I was on Ambien CR 12.5mg for about 7 mos. They helped wonders and I was able to get good sleep. BUT not after feeling totally loopy (it wasn't all bed, lol!) and getting a major energy spurt for about 2 hours after taking it. Then suddenly it stopped working. And for what my crappy ins. only covers (barely nothing) I pay $60 a mos for 30 of them. My doc then tried me on Rozeram and it was like taking placebo. Squat. Nothing, Nadda. I have also tried Trazadone. And it didn't affect me at all. The Ambien CR was kind of pricey, but it gave me the much needed sleep i was lacking. I do agree. It could be a very dangerous drug in the wrong hands. (I could see it used for possibly date rape) And with people who live alone who take it. There were a couple of times when my DH was working out of town for a week, and I felt a little too loopy for my own good. Thankfully he would be in his hotel room and stay on the phone with me till I fell asleep.
So I would recommend for anyone taking it. Please advise whomever you live with you are taking it for your own safety!
Sorry admin for being so OT but this info should be known ;)

when you do take the pill, make sure your ready for bed....with me,
i get 7 hrs sleep, and when i wake up, im not drowsy at all... a half of a pill works too... depends on the person...

wanted to add about the CR
 

yes def. :thumbup: I loved waking up and not feeling like I had a hangover or drowsy! Plus the several hours in a row of rest full sleep, once I got there, lol!
BUT remember with the Ambien CR it's a controlled release pill. The way it's made to dissolve, cutting it will alter the distribution of it, and it could be dangerous. ;)

The thing that works best for me(I'm the only person I know of that likes the taste of it) is nyquil..I don't take it all the time, but, once a week or every other week, I will take a shot of that..

I work in medical insurance and have heard so many stories about every drug out there. I've heard several times now that Lunesta gives you the worst taste in your mouth. After my first incident with the dancing gnomes on the ceiling, he made sure I was in bed before I took it. I can't imagine driving on that stuff. You do have to be careful as it is a controlled substance and can easily be addicting. I was on for a few months but got off shortly there after.

lol! I just re-read that and it looked so stupid:p It was supposed to say it wasn't all BAD! Not bed:p
I just had to correct myself, i felt so embarrassed!

Oh My Gosh
 

I AM FALLING OFF MY SEAT LAUGHING:eyetearss .THIS IS SOOOOOO FUNNY.YOU REALLY LIFTED MY SPIRITS WITH THIS ONE.(I AM GLAD THE PUPS ARE OK ,YOU UNDERSTAND) BUT THE EFFECTS OF WHAT AMBIEN WILL DO TO YOU IS HILARIOUS.I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING:lol tears :lol tears :lol tears :lol tears :eyetearss :eyetearss :eyetearss :eyetearss NOW THAT I KNOW I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE BEING AN INSOMNIAC AS I ALREADY HAVE CONVERSATIONS :eek: WHILE SLEEPING WITH MY EYES OPEN AND DON'T REMEMBER.

Wow ive never heard it makes you hallucinate, etc. I really wanted to try it cause of all the commercials, cause i really have a hard time falling asleep most of the time. But i'd be scared to be seeing gnomes around me lol And sleep walking, oh gosh. For those that said you have to go to sleep right away when you take it....i have problems going to sleep already so will it just make me sleepy? I don't think i can go to sleep right away....also what's the diff. bet. the regular and ambien cr?

The regular ambien helps fast to get you to sleep. The ambien cr has 1/2 the pill to help you GET to sleep and the other 1/2 dissolves more slowly throughout the night to help you STAY asleep.
HTH;)

ooo ok thanks!:)

They had a special on Ambien on good morning america. This guy was sleep driving and killed someone accidently cause he was on ambien. :eek:

The Joys Of Sleeping Meds
 

I have been on Ambien since 2001 and while I haven't seen the gnomes I have had some pretty unreal dreams and boy do I talk... My husband says that I sit in my chair after taking them and I talk a mile a minute, he has caught me going outside late in the AM but that isn't to often. He calls it my stupid pill and yes if you aren't ready to go to bed don't take it because you will just fall on your bum without warning once it kicks in.
As for Lunesta (spelling) NEVER AGAIN, my doctor and I decided my system needed a break from the ambien so we switched over and after two nights I was scared to the point of tears.
The first night my husband found me outside in the middle of the winter in North Dakota temp 17 below and all I had on was my nightgown, no shoes or boots not even a pair of socks.
The second night he never even knew I got out of bed until my brother and mom called him to come and get me... I had went out started my car and drove to my brothers house...
I had no idea of either event, but after I was told about them I called my doctor crying and in an absolute panic. Long story short I went back to taking Ambien, the talking is safer than the driving. If my hubby isn't home I get everything done for the night, collect the phone, lock the doors, tuck the kids (fur) in for bed, grab my blanket put my butt in my recliner and take my meds. I didn't get to see the show on Good Morning America, wish I had.
Terri

Ok..I'm getting this stuff ASAP... I want to see little green gnomes too !!!:eek:

Ambien works great when taken as directed. IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR LONG TERM, EVERY DAY USE. I have used 3 refills which have lasted me a year, although I was authorized 6 refills in that time.. I am very upfront with my doctor and tell him that occasionally, (due to working Midnight to 8), my sleep gets thrown off, so I take ONE, WHEN NEEDED. If your sleep disorder is to the point that you feel you need it everyday, you and your doctor should probably look at an alternative. Yes, your body can and will become dependent on it, if for nothing else, to sleep. It can be an awesome medication, when used properly, occasionally and conservatively.

I love ambien when I need to sleep. It is hard to get off of though; I will end up being awake until 3 am while trying to get off it. I went on it about a year ago and it worked wonders. I would go to sleep at night and lay there what felt like forever and even when I would think I feel asleep it was kinda like just a twilight daze and I looked and felt terrible. This was my miracle drug for the month of 02/2010. I never saw gnomes but my husband would end up in a different bed if I went to sleep before him because he said I snored so loud that he felt I would injure his ears.

I never had any problems falling asleep - always used to have warm malted milk at night. But when I went to see my rheumatologist back in 2006 he asked if I had pain and stiffness on waking. My husband (bless his little cotton socks!!!) was with me and told the doctor that I would wake crying in the night every night in pain. So, the doctor put me on Ambien, told me to take one every night so I would sleep through the night. It got to the point when I couldn't sleep without it. I tried several times to come off it but ended up not sleeping and having terrible headaches from not sleeping. One of the 4 day cruises we went on (thank goodness it was only 4 days), I forgot to take the ambien with me and I couldn't enjoy the cruise as I had headaches every day from not sleeping.
My primary care physician told me a couple of years ago that I had been on it so long that I couldn't come off it.
So, I have been on ambien since 2006.
But, never had any hallucinations or raiding the refrigerator in the night. (That may be the ambien CR - I am on regular ambien - the generic zolpidem)

Oh my gosh; my elderly father took Ambien and was having horrible hallunications with it.

We took him out of town one week-end with us and shared a hotel room. One minute he was my regular father and the next . . he was talking nonsense; seeing people that weren't there and scared me to death.

His doctor switched him to another med.

Ambien scares the crap out of me! My mom used to take it and I had a conversation with her one night and she was even eating a hamburger with me and had NO recollection of it the next morning (we were on a cruise- hence the 1am hamburger eating). Not to be graphic, my moms open about this stuff, lol, but she even had intimate relationship on it once with her husband without even remembering! That scared her and she stopped taking it.

Btw, this thread is from 2007! ;)

hahaha...makes ya wonder what the makers (sanofi-aventis) of Ambien have collected in the way of patient data on side effects and the weirdest things reportedly having been done.:eek:

I've used it before and thought...:rolleyes:...I slept like a rock but, who knows what I might have done or said now since there was nobody there to report it...except, for three lil' :aimeeyork-girls & one :cat0:

Guess I could rig my video camera and test it out again...but, I'd probably freak myself out if I saw myself doing anything too, too weird...like grabbing my keys and going for an Ambien-Intoxicated midnight run to Del Taco!!!:p

You would be ordering Full on 24 hour pizza delivery and finishing the whole pie :eek: :2pizza:

I don't dare try it.....MY brother tells me about the "Ambien Sex" when DW doesn't fall asleep right away ;)

Now why doesn't it work that way for me!!!:D:D

I have been on the regular Ambien for years (ever since the wonderful phase of life called Menopause). I take the generic version, Zolpidem. I can't go to sleep without it but I take 1/2 pill and about 1/2 hour later I take the other half. I can NOT take a whole one all at once as it makes me dizzy. I have severe insomnia and have had since menopause so I'm not sure I could go to sleep without it.

Now my husband on the other hand who takes 1/2 pill sometimes, becomes very generous when he takes it. So if I ever need or want anything (including money!), I wait until he's taken his Ambien and then ask him for it. LOL Of course he conveniently never remembers the conversation the next morning.

Fortunately I've never hallucinated or had any weird dreams or done any crazy things.