Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone knows if it is okay to take sleeping pills after surgery? How long to wait? I have problems sleeping and take an Ambien to help me get to sleep. Sometimes 2-3 times a week... sometimes 2-3 times a month... just depends. Has anyone had issues with taking sleeping pills after VSG?

Thanks,

Dottie

I took Ambien for jet lag a month after surgery and had no problems.

You're in Little Cayman? I loved diving Bloody Bay Wall, saw my first manta there. I'm so jealous!

If I wanted to take ambien I could, however something you may want to keep an eye out for is Ambien sleep-eating. I weaned myself off of ambien a few months after I started the six month pre-approval process. Guess who was getting up in the middle of the night and having a Protein shake, eating an apple, eating a bag of popcorn and blaming it on her kid? Me. My son informed me that about 3:00 I was getting up in the middle of the night and eating.

I was taking my ambien at about 10:00 pm and falling asleep about 3:00 am, so right after I would fall asleep I would wake up. He said he would talk to me and he knew I wasn't really there.

If you notice that, wean off them, see if you can switch to tylenol pm's for while and then get off those. I was exercising daily and I go to bed and I fall asleep within 1/2 hour now. The ambien didn't help and all it did was make me gain weight.

There's a ton of articles on it and this was one of my biggest issues. I never ate Breakfast, lunch and I always ate a normal dinner and I packed on so much weight and it didn't make sense. I didn't do it every night, and of course the foods I ate weren't bad for me, but eating like that in the middle of the night, without even realizing it is so bad for you. Especially when you had no metabolism because you don't eat breakfast and lunch.

Best of luck to you and I hope you can sleep better soon.

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I take Ambien as needed without problem. I don't sleep deep enough to get to a restorative sleep so it does help me.

I take Ambien as needed without problem. I don't sleep deep enough to get to a restorative sleep so it does help me.

I thought the same thing, I thought I was up all night and I heard every creak, groan, noise, and I was up by 6:00 am. I have had so many sleep studies etc. but if it works for you, and you need it, it's definitely worth it, after being on sleeping medication about 8 years it definitely wasn't working for me anymore since I was only asleep from 3-5:30 6:00 am. but I would remiss if I didn't share that there is a definite link to ambien and sleep eating.

I admit, maybe losing weight has also helped. I now sleep from 10:15-10:30 - 7:00 am every morning with perhaps 2 potty breaks a night. Life is much better when you get sleep.

I haven't had any issues with ambien related to the surgery. But I too have gotten up and ate things in the middle of the night and don't remember until I find the trash in the morning! That hasn't happened often. What was happening often is I was getting on facebook and posting random messages on friend's walls. That's worse than drunk texting!! Thank goodness I get up at 4:30 a.m. every morning and usually saw that I posted it and deleted it before they were awake. Oh my! I started putting my phone across the room on the dresser before I go to bed and it seems to have stopped now.

My doctor suggested I try melatonin a few nights a week rather than taking ambien as often. I haven't tried that yet but will soon.

I once ordered 100' s of dollars of clothes on line while on ambian also called an old boyfriend do not remember anything scary

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This is all too funny! I was going to see if I could get a script for ambien as well. I take melatonin and/or Tylenol PM regularly since before surgery 5 wks ago, kept taking it even right after w/o any problems - other than the fact that I still don't really sleep well and I toss and turn all night. I figured I need something stronger. I also wake up about 3 times to pee. I have been like this since before surgery. I don't know what to do, I really wish I could sleep through the night.

I take ambien as needed without any problems, but I prefer lunesta. I wake up from lunesta feeling so rested and full of energy. I sleep fine with the ambien, just rest better with the lunesta.

Have you tried meditation?

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the good advice.... I had never heard of sleep eating! Luckily, it hasn't affected me that way. I don't think Lunesta... it gives a very metallic taste in my mouth that lasts for hours after I wake. I thought my water was bad... but, in reading the fine print... that can be a side effect of Lunesta.

I work a physical job... and try to go to bed around 9-10pm. If I am not asleep by 11pm... that is when I take an Ambien.... they have really helped me in getting a restful night.

I know that can help in my recovery, so that is why I was asking how soon I could take some if needed after surgery.

Cheers and looking forward to joining the Loser's Bench.

Dottie

I took ambien the night of my surgery and since. It works much quicker since the surgery I've noticed. Take it and 1- 1 1/2 hours later i'm asleep, in bed or slumped over the chair if I don't make it to bed in time.

Good luck.