About Ambien

Discussion forum about the side effects of Ambien. Share your experience and opinion about Ambien. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history.

Ambien side effects
Date: 11/30/2005
I have been taking for about 7 months. It helps alot. I have chronic pain and have segmented sleep. So if I don’t get good sleep I am basically screwed. I notice if I don’t go up to my room as soon as I take it, I see the couchs breath, and stuff move, I don’t like this, it scares me. So you need to go to bed and take it then. As I fall asleep quickly, and my husband has told me that I talk and such real quick, what is going on? How does this work in my brain, I am on pain narcotics, blood pressure, synthroid, and zanax, and adderal. I am a walking experiment…also have femvir…what is going on with my head?

Linda

AskDocWeb: Ambien is a hypnotic agent that affects the sensorimotor cortical region of your brain and acts on your central nervous system. You could say that you are hypnotizing yourself with a drug to get to sleep.

Blurred vision
Date: 12/5/2005
Can Ambien cause blurred vision? I took a prescribed dose last night and my vision is extremely blurred today. Thanks,

Pamela

AskDocWeb: Yes, abnormal vision is a side effect in a small number of cases.

Ambien hallucinations
Date: 12/6/2005
I have only taken Ambien a few times. The last time was about 3 days ago. My husband got in the shower as I was taking it and when he got out of the shower he came into the den where I was and found me staring at the Christmas tree in horror. I remember thinking the tree was grabbing at me and although I knew it wasn’t real it seemed very real. Everything almost looked 3-D to me. When my husband called my name, I turned and looked at him and his face seemed to melt away which freaked me out and I started crying. He got me up and walked me to bed and he practically had to carry me because I could hardly walk. I do enjoy the great sleep I get while taking Ambien but I’m not so sure I can handle the hallucinations.

Tammy

Horrible hallucinations
Date: 12/10/2005
Just one 10 mg dose of Ambien resulted in prolonged, horrible hallucinations for me, and I still have no memory of the month prior to my taking it. In fact, I ended up in a mental hosptial, where they continued giving me Ambien for I don’t know how long, until they figured out that this drug was the problem!

If I had found this website *before* when I was checking out the drug info, I would never have taken it. I believe this drug should be removed from the market- any “medication” that makes people hallucinate or crazy is not beneficial. In fact, my doctor tells me that he no longer prescribes Ambien at all now, based upon my experience. Good for him! Can anyone say “Class Action”?

MH

DUI for sleep driving
Date: 12/17/2005
My boyfriend is in jail now with a DUI for “sleepdriving” while on ambien. The first night on the drug that he spent in the house alone he took the pill, went to bed, awoke, got in his truck, drove 2 miles down the road and into a parking lot. He bumped into a parked car, was accused on being “drunk”, cuffed, beat up, and put in jail. To this day he has no memory of anything before being taised by the cops. Be careful with ambien. If you don’t stay asleep after taking it you will do some strange and maybe dangerous things.

Vicki

Good night’s sleep
Date: 12/17/2005
I started taking Ambien almost 2 years ago. I have never felt better as I get a good night’s sleep every night. I was taking 10 mg but now I take 5 mg and I have had no problems whatsoever. Just good sleep with no after “taste” or hangover feeling.

Stephanie

Took two
Date: 12/20/2005
I took Ambien for a while and it didn’t help me sleep. I first took one a night and then two. Still couldn’t sleep. (10mg)

Arthur

AskDocWeb: Do not exceed the recommended dosage of any drug! Read what happened to others when they just took one pill.

Warning
Date: 12/27/2005
I started taking ambien again. The last couple of times I was on it I split up with my husband because of weird things I was doing and not remembering. Now he LOVES the sex that I don’t remember having with him when I’m on it. But I can’t remember anything. I ran out the door in the middle of the night on Xmas eve to hand out cakes to people and I’m not even sure I got dressed before I did it or what I said. My husband says that I don’t want to know and we need to move. Tonight was my last night taking ambien. I’m looking at health food stores instead.

Teresa

AskDocWeb: We debated on whether or not to post this feedback because we don’t want Ambien to be the next date rape drug but people should be aware of this side effect.

Crazy nightmares
Date: 12/27/2005
I have been using Ambien for three months now. I have noticed a personality change in myself(anger easy) along with some crazy nightmares that upon waking I swear these were real and that I had actually talked to the people in the dream. Three months of taking these every evening starting to mess me up. Without these I do not go to sleep in a reasonable time frame. I do consume alcoholic drinks but not every day. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. I do not have much drive anymore as far as getting housework done.

Mike

AskDocWeb: It sounds like you should talk to your doctor about alternatives.

Prozac and Ambien?
Date: 12/30/2005
I am a 67 year old female who has insomnia and I take ambien, 10mg. I also have to take prozac, 20mg each morning. My question is this, is it ok to take both of these medicine since they both deal with seretorin? Waiting for your answer. Thanks…

GM.

AskDocWeb: We have not heard of any problems with these drugs interacting with each other as long as the Prozac is taken in the morning and the Ambien is used at night.

Ambien cause sore throat?
Date: 1/2/2006
I would like to ask if ambein could cause sore throat. I have had a sore throat for about a month. I took erthromycin but it did no good. What is your opinion. Thanks!

Elizabeth

AskDocWeb: No, ambien does not cause a sore throat. We suggest you have your doctor find out what is causing it.

Taking Ambien for years
Date: 1/8/2006
I have been taking Ambien for years. I cut a 10 in half and take one about 6 times a month. I really enjoy it and would not take anything else. I feel refreshed in the morning, actually better that if I had not taken anything at all. I recommend it too all my friends.

Raychl

FYI
Date: 1/10/2006
I am an RN, and just to put out there: Ambien is a highly addictive drug and though is a good choice for insomnia (under supervision of a good MD)for SHORT-term use only, looking at the underlying issue of insomnia needs to be addressed first. Exercise, diet, stress etc… all influence our sleep…there are also over the counter sleep aids that work fine short-term. It is easy to get used to relying on medications but before taking the easy road, consult your doc and talk honestly with them.

WW

Something needs to happen
Date: 1/10/2006
With all the reported problems with memory loss and other life threatening problems with ambien. It’s hard for me to understand why the FDA is not doing something about it. I don’t think the warning on the patient info stresses the memory loss issue. Why do Doctor continue to prescribe it for long term use. I am in the middle of going through a DUI I got from going to a sandwich shop at 1130 PM in a complete blackout. I got stopped after the window people noticed I was out of it. I no longer take ambien and feel something needs to happen, but where do I start. Thanks,

Joe

AskDocWeb: You could contact New York City Attorney Susan Chana Lask. She has filed a class action complaint in the Southern District as of New York on March 6, 2006, Case No. 06CIV1762.

Terrible side effects with Ambien
Date: 1/20/2006
I would tell them not to take it. I had terrible side effects but did not immediately associate them with ambien since I was finally sleeping. It has been over a year since I stopped taking ambien and I still feel as if I am recovering from the side effects.

Sheryl

Ambien lawsuits
Date: 1/27/2006
This is a terrible drug. It took me two years to get back to normal after taking this drug for one full year. I never slept normally with it, only four hours, woke up wide awake, became aggressive, cried easily, it was awful. I HOPE THERE WILL BE LAWSUITS FILED REGARDING THIS DRUG SOON. I HOPE THIS DRUG GETS TAKEN OFF THE MARKET.

Sye

Ambien does wonders
Date: 1/29/2006
I had trouble sleeping so the doctor put me on ambien. I only take a half of the tablet and it does wonders for me. I fall asleep and usually sleep through the night. I watch taking it because I feel that you could get addicted.

Elizabeth

Never again
Date: 1/31/2006
I have used Ambien 10 mg tablets in the past and had no problems. However, I was recently given Ambien CR 12.5 mg to help me get used to using a CPAP machine for my sleep apnea. You have a mask over your nose and it takes a little getting used to. I used it for ten days and when I stopped using it, I could not go to sleep on my own. I will never use this drug again. I didn’t have any sleep problems before using this drug and it took me a week of not falling asleep until 4 am before it worked itself out of my body. Thank goodness I’m not working right now or I would not have been able to function.

Terri

Nausea
Date: 2/10/2005
My 76 year old mother was prescribed Ambien about 2 months ago. She is also taking Paxil, Lexapro and Librium for serious depression and anxiety. She has nausea every day and it leaves on about 3:00 PM every day. The Ambien and Paxil were prescribed at the same time. She has been on Librium for about 25 years. Lexapro was prescribed 10 days ago. Do you think the nausea could be coming from the Ambien. I’m wondering this because the nausea does wear off about 3PM. We are getting no help from her family physician. Thank you,

Annette

AskDocWeb: Paxil causes nausea, and once started cannot be abruptly stopped. Also Ambien may cause nausea, so it’s going to be hard to find out which one is the culprit. Ambien is only for sleep, she could discontinue that for a night and see if the nausea stops. Maybe it’s time to change physicians.

NO-NO
Date: 2/19/2006
I have been taking Ambien for many years 10mgs. I also can have a few cocktails in the evening which is a big no-no. Lately I’ve noticed that the blackouts I have about 45 minutes after taking the medication are increasing. My memory loss is getting worse. My doctor prescribed Seroquel to wean me off the Ambien. I’m scared to death of stopping the Ambien. Do not start taking this drug. Find another way to treat your insomnia.

Carol

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