AMBIEN Reviews (ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE)

Average Rating: 3.1 (1450 Ratings)

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 SEDATIVES HYPNOTICS    DEA Schedule IV   

 Type: Rx Drug

  

AMBIEN  (ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE):  Zolpidem is used to treat a certain sleep problem (insomnia) in adults. If you have trouble falling asleep, it helps you fall asleep faster, so you can get a better night's rest. Zolpidem belongs to a class of drugs called sedative-hypnotics. It acts on your brain to produce a calming effect. This medication is usually limited to short treatment periods of 1 to 2 weeks or less.   FDA Approval Date: 1992-12-16 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR AMBIENCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 5  Insomnia None really. I took the Ambien just as described. Follow the directions that your doc gave you when giving this medication. F 30 2 months
7/20/2008
 3  mild insomia couldn't stay sleep extreme drowsiness in 10 min It is Anesticia(spell check) in a pill form F 42 4 days
7/18/2008
 1  Insomnia Sleep-driving, DUI, totalled car, massive debt. WWW.AMBIENOUTRAGE.COM Go to www.ambien outrage.com if you have had an adverse reaction while taking Ambien. I slept drove and crashed my car. M 30 2 years
7/18/2008
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 3  Trouble sleeping Addiction Well, they work, they put you to sleep. But they become addictive. Mostly they can not keep people asleep, they just help people start sleep initially. Luckily I was able to kick they cold turkey. I much better alternative is the Unisom sleep tabs, they work well and are not narcotic. M 30 6 months
7/17/2008
 1  occasional insomnia Without any memory of doing so, I rearranged the furniture in my living room (sofa, coffee table, etc..). I'm 5'2" and weigh 109 lbs; you'd think I'd remember something like that. On a separate occasion, also without recollection, I ordered a Dooney and Bourke purse online. When I received an email confirming my order, I called my credit card company thinking I was a victim of identity theft. After 9hrs of restful sleep, while driving to work I began to wonder whether or not I was awake. This naturally caused concern, which led to panic, then for the first time in my life, I had an anxiety attack. Sweat, rapid heartbeat, and a feeling of paralyzing terror. I pulled over and focused on taking deep breaths and debated whether or not to call 911. With Ambien in my system I performed complex tasks with no memory of doing so. That's because I was ASLEEP when I rearranged furniture and shopped online. HOW IN THE F**K DID AMBIEN GET APPROVED BY THE FDA? F 32 3 weeks
7/12/2008
 4  Insomnia, nightmares, back/leg pain Took Ambien 10mg for 4 years. Took Ambien CR 10mg for 6 months. I always dedicated 8 hrs to sleep, and NEVER drank alcohol. The ambien worked fabulous for sleep. Could sleep through the pain and the nightmares took on a less frightening quality. Negative side affects;definitely amnesia, exhausted during the day, mood swings, trouble concentrating. Doing things I would never do while not taking this med. Emailing, writing messages, phone calls that I don't remember making. This is after I would wake up after falling asleep. Complete inhibition. Sex with my husband that I do not remember. Raunchy sex that made my husband happy, but really started making my self esteem suffer. I felt too drugged to argue. I wish I were joking as I think back to all the things that happened when I took this medication. When switching to the CR, thinking perhaps the increased dose would help me stay asleep, therefore not wake up and do all this stuff (which didn't happen...woke up anyway), aft I always took Ambien as directed, and didn't drink. I think as an occasional help to sleep, this would be ok, but not chronic like I took it as prescribed by my pain management doctor. I have now quit taking all Ambien as of 2 weeks ago, and the withdrawal was agony. Horrid night sweats, day chills, hallucinating, night terrors (thought my kids and cat were dead one night), anxiety through the roof. Now into the 2nd week of detoxing, starting to feel better, and my hair is starting to show signs of regrowth after taking mass vitamin supplements and scalp massage. I've also since, gotten a divorce. Sometimes it takes an odd situation to show the worst in a person, and my husband knew the Ambien was making me a different person, and he verbally and admittedly took advantage of that. Scary, scary medication! F 40 4 years
7/9/2008
 3  Insomnia Disorientation-on more than one occasion: Walking into wall, unable to find doors, urinating not in the bathroom. These pills will work with side effects. If you have not tried them yet, DO NOT TAKE THEM! M 47 3 years
7/9/2008
 1  Post Menopausal Insomnia Dizziness, Nausea. My gynecologist gave me a prescription. The first night I broke one in half and took the smaller half and went to bed. All was okay - slept good. The second night I took the slightly larger half and didn't go to bed right away, thinking it would make me sleepy. It did not. I finally went to bed, laid there for about 15 minutes and felt very nauseated. I got up, went downstairs into the kitchen and almost power-barfed into the sink. I felt so so sick I was afraid I would die - then I was afraid I wouldn't! I called the doctor later and he said I was only to take Ambien if I was going straight to bed. Why doesn't the label say that??!! Now, if I have insomnia, I take a small dose of night-time Nyquil - it's great!! F 51 2 days
7/9/2008
 4  insomnia I first started on Ambien after I had a heart procedure and a serious emotional event all in the same month. Didn't sleep for 2 months! First night with Ambien was heaven--started at 10 mg, my doc got me down to 5 mg after a year. Went off for quite awhile and used when stressed. In the past two years I had to start again on 5 mg. but now use 2.5 mg 3-6 times a week as needed. I get the dry mouth, but no hallucinating behavior. I started on Ambien CR and it was unpredictable--some times it worked and sometimes not, and it was overkill, even 12.5. I switched back to regular generic ambien and have been fine. I recommend people also try MELATONIN as that is usually what I need to sleep. You can safely try 1-3 mg (get at health food store) and try. I use both together. Also try setting aside time to "get ready for sleep" as when I do that, I use less Ambien. 10 years
7/3/2008
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 1  insomnia made me feel terrible during the day, although it did make me sleep through the night. I felt very unstable mentally. F 52 3 days
7/2/2008
 5  Insomnia / chronic shoulder pain At first I felt occasionally drunk from this med. I am beginning to have terrible/ I mean terrible nightmares (never had this before). I get up in the night sometimes and snack - never did this either. Sometimes it makes me feel tired the next day. As this med has really done it's job, that is helping me sleep. It works great - it a matter of deciding how worth the side effects are, it seems like some have a low tolerance some high. I have a very high tolerance. My husband only needs to take a 1/4 of the 10 mg generic and he is out like a light, no side effects. I take 1 x 12.5 CR, and sometimes 1/2 that amount more and it does not work.. I am seeing my dr and asking for something else to help. Something like Pamelor and old tried and true med... As I think the Ambien increases my depression, and sometimes gives me this weird out of body feeling.. Now that I think about it, it might be what is effecting my concentration at the office... Bottom line I would recommend this to someone for short term use, that has exhausted all other options. F 37 2 years
6/22/2008
 5  Insomnia sexual amnesia I tried Ambien last year- 5mg, but it didn't work for me. This time, I am on 10mg. The first night, I slept incredibly well and woke up feeling great- except that I was naked and didn't recall going to bed that way. My very happy husband preceded to remind me about the crazy, uninhibited sex we had- I even asked him to call me by another name!! And I don't remember any of it! But, I feel like I had the first good night sleep in much too long of a time! So, here's to another good night sleep and maybe spicier sex life! F 37 1 days
6/13/2008
 1  Insomnia afrter major surgery Blackouts, sleep only lasting 3-4 hours, memory loss, sleep-sexing... I was prescibed Ambien after having reconstructive surgery (after losing 140 pounds via gastric bypass)... I threw away my prescription after a week! I would literally take 5 mg (cut the 10 in half) and wake up just a few hours later with the very bottle of water in hand that I had used to take it in the first place. It does not give you a "groggy" feeling like Tylenol PM or even Perks or Vicodin... You're awake, you take it, you're out. No memory of anything before hand. The last straw was taking it while laying down on the couch. I took the full 10 mg b/c I wasn't sleeping thru the night. Not only did I wake up 4 hours later, I was in my bedroom, and in different clothes. I went to the bathroom, and could "tell" I had engaged in intercourse. I confronted my husband who was shocked that I had no memory. Not only did we have "WILD" sex, we had a conversation that lasted 45 minutes before that, I walked myself to the other room, AND changed my own clothes. F 33 14 days
6/12/2008
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 1  Insomnia What a nightmare drug !!! I experienced hideous side-effects. Frightening, intense nightmares; severe chest pain; palpitations; jabbering in my sleep; feeling weird while driving .... unsafe. Yucky stuff ! I'm glad this works for some people, but I was so frightened by this drug that I threw half of my prescription down the drain. It didn't even help me sleep better .... F 60 14 days
6/9/2008
 5  Insomnia due to depression Blacking out, Hallucinations, Great sleep, Greater Sex, Double-Vision, Really Happy Mood, Addiction........Fun I started taking ambien that was prescribed by my doctor due to lack of sleep i was getting and he felt it was due to depression, whatever the case, i started taking it two at a time from the beginning because one did nothing for me.....so it was good sleep and eventually i realized if i stayed awake, which was surprisingly easy, i could get a crzy high.....i would be happy as ever laughing at everything and loving everyone......i would forget hours at a time only remembering a lil bit here and there......it was great.....it became my thing to do.....to have fun....like getting drunk.......the bad thing is u can become easily addicted to this drug....it is a narcotic....i would take 3 or 4 and not remember taking another 4 or 5 until i realizec that they were gone the next morning.....people told me i was getting bad with it and i simply ignored them.....i would have sex on ambien and go for hours and hours on end.......it was a great time......however i am not going to recommend anyon M 20 2 months
6/7/2008
 3  insomnia I get up and eat candy, chips, ect. Sometimes make phonecalls and ramble on and on. Seem to feel depressed after taking it for more than a week at a time. That is the main thing that I do not like. I was not depressed before. Some nights it works and other nights I am up 3-4 times. I have marked forgetfulness since taking this. Wake up feeling kind of paniced not refreshed. I am presently trying to get off of it. I feel like it probably is addictive. I never take more than my 12.5 CR, but I feel like I have to have it. Last night was my first night off and it did not go very well. Hoping that tonight and each day will get better. F 55 2 years
6/7/2008
 1  Insomnia The worst side effect I experienced while taking Ambien was terrible body odor. For four years, I took 2-4 showers each day and spent thousands of dollars purchasing body cleansing products at drug and health food stores. At almost the same time I was going to quit my job (because of body odor), I found a post on the Internet about body odor possibly being a side effect of Ambien. I immediately stopped taking Ambien and within two weeks the body odor was gone. Just to be certain that it was Ambien causing the odor, I took it again (the next month)for seven days. The body odor returned! I stopped taking it and haven't had any more problems. I am glad to be rid of it (both Ambien and body odor). F 58 4 years
6/7/2008
 5  Insomnia None that I am aware of. Memory (more like forgetfulness) started going with onset of early monopause...so cannot really blame it on this med. Have had great restful sleep and am dreaming for the first time in many years. Granted, some dreams are more vivid than others, but, isn't that a side effect of deep sleep? My quality of life has increased greatly since being able to sleep resfully. No hang-over effect that I experienced with OTC meds. I wake up feeling like one should after a good nights sleep :) I TAKE IT ACCORDING TO DIRECTIONS. Get in bed and THEN take the pill. Don't read! Don't watch TV! Don't wash the dishes, etc! It is intended to assist in SLEEP. Take it and close your eyes and fall asleep. I sleep for exactly 7.5 hours. I get up once to go to the bathroom...(one of the other side effects of menopause) then I go directly back to my bed (no detours to the fridge, or the car.) I am thankful for this medication, and perhaps dependent on it at this point as on the odd night when I decide not to take one I fall back to the exact same (lack of) sleep pattern that led me to it... F 50 3 months
6/5/2008
 5  AWAKENED IN MIDDLE OF NIGHT I had bladder and colon spams horrible I wish I could pinpointe what the good part of the medicine is and what the bad part is. I felt great taking it and had energy , alertness but then the spasm came and I just had to quit.I can't seem to locate that side effect on any other board. F 42 4 days
6/4/2008
 3  Insomnia No memory of emails, phone calls, text messaging, late night eating and finding it all in my bed the next am. Getting in my car and driving to get food, in my PJ's,i hit several curbs and came within 2 feet of hitting a building. awoke at 4 am in with vague recollection and ran outside to look at my car to find 2 flat tires, rims need replacement, engine protectant cover i had placed in my trunk. very lucky.. I have taken this drug for about 5 years and take 20 mgs per night. Due to the accident, i now am terminating the drug. My Dr. said to do it cold turkey, but reading up on this, it looks like there are serious side effects in terminating. I have been cutting back on my dose and hoping i can stop taking. But the mental dependency has me concerned. Has anyone successfully terminated? Please share your story F 45 5 years
6/3/2008
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