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 has become a habit
Date: 11/14/2009
I used to take 10mg Ambien once a week in order to catch up on my sleep. Then my husband went on a fishing trip and I was afraid being in the house by myself. I started taking 5 mg Ambien every night and I had great nights of sleep. It has become a habit for the last 6 weeks but now I’m only sleeping 5-6 hours. I’m glad I read this sight because I was just going to stop cold turkey but now I will try to wean myself off, starting with 5 mg every other night. In the past I did experience the waking up in the middle of the night and drowsily looking for food. That was weird…

I am currently having a problem with my hips and legs which I was contributing to ‘age’ but now I am thinking twice about it because I have always been active (currently Curves) and I’m wondering if this could be a side affect of Ambien. I will wean myself off and see how my legs feel afterwards. Thank you for all your feedback.

Maggie

Chest tightness and cough
Date: 11/16/2009
Started taking the generic for Ambien approx 4 months ago, got great full nights’ sleep. But chest “tightness”, cough started about 3 months ago. I think there’s a definite connection and have decided to stop using it. Probably in for some withdrawal symptoms. Read Fish Oil and Vitamin E supplements might help. Suggestions?

Robin

AskDocWeb: Fish oil does seem to help some people but not everyone. Fish oil contains the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are different from the omega-3 fatty acids found in vegetable oils. It is worth a try but you should know that ingesting too much fish oil could actually interfere with your ability to sleep. About one in five people benefit from taking Vitamin E. Taking more than l,200 IU of vitamin E daily is not recommended.

I eat crazy things
Date: 11/17/2009
Ambien is great for helping to get to sleepp and stay that way but if you do mot go to bed right away then you do crazy thiings. and mostly what I do is eat. I eat crazy things, stuff I would never eat during the day. I feel like I am not there mentally at all. Just my body. I consume more callories at night then I di in three days. It is crazy, I am the heaviest I have ever been. I cant stop eating.

Amanda

Long term user
Date: 11/18/2009
I am a long term user (4 years) I suffered severe side effects dizziness, severe loss of memory, fainting, clumsiness, drops in blood pressure, (and) severe depression.

Keith

It works great
Date: 11/18/2009
On a positive note, I have been taking ambien for a couple years. I need no more nor no less of ambien in order to sleep. It works great for me!! My sister has a diagnosed sleep disorder and has been on it for many years. No problems there either. I guess we just have good physiology for that drug. Just a positive note for you all and I am so sorry for all the difficulties other people have.

Susan

Over prescribed
Date: 11/18/2009
If you are considering taking Ambien, I would think twice…Read the side effects and withdrawal symptoms!!! This medication is overprescirbed!

Ann

Woke up to the sound of running water
Date: 11/23/2009
My MD prescribed Ambien for me a few weeks ago because I was having trouble sleeping following the death of my husband. I’ve experienced mild nausea with the Ambien, but nothing more until last night. I had gone to bed with a cup of yogurt, and after finishing my snack, had placed the cup and spoon on the dresser, turned out the light, and gone to sleep. I woke up this morning to the sound of running water, and blazing kitchen lights. Apparently I’d gotten up sometime during the night, turned on all the kitchen lights, placed the cup and spoon in the kitchen sink, and then turned on the water full force. I have no memory of this. Thank God I had not turned on the stove, or worse, gone outside and tired to drive somewhere in my car! Last night was my last pill. I have a call into my doctor now.

Gail

In regards to Elizabet’s question
Date: 11/30/2009
In regards to Elizabet’s question about it causing a sore throat, it’s listed by the manufactures on the list of less serious side effects. … I have had my own very scary experiences with Ambien, and I’m by no means the biggest supporter of it. But like all drugs, it has to be monitored and tailored to each individual.

Brian

AskDocWeb: I guess it is possible that you live outside the USA and a product called Ambien is made in your country that has that side effect. Several countries are now making counterfeit drugs. The Ambien sold here in the USA is made by Sanofi-Aventis. Their manufacturer’s data sheet for Ambien does NOT list a sore throat as a side effect of this drug. The only mention of problems involving the throat are those that deal with severe allergic reactions and those are quite serious. The data sheet for Ambien was last updated September 2009. You can find the manufacturer’s data sheet here. It’s a PDF file.

She became someone else
Date: 11/30/2009
My wife has been taking ambien two years. We were married 4 1/2 years and dated 8 years. I love my wife, but have been separated the past 2 months. She became someone else. She would not believe I loved her and did unusual things at night while on Ambien (also taking Cynbolta). Don’t get started on it!

Gary

I cannot sleep if I don’t take it
Date: 11/30/2009
I have been taken Ambien for about 6 years. I have never had any side effects from taking it. I rarely take more than 5 mg… 1/2 of the dose my doctor prescribes for me. That said, I would like to get off of this medication because of potential side effects this could have on me in the future. I am afraid I am addicted to this drug because I cannot sleep if I don’t take it.

Nena

Slurring her speech and stumbling
Date: 12/1/2009
I have 3 friends on ambian. All 3 have nights that they say their memories have been erased. Their spouses have seen them do things that were out of character for them. One of my friends has been labeled an alcoholic because every now and then she starts slurring her speech, stumbling when walking throwing up etc. etc. She really looks drunk. By the morning when you would think she would wake up with a terrible hangover she’s just fine but cannot remember most of the night. The last time it happened she swears she only had one drink and her husband swears it too. The weird thing is she had not taken ambian yet to go to sleep that day. She’s also on blood pressure meds. What is going on with my friend? This is happening way too much for it to be a coincident.

Janet

AskDocWeb: Some of the abnormal behavioral changes that may be caused by Ambien are similar to the effects caused by alcohol consumption. In addition, the use of alcohol or other CNS depressants with Ambien appears to increase the risk of unusual behaviors.

Just tried Ambien
Date: 12/5/2009
I’ve had problems w/insomnia (trouble falling asleep and or waking many times.) on and off all my life. Never took anything until I became disabled w/ cancer. Worrying about cancer and losing insurance keeps me awake, also chronic pain. But I’m VERY careful not to take anything more than 2 nights in a row becz I fear addiction. Have had Restoril and Xanax prescribed for sleep. Restoril only lasts a few hrs, Xanax makes me tired the next day. Have Kaiser Ins in No. CA, & they watch your Rx’s very closely on computer records to prevent addiction. Which is great I think.

Just tried Ambien this past week & had wonderful night of sleep with really nice dreams, which I rarely have. But I was talking out loud in the a.m., I actually realized it & awoke. Had the pills for a wk before I tried one. I was afraid of sleepwalking cz pharmacist warned me of that, so told my husband to drag me back to bed if he heard me up. (Might be good to have someone hide your car keys.)

But another great remedy for sleep I’ve found is listening to Audio books (I get them from library) w/ earphones (so I don’t wake up hubby or the neighbors downstairs). Doesn’t tire your eyes like reading, plus listening in the dark usually puts me to sleep w/in 1/2 hr. If I wake up again I turn the book on again. I even took CD player to hospital last time I had surgery. (only prob. it was stolen from my room the last day.) The only problem at home is running out of audio books, or batteries! I listen to pleasant books so I sleep better, Jane Austen, lighter Charles Dickens fare, no murder mysteries etc. Highly recommend “Remembrance of Things Past” by Proust. That should knock anyone out. Any insomniac should try audio books! Definitely habit forming, but in a good way. I’ve told people in my Cancer Support group and some have tried it and liked it. Try learning to meditate too. You’re not supposed to use it to fall asleep, but whatever works!

Kathy

P.S. If you decide to quit a drug, don’t flush it or pour it down the drain! It ends up in the water supply. Ask your pharmacist how to properly dispose of unused meds.

No recollection of it the next day
Date: 12/7/2009
Just started this a couple weeks ago and it makes me pass out. However, unlike the many others that reviewed this pill, I am groggy all day and can sleep for 20 hrs if I could. This is not my biggest complaint. About an hour after I take it, my memory just completely leaves me. The next day I wake up seeing that I’ve talked or texted people and once even had sex with my boyfriend without any recollection of it the next day. I would like to know if this is normal. So far nothing serious has happened but I’d like to stop the pill now if something serious COULD happen.

Nicci

AskDocWeb: We consider having sex with no recollection of it pretty serious. You might want to read more feedback to find out just how serious the experiences of other people have been.

Headache for 61 days…and counting
Date: 12/7/2009
I am a 64 year old Sr. Cit. who has been taking Ambien for the last 12 years. I suffer from Fibromyalgia Syndrome, which as you probably know, steals from my sleep. During the last 2 years or so, 10mg only allows me approx. 2.5 or 3 hours sleep. Lately…I have been taking 15mg a night and sleep 5 to 6 hours with interruptions in between. I take .5 before bedtime and another .5 around 2am. Some times (about 3 times a week) I get up about 4.5 and take .5 of another ambien. This is my problem: Lately I have had a headache for 61 days…and counting. The Drs. can’t find anything wrong with me. Could Ambien possibly have an accumulative property that may be causing this headaches for me? Thank you.

Miriam

AskDocWeb: There are many reports from Ambien users of almost continuous headaches. In the clinical trials, 19% of those taking Ambien experienced headaches. In the elderly, 14% of users experience headache.
Read more Ambien Feedback.

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