Side Effects to Ambien?

I took it. No problems.....except for the time i also had to take 2 benedryl and a pain pill..........then I kinda "lost a night". according to my step-dad, we went to the mailbox place, went to a gas station where i bought an icee and a lotto ticket and won 25 dollars. i dont remember any of it.

Side effects include: memory loss, changes in mood such as increased or developing depression, behavior changes, hallucinations, confusion, nightmares (very vivid ones), agitation, and anxiety.

While it supposedly rare, some people do things in their sleep and do not remember it. Some people have driven a vehicle, cooked, eaten, cleaned, had sex, and more.

This website has more information about Ambien, including common side effects and extremely rare side effects: http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-9690-Ambien+Oral.aspx?dru...

Ambien can be very, very addictive...so be careful with it.

Ambien should not be used every night! It forces you to sleep,but does not allow for REM sleep, so if you take it for more than a night or 2 you get what I like to call the "ambien hangover". It can affect your short term memory, your ability to focus, and your sex drive. Also, if your body gets used to it all the time you can then develop even greater sleep issues with you try to get off of it. Ambien is great for the occasion sleep help, but I try never to take it more than once or twice a week at most.

I took it occassionally for awhile, then went through a very difficult time with family and started taking it nightly a couple of years ago and got hooked on it very quickly. It was incredibly difficult to quit taking it. I hated being dependent on a drug to make me sleep. Medication usually doesn't have much of an effect on me (i.e. I can take Nyquil and still function just fine.), but Ambien is powerful. During the time that I was hooked on it, I couldn't sleep at all without it. It was awful. I won't take any prescription sleep aids anymore.

I took it for about six months when i had troubles sleeping. My biggest thing was I started to 'see' things as I drifted off to sleep. I knew they weren't there but in the dark, I swear I could make out a knight, fish, etc. Very trippy! I also fell asleep with my now husband on a long telephone conversation!! Do not drive if you have taken it. It took me about 45 minutes and then I was almost drunk I was so tired/loopy. I was concerned I was becoming dependent on it so I stopped.

They put me on Ambien in the hospital after I gave birth to my delicious twin boys. I hallucinated...thought I saw snow capped mountains out my window (we live in Michigan and were overlooking the parking lot). Once I came home, I tried Lunesta and it was great (though I only used it twice). Bad dreams make for not a good night sleep! Perhaps another sleep aid would be better and allow you a more sound, peaceful sleep!
Good Luck!

I only took it while in early labor once. They love to send you home w/ it to "sleep through contractions" I had pretty bad acid reflux & woke up choking on stomach acid, but couldn't wake up enough from the Ambien to actually SIT UP. It terrified me that I couldn't take a breath & was choking. My body wasn't able to wake up enough to sit up until the choking became full on vomiting. SO... I'll never take it again. I think of other things like a house fire, other emergencies that I want to be able to wake up immediately for!

It can knock you out, and you not hear anything while you are sleeping. It is very, strong.
My friend used to take it. A Mom.

I would take something else.

Now, there are other things, homeopathic that you can use to calm and sleep.
I use "Hyland's Calms Forte- for adults." NO groggy feeling. It just relaxes you. Is not a drug or tranquilizer.

I have also heard about a sleep aid called "Melissa."

Here is a link for you on natural sleep aides:
http://www.consumerhealthanswers.com/sleep-aids

You need to research it.

Some people get up and do things they don't remember. You must also take it right before bed, or you can have hallucinations.
For me, it worked great the first time I used it then quickly lost effectiveness. I think Lunesta works better, but some ins cos don't want to pay for it.

Everyone has different reactions to it. I haven't had any bad reactions. I don't seem to dream much on it at all.

Ambien (and all psychoactive medications) can cause increased dreaming, not always bad dreams, but usually more vivid dreams. The most serious side effect is what the package insert calls "night driving". You can have purposeful motor activity (eating at night; getting ready for work) and not remember in the AM. I've seen this in my patients.The most dangerous manifestation is driving at night without being aware. This is very rare, but it has happened.

A little about me: A child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist in practice 17 years. Married 22 years, two kids, 20 yo son and 14 yo daughter.

My dr. told me to make sure I take it RIGHT before going to bed. She said she took it one time earlier in the evening and proceeded to write emails that she didn't even remember the next day! I decided not to take it.

I do yoga when I can, and I think that is a great way to relax. I also thinks it helps with my sleep.

I have never been on it, but a relative of mine used to sleep eat on it and even started a fire in her apartment trying to cook while she was asleep. Be careful!

Hi L.,

I took Ambien once, several years ago, for three nights, and had technicolor nightmares. Bad dreams are a side effect - and one that I just could not handle.

A co-worker also tried it and she had the whole sleeping but doing things you normally do when awake side effect. Literally, she would call me and/or her boyfriend, carry on conversations, and not remember any of it because she was physically still sleeping. Her BF finally taped one of the calls and played it to her to convince her that Ambien just wasn't the sleep aide for her.

Talk to you doctor about the dreams and any other side effects. Some people do really well with Ambien, but some just can't take it. 4

Me, I just take 50mg of Benadryl now when I need to sleep.

Good Luck
God Bless

I always get terrible headaches the next day. I also feel foggy.

Okay, I haven't taken it but from stories of friends and my husband (who's a pharmacist) it can be some scary stuff. It can cause bad dreams as well as sleep walking. I would maybe look up on line from people who have taken it. I'm certainly not saying to abandon it, and you should take internet stuff with a grain of salt, but it can be bad news for some!

I had hallucinating dreams and some hallucinations during the day. I stopped taking it. My father had the same issue.

Well I did see things, mainly animals on the wall, but realistically knew they weren't real. On many occasions I would wake the next morning to my husband telling me how crazy I was in bed last night! I don't remember a thing about being intimate with him but he said I was completely with it! I also have sent some not so appropriate text messages while taking Ambien. Luckily they were only sent to my hubby! Crazy side effects but I guess it could be worse! I stopped taking it after a month, I no longer needed it.