Ambien Scary Side Effects

No, but a man my husband works with woke up behind the wheel of his car. He ran off into a ditch. How terrifying is that?? There was a report (I think on 60 minutes) about Ambien and people walking up walking outside, in a car, etc.

I don't think I would take that med for anything!! How scary!

As a flight attendant I can tell you that I have taken it in the past, and I know many people who have taken it. I have heard a lot of weird stories about people doing stuff that is totally out of character and dangerous.

I was lucky enough never to become addicted to it (but my dad did and had to stop taking it right away), but after feeling lousy and depressed in general I decided to throw it away and I am amazed at how much better I feel. Even switching time zones, having a sleepless night, etc, it's ALL worth it not to feel chemically altered. It made me feel depressed. I also was scared by some of the stories I was hearing. Go online and read about how it REALLY works (i.e. slows your heartbeat)--they call it a "hypnotic" but it really acts like a depressant.

I am not a fan. If it works for others, great...I don't judge. But I personally feel so much better without it. Good luck!
BTW I am not a goody two shoes...I went to college in Calif, if you get my meaning, and I like a nice glass of wine every now and then...but I think these drugs are fast tracked and then dumped into the marketplace w/o any real knowledge of their longterm effects...

I took Ambien for a month. My doctor said that Ambien is only to be used short term to help set a sleeping pattern. He wouldn't refill the prescription nor would he authorize increasing the dosage. He said that Ambien is addictive and therefore not to be used long term. The fact that you have to double the dosage tell me my doctor was right.

I was having sleep issues. My doctor, now, prescribed trazadone. It was originally formatted to help with depression. It wasn't effective for that but was helpful for getting and staying asleep. You gradually, over a couple of weeks, find the dosage that enables you to get to sleep and then stay with that amount.

My brother takes it for insomnia off and on. It isn't addictive. It helps your body get ready for sleep. It works for me. I take it when I'm keyed up and not ready for sleep. Sometimes I go to bed and if I'm still awake in 15-20 minutes I take trazadone.

I took Ambien years and years ago. I was already a sleep-walker and this just made it worse. I started sleep eating; I tried to get out of the house to drive to Taco Bell. (That one scared hubby!) I have since changed things so I prepare for bed, just like I would prepare the kids. I turn off the TV and read for 30 minutes. Then I take a hot shower. (My sleep doc said the sudden change in body temperature causes drowsiness.) Then I lay down with all the lights out. If I haven't fallen asleep in 30 minutes, then I get up, turn on a dim light (because lights cause wakefulness) and read for about 20-30 minutes.

I have never stopped sleep-walking, or sleep eating and have even had a few episodes of sleep cooking. (Hubby freaked out when he smelled bacon in the middle of the night and I wasn't in bed. He freaked out further when he came out to the kitchen, and there I was naked, sleeping frying up bacon. I had already cut tomatoes, shredded lettuce and was making a BLT.)

Talk to the doctor about getting off of Ambien and see if you can't just take something over the counter.

*hugs*

I have never taken it and not remembered eating, but it definately gives me the munchies. My husband however has many stories...he's done lots of crazy things mostly pertaining to eating in the middle of the night and then argues with me in the morning about how he couldn't have possible...for instance one year before Thanksgiving he ate the entire tub of Coolwhip the night before. He has brought yogurt cups to bed and no memory of getting up to get them...oh there's more.

Also-I've heard taking it long term affects short term memory--which I can attest to with my husband too...or we're just getting old. :)

I know I am a little late here, but Ambien is dangerous. I took it one night, and I woke up and polished off a bottle of Jack, opened a new bottle of Jagermeister, and was trying to fly, Luckily my fiance caught me before I jumped off the balcony. He gave me a shower and put me to bed. I woke up covered in bruises thiking it was a dream....never again....

I took Ambien once, for three nights. Years ago when it was first on the market. I had technicolor nightmares that made the massive insomnia seem like a cake walk. Yeah, I have never taken it, or any other prescription sleeping pills, again.

If the Ambien is becoming less effective it may be time for you to stop taking it - I thought it was for short term use.

Nowadays, I just take a generic Benadryl or Melatonin when I need help sleeping. I really rather the insomnia than suffer the side effects of Ambien ever again.

Please talk to your Doctor.

I have never taken it but I do remember my sister waking up one morning to find that she had evidently gotten up in the night, driven to a gas station and filled up -- had the full tank and receipt to prove it.

And a dear friend called several of us sounding completely out of his mind. He doesn't remember a thing.

I have a friend who took sleeping pills (not sure if it was ambien) and she told me about how she was so certain she was asleeping, but she had actually been up all night calling her friends and telling them "I'm sleeping, it's so awesom to finally be sleeping! I'm sleeping RIGHT NOW!"

So it reeeeally screwed with her consciousness. If you have to up the dose for the same effect I would sugges tasking your dr for a different medication or for more information.

yes, my mother-in-law went a-wandering in the night when she was on ambien, and it turned her into a real psycho monster.
there's really scary research information coming available about sleep 'aids'. not side effects. death.
there are few things as destructive to life quality as sleep deprivation. but death is worse. i hope you can find something else to help you.
khairete
S.

I took it a few years ago....i was also on a pain pill.......never take both of them together......apperentaly my dad and i went to the store where i bought a lotto ticket and won......i dont remember it or buying the slushie he told me i got.