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.

Everything makes me want to cry
Date: 9/2/2010
I have noticed when I take Ambien, I start to feel very depressed. Everything makes me want to cry and this is very unlike me. It works great and I get a great nights sleep without a hangover, but I can’t stand this depressed feeling so I will no longer use them. And I only take half a pill!

Janet
AskDocWeb: Depression is listed as one of the side effects of Ambien that should be reported to your doctor, especially if you continue taking it.

Increased use of ambien
Date: 9/2/2010
I am coming off of 2-4mg of clonzapem cold turkey for 10 days. I have increased my use of ambien to more than 50mg. I am desperate that I will never be the same again. What am I to do now? I want to die.

Adam
AskDocWeb: Please contact your doctor as soon as possible. Overdosing on drugs usually makes things worse.

Ambien in children?
Date: 9/3/2010
My grandson is 15 yrs old. He is ADHD, Alcohol sydrome, Mental health problems, learning disability an more! They put him on ambien because he wasn’t sleeping. He says he’s not sleeping, but we find him asleep. He’s having even worse behavior problems than the ADHD, depressed all the time now. Says things, than blame others instead of himself. He’s grounded, an agrees he deserves it, an two minutes later says the grounding isn’t fair! Admits he needs some kind of help, confused, memory problems, focus problems are getting worse. He’s below the age to even be taking Ambien. He takes 5 miligrams every night an has done so for several months. We fear he may be suicidal even at times the way he acts!

He is with DHHS care, an living with his uncle and they are the ones who took him to another Pediatrician, an say they had a phsc evalution. My Dr. earlier said he should not be on any addictive drug, because he is prone to a problem with Alcohol, drugs because his mom caused him these problems because of his use when he was in the womb. how dangerouse it it for some one so young, an with mental health issues to use this drug for so long, an how do we get him off of it?

Alberta
AskDocWeb: In one clinical trial involving pediatric patients with insomnia associated with ADHD, 7.4% of children who received Ambien experienced hallucinations, 23.5% experienced dizziness, and 12.5% experience headaches. Aside from that one clinical trial there is very little information available about the effect of Ambien when used in children.

Liver enzymes
Date: 9/8/2010
Does long term use of ambien elevate liver enzymes?

Roberta
AskDocWeb: Ambien is primarily metabolized or broken down by the enzyme CYP3A4 in the liver. According to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Ambien may, infrequently, damage the liver.

Before using Ambien, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription, nonprescription, and herbal products you use, especially about drugs that affect the liver enzymes that remove Ambien from your body. These drugs include as azole antifungals-including ketoconazole, HIV protease inhibitors including ritonavir, and rifamycins including rifampin.

Ambien following surgery
Date: 9/8/2010
I have been using this for two months following surgery and inability to sleep. Started with 1 10mg per night, then down to 5mg. I have trouble falling asleep and this helps so much, but now concerned with mental addition, afraid to go to sleep without it. I tried several nights and just tossed and turned for hours, and it was miserable due to having to get up very early then night classes in evening, so sleep is very much needed. Trying to wean off, now taking 1/4 every night…any suggestions on how to wean off of it?

Anna
AskDocWeb: Leigh had success story that you may find useful:

I was on Ambien for 7 years and successfully weaned myself off it without any side effects. This is what I did: I just started taking 5 mg. every night for a week, and then I cut it in half and took those for a week and then I cut those in half (I know the pieces are very small) and took them for a week. (I’m sure that you could modify the dosage and also take it every other day.) I’m not a doctor, but, as I’m sure you know, you really can’t stop anything cold turkey…especially if you’ve been taking it for some time.

Can’t go to sleep w/out taking Ambien
Date: 9/10/2010
I find that I can’t go to sleep w/out taking Ambien. When I try, I just lie there for an hour or two, then get up and take it. Don’t know how to “get off” Ambien.

Renie

Horrible results
Date: 9/10/2010
Horrible results. My mom has taken Ambien for over a year. Last night she had a terrifying, life threatening side effect. She left the house, barefoot and in a night gown, sometime after 11:45PM, 45 minutes after taking an Ambien CR. She was hallucinating and got lost. A neighbor found her at 5:30 AM, bruised and battered from repeated falls. She crossed roads, wandered through fields, and who knows what else, as all she remembers is bits and pieces. It should be withdrawn from the market.

Tina

Is Ambien is still working?
Date: 9/11/2010
I have been taking Ambien every night for 15 years. 10mg will give me approx 2-4 hours of sleep. I always feel fatigued from it the next day. I would like to know if the Ambien is actually working after all this time or does it have no effect after all these years?

Dee
AskDocWeb: One way to find out is to pick a night, maybe on the weekend, and see what happens with it.

Glaucoma
Date: 9/11/2010
I has Glaucoma, can I take ambiem to sleep?

Ania
AskDocWeb: Since glaucoma is listed as one of the rare side effects of Ambien you may want to talk to your doctor about an alternative.

Sleep driving accident
Date: 9/12/2010
My son was involved in an accident after taking ambien and going to bed. He was sleep driving and totally unaware until he woke in a hospital bed the next morning. My question is, how can the drug companies get away with this. Shouldn’t people be sufficiently warned about the horrific side effects? It should never be prescribed to anyone who lives alone. At least there would be a second person who could perhaps prevent any bizzare episodes happening to one taking the drug. My mission is to let everyone know how very dangerous this drug is and hopefully prevent anyone else from going through what our family has gone through.

Marilyn
AskDocWeb: The FDA has made the manufacturer of Ambien and similar sleep meds change their warning labels, their prescribing info, pharmacists’ literature, doctors’ literature etc. to reflect the serious problems reported with sleep driving.

Suicide
Date: 9/13/2010
My father was diagnosed with curable cancer 3 months ago. He just committed suicide 3 weeks ago. He was one of the most upbeat positive people anyone had ever met. The ambien was to treat his anxiety with daily radiation and fear of needles and constant bloodwork. No hx of depression or anxiety prior to his dx. The morning before he complained of nightmares too. I wish they would take the drug off the market or at very least have the prescriber counsel the client on the side effects.

Jill

Addicted to Ambien
Date: 9/15/2010
Ambien should not even be on the market!!! My spouse became addicted to Ambien, had terrible dreams, increased depression, did and said things that were so unlike him. In March 2010 he took a KBar(military knife) and stabbed himself in the heart! He survived BUT he will never ever be the same! Ambien is not good.

Kelly

Speed up the withdrawal process?
Date: 9/15/2010
I have been on Ambien for over a year. Recently I decided to stop taking it. My first night off Ambien I slept for an hour then woke with a night terror, then slept for another hour, and my night terror (same one I started with began part II) all night this horrible dream just kept going. I tried getting off Ambien before, but after a week of night terrors I gave up. I will drink gallons of water, run 500 miles, take any herbal concoction, engage in a ceremonial dance, whatever I need to do to get this crap out of my system. I read that everyone is different, my previous attempt lasted longer than 48 hours. Why would I continue to have nightmares if this drug is no longer in my system? Is there any natural way to speed up the withdrawal process?

Jamie
AskDocWeb: Having the same night terror or nightmare over and over again may be a hint as to the original cause of the insomnia. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that the underlying cause of insomnia is usually a mental health disorder or medical condition. That’s why many doctors recommend that people who suffer from insomnia participate in therapy as well as taking sleeping pills.

Over 7 years
Date: 9/16/2010
Tomorrow will be my 2 weeks without Zolpiderm. Was taking it for over 7 years. Is trying to drink cloves tea and take some valerin root pills. Some nights can sleep for everal hours and some no sleep at all! Hope I will start sleeping soon. Sincerely,

Erna from Co.

Ambien ruined my life
Date: 9/21/2010
Ambien ruined my life. I lost my girlfriend, friends, all cousins, my apartment, my school, my sister and brother, after ambien i got terrible memory problems. I also have to stop my hobbies: guitar playing and reading books i lost my concertration. I have been all alone soon 4 years. My only friend is myself.

I lost everything

Ambien works for me
Date: 9/23/2010
I have been taking ambien cr faithfully every night for 2 years. I have night time panic attacks as well as waking up all hours of the night and not able to fall back asleep. Ambien has helped me tremendously!!! You have to respect ambien for what it is, and also your partner has to have respect for your sleep while your on ambien. I have never had any side effects!! I have heard war stories about people taking ambien. It seems to me that when some people are interupted in their sleep is when they do these crazy things. It’s obviously NOT for some people. I have never experienced any of this. It works for me!!

Tina

Ambien was great – at first
Date: 9/23/2010
I have taken Ambien for about 3 years. Once I had children my sleeping habits changed and I was a very light sleeper. I use to use over the counter products to try and rest. When the doctor offered to put me on ambien it was great at first. I didnt realize how much sleep I was lacking. However I find the ambien not working so well. I have had several side effects like memory loss and now my teeth are acking the last few months. I have woke up in the middle of the night knowing it was wrong but desperate to get a full nights sleep and take another ambien then I am short other nights and have miserable nights awake with no sleep at all. I am scared to admit to myself I am addicted to this medicine and scared to tell my doctor because I need it.

Renea
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