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.

Class action suit?
Date: 9/6/2007
My Father committed suicide last year after taking ambien for a year. He never showed any suicidal tendencies and exhibited odd – incoherent behavior in the weeks and months before his suicide. Has there been any movement in a class action suit?

Trish

AskDocWeb: March 6, 2006 – New York City Attorney Susan Chana Lask filed a class action complaint in the Southern District of New York, Case No. 06CIV1762.

June 30, 2006 – Drug manufacturers are required by the Food and Drug Administration to provide more concise and better organized patient information package insert sheets. Any drug approved within the last five years will have new requirements implemented gradually over the next seven years.

March 14, 2007 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration orders that sleep drugs like Ambien carry warnings of sleep walking, sleepdriving and other behaviors. Labeling changes like this will likely have little effect on the use of these drugs and it will exempt manufacturers from product liability.

One kidney
Date: 9/6/2007
I only have one kidney and I was wondering if I should be taking ambien? Thanks,

Leigh

AskDocWeb: One of the cautions that comes with Ambien is that you should tell your doctor if you have kidney disease.

Ambien blackouts
Date: 9/7/2007
Ambien is a mixed blessing. Without it, I don’t sleep at all. When I take it, I can sleep BUT, before I take it I have to let my husband know I am taking one. He will then hide my car keys and set an alarm on the door so I don’t leave. I have gotten up in the night and cooked full meals with no memory of it the next day. I was going to go to the store one night – in my pj’s no less, and have no memory of it.

Karen

I am addicted
Date: 9/8/2007
I have been taking Ambien since l994. In that year, I suffered from an ulcer h-pylori. If I did not take Ambien, I don’t know how I could have endured the pain. I was misdiagnosed, and I suffered from January lst (or perhaps before) until October 3lst, l994 (the day it was finally diagnosed). Then, until I stopped taking antibiotics, it took another month or so to finally get over it. The following year, I suffered with periodontal surgery and menstrual cramps that caused me to go by ambulance to the emergency room. Again, if I could not take Ambien, I don’t know what I would have done. All that time, since l990, I needed surgery for hyperparathyroidism, which affects the body so severely. The muscles feel so painful, and it comes and goes. The doctor’s disagreed about the need for surgery and so I lived with it for ten years. That was so painful. I read in books that Ambien was the best thing for the symptoms, and in retrospect, I agree. Now, l3 years later, I still take Ambien. I am addicted, specifically because so many doctors, from all walks of life, told me it was not addictive (because that is what they were hearing from the drug companies). I would go on and on but my computer is brand new, today is the first day of use, and I am having problems.

Lisa

This was all so strange
Date: 9/8/2007
I have taken Ambien on and off for a short time. My husband told me about how I came up to him at night in the bedroom and was telling him to come down and talk to my friend Bill. He asked me if I was talking about my friend Bill that died back in March? I was insistent that he come down. He came down and found fruit all over the kitchen floor, a giant coffee cup filled with Kaluah with the cap floating in it. None had been consumed. I NEVER drink Kaluah. I found a bunch of newly roasted veggies in a sealed container and my cell phone in the guest bedroom. This was all sooooo strange. I do not remember a thing. I was so frightened by him telling me this that I dumped my Ambien and will never take it again. I have heard of things like this happening more lately but did not believe that it was real. What the heck happened?

Lisa

It’s driving my husband crazy
Date: 9/9/2007
Ambien has been a life saver for me to get a good nights sleep, that I can perform at the high level of my management position, giving me the restful sleep, in order to be on top of everything. I only take a half pill, depending on the amount of time I have to sleep. However, I am finding that I usually wake up an hour or so later and am ready to “get busy”. I’m often up way past midnight doing laundry, house cleaning and feel good about my accomplishments, but then am unable to hit the floor at 6AM. What causes the “second wind” of energy after that 1st hour or so of sleep, and how can I stop getting up and being a wild cleaning woman in the wee hours of the night. It’s driving my husband crazy as well as me. If anyone else has experienced this, please let me know. In addition, when I do get up, even though I’ve had a full and healthy dinner, I find that I’m digging in the fridge or pantry for something to eat. This is a whole other story.

LP

Sleep driving, never again
Date: 9/9/2007
I started taking for ambien for insomnia from which I have suffered for more than 30 years. I was delighted by the relief it gave until I developed extreme anxiety during the day that seemed inexplicable. Upon stopping taking Ambien I became extremely hyper and euphoric for a few weeks and then normalized. The insomnia returned and last week I succumbed again to the lure of taking Ambien. Whilst under the influence of the drug I became mentally disorganized, sleep walked, wrote a very hysterical, illogical, distressing email to my therapist that contained hallucinogenic imagery, turned off the electrical breakers in the house, and apparently drove my car, the back bumper now being totaled. I have no memory of any of these events. I am back to feeling extreme anxiety after taking Ambien just twice and am hoping for this to go away as it did before. I will never take Ambien again, regardless of how severe my insomnia is. It just isn’t worth it.

Jennifer

Long-term, short-term memory loss
Date: 9/9/2007
I had some long term short term memory loss after 3 months on Ambien.

Denise

REM sleep
Date: 9/11/2007
Ambien and all other sleep aids and anxiolytics like xanax and valium may put you to sleep but it interferes with REM sleep. Without REM sleep, the body cannot recuperate entirely, this is why some people are still tired the next day after taking Ambien. I’ve been taking ambien on and off for the last 4 years and will no longer take it. Besides losing short term memory, I’ve also lost the ability to retain information like I used to; I think it also interferes with my critical thinking skills. I think there should be a research on Ambien’s long term effects.

HMB

Sleep driving
Date: 9/11/2007
Drove for 45 minutes without recollection. Had a passenger – I was taking the generic Ambien – but, this was a very stressful moment. Do not recall driving car.

Jackie

Sleep eating
Date: 9/11/2007
I take Ambien occasionally and with success. Took it last night and seemingly I got up and ate half of a peach pie that was in the refrigerator. I have absolutely no recollection of this. But the pie plate was empty and still in the refrigerator and there was cherry pie on the front of my pajamas. This is more than amnesia, it also involves sleep walking (and sleep eating?).

Stephen

Ambien-
Date: 9/12/2007
I have been on Ambien for 7 years and now find I do not sleep thru the night-and have memory loss-unaware of things I do or say. I stopped taking ambien. Right now it’s only been 2 days and of course I am not sleeping, but I feel a lot better in the morning. Do I need to ween off or am I ok with just stopping?? What are the signs of withdrawal other than no sleep and bad dreams??

Jody

AskDocWeb: Insomnia and nightmares are the most frequently reported withdrawal symptoms. A few people have reported headaches, shakes (or jerking), and heart palpitations.

Shrill high-pitched ringing in my right ear
Date: 9/13/2007
I took Ambien nightly for two months. The stressful situation in my life resolved so I tapered off the Ambien by taking half a dose for two days. I was able to fall asleep naturally. After a day or two I began to experience a shrill high-pitched ringing in my right ear that has continued almost one month. My MD prescribed an ATB, which did not alleviate the ringing. My MRI is negative. The problem is worse at night and it keeps me awake. During the day I can ignore it. Is this a side effect of Ambien? I don’t take any other medication, have excellent health am a nurse. I don’t want to start the Ambien again.

Gail

AskDocWeb: That shrill high-pitched ringing is called Tinnitus. It is infrequently reported from using Ambien but it is one of the side effects. Read more Ambien Feedback. Ambien – 32 – 33 – 34 – 35 – Page 36 – 37 – 38 – 39 – 40 – Last Page 120

---

If you find this page useful share it with others. If you have used Ambien, use the form below to add your review of Ambien, feedback or suggestions that may help others. Please note that all addresses are held confidential.