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.

Ambien overdose
Date: 1/9/2009
My brother was on Ambien…I say was because he died October 7, 2008 by an overdose. During the time on Ambien his personality changed. One night while still sleeping he awoke to find himself in his second bedroom sitting on a chair where he had shot himself in the hand. This drug is VERY DANGEROUS and if there is a class action lawsuit we (my family) will be in it.

Paulette

I am addicted
Date: 1/10/2009
I have been on Ambien for 4 years and all of the above side affects have happened. I am addicted and can not go to sleep without it. I am now finding the by noon I get a very bad shoulder pain that will not settle down until I take a small amount of ambien. I desperately want to get off this medication. I was prescribed it for my TMJ and sleep and every doctor since then has given my scripts. I recently went through cancer of the kidney and it do save my life by helping me sleep but I really need to get off of it completely, I am sure I am addidited to it, I have tried to cut in thirds or go a night without with not luck, my body goes through very bad withdrawls. Can anyone help. I would also see a lawsuit against this company, they are handing it out to easily.

Jackie

Depression and vision changes
Date: 1/11/2009
I have taken Ambien on and off for more than 10 years for sleep apnea. About 3 months ago I began taking 5 mg nightly and got great sleep. However, I’m now connecting it with depression that I’ve been experiencing for the last couple of months, which is very unusual for me, as well as recent vision changes. I don’t know for sure it’s the Ambien causing these problems, but it seems too coincidental. I hope if it is that the effects are reversible.

Claudia

Sore tendons
Date: 1/11/2009
Hi…I have used ambien on and off for years… I know I have real problems in the morning with my tendons very sore…does anyone else experience this…

Jill

Ambien warning
Date: 1/12/2009
I first took Ambien 5 mg, which only let me sleep half of the night. The only side-effect was constipation. Now I’m upgrading to 10 mg, in order to sleep the entire night. Please put this in CAPS: THE MAXIMUM DOSE IS 10 MILLIGRAMS A NIGHT. Because there have been cases of people eating or driving (or taking more Ambien!) during the night, maybe they should put their Ambien away in a safe place after they take their nightly dose. I have switched from #60 a month of 5 mg — to #30 a month of 10 mg — because I want to make sure I have the habit of taking only ONE pill a night.

Rachel

No problems but can’t sleep without Ambien
Date: 1/13/2009
I have taken 15mg of Ambien for 8 years and I have never had any problems….could not sleep without it…

Melissa

AskDocWeb: Have you considered the possibility that using a drug that is intended for short-term use (7 to 10 days) beyond that period of time may indicate a problem? Information from the manufacturer indicates that long-term use is 28 to 35 nights. You may want to contact a sleep clinic to explore alternative treatments.

No side effects
Date: 1/14/2009
I have been taking Ambien for well over a year now, and as of yet, haven’t experienced ANY side effects. In my case, I take 10 – 15mg a night about 45 minutes before I am ready to go to bed because that’s how long it takes to start working. I do sleep through the night since taking it. I have never experienced any withdrawal symptoms from abruptly stopping the med, either. I think Ambien should be available OTC.

Linda

Really strange
Date: 1/14/2009
I have been taking Ambien (zolpidem) for a couple of years–too long. It works well until I build up a tolerance for it. My main side effect is really strange. I dream in an “altered state of consciousness.” In dreams, I can see – but not well enough to recognize people. I can walk around but I have trouble (in dreams) communicating, finding my way, and I can’t read or do ordinary things for myself, in dreams. This causes anxiety and fear when I am dreaming. Sometimes, I feel that I cry and experience extreme sadness during these dreams, because I feel trapped in some kind of altered state. I remember these vivid dreams after waking. I wonder if anyone else using Ambien experiences anything similiar to this. My doctor doesn’t seem to have heard of this condition before, but I never had until I began using Ambien.

Albert

Hallucinations and blackouts
Date: 1/15/2009
I’ve take Ambien off and on for a few months. I think I will discontinue. I have blackouts, can’t remember getting out of bed to make a phone call. ‘Wake up’ with phone in my hand talking to someone! Hallucinations several times.

Sue

Reoccurring memory loss
Date: 1/16/2009
I only take half of 10 mg of Ambien. I have reoccurring memory loss. After taking Ambien one night I got out of bed and am still not sure what I did but I woke up the next morning with a broken tail bone. One night I was awaken by smoke from a pan of grease I had put on the stove, I guess I was going to cook. I woke up this morning to find a glass had been broken in the kitchen and some of it cleaned up but alot was left. I had the broom and the dust pan on the table. But the crazy thing is there was a commercial coffee maker and 10 12 packs of drinks my husband had placed in front of the closet where the broom was. So I had to move all of that to get to the broom and I placed all of it back. I have no memory of any of this. I am scared of what I may do next if I keep taking Ambien.

Karen

WARNING
Date: 1/17/2009
WARNING: It is not good for you. I have been taking Ambien for about 3 years. Cannot get off of it. When I do take it, I sleep walk, eat, binge on foods I would not even eat during the day. My hubby says I say all sorts of weird stuff. If someone calls me and I am asleep, again I start talking weird and also have been known to hallucinate, seeing all sorts of people coming after me. I am a work professional who only took this due to work travel. Now, trying to get off of this I have been up for 3 days, and my friend told me she had flight attendants telling her about the bad side effects and dangers. I hide my car keys and lock up everything for fear I may do something and not even know. PLEASE HELP

JK

AskDocWeb: Ongoing problems with sleep can indicate other problems that are not being addressed. Your local Sleep Clinic may be able to help find a cure rather than taking a pill to fight the symptom (insomnia).

Sleep depravation reversal
Date: 1/20/2009
I have used Ambien 10mg for three years and it works like a charm. The absolute pinnacle of sleep depravation reversal ever!

Matt

Sleeplessness due to anxiety
Date: 1/21/2009
I was prescribed Ambien about three months ago to help with sleepness due to anxiety. I try not to take it every night; I mostly take it when I travel or when I’ve messed up my sleep schedule and have to go to bed before I feel tired. I have had no side effects except for one night a friend said I was having a conversation with her which I have no memories of. But lately I have been taking it more often (3-4 times a week) as I have been very stressed and unable to sleep. I take the regular (NOT the CR), so sometimes I cut my 10mg pill in half. I like to have them on hand in case I need them, but really don’t want an addiction to form.

Lisa

Feel TERRIBLE the next day
Date: 1/22/2009
I was having mild anxiety which was causing insomnia. The doctor gave me ambien which did knock me out for a few hours each night (such a drug-induced sleep it wasn’t pleasent), but made me feel TERRIBLE the next day. I felt so nauseated, foggy, and anxious the day after taking it. Ditch the sleeping pills. If needed, take some 5htp or valerian root. Do not take this evil drug.

Stefan

AskDocWeb: Please note that there are some health concerns with using valerian.

Up all night
Date: 1/26/2009
I took a 5mg Ambien and was up all night. Had lots of restless leg syndrome, and walked around, but my mind was fine, and I do not feel tired, yet, today.

Jane

Constantly smelling smoke
Date: 1/27/2009
I’ve been on Ambien for 3 years now and literally CANNOT sleep without it. However, my mouth is super dry and feels raw like I’ve been eating walnuts. Also lately I have the odd sensation of constantly smelling smoke. I am never around smoke so this is very irritating. Is any of this related to using Ambien?

Jacqueline

AskDocWeb: It is possible, Ambien is one of the drugs that can change your sense of taste.

Very beneficial, but…
Date: 1/29/2009
My husband, Shawn and I have found this drug to be very beneficial escpecially when going somewhere you are uncofortatable with. However, I have run into certain times when I’m ready for bed, reading in bed, take me meds 13 mins before bed. I put the book down and the next thing I’m doing is cleaning the bathrooms with bleach and scrubbing baseboards with a toothbrush (this is so not me). My plan is to go right to sleep but my unlogical brain has no reason. My husband can easily take advantage of me and I only remember bits and pieces…but I do have a very scrubbed bathroom. WTH – take more or less? It doesn help me sleep when I lie down instead of getting up and realizig that there are still a few things that I have to do…what to do???

Debbie

AskDocWeb: You might talk this over with your doctor, maybe he can suggest a local sleep clinic.

Any more brain injury recovery?
Date: 2/1/2009
Has there been any recent work on the use of ambien (zolpidem) for brain injury recovery? I had posted previously, noting that I have been recovering from brain injury since 1986 and have taken ambien nightly for around 2 years. I have noticed a dramatic improvement in short term memory and some interesting changes in my impaired visual fields.

Ericr

AskDocWeb: Not yet, anything new will be published as soon as it is received.

The day after
Date: 2/3/2009
I have been taking the 12.5 mg of the Ambien CR for about 6 nights, I continue to feel very groggy, dizzy and out of the entire next day. I do take it early enough so I know I give it enough time to wear off. Today I went to my doc and he gave me the 6.5 mg CR to try. I sure hope I feel better tomorrow. My question is; do the side effects go away or get better in time?

Shiloh

AskDocWeb: They do go away for some people but not for everyone.

Ambien dependant
Date: 2/5/2009
I am totally ambien dependant, I have been taking ambien for almost 15 years I started taking it when my father was dieing. They no longer work I find myself taking 2 or 3 at a time just to sleep for a hour and a half I have taken up to 30 in 2 days. Even though I know this is the wrong thing to do. But the addiction is so strong I would not recommend even trying it. I know I may sound like a drug seeker But I have NEVER used any other drugs in my life and have never drank. Just think long and hard before using it I never thought it could happen to someone like me.

Debbie

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