont have to be consecutive do they?

 

[iucutter87]

If I start using now - can i choose which 6 years to wipe from my memory? They dont have to be consecutive do they?

Sorry but this is post of the year for me!!

 

[Indigo1983]

So, how are you sleeping these days without the drug?
Just curious, I use a CPAP (actually BIPAP) machine because of apnea and I rarely sleep more than five hours. Sleep deprivation is not fun. I was a very light sleeper before my diagnosis of apnea, but used to get 6 or 7 hours. Old age has something to do with it, I 'spose.

They have me on Saphris tor sleep. It knocks me out like a brick. The only downside is the price.

 

[PhyloeBedoe]

So, how are you sleeping these days without the drug?
Just curious, I use a CPAP (actually BIPAP) machine because of apnea and I rarely sleep more than five hours. Sleep deprivation is not fun. I was a very light sleeper before my diagnosis of apnea, but used to get 6 or 7 hours. Old age has something to do with it, I 'spose.

I heard this podcast recently and was surprised by what I learned. I knew that sleep was important, obviously, but not to this degree. Fascinating. https://podcastnotes.org/2018/04/29/why-we-sleep/

(By the way, am I the only one who can hardly listen to Joe Rogan because he’s such a bro douche? This podcast is worth powering through his douchiness.)

 

[sglowrider]

I heard this podcast recently and was surprised by what I learned. I knew that sleep was important, obviously, but not to this degree. Fascinating. https://podcastnotes.org/2018/04/29/why-we-sleep/

(By the way, am I the only one who can hardly listen to Joe Rogan because he’s such a bro douche? This podcast is worth powering through his douchiness.)

Sleep is sacrosanct for me. That's why I don't drink alcohol at night if I can help it. Faks up my sleep pattern.

A good exercise session in the early evening makes a helluva difference. The endorphins take you into the night is a great way to prepare for sleep.

 

[largemouth]

They have me on Saphris tor sleep. It knocks me out like a brick. The only downside is the price.

I looked up the price out of curiosity. Holy crap, $20+ a pill!!!!

 

[Eppy99]

So, how are you sleeping these days without the drug?
Just curious, I use a CPAP (actually BIPAP) machine because of apnea and I rarely sleep more than five hours. Sleep deprivation is not fun. I was a very light sleeper before my diagnosis of apnea, but used to get 6 or 7 hours. Old age has something to do with it, I 'spose.

I use a cpap as well (I hate the mother-****er and want to toss it out the window with the Roomba). Curious I also have a really poor memory and have wondered if it's from sleep apnea or maybe meds I've been taking over the years. Have you had any memory issue from the sleep apnea?

 

[kkott]

I use a cpap as well (I hate the mother-****er and want to toss it out the window with the Roomba). Curious I also have a really poor memory and have wondered if it's from sleep apnea or maybe meds I've been taking over the years. Have you had any memory issue from the sleep apnea?

I don't sleep well and definitely feel like it affects my memory. Always feel like I'm in a bit of a fog.

 

[twenty02]

The prescription drug Ambien caused me to lose huge chunks of my memory.

The sedative contributed to five years of writers block for me. The pills were wiping out my brain cells.

A lot of my memory is gone. Don’t know if you’ve ever taken Ambien, but it’s a basically a memory eraser. That shit wiped out six years of my life. I recently saw myself in a video at a workshop in Arizona and I was like “When did that happen?”

I have journals from that period and it fk’ing scares me. Huge letters flowing down all the pages. All that shit is in a box in my closet as a reminder that I don’t want to go back.

During the height of my addiction right around the time I got off probation for felonies and didn’t have to do a urine analysis anymore, I was necking 30 Klonopin and 20 Vicodin pills a day. I was getting fk’ed up every night. In 2017, I OD’ed on Suboxone.

My cousin who celebrated 10 years of sobriety this year was one of the people who helped me overcome my addictions. He checks in with me every week just to make sure I’m continuing well. He was one of the first people I called when I decided to get clean.

So I want you to know that life does get better. It really does.

Tiger, is that you?

 

[largemouth]

I was told that sleep apnea caused my Afib. and had to have two catheter ablations to normalize my heart rhythm. So I use the machine every night.
As far as memory issues, I don't think mine has been affected by anything but getting older.
Up before 4:00 this AM.

 

[iubud]

My only problem with sleep is it is hard for me to get sleepy. I only go to bed because I know I need to. I have some tricks that allow me to fall asleep pretty easy despite not being tired.

I imagine I am in a place such as a cabin in the woods and there are no other people within miles of me. I push all thoughts out of my mind other than the cabin in the woods and things that need to be done for survival. It's weird, but it stops me from thinking about activities of the day or things I have to do the next day.

 

[sdhoosier]

My only problem with sleep is it is hard for me to get sleepy. I only go to bed because I know I need to. I have some tricks that allow me to fall asleep pretty easy despite not being tired.

I imagine I am in a place such as a cabin in the woods and there are no other people within miles of me. I push all thoughts out of my mind other than the cabin in the woods and things that need to be done for survival. It's weird, but it stops me from thinking about activities of the day or things I have to do the next day.

Have you tried reading when you go to bed...takes me about 15 minutes and I am off to dream land.

 

[cryano]

Have you tried reading when you go to bed...takes me about 15 minutes and I am off to dream land.

Ive been reading this one for the last 3 years...I should make it to chapter four early in 2019...

Amazon product ASIN 1503516768

 

[Eppy99]

Ive been reading this one for the last 3 years...I should make it to chapter four early in 2019...

View embedded media

Post of the year!

 

[iubud]

Have you tried reading when you go to bed...takes me about 15 minutes and I am off to dream land.

I read so much crap for work that I haven't read many books lately. It does work except my wife hates for me to read in bed so I read in my office. By the time I get up to go to bed, I am wide awake. I used to fall asleep reading and wake up at 3:00 to go to bed. Many times I had just enough sleep that I couldn't fall back to sleep with any of my tricks. I am better off staying on the coach and sleeping there.

 

[sdhoosier]

I read so much crap for work that I haven't read many books lately. It does work except my wife hates for me to read in bed so I read in my office. By the time I get up to go to bed, I am wide awake. I used to fall asleep reading and wake up at 3:00 to go to bed. Many times I had just enough sleep that I couldn't fall back to sleep with any of my tricks. I am better off staying on the coach and sleeping there.

My wife bought me a kindle for that very reason..now I can read with the light off and it doesn't disturb her.

 

[iubud]

My wife bought me a kindle for that very reason..now I can read with the light off and it doesn't disturb her.

I like books with real pages. My cousin wrote under the name Austin Jett and I haven't read one book yet because you can only download the digital version from Amazon.

 

[The Vid]

I like books with real pages. My cousin wrote under the name Austin Jett and I haven't read one book yet because you can only download the digital version from Amazon.

Cool dog in your profile pic

 

[hookyIU1990]

My wife bought me a kindle for that very reason..now I can read with the light off and it doesn't disturb her.

Blue light off a device will eff up your sleep. Hope it's a paperwhite and you have a clip on light or you've at least got the blue shade filter (or whatever they call it now) turned on.

 

[twenty02]

Blue light off a device will eff up your sleep. Hope it's a paperwhite and you have a clip on light or you've at least got the blue shade filter (or whatever they call it now) turned on.

I agree....redtube.com messes with me falling asleep too

 

[sdhoosier]

I like books with real pages. My cousin wrote under the name Austin Jett and I haven't read one book yet because you can only download the digital version from Amazon.

I was the same way..I preferred real books and still do. But with my problems falling asleep the Kindle works for me at night. I am usually reading two books at once..one at night on the Kindle and one regular book during the day. The other thing I like with the Kindle is the ease of buying another book when I finish one. No need for a trip to the bookstore.

 

[sdhoosier]

Blue light off a device will eff up your sleep. Hope it's a paperwhite and you have a clip on light or you've at least got the blue shade filter (or whatever they call it now) turned on.

I must have a paperwhite...I hadn't heard about the blue light issue..

 

[hookyIU1990]

I must have a paperwhite...I hadn't heard about the blue light issue..

Messes with your body's melatonin levels and you think it's time to wake up, not go to sleep.

If redtube messes with your sleep, you're using it wrong.