Illegally symptoms and conditions

I'm on 240 mg a day and its no fun at all. I've built up a big tolerance to it, so much that even at this high of a dosage, I could fall asleep in no time at all. I've been at this dose fir like 4 years now. The good thing is that I have lost a lot of weight and managed to keep it off - going from a juniors size 11 to a 3 is the best thing thats happened though. Probably the only good thing. Otherwise, its made me different in many ways. I get to feeling that I just want to be left alone a lot so I can do my own thing, whatever that may be cause it varies. Some days I have a lot of energy, get lots done (cleaning, errands, some exercise classes, stuff like that), and other days I just feel like doing nothing. Mood swings are not uncommon for me, but I have always been that way I guess. Oh well, I guess if it works for you, take it. Its worked for me, but its about time I start to think about getting off of it as its effectiveness has run its course, at least I think it has. And I don't want to try anything else, its simply time to quit the ADD drug scene entirely. But like I said, if it works for you, then go for it. Just watch out cause it can build up on you fast like it did me, and you don't want to be taking as much as I do. (Its prescribed that way for me, BTW. I don't use it illegally).

My father was first prescribed ambien in 1993 after the death of his wife to help with sleep. I have seen him go through the various stages of side effects from sleep walking to talking to people that weren't there to falling and hallicinating. This was all under the care and supervision of his doctor. It is now 2005 and I am writing this as he sits in a de-tox facility after building up a tolerance to this addictive drug of up to 20/10mg. pills per day. He couldn't let go of this drug and even the doctors are shocked at the amount his body has been able to sustain. I would beg anyone reading this that has been on this prescription to talk to their doctor if they feel that they are not able to sleep without it. My father was very close to dying and it is still possible while he is going through detox that he will die. No matter how many Ambien he takes he can't feel good enough and I have discovered he was mixing with pain killers. His doctor did NOT prescibe him enough to take 20 a day, but it is readily sold ILLEGALLY over the internet. These people are heartless, selling ILLEGAL PRESCRIPTIONS over the internet from manufacturers outside of the United States. I can't tell you how awful it has been as my father has gotton more and more addicted to this medication. I had started to question whether or not he had Alzheimers because of his actions under this drug. He gets up every night and goes to the kitchen to eat at night. He has let everything else go. He has not slept one night in 13 years without it. For anyone reading this who thinks this could not happen to them, please know that my fiance who took this drug to help him sleep had hallicinations with me in the room. I can tell you after watching him just in the initial stages of detox over the last three days that this is a PAINFUL and AWFUL process. It is an addiction just like any other street drug. I am writing this after three days/nights with no sleep while waiting to get him into a treatment facility and spending all day/all night vigils while he begged for this pill. If you start to suspect you have a problem with this prescription please get help before it is too late.