Effects of Ambien - YorkieTalk.com Forums

mizzwanned · 12-04-2009, 06:47 PM

So I have been having trouble sleeping for as long as I can remember. I remember even back in middle school I could not fall asleep on time, it would take me HOURS, and it still does. I will roll back and forth in bed, time will pass and i won't fall asleep. So I was thinking of maybe getting Ambien or some type of sleeping pill to help me but then i started reading up a little and I read Ambien has side effects that can make you hallucinate, drive in the middle of the night and not remember at all! I mean I live with my mom so I'm sure I won't be able to do anything crazy like leave in the middle of the night w/o her stopping me. And i heard if you get in bed right away you will fall asleep..is this true? Is anyone on this? Is it safe to take? Should I talk to a doctor about it?

KimberlySRN · 12-04-2009, 07:28 PM

It also can cause memory loss when taking it.

RowdysMom · 12-04-2009, 09:54 PM

My husband took it for awhile, but it make him real groggy till about noon. He takes Lunesta occasionally and likes it a lot better.

JasmineNoelle · 12-05-2009, 12:36 AM

I have fibromyalgia and have to take a sleeping aid at times. I would definately speak to my doctor about what med. would be the best choice for you. Every one respond differently to medications and most meds. do present some side effects and risks. However not being able to get and appropriate amount of sleep at night and REM sleep also comes with its own risk. I wish you luck with this.

chloe n kaylee · 12-05-2009, 02:35 AM

Ive taken Ambien a few times... it makes u super groggy the next day....

I wanted to post on this thread cuz i have two crazy stories about ambien that happened to two of my friends....

The first one is my roommate. She went out that night and when she got home, she took an amb. Then about 20-30min later the amb was affecting her and she said she was going to bed. I went to bed as well. Then about 30min later she came into room, stood at the foot of my bed just staring at me in the dark lol. I said, "yes, can i help u"? and she told me to call her a cab and pay the bill!!! lol... She was sleepwalking and was reliving her night from earlier!!! I wont go into detail but lets just say she went back and forth from her room to mine every 30min until 6am!!!!!! i did not sleep at all that night lol. Of course the next morning she didnt remember a thing and came into my room telling me what great sleep she got!!! lol....

The second one is my roommates friend. She took an amb and slept walked. Heres the crazy part..... she slept walked to a meeting at work in the morning!!! ok, so she drove herself there, attended the meeting and drove herself home!!! The next day when she had found out what she had done, she asked her co-workers if she was acting weird at the meeting. They said, no she was acting perfectly normal!!!

I heard now they have time released Ambien.... which i assume is safer... but if u decide to take it, pls be careful...

red98vett · 12-05-2009, 05:12 AM

I've tried Ambien and Lunesta. My sleep pattern vanished after my husband died....Both are ok but can stop working after a few weeks - (at least with me) ...I didn't have the morning side effects but Lunesta does cause a bitter taste even the next day. I didn't have side effects but the cost vs the result caused me to switch to something else.

I hate taking pills to sleep but to get 5-6 hours is better than being awake half the night trying.

red98vett · 12-05-2009, 05:18 AM

ps - yes you do need to talk to a doctor about this. Sometimes they'll give you samples to try - you just need to ask.

Patti · 12-05-2009, 05:31 AM

I too have always and still do have problems sleeping. My doctor gave me Ambien and the side effects for me were scary. It made me groggy most of the next day, I had a real strange memory loss the next day and would get up at night and almost fall over. Iwas so afraid I would let the dogs out and leave one outside. I only took it a few times and my doctor gave me something else. I would definitley talk to your doctor about the best way to go. Maybe try natural remedies first. With most sleep aides you develop a tolerance and keep needing more and they can be addictive.

Wylie's Mom · 12-05-2009, 05:36 AM

I have severe insomnia right now, have had it since January -- and had it on/off for about 16 years or so. I take Ambien right now -- I have no hangover at all, no weird side effects whatsoever. I think the bizarre things you're reading about are very, *very* rare - they have happened to people, but really rarely. Rare things happen with every single prescription medication though, to be fair. Let us know how it goes if you try it.

Btw, there is Ambien regular (cheap) and Ambien CR ($$$) -- Ambien regular is more for folks who have most of their trouble falling asleep, but sleep pretty well later in the night. Ambien CR is more for people who wake up throughout the night, can't stay asleep and wake early.

linda44 · 12-05-2009, 05:54 AM

I too take Ambien and have now for about 6 months. I have no grogginess in the morning but I did start getting headaches last month on and off. That is one of the side effects too. I still take it but now I only take about every 3rd night and use a couple of excedrin pm's too.

red98vett · 12-05-2009, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I have severe insomnia right now, have had it since January -- and had it on/off for about 16 years or so. I take Ambien right now -- I have no hangover at all, no weird side effects whatsoever. I think the bizarre things you're reading about are very, *very* rare - they have happened to people, but really rarely. Rare things happen with every single prescription medication though, to be fair. Let us know how it goes if you try it.

Btw, there is Ambien regular (cheap) and Ambien CR ($$$) -- Ambien regular is more for folks who have most of their trouble falling asleep, but sleep pretty well later in the night. Ambien CR is more for people who wake up throughout the night, can't stay asleep and wake early.

Really ? Thank you Nurse Wylie !

that's where I'm at. I fall asleep now with what I take but by 3 am - that's it - maybe I need to try that again.

and those side effects you guys posted about sound awful - I have to agree with Anne - I think that has to be pretty rare to have such bizarre side effect but if that does happen - time to go natural.

alisonJ · 12-05-2009, 09:28 AM

i suffer from insomnia which i think is a result of menopause. It's terrible. I go to bed at 9 pm, sleep until midnite, and then I can't get back to sleep. I have used some OTC sleep aids, which help. I tried Ambien CR once....it did not seem to do much for me, but I would be willing to try it again.

Went to a party recently, and all the couples were about my age. It was funny, because all the men were talking about how their wives never sleep. We are all going through the same, thing, apparently. It made me feel better, actually.

cj125 · 12-05-2009, 10:52 AM

I've been on Ambien for about 3 years and I think you "have to" see a Dr to get a prescription for it. So, by all means - talk to your Dr about your needs, first.

I agree with Ann. The one thing I liked about Ambein is that it does not leave me groggy. That was one of the things that my Dr and I talked about when we were trying to find something that worked for me. I started work at 4am so I couldn't afford to be groggy. I tried Lunesta, Tylenol PM and another one that started with an S (?). Those left me groggy.

Ambien, like any sleeping pill, is suppose to be taken "at bedtime". Some people tend to take it a little earlier - because there can be a delay - and I think that's when some episodes occur. I know that I have gotten up and eaten something and didn't remember until my daughter said something the next day about it - then I remembered it. So it's not to say that you would't/couldn't do something and not remember it - but you would later.

I don't believe Ambien is addicting but when you have insomnia you do need something to sleep which causes you to take it. Since I've been laid off I tried not taking it on the weekends and I'm awake until 2-3am and then feel like crap because I want to go back to sleep to get my 8 hours. So it doesn't do me any good to think that I shouldn't take it. I can go without it - I just won't get to sleep until it's too late.

Actually, that's what I thought might have happened to Tiger Woods. Or that he had a seizure and didn't want anyone to know.

Jacksmom052709 · 12-05-2009, 11:06 AM

When my hubby was over in Iraq I ended up with insomnia really bad. My Dr. prescribed Ambien and he told me to take it right before I went to sleep. So, I looked at this little tiny pill and said, oh it can't be that bad! Needless to say, I took it about 20 minutes before I was for bed and when it kicked in, I almost fell. Felt like I was drunk, but I wasn't. I did get a good nights sleep. As long as you can stay in bed for 8 hours, you should not experience grogginess. Then again, like the others have said, we all react differently to different medications. Good luck! My hubby has been back from Iraq since 2005 and I still deal with insomnia and so does he, it doesn't make for a good combination for us. LOL

princesmom · 12-05-2009, 11:37 AM

I also have Fibromyalgia so a good night's sleep is a gift. Like the other members said everyone reacts differently to medications, Ambien is a good medicine but left me groggy the next morning. I never experienced any of the other side effects you mentioned.

After trying several other sleep aids, I am now on Lunesta. I have to take it at 8:00pm if I want to get to sleep by 11:00pm, and it leaves an asprin-like taste in my mouth for the rest of the night.

Because of Lunesta's price tag, sometimes I will take 2 Tylenol PM Quick Release gel tabs. They seem to work faster for me. Definately speak to your doctor to make sure there is nothing else going on.

12-04-2009, 06:47 PM	#1
mizzwanned Donating YT 11K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: new york Posts: 14,007 Blog Entries: 2	Effects of Ambien So I have been having trouble sleeping for as long as I can remember. I remember even back in middle school I could not fall asleep on time, it would take me HOURS, and it still does. I will roll back and forth in bed, time will pass and i won't fall asleep. So I was thinking of maybe getting Ambien or some type of sleeping pill to help me but then i started reading up a little and I read Ambien has side effects that can make you hallucinate, drive in the middle of the night and not remember at all! I mean I live with my mom so I'm sure I won't be able to do anything crazy like leave in the middle of the night w/o her stopping me. And i heard if you get in bed right away you will fall asleep..is this true? Is anyone on this? Is it safe to take? Should I talk to a doctor about it? __________________ Primrose, Teddy..RIP, Livie..RIP, And can never forget my duo Sophie and London, Run in Peace <3

12-04-2009, 07:28 PM	#2
KimberlySRN Twins=double the fun! Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 2,981	It also can cause memory loss when taking it. __________________ Kim Anakin Bella

12-04-2009, 09:54 PM	#3
RowdysMom Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Texas Posts: 2,624	My husband took it for awhile, but it make him real groggy till about noon. He takes Lunesta occasionally and likes it a lot better. __________________ Rex & Rowdy's Mom

12-05-2009, 12:36 AM	#4
JasmineNoelle YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: USA Posts: 2,774 Blog Entries: 1	I have fibromyalgia and have to take a sleeping aid at times. I would definately speak to my doctor about what med. would be the best choice for you. Every one respond differently to medications and most meds. do present some side effects and risks. However not being able to get and appropriate amount of sleep at night and REM sleep also comes with its own risk. I wish you luck with this. __________________ Jasmine's, Prissy's and Maggie Mae's Mommy

12-05-2009, 05:12 AM	#6
red98vett Yorkie Kisses are the Best! Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Houston TX Posts: 33,590 Blog Entries: 1	I've tried Ambien and Lunesta. My sleep pattern vanished after my husband died....Both are ok but can stop working after a few weeks - (at least with me) ...I didn't have the morning side effects but Lunesta does cause a bitter taste even the next day. I didn't have side effects but the cost vs the result caused me to switch to something else. I hate taking pills to sleep but to get 5-6 hours is better than being awake half the night trying. __________________ Villette, Chanel & Cheri www.DesignsByVillette.net Custom Address Labels and Note Cards using YOUR Photos! Just Click HERE!

12-05-2009, 02:35 AM	#5
chloe n kaylee No Longer a Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Long Beach, CA / Los Angeles, CA Posts: 282	Ive taken Ambien a few times... it makes u super groggy the next day.... I wanted to post on this thread cuz i have two crazy stories about ambien that happened to two of my friends.... The first one is my roommate. She went out that night and when she got home, she took an amb. Then about 20-30min later the amb was affecting her and she said she was going to bed. I went to bed as well. Then about 30min later she came into room, stood at the foot of my bed just staring at me in the dark lol. I said, "yes, can i help u"? and she told me to call her a cab and pay the bill!!! lol... She was sleepwalking and was reliving her night from earlier!!! I wont go into detail but lets just say she went back and forth from her room to mine every 30min until 6am!!!!!! i did not sleep at all that night lol. Of course the next morning she didnt remember a thing and came into my room telling me what great sleep she got!!! lol.... The second one is my roommates friend. She took an amb and slept walked. Heres the crazy part..... she slept walked to a meeting at work in the morning!!! ok, so she drove herself there, attended the meeting and drove herself home!!! The next day when she had found out what she had done, she asked her co-workers if she was acting weird at the meeting. They said, no she was acting perfectly normal!!! I heard now they have time released Ambien.... which i assume is safer... but if u decide to take it, pls be careful...

12-05-2009, 05:18 AM	#7
red98vett Yorkie Kisses are the Best! Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Houston TX Posts: 33,590 Blog Entries: 1	ps - yes you do need to talk to a doctor about this. Sometimes they'll give you samples to try - you just need to ask. __________________ Villette, Chanel & Cheri www.DesignsByVillette.net Custom Address Labels and Note Cards using YOUR Photos! Just Click HERE!

12-05-2009, 05:31 AM	#8
Patti Donating YT 30K Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 35,509 Blog Entries: 6	I too have always and still do have problems sleeping. My doctor gave me Ambien and the side effects for me were scary. It made me groggy most of the next day, I had a real strange memory loss the next day and would get up at night and almost fall over. Iwas so afraid I would let the dogs out and leave one outside. I only took it a few times and my doctor gave me something else. I would definitley talk to your doctor about the best way to go. Maybe try natural remedies first. With most sleep aides you develop a tolerance and keep needing more and they can be addictive. __________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : RIP Nikki; RIP Maya;RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html

12-05-2009, 05:36 AM	#9
Wylie's Mom Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 35,889 Blog Entries: 2	I have severe insomnia right now, have had it since January -- and had it on/off for about 16 years or so. I take Ambien right now -- I have no hangover at all, no weird side effects whatsoever. I think the bizarre things you're reading about are very, very rare - they have happened to people, but really rarely. Rare things happen with every single prescription medication though, to be fair. Let us know how it goes if you try it. Btw, there is Ambien regular (cheap) and Ambien CR ($$$) -- Ambien regular is more for folks who have most of their trouble falling asleep, but sleep pretty well later in the night. Ambien CR is more for people who wake up throughout the night, can't stay asleep and wake early. __________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann \| Pfeiffer \| Marcel Verdel Purcell \| Wylie \| Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨°

12-05-2009, 05:54 AM	#10
linda44 Luv my 7 Furkids Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: napa Posts: 9,655 Blog Entries: 4	I too take Ambien and have now for about 6 months. I have no grogginess in the morning but I did start getting headaches last month on and off. That is one of the side effects too. I still take it but now I only take about every 3rd night and use a couple of excedrin pm's too. __________________ Linda, & furbutts http://www.sketchesbybarney.com

12-05-2009, 09:28 AM	#12
alisonJ YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 1,840	i suffer from insomnia which i think is a result of menopause. It's terrible. I go to bed at 9 pm, sleep until midnite, and then I can't get back to sleep. I have used some OTC sleep aids, which help. I tried Ambien CR once....it did not seem to do much for me, but I would be willing to try it again. Went to a party recently, and all the couples were about my age. It was funny, because all the men were talking about how their wives never sleep. We are all going through the same, thing, apparently. It made me feel better, actually. __________________ Alison--Edith Jones's mother www.edithjonesproject.com

12-05-2009, 10:52 AM	#13
cj125 Mia, Max and Moe's Mom Donating Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 4,403	I've been on Ambien for about 3 years and I think you "have to" see a Dr to get a prescription for it. So, by all means - talk to your Dr about your needs, first. I agree with Ann. The one thing I liked about Ambein is that it does not leave me groggy. That was one of the things that my Dr and I talked about when we were trying to find something that worked for me. I started work at 4am so I couldn't afford to be groggy. I tried Lunesta, Tylenol PM and another one that started with an S (?). Those left me groggy. Ambien, like any sleeping pill, is suppose to be taken "at bedtime". Some people tend to take it a little earlier - because there can be a delay - and I think that's when some episodes occur. I know that I have gotten up and eaten something and didn't remember until my daughter said something the next day about it - then I remembered it. So it's not to say that you would't/couldn't do something and not remember it - but you would later. I don't believe Ambien is addicting but when you have insomnia you do need something to sleep which causes you to take it. Since I've been laid off I tried not taking it on the weekends and I'm awake until 2-3am and then feel like crap because I want to go back to sleep to get my 8 hours. So it doesn't do me any good to think that I shouldn't take it. I can go without it - I just won't get to sleep until it's too late. Actually, that's what I thought might have happened to Tiger Woods. Or that he had a seizure and didn't want anyone to know. __________________ *Connie* Mia Max Moe

12-05-2009, 11:06 AM	#14
Jacksmom052709 Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,044	When my hubby was over in Iraq I ended up with insomnia really bad. My Dr. prescribed Ambien and he told me to take it right before I went to sleep. So, I looked at this little tiny pill and said, oh it can't be that bad! Needless to say, I took it about 20 minutes before I was for bed and when it kicked in, I almost fell. Felt like I was drunk, but I wasn't. I did get a good nights sleep. As long as you can stay in bed for 8 hours, you should not experience grogginess. Then again, like the others have said, we all react differently to different medications. Good luck! My hubby has been back from Iraq since 2005 and I still deal with insomnia and so does he, it doesn't make for a good combination for us. LOL __________________ ~Lori ~ Mom to fur babies Jack, Izzy & Jada & their kitty siblings, Mr. Poops, Milo, Pearl & barn kitty Nanny.

12-05-2009, 11:37 AM	#15
princesmom Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: NC Posts: 52	I also have Fibromyalgia so a good night's sleep is a gift. Like the other members said everyone reacts differently to medications, Ambien is a good medicine but left me groggy the next morning. I never experienced any of the other side effects you mentioned. After trying several other sleep aids, I am now on Lunesta. I have to take it at 8:00pm if I want to get to sleep by 11:00pm, and it leaves an asprin-like taste in my mouth for the rest of the night. Because of Lunesta's price tag, sometimes I will take 2 Tylenol PM Quick Release gel tabs. They seem to work faster for me. Definately speak to your doctor to make sure there is nothing else going on.