Oral use - Ambien help: Effects not what was expected

[Cyber]

SWIM just took 30 mg of generic Ambien. He took 10mg two nights ago, and felt no effects at all, not even drowsiness. He took 20mg last night and experienced roughly the same thing.

Should SWIM take more to get effects? Are food/soda/cigs messing things up?

[pinksox]

No, he shouldn't take more.

Ambien works best when it's taken in bed immediately before the lights are t urned out and without simulating things, like radios or TV's on in the background. SWIM wouldn't even recommend reading or using the computer with it and expecting it to work well.

Regular Ambien is quite short-acting and doesn't work well is users aren't prepared to immediately go right to sleep. It's not really the same sort of "groggy, tired" one gets from things like lorazepam(ativan) or Restoril(temazepam).

In order for it to work best, one should take it while in bed with a glass of water on the bedside table...after the prerequisite bathroom trip/teeth brushing. Take the pill, then turn out the light and put your head down and try to relax and go to sleep.