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.

Lazy grogginess the next day
Date: 10/15/2008
I have taken Ambien on and off for my chronic insomnia. I feel addicted to it almost immediately after beginning another “cycle” of it because it works. However, the side effects are more than I want to deal with, especially the lazy grogginess of the next day. I have found natural alternatives which actually work: hard exercise (I wonder how many insomniacs are also couch potatoes?); melatonin, only one type: sublingual from a company called Source Natuals. I also take a homeopathic remedy called “Quietude” which works wonders when used with melatonin. My insomnia is anxiety related, so I understand the pull of wanting to take something as strong as Ambien to just knock me out, but I also understand that it’s a crutch and a quick-fix, and if I’m willing to work through my deeper issues which are causing the sleeplessness, then I get the reward of a good, real, non-chemical night of sleep. Good luck to the sleepless.

J.

Mind-bending reactions
Date: 10/16/2008
Survivor. . . I have a history of occasional anxiety related insomnia. Once it starts, it’s usually five to seven days that I sleep very little, until I collapse and sleep for a day or more. My doc and I thought Ambien might be a good way to break the pattern early. The drug is miraculous at getting me to sleep. But, about 10 days into using it, I faced an extremely stressful incident at work and something entirely new began. I had to leave work due to intense anxiety, weeping, suicidal thoughts . . . absolute anguish. The next day I felt very bad and the office nurse clocked my blood pressure at 200/120. It is usually controlled. I had fallen into a major depression and generalized anxiety with two to three disabling episodes per week. Not suspecting the Ambien, my physician prescribed Klonapin, Celexa and other drugs to battle the depression. After five months of agony, my wife read the “fine print” of an Ambien ad in a magazine. I quit taking it 10 days ago and the nature of my anxiety has changed dramatically. I had my first visit with a psychiatrist this morning, and he is titrating meds to hopefully get me back to normal over the coming months. Were it not for faith, family and friends, there is a good chance I would not be alive following these mind-bending reactions.

Carl

The secret
Date: 10/18/2008
I’ve been taking ambien for 1 month. I only get 5 hours sleep but no waking up in the middle of the night. The secret is to take only half on the 10 mg. also take it when you are in bed ready for nothing but sleep. Don’t get on the phone and talk to people. Lay down and sleep. Don’t walk around. If you take it while you are still doing things, you will feel drunk and stupid. I love ambien. The next day I feel rested and in a good mood. No side effects at all. Remember take only 5 mg. start with that. I don’t know why doctors prescribe 10 mg. too much especially if you never took it before.

Violet

I couldn’t remember
Date: 10/19/2008
I called my mom and daughter today. I left messages for both of them. I then talked a minute with my son-in-law. Shortly afterwards, my Mom returned my call. She said that I didn’t know anything. I couldn’t remember where my husband was at the time. I was wondering why we had so many Wii’s in the house. I didn’t remember calling her. I didn’t know we are hosting a party next weekend! She said I was in the tub and got out and started walking around the house looking for something, but didn’t know what. My husband came home and told me about a Grand Opening at Walmart and an Elvis impersonator. I don’t remember any of these things. I do remember calling my Mom and Daughter and leaving the messages. And, I remember talking to my son-in-law. But, all of the events in between are blank. What is wrong with me???

Cheryl

AskDocWeb: If you have been taking a certain sleeping pill we can make a good guess, but you should probably talk to your doctor about this.

Hoping
Date: 10/19/2008
Burning eyes and swelling of lids. Severe drowsiness. I’ve been taking 10 mg. since last Sunday. I am averaging 5 to 6 hours of sleep though. It still takes a while to fall alseep, but at least I am falling asleep. I’ve not slept normally since I was three years old. Am forty one now. I am hoping the effects weaken the longer I take them.

Ginger

I do not like the side effects
Date: 10/21/2008
I took ambien for the first time last night and I do not like the side effects on me. First of all, I felt kind of drunk on it. I slept for a while with nightmares, still woke up with any little sound or movement I felt. Then when I woke up my whole body was in muscle pain, plus some strange pain right under my rib cage in the middle. Worst of all I am still sleepy with tons of things to do.

Diana

Ambien over the counter?
Date: 10/21/2008
I have been told that ambien is soon to be moved over the counter. Any truth to this information?

Keith
AskDocWeb: That sounds like a rumor but don’t get your hope up. Ambien (Zolpidem) is a Schedule IV controlled substance. That’s the same class drugs as Xanax and Valium.

Love it
Date: 10/22/2008
I’ve been taking Ambien for 3 years and I LOVE IT.

Michelle

No trouble stopping
Date: 10/25/2008
Obviously, any medication that is strong enough to help you is strong enough to hurt you, and this drug in particular needs to be prescribed with great caution. If taken, it needs to be taken exactly as directed, when you are already in bed with the light ready to switch off. Having said that– it was massively helpful to me after I had surgery and just couldn’t sleep from pain. Nothing else helped. With the ambien, I woke clear-headed and refreshed. Because it is potentially addictive, I stopped it as soon as the post-surgical pain lessened a bit (with no trouble stopping). I haven’t taken it in a year; I now use scullcap when I need help sleeping. I am more comfortable with scullcap, as it has no known weird side effects, but it definitely leaves me groggy in the morning when ambient didn’t. So– I think ambien can be very valuable used in a time-limited way exactly as directed.

Dee

Ambien is dangerous
Date: 10/27/2008
Ambien is so dangerous it must be taken off the market!!

Rosie

Ones you buy online are not very good
Date: 11/1/2008
I’ve been taking ambien for a couple of years now. They worked great at first but my tolerance has built up and now they don’t work as well. Serious memory problems, but when they work they do wonders for my anxiety. It seems the ones you buy online are not very good as they don’t seem to effect me at all and are expensive. But the one that you get from your doctor seem to consistently work well. I have noticed deppression when I run out of them but that is because of my anxiety about not being able to sleep without them. maybe time to quit taking them.

Steve

Double vision and dry eyes
Date: 11/1/2008
I had Ambien for 3 months I got double vision and dry eyes.

Shane

Personality changes
Date: 11/6/2008
I began taking ambien for insomnia and was unaware of the personality changes until I missed filling the prescription. I had become and very angry, and nasty in my demands. This cost me my job as a teacher, the trust of my landlord and neighbors, and my confidence in my doctor. Yes, I slept fine at first, then only four hours at a time. Sleepwalking occurred. Weird states of consciousness and inability to distinguish reality from dream state. I’m glad to be off it. Benadryl works fine.

Cyndy

I don’t get it!
Date: 11/7/2008
I have taken ambien then ambien cr for almost 4 years – it has been a miracle drug for me as I have had insomnia for my entire adult life – I’m 47. I recently moved to Baton Rouge and now can’t find a doctor to prescribe it on a long term basis – my doctor in Austin is a Harvard Med School grad – and was up on the latest medical data. I don’t get it! Any way, I am not addicted, but if I don’t take it, I will not get to sleep until 4 or 5am – then I have to get up at six – it is torture after being able to get a good nights rest.

Beth
AskDocWeb: A sleep clinic may be able to help you learn to live without the drug that you have come to depend on to function normally.

No energy or motivation
Date: 11/8/2008
I have used Ambien for over 1 month. I now find myself needing a nap every afternoon and have no energy or motivation for the rest of the day. It is getting to the point where I don’t want to leave the house. My sleep pattern is not regular. I can wake at 3am unable to return to sleep, or sometimes, sleep till 5:30am. I also have a racing heart sensation. I am not overweight and exercise daily.

Valerie
AskDocWeb: If you haven’t already been there, check out a sleep clinic or sleep disorders center. They may be able to help.

I’m not all there
Date: 11/9/2008
I have been taking Ambien on and off for the past 5 years. Never more than two or three days at the very most, and only then on rare occasions. Rarer even now since lately when I take Ambien my body becomes tired but my mind is wide awake. I can tell “I’m not all there” but it revs me up for the most part to the point of getting out of bed. I have even tried taking 2 ten mgs, and it still doesn’t put me to sleep. On either dosas I become restless and figidtiy. Finally, I get up, like now, and often eat something even though I know I’m not hungry. Wish I could find an occasional sleep medication that would work for me. Lunesta is even worse. Any ideas out there? Or similiar experiences?

Sarah

10 years of Ambien
Date: 11/9/2008
I have been using ambien for about 10 years. Basicly I think it is great. I have fibromyalgia and this causes me not to sleep hardly at all. I take 5mg of Ambien with a 8 hour tylenol. The 8 hr. Tylenol seems to help the Ambien last longer than the typical 4 hrs. I have realatively little troubles with memory and feel years of not sleeping would have harmed me worse than the ambien. Still I wish I could sleep on my own. I have gotten off ambien for a period of time, but my insomnia is persitant and is still there. I keep trying natural alternatives but still ambien is the best I have found. You must take this drug responsably and go right to bed. All my sympathy to you non sleepers it is so fustrating and dibilitating. I am sure the makers of ambien will continue to explore sleep disorders and tweek their drug as time goes on untill then I will be using it. Sleep is better for me than the alternative.

Cherie

Drinking and Ambien?
Date: 11/9/2008
If someone was to take ambien after drinking quite a bit of alcohol what problems can occur?

Lynn
AskDocWeb: The possible problems are severe enough that the manufacturer says not to drink alcohol while taking Ambien. You should know that if you sleep on your back it is possible to drown in your own vomit if you don’t wake up. Read more Ambien Feedback. Ambien – 50 – 51 – 52 – 53 – Page 54 – 55 – 56 – 57 – 58 – Last Page 120

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