AMBIEN Reviews (ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE)Average Rating: 3.1 (1453 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare AMBIEN with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 |
More on AMBIEN: Reviews Summary | FDA Adverse Event Summary
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR AMBIEN | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 4 | insomnia due to meds/back pain | Immediate tiredness and loss of memory if I didn't go to sleep right away. when i combined it with wellbutrin (to quit smoking) it added to depression and memory loss during daytime. without taking wellbutrin, it worked fine | definately helped me sleep. i never had a problem sleeping before but am now on percoset and kadian for back problems, which kept me awake at night (along with the back pain). the doc started me with one 10mg a night, but i was waking up at 3am. the doc then said to take one 10mg at night and another 10mg at 3am (20mg in all) and it seemed to work fine. I never felt groggy in the morning and got my 8 hours of sleep. my insurance company would not pay for a refill (limit of 60 10mgs in 90 days) so i stopped taking it and there was no withdrawl symptoms besides back to not sleeping very well. I then started taking ambien cr 12.5 mg. and it was great. no immediate loss of memory and i sleep all night. | M | 46 | 90 days | 12/3/2005 | 1 | incomnia | Amnesia, daytime drowsiness, dizziness, back pain, decreased mental alertness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, lethargy, light-headedness, speech difficulties, vertigo, decreased sex drive, constipation, daytime sleeping,, irregular heartbeat, mental deterioration, thinking abnormalities | Most of the posts here talk about the memory loss and hallucinations people experience immediately after taking Ambien. I want to alert people to the long-term effects I've experienced. I've taken Ambien every night for 5 years. Started out with 5 mg, then went up to 10 mg, now back to 5 mg. For several years I've noticed deteriorating cognitive skills - memory loss, attention deficit, concentration, mental alertness, processing information. This has concerned me, but I have continued to take Ambien because it does put me to sleep. For the last 2 months I have experienced light-headedness and fogginess on an almost constant basis. It makes it very difficult to function day-to-day. I've had a number of tests done because I thought it was ear-related. Not so. Doctors now believe it is Ambien abuse, and are alarmed to hear that I've taken it for so long. Now I've started to cut way back, and hopefully can rid myself of this drug completely, but it sounds like most people have experienced | M | 53 | 5 years | 12/1/2005 | 3 | I started taking Ambien while I was deployed in Iraq to help with my insomnia. At first it was great and I'm worried now that it keeps me in this sleepy sort of state throughtout the next day. I am withdrawn from everything and I always feel so tired. It is almost having this reverse sort of effect on me now... | F | 23 | 1 years | 11/26/2005 | 1 | couldnt sleep becaus eof depression | i tok this medicine months ago it was prescribed to me while i was at a psychiatry hospital and i have never been the same since. the first night of taking the drug i had extreme hallucinations and i was completely unaware about what was happening to me because i wasnt told about the side effects. the walls twisted and turned and i saw tracers(tracers are things that follow a moving object kind like an echo of it. about 7 months later i am still seeing the tracers and i have no idea why that i can still see them | i wouldnt take the drug | F | 13 | 7 days | 11/25/2005 | 4 | insomnia | uncontrollable crying, little hallucinations, horrible nightmares | it works really well if i go to bed right away like im supposed to | M | 15 | 1 days | 11/22/2005 | 3 | INSOMIA | I HAVE INSOMIA BUT I DISCOVERED THAT IF YOU TAKE AMBIEN ON A EMPTY STOMACH AFTER 10 MINUTES IF YOU DO NOT GO TO BED . YOU WILL FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING IS MOVING YOU SEE PEOPLE MEMORY LOSS, NEED SEX WELL DO STRANGE THINGS LIKE THINGS YOU WANTED TO DO YOURE WHOLE LIFE BUT YOU DID NOT DARE TO DO. SO BEFORE YOU TAKE THE MED "AMBIEN" EAT 1 HOUR BEFORE AN DGO TO BED EVEN IF YOU DON`T FEEL SLEEPY. " DO NOT DRIVE" YOU CAN ALSO TAKE HELBAL TEAS BEFORE GOING TO BED IT HELPS ALOT. GOOD LUCK AMBIEN YOU ONLY BE TAKEN EVERY 4 DAYS | IS GOOD IF YOU FOLLOW DIRECTIONS. DONT USED IT AS A HABBIT ONLY EVERY OTHER DAY YOU REALLY NEEDIT. DONT DEPEND ON IT | F | 23 | 1 years | 11/22/2005 | 1 | Lifelong Insomnia | CONTINUATION OF EARLIER RESPONSE -- WAS CUT OFF. I WANTED TO BE SURE YOU GOT A CHANCE TO READ ALL. RARE SIDE EFFECTS (MAY NOT BE AS RARE AS YOU MIGHT THINK)-- abnormal gait; abnormal thinking; aggressive reaction; apathy; appetite increased; decreased libido; delusion; dementia; depersonalization (A state in which the normal sense of personal identity and reality is lost); dysphasia (Impairment of speech and verbal comprehension); Abnormally decreased motor function or activity; hypotonic (low muscle tone -- floppy or weak muscles); hysteria; intoxicated feeling; manic reaction (excitement of psychotic nature manifested by mental and physical hyperactivity, disorganization of behavior and extreme elevation of mood); neuralgia (a sharp, shooting pain along a nerve pathway); neuritis (Inflammation of a nerve); neuropathy (symptoms range from a tingling sensation or numbness in the toes and fingers to paralysis); neurosis (mental or psychiatric disorder characterized primarily by | I am already experiencing MANY of the side effects as noted in the previous rating I just submitted. Have been taking 5 mg at night for 2 weeks. Will STOP TAKING this LEVEL IV CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE immediately as in addition to the present side effects, friends of mine are now telling me that they are experiencing horrible withdrawal symptoms. It's easy to believe people are exaggerating until it happens to YOU. | F | 58 | 2 weeks | 11/13/2005 | 1 | Lifelong Insomnia | I am going to stop taking this Schedule IV controlled substance which is addictive even when you think it is not. Read my comments. Withdrawal symptoms occur even if you think they are not going to and are similar to all of the regular side effects with more not listed. Friends have reported outrageous withdrawl symptoms to me since they found out I was taking it. 5 mg dose did not put me to sleep as expected even 2 hours later while in bed, no TV, no noise. I am NOT going to increase dose due to side effects. Read them. Next day after taking 5 mg: had Amnesia,Spaciness,Dullness,and Muscle twitches. AND THIS IS WITH ONLY A 5 MG DOSE taken for a few nights. I can't imagine what a 10 mg or higher dose would do to me. READ THE SIDE EFFECTS IN MY COMMENTS. Check out this website: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/zolpid_ad.htm; Ambien's generic name is Zolpidem tartrate. | Why would anyone take this drug after reading all of the comments made by patients here. BELOW is a list of side effects covering just the CENTRAL & PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM and there are many others for every other part of the body. It's obvious that even though many of these are identified as "infrequent" and "rare", they are much, much more common than doctors tell us, probably because they do not know themselves. FREQUENT: An inability to coordinate muscular movements that is symptomatic of some nervous disorders;confusion; euhoria; insomnia; Sense of spinning or feeling of disequilibrium; INFREQUENT: agitation; decline in ability to think, reason, and remember; detached; difficulty concentrating; difficulty in forming words or speaking; may laugh or cry uncontrollably; hallucination; Partial loss of sensation; illusion; leg cramps; migraine; skin sensation such as burning, prickling, itching, or tingling, with no apparent physical cause; speech disord | F | 58 | 2 weeks | 11/13/2005 | 4 | trouble falling asleep | Loses potency quickly so you must constantly up the dosage. As already stated, if you take it and don't go right to bed, you will do strange things and you will NOT remember what happened. I have had hour long conversations and only been told about them the next day. It has made me sleepwalk as well. Careful! | But, if taken properly, Ambien can be a very effective sleep aid. | M | 24 | 2 weeks | 11/9/2005 | 1 | Couldn't sleep due to a broke foot | I broke my foot two weeks ago and had trouble sleeping, I asked my dr what I could do. He prescribed 10 mg of Ambien. I never took a sleeping pill before and made sure I asked both the dr and pharmacist about the side effects. They both told me that it will cause dizziness, drowsiness, to make sure I have at least 8 hours to rest and that I should start feeling something in 15 - 30 mins. I wasn’t sure what the effects would be so I decided that I’d try taking it on a full stomach first. I knew that if anything it would take or should take longer to affect me. I took one pill at 8pm, and as I was swallowing the pill I thought I'd better use the restroom before it took effect. I was in the restroom for no more than 5 mins and started feeling drunk. I said to my husband, "I am not feeling very well, I think I better go lay down". It was just a few mins later, and I was starting to feeling obscenely drunk. I turned to walk out of the room and that was the last I reme | I think it is a DANGEROUS drug, be very cautious when taking it. Make sure you read ALL the warnings. Ask your pharmacist for the drug insert that comes with the drug so you can read all side effects associated with this drug. Make sure you have a family member or friend there to watch you and make sure you are safe. They really need to explain the side effects more with the doctors/pharmacist and then they should really explain that to the patients to make them aware of what could happen. Just because most people will not have a bad experience doesn't mean that others won't and for that they should advise you of all the effects and let you decide if it's worth taking. I only took it one time and will never take it again, not even a half a dose or a quarter of a dose, nor will I try any other sleeping medications ever again. It's really frightening to think a drug could have such an affect on people as to make them black out, producing a drug induced amnesia. | F | 37 | 1 days | 11/3/2005 | 5 | insomnia/relaxation | Euphoria-- feeling like I could do anything. Increased sexual apetite but without recollection. Became pregnant because I had unprotected sex while on ambien. Ambien gives me a drunken feeling but without the calories, hangover and depression. | I love ambien. I am concerned about the long term effects on memory as I have invested a lot of money in schooling at Harvard, MIT and Berkeley. I am only 29, and I have been on and off it since 2002. I know I am addicted-- I would rather eat an ambien than candy or anything. When I try to stop taking the ambien, I usually sublimate by eating more, or drinking alcohol, which I hate. My family and fiancee say I am more forgetful, and that I am mean. It lowers inhibitions, but on the good side-- it often inspires really cool business ideas-- unless I take more than 10mg. I am only 130lbs, so, I can still feel a 5mg on an empty stomach. It is dangerous-- yet it is such a wonderful escape from this difficult world. | F | 29 | 4 years | 10/30/2005 | 4 | insomnia--stress related | You really have to put yourself to bed BEFORE it kicks in. Otherwise you end up laughing hysterically at the television, and being a general nutcase. I hallucinate, feel light, generally stoned. AND...Might I add crazy sexual side effects. Does this stuff have E in it or something? I get all touchy-feely, and have strange visions. Other than being disturbingly hallucinogenic, it does the trick. I wake up really refreshed in the morning. | Great for people in my situation: Married students with a two-year old. Stresses about everything while trying to fall asleep. I only take it when I need it...once a month or so. | M | 29 | 8 months | 10/26/2005 | 3 | sleep | | 10/24/2005 | 3 | insomnia & chronic pain from Lupus | olfactory hallicuations (not sure if it the Ambien or something related to the Lupus), well maybe there are more things that I thought were from the Lupus. Groggy, headache, vision problems. I am jumpy during the day. Don't normally have that problem. And talk about the munchies. | Well, maybe the cone shaped Cherrib with the yellow curly hair on my ceiling had something to do with this drug. I can see this drug being used as a date rape drug. When I first started taking this drug I would sleep a whole night and wake up refreshed, now I am lucky if I get 4-5 hours of sleep before waking up and not being able to get back to sleep yet I am still feeling groggy throughout the day and can feel like I need a nap. I am having more mood swings and that isn't normally me and actually feel depressed. After reading what I have read in here, I think I am not going to take this for a few nights and see if some of my problems clear up. | F | 33 | 1 months | 10/23/2005 | 1 | Inomnia | I have been on 5-10 mg. of Ambien for approximately 2+ years. I have been experiencing a severe painful stinging red dotted rash for months. My doctor has said that several of his patients who are also on Ambien are experiencing unexplained rashes. Would like to know if anyone else has made the association with the drug. | I would also like to know how to stop the usage or where to go for this kind of information. I am definitely dependant on the drug for sleep. | F | 58 | 2 days | 10/22/2005 | 1 | insomnia, arthritis | My grandmother takes 10mg every night. She hallucinates, walks around in a state of comfussion. Has severe memory loss day and night. If her pill bottles are not hidden from her she will take it during the day and more and more at night because she fights the sleep instead of laying down to sleep after taking it. | Physicians please stop giving this medication to the elderly especially for long term use, it causes too many problems and complications with someone who already has Alzheimers w/Dementia as it is. VERY BAD DRUG. | F | 79 | 4 years | 10/20/2005 | 5 | sleep aid | none....I take it as prescribed. It works a little less than it used to because on it so long but I take Lunesta for a few days and then it works again. | For all you idiots out there with these side effects try reading the literature. You MUST got to bed IMMEDIATELY. Do not eat anything about 1-2 hrs before especially if it has high fat content....REDUCES the absorption rate. Do not take more that 10 mg or you will have weird side effects. Get an education and read. | F | 48 | 3 years | 10/16/2005 | 4 | Difficulty sleeping due to tinnitus | Abnormal/vivid dreams Severe leg cramps | When used correctly, for me, Ambien was a Godsend. I have tinnitus and even with a loud fan in my room, I have a lot of problems falling asleep. Add to that a stressful job and I was sleeping around 4 hours per night, at best. Just use Ambien correctly. Take it right before bed, don't try and stay awake and don't use it if you don't have to. I had definitely developed an addiction to it and couldn't fall asleep at all without it. It was, however, a mental addiction - and once I realized that I was falling alseep on my own b/c I'd built up a resistance to the drug, I quit using it and I'm so glad I did! I still have a prescription for it, but now I'll only use when I absolutely have to... and I haven't needed it for over a month. The weird/vivid dreams are gone, and the leg cramps are gone as well. And, I've taught myself how to fall alseep without it. I would definitely use it again if needed, but not for 2 years straight again. | F | 34 | 2 years | 10/16/2005 | 2 | insomnia | I would not recommend this drug. When I was described this drug, I was not told by my doctor about amnesia or hallucinations. When I got home from the pharmacists, I took 10mg. to see if I could get some sleep in a late afternoon nap. I found I could not sleep and decided to go for a walk. At some point during my walk, the ambien must have started working because I began to feel very strange and started hallucinating. It is only in retrospect that I can barely remember what happened because it all seems like a dream, but I realize now it was not a dream at all. I walked past a bookstore and there was a big poodle tied up outside to a light post. I imagined it asking me to take a survey about my opinion of the war in Iraq. I actually had a conversation with a dog about the war in Iraq. The owner came out and hurried away with the dog, but I couldn't understand why at the time. I was so embarassed later on that I avoided that part of town for a month. | I do not recommend this drug. Better to use something else for a sleep problem that doesn't distort reality, like xanax or something | M | 32 | 1 days | 10/16/2005 | 1 | Sleep disored, insomnia | Hallucinations, waking up prematurely | This drug did not work for me at all. It still took me way too long to get to sleep (at least half an hour after taking it). If I couldn't get to sleep right away, I'd hallucinate. I remember looking up at the clock and instead of telling me the time, it spelled out "YOU" and then "LOSER". Great, my alarm clock is calling me a loser. I usually go to sleep around 10pm and always woke up again between 2am and 4am and remained awake, could not get back to sleep. I tried a quarter of a pill, half a pill, 1.5 pills, and 2 pills, all with roughly the same results. Apparently it's worked for some people, but not for me. | M | 32 | 2 weeks | 10/13/2005 |