How do you know when your doctor has prescribed a placebo?

Three? I don’t think that’s such a good idea. Have they worked for you before?

Yeah! And don’t be worried by that, honestly, I’ve taken five before and been fine.
Usually I only have to take two for them to work, but nothing happened this time around, so I’m kind of confused.

Placebos work on me, even if I know they are placebos. If the doctor tells me I will get well, I get well. I guess I must believe in doctors, eh?

@timeand_distance – there should be some identifying markers on the pill. One side will (most likely) have amb and the milligrams of the pill – ex AMB 5 or AMB 10.

If it is Ambien CR, it will be a blue pill – and should also hve some identifying markers. On one side, A~, the other side probably shows the milligrams.

Be very careful when taking more than advised to take – even if it seems like it is not working.

You can always call your pharmacist or take it to a different pharmacy and have them identify the pill.

So, you think you got a prescription, but it’s a placebo? Maybe the Ambien is working and you’re forcing yourself to stay awake, and becoming paranoid. It’s not legal to give out a placebo like that, at a pharmacy. Did you get the pills from a legitamate doctor?

Ambien can make you feel restless – it is one of it’s known side effects – is this occurring? If so stop taking it.

Also, if you’ve been taking it for a while, stopped, and then started again you may have re-bound insomnia (another side effect) – in which case it is no longer good for you to take.

Either way you should discuss this with your doctor.

You really shouldn’t take more than the prescribed dose – more is not better. Is is incredibly hard on your body especially your liver.

I’m with casheroo and teirem1 – legitimate doctors and pharmacists don’t dole out placebos. It is far more likely that something else is going on and you should be talking to your doctor about it, not adjusting your own dose. There is a reason why you need to get a prescription for these drugs. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist (drug reactions/interactions/contraindications are their expertise after all) about what you are experiencing asap.

Any medication to help you sleep will work better if you take it and then get in to bed, turn the lights off and try to go to sleep. If you are sat at the computer wide awake and thinking that you are just going to fall asleep where you stand then I think you might be a bit disappointed.

If you know it’s a placebo, what would be the use?

Placebos are RARELY prescribed. Usually it’s a real medication in an extremely LOW dose. Do NOT think your meds are placebos. Call your doctor and tell him what you tell us.

turns out that for some reason my body just took forever to metabolize it last night.

This whole thing makes me wonder about my zoloft and norco.how would i ever know if they were placebos?

I have the questions about the pain meds I am on and also the muscle relaxers and depression meds.

My wife has a sleep disorder and her doctor prescribed Ambien for her. It worked in reverse. She could not sleep.

Doctor changed her prescription to Lunesta and it works great for her. Just one pill before bedtime.

Ambien is very addictive.

Why not ask your doctor to change from Ambien to Lunesta? It will be beneficial for you.

I see that this is an old question, @john65pennington , but I just wanted to respond in case other insomniacs were wondering about a better solution. I, too, was prescribed Ambien…for (I think) 2 days and I pretty much was nuts on it. Walked in my sleep, horrible nightmares, couldn’t wake up, etc, etc.

Like your wife, when I called my doctor and told him I wasn’t going to take Ambien ever again, he immediately switched me to Lunesta and it was wonderful! Sleep for 8 hours, no “hangover” or walking around in a daze the next day.

Wonderful alternative to Ambien.

wishing I had some tonight