I have been prescribed 5 mg and then increased to 10 mg ambien. it keeps me awake if not, only allowing me 1 to 3 hours sleep then awake. can this be from gastric bypass or need 15 ambien or a better med?taking 200 zoloft and 60 latuda (lurasidone) q day.

15mg not the answer : As with most meds, people build a tolerance. It is not advisable to go to 15mg Ambien. There is an Ambien CR that is 12.5 and is extended release. There is a misconception about Ambien. It is for problems FALLING asleep, not STAYING asleep. Those are different problems. Ambien peaks in 30 minutes with a 2 hour half life. Ask your doctor to switch to lunesta (eszopiclone) if he/she feels it's appropriate

Ambien (zolpidem): 10 mg is a maximal dose. You need to see your physician as this medication is obviously not right for you

Reassess: Both Zoloft and Latuda (lurasidone) can cause drowsiness, yet you are awake at night. Review with prescribing doctor to consider changing timing of when you take these meds, stopping Ambien. For more info on insomnia, see: https://sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/content/what-causes-insomnia

History of insomnia: I wouldn't go beyond 10 or 12,5 mg of Ambien , if you have a history of bipolar illness, your dose of Latuda (lurasidone) may need to be adjusted, possibly trying Trazodone 100 to 300 mg it is safer than ambien

If you’re having: probs staying asleep ambien (zolpidem) may not be the right med for you- it’s for problems getting to sleep. You may need further eval in the office by your prescriber, adjustment of your existing meds, or you may need a sleep study to evaluate your sleep, it’s hard to say without knowing more. If you’re bipolar, you may be cycling up, or it may be another process interfering. Please discuss w/your MD.

Talk to doc: Talk to your doctor about adjusting the timing of your medications, or changing them. You may be getting stimulated by Zoloft or Latuda, (lurasidone) which may be absorbed in an unusual way because of the bypass. Don't increase Ambien dose,. It is not likely to be helpful.

Medication effects: I understand your concern about poor sleep Both Zoloft and Latuda (lurasidone) can cause insomnia. Zoloft 200mg/day is high maintenance dose for depression. Combining these with Ambien may increase dizziness, confusion, difficulty concentrating, judgment, and motor coordination. See Psychiatrist for Diagnosis; discuss medications side effects and interactions; decreasing dose of Zoloft; Therapy for stress