"this medicine works very well for me. i take 7.5mg. of this. i am prescribed 1 or 2 at bedtime.  before, i was taking 5mg. of regular ambien. i would fall asleep rather quickly, but i always wake up around 2 or 3 am for the bathroom. then, i could never go back to sleep. when i went back to my doctor, she changed it to the extended release. now when i get up during the night, i&#039;m able to get back to sleep. i always allow myself enough time to sleep off the medication, even if it means taking it and going to bed early. i allow myself 10 hours. i feel rested when i get up and have coffee. the only side effect i&#039;ve experienced is i sometimes wake myself up talking.** i would not take this med. with nerve pills or drink alcohol."