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.

Incredibly addictive
Date: 3/5/2008
Ambien is incredibly addictive. I have never had a substance abuse problem, and I don’t drink or smoke, but give me unlimited supplies of ambien and I will take 20mg a night. I took Ambien for a few weeks before realizing that if I stayed up after taking it, I felt wonderfully relaxed for about an hour before falling asleep. This lead to huge problems, as I began taking it not to sleep but for this time between taking it and falling asleep. My husband happens to love this side effect because he says I am very affectionate towards him during this time!

The trouble is, amnesia is common for me, and like others, I have said and done awful things while on this drug. The bigger trouble is, I don’t remember it the next morning. I once even got up and wrote my mother-in-law an email while on Ambien, and the results were not pretty. My advice to anyone considering taking this medication is to do so with caution! DON’T take it for more than a week or two, even if you are someone who has never had trouble with controlled substances or drug abuse. It is incredibly addictive, and the withdrawls consist of insomnia (like you have never experienced before!), nightmares, paranoia, and depression, among many others. It’s simply not worth it.

Deb

Completely hallucinating
Date: 3/6/2008
I just recently was prescribed to ambien. The first night I took it I used the bathroom about 15 minutes after. I tried walking forward out of my bedroom and found myself holding onto the dresser and walls for stability. I went to bed immediately after this. I woke up the next day and felt refreshed “wow this really works” I felt great UNTIL I entered the kitchen. I looked in the sink and saw unfamiliar objects all through my sink. There was a bowl, knife, and peach peals. I didn’t even realize they were peach peals until I picked them up. I have NO recollection of doing this. I didn’t take the drug for several days until I ran into insomnia again. This time it was way more frightening. I was on my computer when I began to notice its adverse effect. The screen looked 3-D and as though I could stick my hand in to it. I then realized the object that DID exist were doing things that did not. My curtains were growning and the petals of my FAKE FLOWERS were also. I was completely hallucinating and I was aware of it. I am very concerned and after educating myself on ambien wonder why my doctor would start me off with 10mg anyway? I reported signs of ADD NOT sleep disorder. It can be scary. I recommend only take it under supervision.

Jessica

Addicted to Ambien
Date: 3/7/2008
I was severely addicted to ambien for 12 years. For the first 7 years I used 10mg at night and slept with only side effects of memory loss and some midday withdrawal syptoms. Gradually I required more to sleep(up to 4-6). The stress in my life escalated and I would find using 2 every 4 hours would calm me down and keep away those withdrawal symptoms. Then I started mixing it with alcohol. I was up to 20 a day, easy to get over the internet. I entered a professional treatment program and have been clean 11 months. Let me point out that I can take occasional narcotics as prescribed for pain without a problem. Ambien is closer to a benzodiazepine drug(valium) and my counselor thinks if exposed I would have problems with those too.

Grover

Ambien has been a life saver
Date: 3/12/2008
I had a chronic illness which caused sleeping problems. Ambien has been a life saver. If I did not get my sleep every night, I would not be able to function as normally as I do. Without Ambien, I would not be able to sleep and that is the truth. I do not drink, so it is not a danger to me. Sleep is such a blessing. I sure do hope that the medical authorities do not ban the long term use of Ambien.

Becky

What made it strange
Date: 3/15/2008
Hello, I read with fascination the emails from Ambien users, or former users. I have been taking this sleep aid for over a month as needed. Not every night, but frequently enough to now understand how this drug helps or can possibly hurt. It is best to take it when you are in bed, ready to turn out the light AND STAY THERE. I did get up once after taking a 10 mg pill and within ten minutes I was still awake but “not myself”. I could feel the medicine affecting me, a little woozy and stumbling and then went to bed. What made it strange was that I was not aware how much time had passed since taking it!!! I got into bed and the clock showed a quite late hour than I registered. Scary. So, be sure you take preventive measures when taking this drug. In addition—I suggest letting a friend or family know you are taking this sleep aid so that if anything untoward or strange happens, someone will be there to help. I will continue to use it with limiting the frequency of use. Saving it for really tough nights of insomnia. Good sleep is important, yet, at what expense? Be careful and take care, sincere,

Mare

VERY addicting
Date: 3/17/2008
I have been taking ambien/zolpidem 10mg for the past 8 months. I agree with a lot of these reviews. Why is it that sometimes the pills work GREAT and other nights they have no affect? I also tend to make phone calls on this drug and say very strange things to the people that I call, then when I wake up I can’t recall any of the conversations that took place. This drug causes some memory loss for me. However, I do love the good night sleep that I usually get from the drug. VERY addicting, be careful.

Valerie

Ambien, paxil and synthroid
Date: 3/18/2008
I will like to know if Ambien, paxil and synthroid have any side afect.

SHIRLEY

AskDocWeb: Yes, they all have side effects. You can read about the affects of Ambien here. Take them to your pharmacist and have him or her give you the list in writing. They should be happy to do this for you.

Totally bizarre
Date: 3/24/2008
I was given a prescription for ambien last week. I took one pill and that is the last thing I remember for three days until my husband realized why I had totally gone off my head and we got rid of the ambien. Apparently I had taken more. I almost dismantled my family by my verbal abuse (very abnormal for me) and acted totally bizarre the whole time. I don’t remember most of what they said I had done and said but a few memories have come back (a very few thank goodness). Anyway, apparently ambien is not something that I will be taking again and I intend to let my doctor know this week as well as put it on as an allergy. If my family had known we probably should have gotten medical advice at that time and I would suggest anyone going through this kind of reaction to have family or friends be aware of the possibility before taking it and to have them get help.

Deborah

Serious problems with Ambien
Date: 4/10/2008
I have been taking this for over 7 years because of severe insomnia where it wasn’t really possible to have any kind of life – couldn’t work -couldn’t function- permanently exhausted. I know taking this sleeping pill has resulted in memory loss – and being disorganized and chaotic I can’t seem to get anything done efficiently. I can’t remember my words or what I was going to say, I am no longer articulate – it makes me feel stupid. It also makes me get hugely anxious and tense, but the massive relief of knowing that when I get to bed I will sleep is so great I keep taking it.

When I have stopped taking it has been awful the nightmares are so severe incredibly distressing I will be sobbing through fear in the middle of the night because they are so real – horrendous – for the first few days you just don’t sleep at all its awful tension night sweats the anxiety gnaws away at you then after a few days when sleep does come sleep is just very light and short disrupted. When you get up your whole body is stiff from having been tensed up all night. Never the deep dreamless respite -rest- relief – that comes when I take it – I have never managed more than about 10 days off it. In the time since taking it (but that doesn’t mean it is a side effect?) have developed huge emotional instability rage frustration a sense of overwhelming sadness – but this all this goes if I take 10mg.

I haven’t found its effectiveness declines over time. Sometimes I take 20mg to blot out the day or if incredibly stressed because 10mg doesn’t always do the job then and sometime I feel I like I need a treat. I wish I didn’t take it but the relief the sense of calm that takes over for the first time all day and knowing I will sleep is massive – massive – if I could never find that relief, if I could never sleep how long would I last? This way it is manageable if not optimal.

Liz

AskDocWeb: It sounds like you should make an appointment with a Sleep Study lab to find out what’s happening during sleep.

Ambien
Date: 4/12/2008
I take one half tablet for restless legs, and every time I do, its not long before all I want to do is eat-eat-eat and eat some more.

Susie

Possible allergic reaction?
Date: 4/12/2008
Have been experiencing burning, numbness and tingling in mouth, face and nose. Tightening in eyes. As if allergic reaction with tight throat. But happens next day after taking ambien about 11pm each night. Please respond if believe is side effects. I know is causing alot of discomfort. Taking 10mg of generic since 3/18/08 and symptoms started last Monday (5 days ago) concerned,

Kim

AskDocWeb: An allergic reaction would have happened much sooner but something is going on. You should report this to your doctor and find out what is happening.

Excessive itching
Date: 4/23/2008
I recently started taking ambien (about 1 week ago. I was taking seroquel. Could excessive itching be a result of starting the ambien (generic form) or possibly discontinuing the seroquel to quickly…?

Patricia

AskDocWeb: Yes to both possibilities, others have reported itching when discontinuing Seroquel and itching is also one of the signs of an allergic reaction to taking a new drug.

Hallucinations
Date: 5/5/2008
To make a long story short I don’t like these types of drug but have only been getting 3-4 hours sleep because of anxiety. Took half of one a few nights ago, did nothing. Took a whole one last night and had…well I don’t know if they would be called hallucinations but EVERYTHING looked like it was moving. I looked at my counter and it looked like it was breaking apart and floating up towards me. When I first woke up this morning I thought it was funny. However, I now realize I could have fallen and hurt myself or done something stupid. That along with all these other testimonies will stop me from taking this again.

Lauren

Ambien stops the nausea
Date: 5/19/2008
I was given Ambien for insomnia about a month before I had a gallbladder attack and subsequent surgery. I had acute nausea and pain for about a month before the surgery and have continued to have nausea after. By chance I have found that about 5mg of Ambien stops the nausea in about 10 minutes…better than the other drugs the Drs. have prescribed. How does this work? I sure don’t want to become dependent on Ambien, but the nausea ruins my whole day. Has anyone else had this experience?

Alice

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