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.

Side effect the next day?
Date: 2/2/2010
weird side effect. For the past year after taking one ambien, when I awake in the morning I have this terrible bloating feeling for the entire day. Has anyone had this uncomfortable side effect the next day?

Anna

Jumped off balcony after starting Ambien
Date: 2/3/2010
I just discovered that a good friend of mine started taking Ambien just 4 days ago. She jumped off her balcony last night and killed herself. She is gone forever! She has never shown any signs of depression, sleep walking, nothing. How can such a drug be allowed on the market?

Sandra

Satisfied with Ambien
Date: 2/4/2010
I’ve been using Ambien and it works for me. I can say I’m satisfied with Ambien.

Jasmine

Thank you ambien
Date: 2/4/2010
the trouble with ambien is that it works just to ****in great. It make me sleep like a baby and wake up feeling refreshed.. thank you ambien. you helpful little bastard…

Randy

I fell asleep without Ambien
Date: 2/5/2010
I have been trying to stop or at least reduce my Ambien usage over the last few months (10mg/night for about 1.5 years), and would try to sleep, if I couldnt, I would take one. Two nights ago, I fell asleep without Ambien, and even though I had crazy dreams and woke up 5 times, I made it. The next night was better. The dreams calmed down and I only woke up 3 times. Last night, I woke up once. Tonight, will be my 4th night without Ambien. Ambien is a really effective drug if used safely, such as right before bed. If you stay up on it, that is when trouble can start. If you are taking more than 10mg per night because it stops working, talk to your doctor. Dont get in a pattern of increasing your dosage.

Ryan

Personality change
Date: 2/6/2010
If you are thinking of using Ambien, please read the following. My life will never be the same, nor will the lives of my two, beautiful children. My husband had been taking Ambien CR for approx. 2 years. He was a big guy, the big teddy-bear type. One Ambien didn’t work – he always needed two. His personality changed dramatically once he started using Ambien. I cannot even begin to list the number of times he became angry for no reason, wandered around the house, knocking over furniture, broke dishes and cooked entire meals and didn’t recall this the next day. He became entirely addicted to Ambien, couldnt sleep without it, feared trying to get a good nights sleep without it.

My husband of 22 years was a wonderful, brilliant, kind, happy man who was a wonderful father and husband. He took his life in January after taking 16 Ambien in the early morning hours between midnight and 6 a.m. I know he purposely took his regular 2, but somewhere in those 6 hours, he took 14 more. I loved my husband very much and can swear before anyone that he had no intention of doing what he did. I will do anything in my power to inform every person I know to stay away from this drug. It took my husband from me and my children. Please tell everyone you know about our story.

Denise

Best sleep-aid
Date: 2/6/2010
I have been using ambien for over 2 yrs. and it is the best sleep-aid that I have ever had.

Bob

Sleep driving wrecks
Date: 2/10/2010
My girlfriend has been taking these pills for years and I didn’t know this until recently. We been together for a year now and up till about 4 months ago I didnt’t know, she has since then, wrecked her and my car both hitting a total of 4 cars. I think this drug should not even be allowed on the market or anywhere else for any reason. I walk behind her in the house waiting for her to fall and break her neck. She also likes to smoke ciggarettes and burn everything in the house. I’m scared to leave her home by herself because of what I might come home to. I love her with all my heart and I can’t do anything about it. I hate this ****ing drug and it needs to be pulled. She’s 27 and has a 5 year old and she does nothing but get high, taking 4-7 at a time. I haven’t seen my girlfriend (her real personality) in months. There is nothing I can do but to leave her and I can’t do that to her cause she is sick. What the **** am I suppose to do???? TAKE THESE PILLS OFF THE MARKET.

Joe

A BIGGER warning
Date: 2/11/2010
Please make a BIGGER warning Do not drink alcohol while taking Ambien. Alcohol will increase drowsiness and may increase dizziness, which could be dangerous. Not only dangerous but increases hallucinations, abnormal behavior, or severe confusion. Doctors should be very careful prescribing this drug.


Sandy

AskDocWeb: Okay, how is that?

Magical powers
Date: 2/11/2010
Ambien makes Ted believe that he has magical powers to communicate with “spirits.” He also can not control where his mind takes him and can not remember any of his episodes in the morning. Is this normal?

Kelly

AskDocWeb: Having next day amnesia for events that occurred while under the influence of a hypnotic drug is not unusual. Sometimes a movie camera or video recording can do wonders in convincing patients of what they otherwise don’t remember.

I am addicted
Date: 2/13/2010
I have been taking Ambien for almost 2 years. If I don’t take it I simply don’t sleep. I have no morning grogginess but I definitely have to take it right before going to bed. I believe I am addicted and it takes a lot to knock me out at night. I am a much better person when I get a good nights sleep. Taking 25mg of ambien per night i can get a good 6 hours of sleep. If I take 30mg it’s good for 8 hours. I have never had any daytime side effects. I always manage to go to work every day and if I’m on-call I can get up and work at night. It has not ruined my life but rather improved it tremendously. I’m sure I will probably need to go to rehab if the doc ever quits writing the script.

Donna

I’ll crash
Date: 2/14/2010
Hey Guys—-this has scared me out of my partially sane mind– I’m a recovering addict/ alcoholic and can get addicted to anything—I think I just wont sleep for 2-3 days—Hopefully by then I’ll crash and go to sleep again … I’m also seeing an acupunturists to help natural ways… Thx for all the input.

Joe

Ambien migraines
Date: 2/15/2010
I’m currently taking ambien, and I still have been getting minimal sleep. This is week two. I also noticed that I started getting migraines again about three times since I have started the medication. why wouldn’t the ambien start working etter, and could it be contributing to the migraines?

Bevin

AskDocWeb: Yes, Ambien could contribute to your migraines. Headaches are listed as one of the possible side effects that should be reported to your doctor.

7 years of Ambien
Date: 2/22/2010
I have been on 20 mg of amien for 7 years now and without it I wounder how I could funtion during the day but much like I have heard on this blog the drug looses its strenght. Now I take two at eleven sleep till 2:30 up and taking another and that gets me to 6am. Some moths I run out and it’s like hell not being able to sleep for days on end. When Im finally able to refill it feels like i can function again but this is a visious cycle i wish ther was a different way the docks coud perscribe this so I can live a normal life every month. Oh an for the recourd I TAKE 2 ten mg every night but somtimes only get three hours and i know my body needs mor rest than that any ideas?

Harris

AskDocWeb: The patient information that comes with Ambien states that if insomnia doesn’t get better after the drug is taken for 7 to 10 days, an underlying medical problem may be involved. You might consider getting a complete physical to reveal potential health problems.

Long term effects of Ambien
Date: 2/22/2010
I have been taking ambien for 2 years now pretty consistently. I’m taking 10mg, but cut the pill in half and just take 5mg. I know I probably have a dependency on them, but know that I don’t ever go over my useage and I get a good night sleep. What are the long term effects as far as memory loss, etc.. Thank you,

Lori

AskDocWeb: During longer-term treatment (28 to 35 nights) in controlled clinical trials at doses less than 10 mg, the most commonly observed adverse events associated with the use of Ambien were dizziness (5%) and drugged feelings (3%). Long-term use of the drug can also lead to dependency and is discouraged. The longest term study we found details on is at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2225552/ but it makes us wonder who funded the study. For example in one place it describes a run-out period where patients received no medication for 7 days (plus or minus 3 days). Under Measurements and Results it says that “No rebound effect was observed during the first 3 nights of discontinuation.” Isn’t that a somewhat positive spin?

Scary stuff
Date: 2/22/2010
I was prescribed Ambien because I couldn’t sleep at night. I took one pill like I was supposed to. I had 15 pills in the bottle and when my husband got home the bottle was empty. Apparently I took the rest of them in my sleep. I’m lucky to even be able to be here to write this. Before I fell asleep I was picking things off the wall and saw things hanging from the ceiling and saw a cowboy walking around my house. This stuff is very scary.

Stephanie

Long term use
Date: 2/23/2010
I urge everyone to do what it takes to get off Ambien. I’ve been off Ambien for 4 weeks now and finally starting to sleep on my own for the first time in 4 years. I had double vision, blurred vision, brain fog, anxieity and many other side effects. A friend of mine dumped them down the disposal. I’m so grateful.

Julie

Lost my hearing
Date: 2/23/2010
Since taking Ambien i have lost all my hearing in my right ear. I have approx. 25% hearing in my left ear. The hearing in my good ear flexuates andywheree from 20 -45% hearing loss and until the hearing loss has evened out i do not met the quiteria for hearing aids. I have a constance feeling of fullness in my ears and tintitis. if i have nay exposure to noise of any kind i must isloate my self in a quiet place for a couple of days to increase my hearing. in other workds soudns hurt and have lasing hurt. any ideas….cant work due to this. Thank you.

Karen

AskDocWeb: It sounds like you need to consult with your doctor. This website is for sharing information about side effects, not medical advice. Read more Ambien Feedback.

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