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.

Hair loss
Date: 8/17/2010
Has anyone had hair loss while taking Ambien???

Judy
AskDocWeb: We haven’t read anything that says Ambien (zolpidem tartrate) might cause hair loss. There are unverified reports hair loss with Ambien online, but nothing in the official literature.

Best sleep medication
Date: 8/19/2010
I love Ambien, Ambien is the strongest best sleep medication I have ever found, I usually buy it from (an) online pharmacy, and you know whats funny?

Gheekay


Seizures
Date: 8/20/2010
I have used Zolpidem for at least two years. I get “episodes” wherein my pupils constrict spontaneously, often accompanied by extreme weakness in the upper arms and light-headedness. While these used to be rare, they have progressed to where I sometimes get 20 or 30 of these a day. Further, I also now get the opposite–staring spells–where I feel buggy-eyed. An eeg revealed some slow brain waves (I think around 7–in frontal lobe.) I am wondering if my “spells” could be seizures caused by Ambien. Also, I am tapering off and get very strong palpitations at night, especially. I think the nightly 10mg was an overdose for me. Also, speaking of overdose–once with Benadryl, and another with a tranquilizer, a “normal” dose had the opposite effect of aggitation and a sort of manic state. My question is: Has anyone else had the constricted–or staring eyes problem with it?

Nina

AskDocWeb: Update: See post by Chiqui.

Ambien anger
Date: 8/22/2010
I hate ambien. When my wife takes the crap she turns into a different person. Instead of a sleep aide it makes her more irritant and is very angry. She ends up taking more than she should cause she don’t remember taking them. Never know how many was taken until she wakes up, these things take my wife from me everytime. I hate ambien. I hate ambien.

Brian

Nothing unusual
Date: 8/24/2010
I am a 56 year old single male. About the middle of last May, I was having trouble sleeping. I go to bed around 11 pm. I do not have to set an alarm to get up early, so that is a help After a several rounds of blood work to find out why I have trouble sleeping, my doctor did a more extensive search & found that my vitamin D level in my system was a bout 1/4 of what it should be & said that would effect my sleep habits. He has let me take generic ambien off & on since then. I found that I only need 1/2 10mg tablet & it puts me out solid for about 7 hours & I feel good during the day. I have no side effects & I have never gotten up during the night.

Last summer I bought an expensive video camera with night vision capability. Since it has a hard drive in it, I can run if for hours at a time. Several times I have videod myself all night while I am sleepig & nothing unusual has happened. Just the usual tossing and turning. I forgot to mention that my doctor has me taking 1000 mgs a day of vitamin d3 to get me built back up. He said is should take about a month to do it. I am finishing my second week. I am wondering if anyone else my have had the same experiecne I have had. My only concern is that I can wean myself off of this without a problem. Thanks for any comments

Eddie

Suicidal thoughts
Date: 8/26/2010
I took two ambiens in one week and lost my mind, I changed my phone number, called all my friends and family crying and I had suicidal thoughts. I felt so sick like the flu and had major depression, thoughts of jumping off a building or shooting my self was terrifying. A week later i threw up yellow bile, I assumed it was the ambien, and I was no longer sick. I have a great life, there was no reason for suicidal thoughts, I feel for the people who lost a loved one to this drug…

Mindy

Blacking out during the day
Date: 8/26/2010
I’ve been taking Ambien for just over a year now after trying Lunesta without the desired results. I started taking the CR because I’d wake up a few hours later and wouldn’t be able to sleep afterwards. During the time I’ve taken Ambien, I’ve done and said strange things. On the couple occasions I’ve flossed while on the drug, I tore up my gums. I’ve sleepwalked in front of family members. And I’ve also not remembered going to, or getting ready for, bed. I’ve also done productive things I don’t normally like to do, like folding the laundry and tidying up the basement. Recently, after being under unusually high levels of stress, I’ve started blacking out during the day. I’ll walk from one place to another or complete tasks without remembering they happened. I don’t know if it’s drug interaction from the new drugs I was prescribed in this time (my doctor knows about the Ambien) or if it is the stress or perhaps long term side effects. Be wary. Even once already “asleep” it’s happened that I’ve gotten up and performed tasks I don’t remember. But I also get much better sleep than I normally would. I’m able to fall asleep in 15-30 mins rather than a couple of hours. The drug appears to be a double-edge sword.

Allison

Can’t get back to sleep
Date: 8/29/2010
I was put on ambien less than 2 weeks ago because i wasnt getting to sleep still literally after the sun was up the next morning. The first night i took it i will admit i was very nervous, i made my mom stay in bed with me until i fell asleep and made her promise to keep checking on me. lol. after about 20 mins after taking the pill my vision got fuzzy and i needed help getting to the bathroom so i wouldnt run into andything lol. that ended up being the best night of sleep ive had in years. now, 2 weeks later, the last couple of nights i have needed to take them i end up waking up a couple hours after then its right back to how it was before i was prescribed. Its hard to get back to sleep. I did more research and 10mg is the highest dose i can take in a day and thats what mine are. so what should i do now if ambien isnt helping stay asleep anymore?

Jenny
AskDocWeb: There is a higher dosage of Ambien. It’s a controlled-release version that dissolves slower so that the effects are released over time. It’s called Ambien CR and it comes in 6.25 mg. and 12.5 mg.

Ambien hallucinations
Date: 8/30/2010
I haven’t used ambien on a regular but I first tried it in a hospital for sleep. I was seeing walls moving closer to me couches. In the room that change color and people walking outside by a brick building(I was On the top floor) but very good rest woke up feeling good and spittle groggy but all fine.

Solider

Sexual side effects?
Date: 8/30/2010
I was wondering if zolpidem tartate had any sexual side effects?

Maurice
AskDocWeb: Yes, a decreased libido is listed as one of the infrequent side effects of zolpidem. Note that there are reports of people engaging in sex with no memory of the event the next day. Sleep sex seems to be a rare but real possibility.

Drug interactions?
Date: 9/1/2010
My 33 year old granddaughter is being treated for sleep apnea (she uses the mask). She has also been prescribed/taking Zoloft & Ambien. Is it a good idea for her to be taking these drugs together, plus an Advil, when she is using the mask? She has 3 children & a puppy so she seldom gets 8 hours sleep.

Jean
AskDocWeb: There are moderately severe possible drug interaction between Advil and Zoloft and also between Zoloft and Ambien. When using Advil with Zoloft there is an increased risk of bleeding. The medical establishment recommends that patients should promptly report any signs of bleeding to their doctor, including pain, swelling, headache, weakness, dizziness, unusual bleeding or bruising, prolonged bleeding from cuts, increased menstrual flow, vaginal bleeding, nosebleeds, bleeding of gums from brushing, red or brown urine, or red or black stools.

When using Zoloft with Ambien the depressant effects on both the central nervous system and breathing may be additively or synergistically increased, especially in elderly or debilitated patients. This may present a danger if you engage in hazardous activities requiring mental alertness and motor coordination. If excessive or prolonged CNS effects occur that interfere with normal activities notify your doctor.

Frequent urination
Date: 9/1/2010
I’ve been taking Zolpidem for the past 3 months and the past month have had frequent urination. I have to get to the bathroom at least once per hour. Is frequent urination a side effect?

Frieda
AskDocWeb: Frequent urination is not listed as a side effect of Zolpidem but it is a symptom of many different problems. Here is a partial list:

• Often frequent urination is itself the problem. It’s called overactive bladder syndrome. Involuntary bladder contractions lead to frequent and often urgent urination, even if the bladder is not full.
• The hormonal changes of pregnancy and the growing uterus places pressure on the bladder cause frequent urination, even in the early weeks.
• An enlarged prostate can press against the urethra and block the flow of urine, causing the bladder wall to become irritated. The bladder contracts even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination.
• Drugs used to treat high blood pressure or fluid buildup work in the kidney to flush excess fluid from the body, causing frequent urination.
• An early symptom of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can be frequent urination, as the body tries to rid itself of unused glucose (blood sugar) through the urine. Diabetes can also damage the nerves that control the bladder, which may cause both frequent urination and difficulty controlling the bladder.
• The lining of the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body) and bladder may become inflamed and irritated due to byproducts of an infection (blood, white blood cells, bacteria). This irritation of the bladder wall causes the urge to urinate more frequently.
• Stroke and other neurological diseases can damage the nerves that supply the bladder, which can lead to problems with bladder function, including frequent and sudden urges to urinate.
• Interstitial cystitis is characterized by pain in the bladder and pelvic region, often leading to frequent urination.
• Bladder cancer and tumors can take up space or causing bleeding in the bladder which may lead to more frequent urination.
• Carbonated drinks, artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda or Equal), and citrus fruits are known to irritate the bladder, which can cause more frequent urination.
• Alcohol and caffeine can act as diuretics, which can cause more frequent urination.
• Drinking too much or more fluids than your body needs can cause the body to urinate more often.

Seek medical care if any of the following symptoms accompany frequent urination:

• Abdominal pain
• Back or side pain
• Bloody, dark, or cloudy urine
• Chills
• Discharge from the vagina or penis
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Increased appetite or excessive thirst
• Painful ejaculation
• Vomiting

If frequent urination includes incontinence, nighttime urination, or it otherwise interferes with your lifestyle, consult your doctor.
Read more Ambien Feedback.

Ambien – 82 – 83 – 84 – 85 – Page 86 – 87 – 88 – 89 – 90 – Last Page 120

---

If you find this page useful share it with others. If you have used Ambien, use the form below to add your review of Ambien, feedback or suggestions that may help others. Please note that all addresses are held confidential.