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.

I Sleep good
Date: 7/4/2010
I took Ambien right before going to bed and I sleep good…and I mean minutes before bedtime..not good idea to take and then do some running around….do not take any if your not planning to go to bed right away..also it said you have to have at least 8 hours of sleep before doing anything else.

Zen

Sleep driving
Date: 7/10/2010
I took amdienCr for a short time. After three days I went to sleep one night and ened up in a ditch. I had been sleep driving that night. Crashed my car and almost lost my life. The police officer thought I was drunk from drinking too much. I have lost so much from taking this drug. I think it should be taken off the market. I could have killed myself or someone else. I’m trying to find others out there who are filing suit against the makers of this drug.

JodeeGar

Long term use of Ambien
Date: 7/11/2010
is it ok that my doctor has pescribed me ambien for over a year straight? i have taken ambien for over 365 days in a row. i have a lot of muscle craps and joint pain too.

Sean

AskDocWeb: The long term use of Ambien may lead to dependency. The manufacturer of Ambien, Sanofi-Aventis, indicates that if insomnia doesn’t get better after the drug is taken for 7 to 10 days, an underlying medical problem may be involved.

No problems
Date: 7/13/2010
I have been taking AmbienCR 12.5mg for about a year now. I could not sleep without it. I have not had any of the side effects that I have read about here, none at all. Everyone’s chemistry is different. I also take wellbutrin and lexapro. So far no problems.

Tina

Sleep sex
Date: 7/13/2010
My husband gave me ambien “to help me sleep” He was a nurse and I trusted him. I woke up many mornings with my night clothes off and he told me we had had “great sex” and dont I remember. I found it unsual that he was not concerned over my lack of memory-it certainly bothered me. I felt like I was crazy for not remembering or having a very spotty memory at times, I tried not to worry about it because he sure seemed happy. I did start refusing my evening ambien after a while though because I felt it was causing these memory problems. I guess he was still giving them to me though because I will still having “sleep sex”. I didnt figure out what may be happening to me until months after my 13 year old told me she woke up to find my husgand in her bed. We have no real solid memories so he cant be prosecuted. However, I know in my heart he raped myself and my daughter. I divorced him, but very few people believe me. This is a dangerous drug that can be used for devious purposes. Please pray for me and my family.

Gail

Exhausted
Date: 7/13/2010
Lately when I take Ambien the next day I am very tired and feel exhausted. Last night I took 5mg and tuday I can hardly move. Iz that a toxic reaction?

Katherine

AskDocWeb: Extreme fatigue and exhausted are symptoms of an overdose. Please contact your doctor.

Rapid heart rate
Date: 7/14/2010
Has anyone ever had rapid heart rate as a result of Ambien use? I have been using Ambien for over the past 5 years off an on ( more on than off) and cannot figure out why my heart seems to be pounding every day. I am wondering if it is the Ambien??

LG

AskDocWeb: A rapid heart rate and an inability to fall asleep sometimes occurs with Ambien. Although this is rare it could be a sign of a serious problem and should be reported to your healthcare provider.

Ambien nightmares
Date: 7/14/2010
I would like to know if Ambien could cause nightmares. My 96 yr. father takes a 5mg. pill at bedtime, about once a week he will have some kind of nightmare. He jokes that his bedroom is haunted. It is hard to convince him that it is only a bad dream. I thought the sleep medication might be causing this. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Don

AskDocWeb: Remember that Ambien is classified as a sedative/hypnotic and the person using it is very susceptible to suggestion. What is discussed right before sleep may have a powerful impact on that patient’s dreams.

Aggressive and angry
Date: 7/14/2010
My husband came back from being overseas. His days and nights were mixed up so he asked our doctor for something to help him sleep until his body switched him back as the OTC stuff didn’t seem to work very well. He had all kinds of hallucinations, would have whole conversations with me and never remember them. He then started getting very aggressive and angry all the time and his libido was very high and would get angry if I didn’t want sex. When he started having suicidal thoughts he went back to the doctor and she then took off ambien, gave him a prescription of PAXIL of all things and told him to go to the local pysche ward of all things. (IF your going to send someone there why did she bother prescribing something??) He knew it was the Ambien and didn’t go to the pysche ward and decided not to get on the Paxil because of its known side effects. After 1 week of being off Ambien he was noticably better. This medicine NEEDS to be off the market!

Melanie

Ambien suicide
Date: 7/14/2010
My brother was suffering from insomnia and depression and came to live with me for 4 months when he needed help. His was an inpatient in a mental hospital for 5 weeks and outpatient program for the same time. He was seeing a counselor weekly and seem to be doing well with a combo of Prozac in the morning and another anti depressant at night along with ambien. He would take his meds at 10 and lie down at 11pm and usually sleep between 3 to 4 hours and that was it. We had just had a conversation 2 days earlier how he was feeling better. I went away for a few days and my Mom whom he loved very much came to stay with him. On the second night I was gone, he took his meds and feel asleep my Mom witnessed this and then some time after 2am he took her car, drove an hour and a half and left an insane phone message for my brother that made no sense, and committed suicide by jumping off a bridge. Not only do I feel guilty for many reason but my mother told me to make sure that they didn’t give him ambien because she had read about the insane side effects so I never told her he was taking it.

Carol

Ambien killed my husband
Date: 7/17/2010
My husband took ambien the correct way and had plenty of sleep that night, the 10 mg pill. He was also prescribed 3 Klonopin a day, took this as prescribed as well. The next day we were driving and apparently he fell asleep and swerved into a semi. He died instantly and I lived. I am furious with ambien. I feel that it killed my husband. The pharmacist or someone should have warned us more about driving the next day. We had no idea; the insert says less than 2percent have daytime drowsiness or feeling drunk. Even the commercials make it seem so safe. It is an extremely dangerous potentially deadly drug. I know this. Something needs to be done. The Ambien killed my husband. I am considering legal action.

Kristen

Ambien works
Date: 7/19/2010
I used Ambien in the past and found it to be of signifigant help. I went off of it for 1 1/2 years. I am now back to being prescribed and using Ambien, and I wouldn’t hesitate to reccomend Ambien to anyone. It truly works and there are hardly any side effects.

Margie

Terrible headache
Date: 7/24/2010
I need help! I’ve taken ambien for 14yrs & I suffer from terrible headache. I stop take it & now the headache wont go away. I can’t stand the pain. How & What can I do take to get rid of this pain. Help me.

Barbara
AskDocWeb: Headaches are listed as one of the possible side effects of Ambien that should be reported to your doctor.

Night sweats and inability to sleep
Date: 7/27/2010
I was prescribed Ambien for help with peri-menopausal symptoms of insomnia. It works great and most of the time in the beginning I only took it sporadically. Now due to some increased stress and I have begun taking it more regularly and when I tried to return to a more sporadic schedule and smaller dose I did develop difficulties with night sweats and inability to sleep. I have no other difficulties with this medication so now I think I will just continue to take as prescribed in a more consistent pattern as sleep is necessary for my job performance. I just need assistance falling asleep, once I am there I have no difficulties. I am hoping this will be a long term solution for me. I did not want to rely on medication but sleep has been an issue for me as long as I can remember.

Sandy
AskDocWeb: A sleep clinic may cost more in the short term but they also have better long-term solutions.

Past alcohol abuse issue
Date: 8/2/2010
can you tell me if someone who has a past alcohol abuse issue that has been under control for years, could be negitively affected by the use of ambien?

Bmahr
AskDocWeb: Even if the alcohol abuse has been under control for years it is still important to tell you doctor about the history of alcohol abuse. People who have been dependent on alcohol in the past generally have a greater chance of becoming addicted to Ambien

Ambien
Date: 8/2/2010
If doctor give you this drug dont take that risk that does it works for you or not, many people lifes is ruined first night they take this drug. My life is too. I know also real stories that people have use this for many weeks without problems then one morning heard he have been sleepwalking and acting very strange. Dont take this drug life is important dont let this drug ruin it. Never take this drug, NEVER.

Never take ambien

Totally dependent on Ambien
Date: 8/3/2010
I have been taking Ambien CR for about a year, and I am totally dependent on it. My doctor prescribed it shortly after my MS diagnosis. Restlessness on the right side of my body would keep me from sleeping at night. I haven’t experienced any of the side effects that I don’t think are related to the MS. Needless to say, I can’t stop taking it. I’ve tried regular Ambien, Simply Sleep, Tylenol PM, Advil PM, Melatonin, Benadryl, the Walmart brand of all the above mentioned….none of these work to keep me sleep through the night. They would help me fall asleep after an hour or so, but the rest of the night would be sleep in 30-minute increments, and the sleep would not be sound – Ambien is still the winner. Well, I recently changed jobs, and my Rx plan changed. I went from paying $40 for a 30-day supply to paying $180 – so I am looking for an alternative that is cost-effective and has the same results…the feeling of being tired and not able to go to sleep is a horrible feeling. I don’t condone what Michael Jackson did to sleep – RIP King – but I certainly understand the feeling being tired and wanting to fall asleep but can’t.

Marsha

Scary voices
Date: 8/5/2010
Ambien scary..Was taking 5 mg. Ambien on & off for past six mos. Last two times I took it, I had heard the most unbelievable & scary voices, sort of like a grizzly bear who could talk. I am very afraid to take this again as it was so realistic.

Linda
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