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.

Pain in legs and arms
Date: 4/14/2010
Ambien I have been takin it now for 2 month and ever since I have pain in my legs and arms some time cant walk did this happen to any one?

Maria

Ambien CR in urine
Date: 4/14/2010
Simple Question… How long does Ambien CR stay in your urine?

Nancy

AskDocWeb: Sorry Nancy, the manufacturer does not publish enough information to give you a specific answer. It appears that the manufacturer used 24 “healthy males” to calculate the “mean” elimination half-life of one 12.5 mg dose of Ambien CR at 2.8 hours. However, the half-life for the individuals in the group tested ranged from 1.62 to 4.05 hours. But even the “mean” readings show that, after eight hours, the Ambien plasma concentration is still at approximately 20 ng/ml. Although the time it takes for Ambien to get out of a particular person’s system varies significantly from one individual to the next, there is a general rule to go by. It takes 5 to 6 times the half-life for a drug to completely leave your system.

My bad experience
Date: 4/15/2010
I’ve been taking ambien cr so long until my insurance won’t cover it, So I ended up with this generic name zolpidem 10 mg. My bad experience on this medicine is…I keep calling everyone I knew and don’t know what I’ve said to them…and just wondering why somebody get mad of me…well, my husband would tell me what did I do…I even sometimes go to Wal-Mart in my pajamas without knowing it because according to my husband I have to let him drive me to Wal-Mart or if he won’t do it…I fight him…bad bad bad side effect but I am more miseeable if I couldn’t sleep the whole night, so my doctor still prescribed it to me but hopefully little by little I will be out of this habbit, I want to sleep like others that when their back reached that bed…..they start snoring…

Josie

Daytime side effects
Date: 4/18/2010
I tried Ambien for about a week. I slept fairly well but the day time side effects were horrible. I didn’t feel well at all…felt sort of like I had motion sickness all day. I quit taking the stuff and won’t touch it again.

Chris

Weird
Date: 4/20/2010
I just got started on ambien. Sometimes I will pass right out and other times I kind of feel high i guess and will close my eyes but hear everthing! Then I get up to walk around and the walls kinda move. Weird. I am also on lexapro and xanax as well…

Dj

Shot himself while on Ambien
Date: 4/23/2010
My Uncle just shot himself while on Ambien.. This is totally out of character 4 him. He had a Wonderful wife, 2 beautiful children, & 5 more beautiful grandchildren, owned multiple beautiful homes, new cars, & loved his job. THEN…It was as if he just rolled over in his sleep & grabed his loaded gun &… No one could figure out why he would do this??? No note, NO NOTHING… I am 10000 X’s convinced that he was uncontious & unaware of anything he was doing..THANKS 2 THIS WORTHLESS DRUG, LETS GET IT OFF THE STREETS -ASAP- please submit your stories.

Cassi

Hallucinations and phantom conversations
Date: 4/27/2010
I started taking Ambien about 2 years ago. If I don’t try to go to sleep promptly, I sometimes have hallucinations and phantom conversations. Recently I find that whereas it used to work within 20 minutes, it can now take hours to work. This may well be food related, or a tolerance that I have been building.

Joel

Ambien
Date: 4/29/2010
Has anybody had ringing in the ears while using Ambian/ Did it go away in time? Thank you! Aloha.

Robert

AskDocWeb: Yes, ringing in the ears (tinnitus) is infrequently reported by Ambien users but it is one of the possible side effects.

Sometimes Ambien works, sometimes it doesn’t
Date: 5/4/2010
I started to suffer from insomnia when I started nursing school. My doctor recommended ambien. I’m now at the end of my first year of nursing school and ambien most of the time helps. I take 10 mg maybe once or twice a week when I’m anxious and just can’t fall asleep. I’ve been having trouble with it lately because it either works or completely does not work. I take it at the same time on the nights I take it a couple hours after dinner just with a glass of water. Usually the second I lay down it will work but sometimes it does nothing which makes me more anxious knowing I won’t be able to fall asleep. And you can’t take any other sleep aid because the ambien is already in my system and could cause some really bad side effects. I’ll be talking to my doctor about an alternative.

Kate

Just started taking Ambien
Date: 5/5/2010
I’ve just started taking Ambien… only two nites so far and I feel it’s to soon to know any side affects..

Robin

Sleeping much better
Date: 5/10/2010
I’ve been taking Ambien about 6 months now. I’m sleeping much better, staying asleep until morning.

Harriet

Headaches are horrendous
Date: 5/10/2010
I had spinal surgery two months ago and have taken ambien to get some sleep because the pain keeps me up. I have absolutely hate this drug, it makes me sleep but the headaches the next day are horrendous. My ambien has been flushed down the toilet and I will never take it again.

Patricia

Ambien addiction
Date: 5/13/2010
Ambien has been a personal nightmare for me. I have no issues with addiction. This silly drug is the only exception. I denied it for too long, made myself look like a total ass to family and friends and have potentially short circuited my GABA receptors for the rest of my life. Who knows!? Like everyone else, I was prescribed Ambien for a short-term treatment of insomnia, and like other reports here, I began to take it at inappropriate times because I liked the feeling of escape. When I’d run out, I’d have panic attacks…bad panic attacks.

I eventually found it online, and of course, that made the problem worse. It lead to sneaking it, and spending money on it behind my wife’s back. I have, without exaggeration, taken 300 mg within a two day period several times, too numerous to count in fact. I’m lucky to be alive, and I’m lucky my wife has stuck with me through my excuses and stupidity. If you’re reading this review because you or someone you love has a problem, seek help. Seriously! I was able to kick the withdrawals with a regimen of low dose benzos within a week after seven years of hardcore use. I no longer need anything to sleep, although I miss the intense deep, drug-induced sleep. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel really tired again, but at least my sleep is my own. My wife would be upset with me if I took benadryl right now. Pretty serious, I know.

One last thing, have pity on your addicted loved one. Don’t be afraid to be blunt, but do it with compassion. This addiction really has sucked (pardon the expression please), and it was only love and compassion that pulled me free. Best wishes to any and all who are reviewing.

Mike

Husband is addicted
Date: 5/13/2010
Husband____this ambien is ruining our marriage!! He has been on this drug for 4+ years and is now addicted. His entire personality has changed. He is Angry has episodes of rage flies of for the smallest thing, very irritable all the time. Someone needs to report this to the FDA, and these effects need to be documented. I have asked him to get off but just blames the marriage. He was taking benadryl prior to this and it helped. Any thing natural that will not cause these effects?

Kelly

Destroyed friendships
Date: 5/15/2010
It has made me do things that I never remember doing & destroyed friendships over it!

Nora

Best night sleep
Date: 5/15/2010
Hi All I just started using Ambien about three weeks ago and I love it. I am getting the best night sleep I have ever had before. The only thing I notice after taking the Ambien is that the next morning I don’t remember much of what happened the night before. This is why I only take Ambien right before bed and in the comfort and safety of my own home. I have never done anything dangerous such as sleep driving or anything like that.

Mishel

Numbness and tingling
Date: 5/16/2010
I’ve been taking 10mg Zolfidem Tartrate for roughly a month. I have been having numbness and tingling in all four limbs and occasionally around my lips. I also get a sensation of my scalp tingling and crawling. I’m definitely not as sharp as I was. The only other thing I take is omega-3. I’m told by my doc to cut the pill in 1/2 to 5mg for a couple of days and then stop altogether. I’m really afraid of the possible withdrawal as I’m a single mom with a 10 yr old kiddo. However, I’d rather be sleep deprived that be concerned about a neurological disorder! I’m convinced these paresthesias are from the sleeper even if not listed as a side effect.

Bliss

Ambien suicide
Date: 5/17/2010
My aunt just committed suicide today. Years ago, she had some drug issues that we thought were in the past, but naturally assumed must be reoccurring. She took a pill last night, went to sleep, and then to our surprise woke up and took the rest of an 80 pill bottle. After reading the testimonies here, we are convinced that we were right. Her drug issues were still in the past, but this Ambien drug needs to be taken off the market and until then doctors need to stop prescribing it. My uncle says there is NO WAY she was back on cocaine because he never leaves her side. Throw away your Ambien and please inform your loved ones to do the same. So sad.

Brent

Best way to stop taking Ambiem CR?
Date: 5/18/2010
My doctor tells Me that I have been on ambien cr 12.5 MG for a long time. I tryed to stop but I had a very bad headace. So what is the best way to stop taking Ambiem cr. Is the doctor correct in saying that I need stop taking Ambien. I am worried that I will still have problem sleeping. Thank You.

Peggy

AskDocWeb: If you read the patient information that comes with the product you will see that this drug is for short-term use, which is defined by the manufacturer as 7 to 10 days, or as advised by your doctor. When your doctor says that you need to stop using a drug, that is a medical opinion and it is in your best interest to follow your doctor’s instructions. The patient insert also says that “After you stop taking a sleep medicine, you may have symptoms for 1 to 2 days such as: trouble sleeping, nausea, flushing, lightheadedness, uncontrolled crying, vomiting, stomach cramps, panic attack, nervousness, and stomach area pain.” You may want to talk to your doctor about the best way to stop taking this drug, which may include reducing dosage or switching to another drug. Read more Ambien Feedback.

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