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.

Persistent dizziness
Date: 5/21/2008
I took ambien for 6 days. I thought it worked great; until I stopped taking it. Could not sleep without it, and I am having dizziness; sudden spells where I feel off balance. I’ve been off it for 5 or 6 days now. I am finally able to sleep without the pill, but the dizziness persists, and to be honest; it’s kind of scary to think I could pass out at any moment. I’ve read that the drug should be out of my system after 2 or 3 days. Is the dizziness still common at this stage and when should I become MORE worried.

Duane

AskDocWeb: You should not be experiencing dizziness after discontinuing so please consult with your physician.

Increasingly paranoid
Date: 5/22/2008
My mother takes Ambien and has become increasingly paranoid that my father is hiding things from her and then putting them back to make her crazy. She also insists that he has destroyed some of her personal belongings. I know it’s possible that she has done these things in a blackout state but could the drug be causing her paranoia. I am desperate for feedback…

M

AskDocWeb: If she is doing these things while sleep walking and not remembering, it may cause her to think someone else is responsible, which might result in paranoia.

If I had known…
Date: 5/29/2008
Stay away from this drug!!!! I was charged with a CSC, lost my wife, job and good name!!! I did things while on Ambien and don’t have any memory of doing it! I had a clean record till I starting taken this drug! If I had known about all these side effects I would have never taken it! I’m proof that this drug can and will destroy your life, stay way from it!!!

Michael

My roommate couldn’t wake me
Date: 6/3/2008
Ambien almost killed me. Quite literally. The thing is that you lose your memory after taking it. And I lost my memory and thought I hadn’t taken it yet and ended up taking almost 20 10 mg. pills. My roommate couldn’t wake me so he called an ambulance. I was in a deep coma and on life support for a week. The doctors wanted to pull the plug because all my organs started shutting down. After a week though my will to live kicked in and even though I had to have a port put in and was on dialysis several times a week I lived. I had acute kidney failure because of this incident. Stay away from Ambien if you are considering it. It can kill or at least maim you for the rest of your life.

Taylor

Severe panic attacks
Date: 6/3/2008
I was coming off of benzo withdrawl. I was just about done with it and then I took two ambien crs. I now have severe panic attacks and can’t work. I am also very nauseated, and have major anxiety. I can’t sleep through the nite and am very depressed and cry all the time. I have never had panic like this before in my life. it has been a month already and I don’t know how long this will last. never take ambien!

Carla

Catch 22
Date: 6/9/2008
I never had a sleep problem until I hit menopause. Now I can’t fall asleep or stay asleep. So I tried Ambien; 1/2 tablet seems to be fine for me. When I’ve tried to wean myself off, I am awake all night. It’s a Catch 22, as I don’t want to take the medication, yet I need to sleep! Any advice? By the way, I’ve had no side effects. I take it within minutes of going to bed (otherwise I feel a little unsteady).

Anly

AskDocWeb: We suggest you try a sleep clinic. They can find out what is occurring and then go from there.

I am addicted to ambien
Date: 6/12/2008
Ambien is destroying my life!!! I am addicted to ambien. Hooked right through the bag, as it were. Right now it is hard to imagine life without a regular dose of that incredible manic euphoria, never mind the incredibly stupid and dangerous things I do when I’m high on it. I see here I’m not the only one. I have finally come to the conclusion that the only way I’m going to get shut of this stuff is to follow the Narcotics Anonymous program. Abstinence alone doesn’t cut it. So long as I can get a doc to prescribe it, and every doc thinks ambien is safe and non-addictive, I always go back to abusing it again. I’ve been clean for about 2 weeks now, but every day I get terrible cravings for it. This is 10x worse than trying to quit smoking. I pray for all who are in the same boat with me.

David

No discernable effect
Date: 6/15/2008
Ambien has no discernable effect on me. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that I already have a strong tolerance for eszopiclone, which works on the same receptors as zolpidem.

Blaise

Afraid of becoming addicted
Date: 6/22/2008
I’ve only been on Ambien for 30 days and decided not to take it anymore because I was afraid of becoming addicted. That was 3 days ago, and I think I’ve gotten about 3 good hours of sleep since, have had the most vivid (and strange) dreams, and wake up soaked with sweat! But I am going to ride it out…thankfully, I read these posts today and have realized that if I fill the prescription, I will be on my way to taking it for the rest of my life – no thanks! I’d encourage anyone with slight insomnia to get more exercise, cut out coffee, etc. before turning to a pill. I’ve learned my lesson.

Lee

Night eating syndrome
Date: 6/23/2008
I have been experiencing night eating syndrome while on Ambien. This is pretty serious and scary. I wouldn’t recommend getting started with this drug.

John

Not sleeping well
Date: 6/23/2008
I just came off trazadone and started taking ambien and I feel nothing at all and I’m not sleeping well at all. Does it take time to work or something? I’ve only been taking it for 2 nights now.

Evie

AskDocWeb: The time it takes to work is measured in minutes, not days. You may want to consult with your doctor about either changing the dosage or an alternative.

Ambien prescription and no withdraw symptoms at all
Date: 6/24/2008
I was prescribed Ambien when my father was told he had lung cancer. The worry of losing my father left me with no sleep at all. Every night I would lay there and never shut my eyes. I went days with no sleep. My doctor prescribed Ambien, I was on this medication for the remaining period of my fathers life, (8 months) I did encounter some of the side effects listed above, however I learned to understand how the medication works. If you take the dose prescribed it is very important to be in the bed, lay down and turn of the TV. You will not suffer from having conversations unknowningly, or short term memory loss of the night before if you control when you take your medication. I relaxed enough to fall asleep that I know without Ambien I would have become ill myself from not sleeping. I came off the medication shortly after my fathers death. I was able to sleep as normal as I did on the medication. I had no withdraw symptoms at all. It has been almost two years since I have been on Ambien. I just now went back to the doctor for insomia. I have suffered from insomia since I was a young girl. The only thing that has ever worked for me was Ambien. I know I will take the medication for a couple of months then I will be alright for a year or two. Just remember do not take this medication until you are in bed and ready to go to sleep. If you take the medication and are up and about, you will act as if you are awake however, your asleep and unaware of what is truly happening around you.

Joanna

Dizzy and nauseous
Date: 6/27/2008
Although prescribed 6.+, was given 12.+; took one last night, awoke with the alarm feeling very dizzy and nauseaus – threw up yellow bile and blood; had a small nosebleed. Went back to sleep because extremely tired still, awoke with broken capillaries around both eyes. Only other drug I just began taking is Lisinopril and the ambien’s going down the toilet along with my new doctor.

J.

Metal taste
Date: 7/2/2008
Maybe it’s just me but I have started to notice a medal taste in my mouth. I have been on ambien for about 4 years. In the last 3 months, I have had a taste in my mouth that taste like a old filling. I do have all the other side affects as well, but the taste in my mouth, I’m wondering if that is a part of a side affect of ambien?

Hammons

AskDocWeb: Yes, Ambien is one of many drugs that affect taste.

We all need a little help
Date: 7/6/2008
I find ambien helpful what is worse being up all night hoping you at least get a 2 to 4 hours of sleep before work or a good nights sleep. Some of us just don’t sleep well job stress, bills, and life play into are sleep. I hope this helps, we all need a little help now and then.

Chris

Hiccup all night from the ambien
Date: 7/6/2008
my wife says I hiccup all night from the ambien. Is this common?

Chuck

AskDocWeb: It is not common enough to be listed as a side effect.

Kicking myself for taking it
Date: 7/7/2008
I have to agree with many or most of the above comments. I have been taking Ambien for a few years. I tell myself that I don’t need it to go to sleep (Yeah right). To me it is not worth compromising one for the other. I will go to sleep with 2 pills, but like a cocaine habit the next morning I am kicking myself for taking it, and I can’t function through out the day. I am exhausted and just looking forward to going to sleep early. When night time comes, I am back to saying well ok one more night. It’s an ADDICTION!! If I am going to be tired all day I wish it were from staying up all night.

David

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