Ambien Alternative?

I have been taking Ambien for over a year and it works very good and I haven't had any problems until now.
I bit my nails for years, from the time I was a little child until about 5 years ago when I finally got tired of all the infections and pain and quit.  I have been so happy that I quit and stopped having the pain that went along with it.  Until about 2 weeks ago.  I woke up and I thought I had a dream where I was biting my nails until I looked at my thumbnails and they were gone.  Freaked me out because I don't really remember biting them and I haven't even wanted to bite them.  A few days later I was a little more awake and I kind of remember biting them.  Then I thought that was over and they started growing back.  Last night I had the same dream and I had chewed off my thumbnails and 2 others.  I have been in so much pain today.  I chewed them all the way down and they are straggly and catching on things and it hurts, especially when they get wet.  Taking a shower this morning was torture.  I know it sounds like I am aggravating but I am not.  I really chewed them down far.
It scares me because what else could I do without knowing it?  I have heard about people eating things and not being aware until the next morning when they see the wrappers and dirty dishes.  I have even heard about people driving without knowing it.
I am seeing my doctor on Thursday.  Is there another sleeping pill that works as well as Ambien without the side effects.  I really am afraid of going back to the terrible insomnia.

I've taken benadryl or an OTC sleep aid. Like Tylenol Pm without the Tylenol.

I have used that in the past and it didn't work as well for me but I may try it tonight. I am afraid to take any more Ambien.

I take Restoril, but it is a benzodiazapene so you have to be careful because it may be habit forming. (I don't take it every night).

One of my friends takes melatonin, which is OTC and not addictive - it seems to work well for her, she takes it every night.

And, you're gonna laugh, but when I REALLY can't sleep - I take Nyquil. That stuff knocks me out! Weird, huh?

Good luck finding something that "fits".

Thanks.  I have used Melatonin in the past, too.  Of course it doesn't work like Ambien.  That stuff is like magic.  I take it, go to bed and next thing I know it's morning and I don't feel hungover.  I'm going to miss it.

I went through a period where I suffered from severe insomnia I tried every sleep medication I could. Ambien made me eat in my sleep and I didn't like the hypnotic feeling I had from most of the meds I tried. Finally the last medication my doctor could prescribe me was Restoril and it's worked great I even wake up refreshed and not at all groggy. It sends me into a natural sleep and even when I wake up in the middle of the night I'm conscious of what I'm doing and able to go right back to sleep. It's an older medication so not always one of the first prescribed by doctors but I've heard a lot of people say the same things about it. You might want to try melatonin in the right dose it will give you the best natural sleep you've ever had and I'm slowly switching over to it right now. Everyones different you might have to try a couple before you find the right one but I would definitely stay away from the ambien... Good Luck!

I remember you saying a while back that you woke up with your thumb in your mouth chewing on it when you were dreaming of chewing something else. At the time it was kind of funny but, you're right, it really isnt. There are 2 other prescription sleep meds that come to mind that dont have the same reported side effects as Ambien. They did not work for me though. I've been taking Ambien for almost 2 yeasr now and I for the past 6-8 months have only gotten about 3-4 hours a night. I wake up immediately about 2 1/2 hours after I take it. Anyway, they are, of course, Lunesta, and the other is Sonata. I hope you find something to help you and if you do and it's something new or different...Let me know! Good luck 

I am going to check out Melatonin at Walmart and maybe I'll get some and try it tonight.

I take trazadone every night. It's an antidepressant, but works as well as ambien for me. It's non habit-forming, which is great also!

I had been taking ambien for about a year and half and started to not sleep quite as well. I liked the nights I did take the ambien, but insurance would only cover 10 pills a month for me ~ I need to sleep more than 10 nights a month! About a month ago, I called my pcp and asked for an alternative that I could take every night. She prescribed 100 mg of Trazadone. From what I understand it's an antidepressant but can be used for sleep issues in lower doses. It's dirt cheap and insurance pays for an entire month at a time. It took about 5 days before I noticed it working and it seems to work very well for me now. I take it about a half hour before I want to go to sleep and although I don't sleep eight hours, I do usually get a solid six hours every night.