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.

Terrified of Ambien
Date: 3/15/2006
I was prescribed Ambien twice for Insomnia that had gotten so bad I was having auditory hallucinations. It worked and I had the best sleep of my life (I’ve had insomnia for as long as I can remember I’m 28), that being said, the side effects are disturbing to say the least even though I didn’t take it long term. My Doctors were responsible and prescribed it for short-term use as it was intended. I took it and went straight to bed per the directions, and still my Husband would tell me the next day that I was saying strange things to him before actually falling asleep (conversations some of which I don’t remember or thought I was dreaming) and that I would force myself on him sexually (again a situation I didn’t remember and the few flashes that came back after he told me were dreamlike).

Worried, he constantly begged me to stop taking the drug and this was after only a few days on it! I don’t remember any hallucinations but he did say I’d get out of bed and walk around, thank God I never drove around but that’s probably because at the time I didn’t know how to drive. That was about 2 years ago.

I have a lot of problems with memory even now but, to be honest, I still crave the drug. I want to take it because I still haven’t been able to sleep as well as I did when I was taking Ambien. I’m terrified to take it now because of all the things I’ve now found out about Ambien. At the time I thought I was the only one having this strange side effect. I didn’t even tell my Doctor because it was just so weird. I can’t say not to take it because no one persons system is the same as another’s, but be careful because it does seem to be a very powerful and not well understood drug.

Lola

Love the stuff
Date: 3/15/2006
I’ve been taking ambien for about 2 years now. I usually will take about 3-7mg per dose maybe once or twice a month to help with mild insomnia.

I love the stuff. It relaxes me. I do get hallucinations. In fact I’ve done some really odd things like type weird emails to people and even call old girlfriends and they say I made no sense.

I sometimes see small “little” people walking around and have even seen a small village in my computer keyboard… where each key was a straw hut. really strange stuff but rather harmless to me as I usually fall asleep within 20 minutes of experiencing the side effects.

Once I started a video camera rolling once I felt it coming on. I viewed the footage the next day and it was rather funny.

Also, I have not seen this anywhere else but orgasms while on Ambien are 10X as intense. It’s amazing. Not saying anyone should try it but… have sex with your partner the next time you are on Ambien. wait about a good 20 minutes past the point where you first feel the effect… it will be one hell of an experience.

DJ

Bad experience with Ambien
Date: 3/15/2006
My father has been taking Ambien for the past 6 months or so. His wife always complained that he would jerk and breath abnormally while sleeping with Ambien. Recently, he woke up in jail. He took Ambien the night before and went to sleep. That’s the last thing he remembers.

Ambien can cause sleep walking and memory loss. My father got out of bed and got in his car. He nearly hit a police car and ran into a ditch. He was arrested for a DUI because he was aggressive and refused to take a urine test. My father is not an aggressive person. He was sleep walking the entire time. He remembers getting in bed, and that’s it. His license is suspended and he lost his job. He is considering a lawsuit against the company who produces Ambien. STAY AWAY FROM AMBIEN!!!

Daniel

Good experience
Date: 3/15/2006
I am a relatively new user of Ambien, but one that has had a good experience with it. I work 12 hour shifts at night at a stressful job, and found myself unable to sleep more than four hours at a time. And my job being one that people depend on someone coherent to pick up the phone, I have found that since my doctor gave me the Ambien to try after we went through the long list of medications available, it has really worked for me. I don’t sleep more than 7 to 8 hours, I feel rested when I wake up, am experiencing no memory problems, and any binge eating I do, I was doing before I started taking Ambien CR, and have no problem admitting it. I am not one who has a weight problem, and have gained no weight in the time I’ve been taking it. I just wanted to post my experience, although I will keep experiences of others in mind, and definitely always be aware of side effects. Early warning is always good, but this medication can be helpful for those who experience no side effects.

Lisa Tennessee

AskDocWeb: Our nurse thinks you work for one of the pharmaceutical companies, but then she is very skeptical.

Ambien problems
Date: 3/18/2006
I started taking ambien almost a month ago. 10mg tablets, once at bedtime. At first I loved it, because I would go to be early & wake up early with no problems. then I started growing depressed, anxious, irritable all day, tired, no energy, it has been awful! Ambien is the only thing I’m taking, so it has to be the problem. Please tell me this is the problem!

Hailejade

AskDocWeb: Yes, it does sound familiar. There are a growing number of horror stories about Ambien.

Ambien DUI
Date: 3/18/2006
Started taking ambien 4 months ago, one night last week I took my prescribed 12.5 mg tablet and went to sleep. Woke up in jail for DUI 2 hours later. I vaguely remember any of the arrest, this will all hopefully get sorted out in court next week. Currently I have no driving privileges and may possibly lose my job… Doctor has since prescribed Lunesta but I’m afraid to use it!!!

Sleepless in Ohio

Sexual dysfunction?
Date: 3/19/2006
Can you have sexual dysfunction after taking ambien for several months?

Dennis

AskDocWeb: Of course you “can” have sexual dysfunction but there is no mention of it in the side effects listed for this drug.

Horrible nightmares with Ambien
Date: 3/19/2006
Ambien has caused major problems for me, that Lunesta and Desyrel (Trazodone) has not. Very vivid horrible nightmares. Being a smoker I won’t get a break. But I have never heard of anyone claiming this. During that sleep walking phase, I am alive ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD!!! This has only happened on Ambien. NEVER on Lunesta or Desyrel. I think warnings should be pointed out to smokers taking any type of sleep medication. I except lung cancer. But not dying in a burning bed!!!

Steven

Good success with Ambien
Date: 3/20/2006
Had I read what some people said here before taking Ambien I would have never touched it, but I tried it because my friend uses them here and there to get his sleep schedule straight after long nights, or weekends etc. I’ve had real good success with this product, I don’t take it all the time, but I have taken it for more than two straight weeks at one point and stopped taking it with no problems what so ever. I think you have to be on this drug for along time before you have trouble getting off of it.
Then again it depends on the type of person you are, if you know you have an addictive personality then its best for you to keep your distance, or not have many on hand so you cant take them for long.

As for memory loss, if I do stay up for a bit after taking my 12.5mg pill I may forget what I did for the last half hour. Most of the time though I don’t blank out like some of the reports here, and I don’t see things, or hear things or anything like that, that would scare me for sure. I don’t mix it with anything and I don’t drink at all. So maybe that might be part of it too.

Xanex on the other hand really ruins my next day, they’re just too much, they put you to sleep, then make half of the next day feel like a dream. I run my own business and can’t afford to be the least intelligent person at work, that’s not an option. Lastly, I can take ambien on 6 to 7 hours of sleep and wake up fine, I know some stuff leaves you feeling tired the next morning but I haven’t felt that at all, once I sit up, start washing up my head clears up easily and quickly. Oh one last thing, I’m taking Ambien CR, these are control release. Hope this helps.

Vinny

Ambien addiction
Date: 3/22/2006
I’ve been using Ambien for about 5 years. I started using it for sleeping after doing shift work. At first I only used it the days or nights before I had to work and I only used 5 mg. But as I started drinking more, the Ambien became my substitution for the nights when I couldn’t drink because of work so I started taking 10 mg. Then I started taking Ambien on the nights I could drink to enhance my “high.” One night I drank 1/2 liter of Vodka, took a couple of Ambien and went outside my back door and laid down in the snow. It was cold….in the 20’s (F)and I literally could not move a muscle in my body. I lay there is the snow looking up at the stars thinking, “Well, seems like a good night to die.” I was just graying out when my husband, who’d been upstairs asleep found me and carried me back into the house.

I’m 9 months sober from Alcohol, but have never been able to kick the Ambien addiction. I take it every night. I take 1 1/2 to 2 10mg pills the nights before I work and usually 3-4 when I have no morning responsibilities. Ambien has become my substitution for nightly cocktails. It makes me sad.

Bonnie

Ambien don’t work
Date: 3/26/2006
My doctor took me off seroquel cause it was making my hair fall out I was at 400mg. She gave me ambien to help me sleep and I have taken it at 10:00PM every night for 9 nights now and I still lay awake until 4 or 5 in the morning and I am taking Motrin 800 and ultram and 10:00PM too so if you ask me, Ambien don’t work…

Gerilynn

Ambien drug
Date: 3/27/2006
Please understand Ambien is a drug, i.e. it effects mood, and is conscious altering. It is a great experience, and relief to sleep 6-8 hours. Barring an extremely addictive personality it will accomplish your objective. SLEEP.. p.s. memory loss can be substantial. But not worse than a night of hard drinking, so I’m told…

Bjack

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