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.

Next day side effects
Date: 10/7/2010
So… I love ambien for all that it does for me with helping me fall asleep- however- the next day side effects, at times have been gruesome- mainly with nausea. It’s weird- I really don’t think that I’ve ever experienced the memory loss (or at least I don’t remember if I have- little pun lol) but nausea is sometimes unbearable the next day- also- I’m an avid runner and sometimes if I have taken ambien and try and run the next morning or day- I’m severely dizzy and feel like my vertigo is waaay off.. has anyone else experienced this? I love how it puts me right to sleep- but sometimes the next day effects are not worth it-

KP

I hate that I do this
Date: 10/7/2010
I’ve been taking 10mg Ambien for over 5 years. It started out as a miracle sleep drug for me. After about a year I started taking one plus half another one, then later I needed 2. Last year my doctor changed me to Lunesta and it worked for me too, but only for a couple months. Right now I take a 1 Lunesta and 3 Ambien and I’m always looking for something to boost it such as night time cold aids, and even with that sometimes I still don’t fall asleep and end up going to work in a daze …. I hate that I do this but it’s the only way I can get any sleep. I work nights from 7pm to7AM, and schedule adjustment is not an option for me. Any suggestions for me?

Kay

AskDocWeb: Sorry Kay, we try to keep the focus here on side effects and leave the suggestions to online doctors.
Sleep driving
Date: 10/8/2010
Last night I drank a beer and took 2 10mg ambiem. I went to bed at 10 10:15PM. I woke up this morning my truck was crashed. I had hit the large community mailbox and the Gate not to mention I have a yellow scrape on the other side, that I don’t know what I hit? I have sit here all day trying to remember. I have no memory of this what so ever and that was a big mailbox. I don’t know how far I went, I know I made it home. I would rather go through my side effects of interferon. Than to ever take this drug again.

Greg

Horrible sleep walking experience
Date: 11/11/2010
I started taking ambien in April when i was in the hospital. The Dr. there was giving me 20 mg because I wouldn’t fall asleep with less than that. When I got out my regular Dr. said that was too much and lowered me down to 10 mg. That hasnt been working recently, so I took 20 mg and I had a horrible sleep walking experience. I guess I made phone calls (I only know this because I checked my phone later), went to the store and bought beer which I drank and I don’t remember amy of this. I woke standing in my kitchen finishing the last of a beer with the phone to my ear talking to someone. I feel so embarrassed and now I’m full of anxitey. I don’t even keep alcohol in my house, I’m sure the alcohol mixed with the Ambien was not a good thing. I checked my pills and realized that I had taken even more pills while I was sleep walking! I think that for me it just a pill I need to not be taking. I really need to sleep (w/o ambien I stay up for days at a time), but I don’t think it’s worth an episode like this.

Leah

Side effects
Date: 11/12/2010
Yes the sleep I get from ambian is good but now after 6 months I have side effects heart pulsations dizzy at times comes and goes vision changes weak muscles stomach problems these problems just started and I am starting to cut down from 10mg to 5mg for a week then 2,5 for a week and then stop. This is for short term use only and the doctor never warned me about this.

Robert

Cannot get off Ambien
Date: 11/13/2010
I have been on ambien on and off (mostly on) for almost 3 years. I cannot get off this drug because I will not sleep. HELP. I am starting to lose my short term memory. I think it may be because of this drug. Any suggestions?

Sharon

AskDocWeb: There are medical professionals that specialize in sleep disorders, which you can find listed in the Yellow Pages under Physicians – Sleep Disorders. Often several specialists form a Sleep Center or Sleep Clinic.

Shaky and getting panic attacks
Date: 11/17/2010
Confusion on Ambien? I’ve been taking ambien for almost 2 yrs. I started having sudden confusion in my mind and went to ER twice. I had another one a couple of weeks ago and it was bad. I’ve had CT scans, carotid ultrasound, MRI, blood tests and they can find nothing that would be causing this. I told my Dr. I had also been having hallucinations, hearing people talking, feeling things trying to crawl over me etc. She’s taken me off the ambien and said there would be no side effects, but now I’m shaky, getting panic attacks… My question is, since they can’t find anything wrong with me, could it have been the ambien, and could what I’m going through now withdrawal? I got off the ambien a week ago today and had a hallucination last night, so I’m wondering if I should be weaning myself off of it?

Sandra

AskDocWeb: According to the manufacturer, abrupt withdrawal of Ambien may cause delirium, seizures or other severe effects, especially if used for prolonged periods and at high dosages. “Sedative/hypnotics have produced withdrawal signs and symptoms following abrupt discontinuation. These reported symptoms range from mild dysphoria and insomnia to a withdrawal syndrome that may include abdominal and muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, tremors, and convulsions.”

During the U.S. clinical trials, withdrawal symptoms occurred within 48 hours following the last treatment with Ambien: fatigue, nausea, flushing, lightheadedness, uncontrolled crying, vomiting, stomach cramps, panic attack, nervousness, and abdominal discomfort. These reported adverse events occurred at an incidence rate of 1% or less.

The best way to taper off or wean yourself off of sleeping pills is to work with your doctor to develop a schedule. That may involve reducing dosage and usage over several weeks but it could minimize any withdrawal effects.

Sleep eating
Date: 11/18/2010
I have been taking Ambien 10 mg for several years and it provides me with a good nights sleep. The only thing different is that I get up in the night and eat.

Frances

Ambien side effect?
Date: 11/20/2010
Has anyone experienced hair loss? I am 68 years old and realize my hair will get thinner but this is way to much hair loss. I think it might be due to Ambien. I have been taking it for at least a year and my doctor thinks it is ok.

Charlotte

AskDocWeb: Hair loss is not listed as one of the possible side effects of Ambien. However, there is a possibility that whatever is causing the insomnia could also be causing hair loss. Stress is a major cause of hair loss.

Feeling of addiction
Date: 11/22/2010
Even I take this medicin off and on but I have a feeling of addiction. Every night I want to take it but I don’t take it every night. I try to sleep by reading book and listen to the music. It doesn’t work as ambien does, but I don’t want to be addict. to the music. I love to take it every night.

Farideh

Drink liquor to sleep?
Date: 11/26/2010
I have been using ambien for 3 months. Last night I had an anxiety attack, but the hypnotic effect of ambien prevented me from waking up right away, so my heart was beating really really fast for awhile until I finally woke up. I am afraid and want to quit this drug. Can I drink some liquor tonight to get some sleep? Or is it dangerous?

Lenore

AskDocWeb: Replacing sleeping pills with alcohol in order to get some sleep would be vary dangerous. You may or may not get away with it one time, but trading insomnia for alcoholism is a bad idea. Please talk to your doctor about this.

Ambien related suicides
Date: 11/28/2010
My boyfriend started taking 10 mg of Ambien.. a month later he committed suicide. I would never have expected this in a million years. He was an incredibly happy person who lived his life and enjoyed every day of it. Once he started taking Ambien, he became severely depressed and detached. This drug needs to be taken off the market. It’s beyond alarming to see the number of Ambien related suicides.

Jennifer

Depression
Date: 11/30/2010
I have been prescribed Ambien for the past 2 years. I cannot go to sleep without it. Ambien has been the only thing that has helped with my chronic insomnia, but it has also contributed to chronic mild to moderate sx of depression. I would like to be able to sleep without Ambien but don’t know how to break this dependency on the medication.

Christopher

AskDocWeb: When something is beyond your ability to do by yourself, it is okay to ask for help. Hopefully your doctor will be able to recommend a local sleep clinic.
Read more Ambien Feedback.

Ambien – 85 – 86 – 87 – 88 – Page 89 – 90 – 91 – 92 – 93 – 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.