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.

Dizziness
Date: 6/14/2010
I recently went through a sleep study program and the doctor recommended that I start using a CPAP machine to improve the quality of my sleep (which it has). In addition the doctor prescribed Ambien (10mg) to aide in my ability to fall asleep while wearing the CPAP mask. The Ambien worked well in helping me fall asleep, and the CPAP machine has greatly improved the quality of my sleep. However after using Ambien for several weeks I started feeling dizzy during the day, and had a feeling of unsteadyness on my feet. I reduced the Ambien to 5mg, however, the dizzyness continued. When walking I would feel very unsteady on my feet like I might fall down. On a recent trip I had to ask my wife to drive because of the severe dizzyness I was experiencing. I have stopped taking Ambien all together, and the dizzyness has decreased markedly with each day that I have been off the medication. I am 63 years old, and have never experienced any negative reactions to prior medications. I certainly will not use Ambien ever again.

Bob

Ambien suicide
Date: 6/16/2010
My girlfriend shot herself a few months ago taking ambien. No note or anything, i’m not sure if she even realized what she did. We had plans for the weekend and she left behind her daughter which doesn’t make sense. It’s been hard on everyone that knew her because she was such a good person.

Ray

Suicide pill
Date: 6/16/2010
I have been on Ambien for 2 years and it almost cost me my life! I found this site because I was looking to see how many Ambien to take to die. Well, I’m still here and I am no longer taking the “suicide pill”. I have been smoking a small amount of marajuana to get to sleep and let me tell you,,,it works…no side affects at all. Try it,,,it might save your life.

Melanie

Uncomfortable symptoms
Date: 6/18/2010
Thank you all for your helpful input. It has confirmed my symptoms are most likely related to Ambien. I have taken it nightly (5mgs) for almost 3 months. It worked great for quite a few weeks, but over time I have developed some very uncomfortable symptoms – headache, dizziness, tingling/numb feeling throughout body (face especially), nausea and lack of energy. As it seems to work well for some, I see the majority of us do not tolerate it well. Looking for other alternatives for sleeping. Thanks!

Mac

Stopping Clonazepam
Date: 6/20/2010
I have taken Clonazapam for 10 years for sleep. At first I took .5 MG then increased to 1 MG and finally to 1.5. I am now committed to getting off of it entirely. I have reduced my dose to .75 MG. How long should I take this amount before I lower it to .5? I am appalled at the misinformation I was given about this drug. I have basically been in a state of sedation for 10 years, with little energy to do anything. I wish I could just stop taking it immediately.

Roberta

AskDocWeb: The safest way to discontinue any prescription drug is to work with your doctor. They can tell you the consequences of stopping and may be able to offer other alternatives that make this easier for you.

Loopy
Date: 6/23/2010
This product is alsome but how long to you feel loopy after you take the pill then I will wake up in the morning and forget everything that I did.

Bo

Uncontrolled sadness
Date: 6/26/2010
I have taken Ambien on occasion for sleep difficulties. I can fall asleep, have trouble staying asleep. About twice a year, this is more intolerable than usual. I ask and receive a small 10 tab Rx from my doctor to use a couple of times a week, until I get my sleep cycle back in order. This past experience has sworn me off of Ambien for good. After awakening from my first night with Ambien, slightly groggy, but slept through the night. Later that afternoon, I became very tearful and angry very very angry. This was noted by my husband and I simply thought it was a result of the compilation of many sleepness nights. I took an Ambien a couple of days later (I seldom use two consecutive days) and the same thing happened: uncontrolled sadness and again, irritability. I began to suspect this may have something to do with Ambien. I waited another week, cut Ambien in 1/2 and tried again. Same issues. The effect of this drug frightened me, I was afraid of harming myself. I will never take again.

Vicki

This is unacceptable
Date: 6/26/2010
A drug that may hurt you, watch out I have just realized that my current health problems are probably due to the fact that I’ve been taking 10mg of Ambien each night for the past two months. I was prescribed this drug a couple of weeks before I had knee replacement surgery because I was in so much pain that I could hardly get any sleep at all. I was never warned about possible addiction problems or side effects from the drug. I had my first knee replaced three years ago, and the recovery was a breeze. It was amazingly good in only three weeks. I’m at twice that recovery time with my second knee right now and am still having some pain and have not yet recovered full range of motion. I know I’m three years older now (I’m currently 62), but I am actually in much better physical condition than I was three years ago, having taken up regular swimming and biking activities in my weekly schedule. My expectation was that this second knee replacement recovery would at least be similar to my first.

I’ve been reading a lot about Ambien on the Internet. One of the most disturbing things I’ve read is that it may inhibit healing in the body. Is it possible that Ambien may be contributing to my slower recovery? The first few times I took Ambien, I was thought it was a wonder drug. All I had to do was take a tiny white pill and five minutes later I was out cold. I slept for exactly seven hours each time and then awoke. Worked fine for a short time, and I thought it was a miracle.

Since that initial period, I’ve experienced many of the side effects I’ve read about. Most predominantly I’ve felt very tired during the day, never refreshed when I awake in the morning, many inexplicable stomachaches that sometimes last for hours or even days, shakiness and jitteriness, anxiety, memory loss, lightheadedness, some headaches, and even a feeling of despondency at times. None of these side effects were a part of my normal life before I took Ambien.

I was a very healthy person who took no medications, ate a very healthy diet, and exercised regularly. I will see my doctor soon to discuss this situation. I also plan to see my local pharmacist today to get my pills cut into quarters and to get advice on how to best taper off this drug. I am so appalled at the lack of knowledge and education that accompanies the prescribing of this drug. Every bottle should state that it should not be taken for more than 10 days (mine didn’t). I was even given a refill for another 30 days, no questions asked. Also, I was prescribed Percocet along with Ambien this entire time, which the drug interactions say could create possible problems. Again, nobody ever mentioned this possibility to me. This is very unacceptable. I value my health greatly and do everything I can to preserve it. I hope that no irreversible damage has been done to my body by taking Ambien. Any thoughts on that?

Is it in my favor that I took it for two months, compared to the many people out there who have taken Ambien for years, or doesn’t the timeframe make much difference? Perhaps damage can be done the minute that first pill enters one’s body? Thank you for your support and input.

Kathy

AskDocWeb: A review medical publications shows that long term use of Ambien is associated with drug tolerance, drug dependence, rebound insomnia and CNS related adverse effects. Animal studies of the tolerance inducing properties have shown that in rodents Ambien has less tolerance producing potential than benzodiazepines but in primates the tolerance producing potential of Ambien was the same as that of benzodiazepines. Tolerance to Ambien can develop in some people in just a few weeks. Abrupt withdrawal of Ambien may cause delirium, seizures or other severe effects, especially if used for prolonged periods and at high dosages. If you are a long term Ambien user, do not stop taking it without first checking with your doctor.

Severe memory loss
Date: 6/27/2010
This drug did not take affect as stated in your article, it took at least 2 hrs or mors. I had to stop taking the ambien because of one serious side affect: severe memory loss.

Harvey

AskDocWeb: When sedative/hypnotic drugs like Ambien work start to work, one of the first affects it has is to reduce your critical thinking ability. It starts affecting you before you notice it.

My dog went missing
Date: 6/28/2010
I have been taking 15mg Ambien(Zolpidem) at night for several years — it works very well. But lately I wake up in the mornings and find things disarranged in the house — pictures crooked, items turned over, etc. (I live alone.) Then yesterday my dog went missing during a storm and after a half-hour of desperate searching indoors and out, I found him behind a closed bedroom door. I must have put him there during the thunderstorm — he could not possibly have opened then closed the door by himself. I had absolutely no memory of the event. I started two weeks ago shaving off a little slice of one of the 5mg tablets, more each night, and now I’m down to 10mg. Within a few more weeks I will have stopped Ambien and then perhaps start with some OTC sleep aid. It is a very scary not to remember doing things like this.

Byrne


Date: 6/29/2010
Is there any evidence of long term emotional behavioural or personality change physical triedness or weakness 1-847-213-0325 0r 1-630-329-7781 (Sonrise Christian Social Services)

Randy

PVCs and SVTs
Date: 7/1/2010
Yes! I have had a ton of PVCs and some SVTs while on Ambien!

Tracy

Stronger then ambien?
Date: 7/2/2010
I really love ambien…when it works. I feel like I have to take it when I have an empty stomach and already tired for it to work. I’m on the 10mg and I usually will break another one in half to make it 15mg. Is there any other pill that is stronger then ambien?

Kaitlyn

AskDocWeb: Ramelteon is the newest sleep medication, and it doesn’t appear to have the same risk of dependency and rebound insomnia that the other sleep medications do. The antidepressant trazodone (Desyrel) also may help with insomnia but doctors generally don’t recommend relying on prescription sleeping pills for more than a few days because of possible side effects and they become less effective after a while. Remember that developing your ability to sleep without the help of medication is the goal.
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