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.

Thank goodness for Ambien
Date: 4/5/2011
I’m troubled by the ambien info found here. I have ambien and only take it when absolutely needed sometimes twice a week, sometimes weeks without. I use them very sparingly because of price. I have sleep issues because of menopause, waking 7-9 times a nite. Not a big issue unless you have to drive 4 hours a day. Someone, somehere has got to say that this bs about herbs and such to alleviate hot flashes that are defintely causing my wakes nees to knock it off. Nothing out there works for this issue. Research needs to find a non hormonal deal that can stop this bs. Sleep is tantomount for feeling well and all the crap I’ve been reading infuriates me. Cmon folks menopause has been troubeling women for years. Some body has to come up with a non pharmaceutical remedy so we all can sleep like humans. Thank goodness for Ambien once in awhile or I would be insane.

Beth

Woke up with half eaten moldy cheese
Date: 4/7/2011
My mom took this drug on ocasion when she was away for work or just couldn’t get to sleep. One night she woke up with a half eaten piece of moldy cheese next to get bed. She also woke up with 1 vodka empty (the little ones at hotels) and 2 other drinks empty. A couple candies also. She was not addicted as far as we can tell though. I don’t know about splitting the pill in half, but do not start taking this drug!

Henry

Stupid people make it hard for those of us who are responsible
Date: 4/9/2011
It is because of stupid people that this medication gets a bad name. I have suffered from insomnia all my life and tried everything to help it. Nothing has ever worked without side affects other than Ambien. It is the greatest medication I have ever used, but because of stupid people it has become next to impossible to get. Doctors are scared to prescribe it because of the bad rap it gets: people sleep driving, sleep eating, etc. Get a clue!!!

Take the pill while you are in your bed ready to lie down and go to sleep. Don’t take it and fart around on the computer, or sit around watching t.v., or ANYTHING other than go to bed! Do not take it every night. Take it sparingly and not stupidly and you won’t have a problem and you won’t make it hard for those of us who are responsible users of it to get the medication we need.

Katie

Sleep cooking
Date: 4/10/2011
Kristy…
I cook at night also (sometimes pancakes) when I take Ambien. I have also shaved my head, never driven though. Usually happens if 1 pill doesn’t work and I take another 1/2 pill.

John

Constant state of agitation
Date: 4/13/2011
I have been using Ambien for 14 years for treatment of migraines and insomnia and I am realizing that it is making me paranoid (I think people are gossiping about me and patronizing me). I am in a constant state of agitation and think no one likes me. I also have memory loss and have trouble retaining what I am told or read. I forget a lot of details. I am severely depressed, lonely and feel isolated. Because of my paranoia my isolation is becoming a self-fulfilled prophecy. I am very angry at the medical doctors who have prescribed this (and other) harmful drugs without educating me on the harmful side effects. I realize I have to get off Ambien ASAP and I’m concerned as to how I’m going to accomplish it. I cannot sleep without them and subsequetly I suffer immobilizing migraines. My advice is: DON’T EVEN START AMBIEN! The side effects aren’t worth it!

Jean

Over the counter zolfresh?
Date: 4/14/2011
Hi, all the above experieces i can relate to… I work for an airline and pay recent visits to Delhi. Whilst there i purchase over the counter zolfresh. I strated taking these only now and again, before early check-ins etc, but have been completely addicted over the past 3 years. I love to stay awake on them and talk to people or organise thins in the home i wouldn’t normally do. I also never remember what i have done or said as i take such a massive doseage of them daily (all day). I also have woke a few times in the night and taken more of these tablets without even realising. I’m really concerned as now i have costant bowl problems which i have to have a camera inserted to see whats wrong. I’m a worried that there could be something in my tablets from India thats causing these problems? Please help as losing weight constantly.

Lynsey

AskDocWeb: The zolfresh you get in India is made by Abbott India Limited. According to their website, each film-coated tablet contains zolpidem tartarate BP, which is slightly different from the zolpidem tartrate sold in the USA as Ambien. We haven’t seen anything published about the significance of that difference but will add that to the watch list.

Pros and cons of Ambien
Date: 4/21/2011
I have been taking the generic drug for ambien going on four months and I know it isnt along time but I can say it has its pros and cons like any other drug. I myself have not had problems with sleep walking or cooking while on this (maybe its because its the generic). I thank god my new doctor prescribed it to me. I went years without being able to sleep right. Either I would go nights without sleeping at all or I would fall asleep for an hour or two then be up for the rest of the time.

I worked at one of the disney parks and if I wouldnt have gotten sleep not only would I be in trouble for something I might say (alot of guests are just not the nicest people) but I could have very well hurt someone because of lack of sleep and the inability to concentrate. Mind you on this I do admit that I have to go to bed within 15 minutes of taking it otherwise I start to walk as if Im under the influence of way to much alcohol..things get blurry also.

I have only had one dream and that was about a week ago. It was a weird dream but one I remember. I am not big on people who use drugs (my marriage failed because of someone who would rather buy marijuana than support or contribute to our family…and yes we have kids) so to me this was out of the blue. I woke up to the smell of someone blowing marijuana smoke into my face. I moved myself halfway over to get out of the way only to realize that I dreamed the whole thing. There was nobody there except me but the dream felt and smelled so real and whatever it was IT DID wake me up to were I did move over.

I guess it just boils down to whether there is something else or not that helps you sleep or whether you can go without getting the sleep as to if you should choose to take the ambien or not. My suggestion is do whats best for you. Nobody knows how bad your insomnia is or what you are going through except you just make sure you are doing what you think is best and if you start having problems know when its time to quit taking it before you harm yourself or others.

Robyn

Does Ambien increase blood pressure?
Date: 4/22/2011
I have found Ambien to be a godsend for me. I take 1/2 tab before bed and the other 1/2 tab when I wake up in the middle of the night. For the first time in years, I never worry about being able to sleep. Yes, I have experienced the memory loss. I have learned to take the medication within 15 minutes of going to bed. My question: can the drug increase blood pressure? It is not listed as one of the side effects, but my BP has risen significantly in the past 8 months. I do not know if this is a normal result of aging (58 years old) and family history (father died of heart attack at 52), or if it could be a by product of the drug. Thank you.

Jonna

AskDocWeb: It is known that insomnia, if left untreated, can lead to high blood pressure. According to WebMD, abnormally low blood pressure is listed as a rare but severe possible side effect of Ambien. The National Treatment Centers org says that it can aggravate existing high blood pressure.

Ambien but still can’t sleep
Date: 4/22/2011
I am recovering from a traumatic leg injury and can not sleep. I was prescribed ambien 10mg. they don’t work at all and I dont know why. I hear that it knocks people on their asses and then sometimes it does nothing. I find that if I take one or two prescribed pain pills I have a better chance of sleeping bc the pain is diminshed. am I not sleeping bc of the pain or should ambien be able to work past that? any help would be appreciated. I cant walk for 10 weeks so all I know is my bed or couch and id like to be good at sleeping during this recovery period.

Matt

AskDocWeb: Unfortunately, chronic pain is one of the leading causes of insomnia. Pain interferes with both getting to sleep and staying asleep. Whether or not Ambien is strong enough to work depends on the level of pain.

I wake up in a sweat
Date: 4/22/2011
I’ve been taking ambien for two months and quit last Monday and today is Friday. It wasn’t helping with my sleeping that much. I have been drinking a couple of glasses of wine each night and that is helping me sleep. The only thing is I wake up in a sweat. I guess my body is not got all the ambien out of my system yet. What do you think?

Joyce

AskDocWeb: The elimination half-life of Ambien is about 2 to 3 hours. Most drugs are cleared from the body within 5 or 6 half-lives. Therefore it may take 10 to 18 hours to completely clear your system. This is only an estimate however. Each individual person metabolizes drugs differently depending on their weight, liver function, kidney function, and other factors. Read more Ambien Feedback.

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