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Global Patient Feedback for Ambien (Zolpidem) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
can i take cold meds. with ambien?
70 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-02 15:11:04
Question/Comment:
I have been taking ambien for the last year. I take the 10mg. Lately it seems that I am not able to get to sleep. Someone told me I should not take the ambien for at least 1 to 2 hours after I have ate dinner. Could this be the problem why I am not able to get to sleep?
49 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-28 21:20:10
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
I have taken Ambien AND THE STRANGEST THINGS have happened to me...alot of weird "food experiences" I woke on morning with a pop tart glued to my bed and pajamas ...LOL I have called people and didn't remember calling...Ambien is like having your dream state take over and want to complet the dream through your own actions/ sleepwalking... It is a great entertainment drug...lol I love it ! It's better than Woodstock....LOL
Posted: 2008-10-30 02:08:35
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
It is recommened that you take Ambien on a empty stomach. For some reason when the Ambien is not absorbed by any food in your stomach the full effect of the medicine can be absorbed by your body...
Posted: 2008-10-30 13:28:20
Answer/Reply:
Ambien does work much better on an empty stomach,but make sure you are in bed within 10-20 minutes of taking it that way....
44 year old Female
Posted: 2008-11-04 09:42:54
Answer/Reply:
You suppose to take a holiday break from taking it if you been taking it for numerous months now. I was told to take it 15 minutes before bedtime and only take it 5 days of the week. It works great this way for me
48 year old Male
Posted: 2008-11-12 10:29:07
Answer/Reply:
It sounds like you have developed a tolerance to the Ambien by taking it for such a long time. You should discuss this with your doctor. It may be a good idea to ask your doctor to switch you to another drug for treating insomnia.
61 year old Male
Posted: 2008-11-12 15:02:03
Question/Comment:
I have been taking ambien on and off for last couple of years my doctor just recently has no problem with this when i told her i was taking at lest 10 tylenol pm a night with no relief my only concern is that all the meds i take cause drowsiness like i just started taking methadone for back pain dr gave 5mg twice a day first night i took it and the ambien caused awful nightmares so next night took methadone waited 2 hours then took ambien had no problemsi feel ambien is a lifesaver for me and as long as no one talks to me after i take ambien i do not have the memory loss so i let my children know right before i take it so they do not ask me anything ambien cr took a lot longer to take effect and not as well i wake up refreshed
47 year old Male
Posted: 2008-10-27 15:01:28
Question/Comment:
I have been taking ambien since it came out. I, too, wait for over an hour before I sucumb to taking one. But-- I can't take the CR because I'll walk in my sleep and do stupid things and I'm afraid I'd try to drive. So, I don't take it but I like the regular and if I wake up in the night at say, 3:00, I'll take 1'2 a pill to get me thru the rest of the night. I have many nights when I don't need if at all. Several times I find that if I have a nap, I won't sleep at night, Or-- if i've been really busy and things are hectic, I'm to hyper to sleep. It is a godsend for me quite often! I'm a 76 year old woman. Fairly healthy otherwise. Thanks for all your comments.
78 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-13 14:48:24
Question/Comment:
how long does this drug stay in your system?????
53 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-10 07:57:56
Question/Comment:
I absolutely cannot sleep w/out my Ambien-even though it does make me do and say things
I do not remember. I also have to take OTC sleep aids as I have so much trouble sleeping,my Dr knows the meds I am on. I have been on 12.5 CR for at least 4 yrs and when I was in the hospital they only had 5.0 so I was in major WD, awake all night, very upset, calling for my Dr,
so your body does know the diff right away;)!!!!
37 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-28 13:04:32
Answer/Reply:
hey are you on one or two of the ambiens i mean like i take ambien 10mg and ambien cr 12.5 my mom keeps things hidden like my other meds and the car keys just in case never know but was wondering if you on both this is one of my no sleep nights it seems lol thank you
38 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-28 23:26:48
Question/Comment:
I am bi-polar have been on more meds than i can count for me lithum was a life saver and i also have anxity and trouble sleeping and have been on ambien for i can't even remember how long so my question is i take lithium 300mg twice daily gabapentin 300mg 3 times a day ambien 10mg at night and ambien cr 12.5 at night and i also have to take a over the counter sleep aid (my doctor knows) and i still find it hard to sleep i take my night meds at 7pm or try and usually asleep by 10-11 pm but if i take the meds any later it is sometimes 4 am and still wake up every hour or so most of the time does anyone else have this much trouble sleeping??
38 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-25 13:21:03
Answer/Reply:
Yes, I have that much trouble sleeping but I thought mine was just due to the pain as it's always worse at night. As far as the doing and saying things you don't remember....ha!! My girls are grown and the big joke between them is the funny emails that I send at night. Plus, I get the munchies and want to eat. I'm not even fully awake and have found myself falling asleep while eating a bowl of cereal...now that's a mess.
But, it does seem like the ambien is more effective if taken at certain times and I'm sure that's the biological clock of our bodies. I can't sleep at all without the ambien and I take high doses of muscle relaxers and fairly low doses of pain meds. Anyway, it's a vital need you have at least ONE of your Drs. that oversee your overall meds.
Good Luck
47 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-02 21:57:08
Answer/Reply:
Maybe you need to get some exercise during the day then you would sleep better. I am bi-polar type II (more depressive and mania is just staying up most of the night sewing). I take Zolipem Tartrate (the generic of ambien) every night and it helps some but I really need to take a good walk or do a bunch of house cleaning to get a good nights sleep. Most of us are too sedentary today and we don't work like people used to when they farmed or worked 10 hours a day. The human body needs a lot more exercise to be ready to sleep. Try it and see!
52 year old Female
Posted: 2009-01-24 00:25:42
Question/Comment:
I have been taking 5 mg of Ambien for 3-4 years. Doc seems to think it is better than anxiety at night about sleeping. I take it every night. Are there any comments about taking it this long. I know I am probably dependent on it now.
71 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-01 20:20:14
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
The clinical trials submitted for FDA approval only studied Ambien for 24 weeks - so unfortunately there isn't much safety information about long term use of Ambien. If you are concerned about being dependent on Ambien, it's worth discussion with your doctor about ways to become less dependent on this sleep medication.
Posted: 2008-09-08 11:28:00
Answer/Reply:
I have been taking Ambien for some years now, as well. I go months at a time taking it everynight religously. Every so often, I will be able to fall asleep with out, and it sometimes continues for days, even weeks. I have never noticed any withdrawl symptoms when I am not taking the medication.
I am not sure how others take it, but I do not just take a pill every night. I give myself a window of 1 hour and 15 minutes, after I lie down, to fall asleep (meaning, to actually sleep, not watch tv, read a book, etc.). If I am still awake, I then take the Ambien, and may read till it takes it's effect. Sometimes, I fall asleep without it. I decided from the beginning, I wanted to take it when I need it. You only take cold medication when you have a cold, not because, in the past, you catch colds more often then most. It did not seem like a solution to the problem to just pop a pill every night weather or not I need it.
Its been 11 days since I had my last dose, and I have had no problems. I know that this is temporary, and I will have to continue the meds. I believe that if you take the meds as directed and not in excess, it should be OK. I don't think your body can become dependent on something that you take once a night. Its when you start increasing the dose is when you need to worry.
32 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-20 15:35:52
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
I wish I had never been introduced to this drug. A very excellent doctor that does not lean so heavily on traditional medicine said we do not get the same type of sleep we get naturally from these sleep drugs. It was an easy thing to take ( an easy out) after a busy day of too much stimuli or whatever makes it difficult to go to sleep. There are natural things to consider. It's come to the point were I do not stay asleep through the night with this drug anymore. Then what? More drugs? There are natural alternatives for things for sleep and other problems and I look for them and work torward them and use my faith to get completely away from drugs like these. I'd have to say the side effects are different for me than what they have listed. I believe the medical field is too quick to hand out drugs for anything and not getting to the root of the problem. Find the root to your problem and find natural things to help, please don't become dependent. One of this type of addictive drug leads to another and pretty soon you have a multitude of problems and you are feeling horrible and not like yourself any more. Stay healthy make it your goal.
Posted: 2008-09-25 08:49:40
Answer/Reply:
I take 5mg of ambien off and on but not every night. Usually when I have to get up for work at 4am. and don't get to bed till the night before till 10pm I take it. When I cracked 2 ribs I doubled up and took 10mg for four nights as I had to sit up and sure couldn't sleep. I was told never to take more than prescribed and I told my DR. what I did. It didn't kill me and I did get some sleep but I would think you'd become immune to it and lose effectiveness over time?
70 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-25 23:54:26
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
Ambien IS addictive!!! You can/will also develop a "resistance" to the dose and need an increase in dose. If you take it every night, you do depend on it and often cannot sleep without it. Please make your doctor is aware of it. Also the elderly's system does not work as quickly as younger systems. Therefore all narcotics including ambien take much longer to clear out of their systems. Benadryl also takes a long time to clear the elderly system. It is best to talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. FYI..I have awakened after taking an ambien to sleep and found myself to have eaten one whole pound of chocolate covered caramels without my knowledge. It is possible to cook, eat, walk and drive without remembering. PLEASE be very careful when taking it.
Posted: 2008-09-30 15:26:45
Answer/Reply:
I am known for "tweaking" my own medication, but within limits and my doctor knows I do this & understands I understand my own body. I, unfortunately, have had negative experiences after increasing medication when I thought doing so would benefit my situation (over doing physical activities when I have nerve & muscle disabilities). I was allergic to the medication and the increased dosage triggered an allergic reaction. I have also been on Ambien CR. It helped me sleep when I used it but the side effects (amnesia, hallucinations, severe next day grogginess) out weighed the benefits. I am glad "it didn't kill you" and yes as with many medications you may have to increase your dosage over time, though it may take months or years for the effectiveness to diminish. Stay in touch with your doctor if adjustments need to be made, is the point I want to make. btw: i now take doxepin 50mg & trazadone 50mg (old-time meds) to help me with my insomnia. there r other alternatives.
42 year old Female
Posted: 2008-10-01 23:34:23
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
I have been taking Ambien 10mg for approximately 10 years. I fall asleep quickly and normally sleep all night. Several times I have stopped, when I do I cannot sleep at all for several nights then gradually start sleeping but not well. I definitely think that the benefits outweigh any negatives. I have never had any of the side effects.
Posted: 2008-09-27 06:13:33
Question/Comment:
I have been taking ambien for over 2 years and it works very well but i will share somthing with those that are new to this sleep aid.You MUST follow the DR's instructions to the T,until your body or what ever get's use to it, you will (or i did anyway) see double and have mild memory loss and make sure you only take as directed,because one night i took one as usual and about an hour later took another,yea i forgot about the first one,and my family said i acted really, well just stupid, to tell you the truth.They told me some things i said and done that they thought was funny,not me scared me,so be aware,some things you can do with this and all med is to keep a writing pad and write down when every time you take your meds,so if you do forget you can look back and double check(I also sleep with a CPAP or breathing machine for sleep problems )...thnxs
40 year old Male
Posted: 2008-08-08 02:21:51
Answer/Reply:
I know what you mean! When my doc gave it to me, my mom told me that 15 min later after taking it i said that i was tired and then hit the floor! I didn't get hurt and don't remember a thing!
25 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-08 00:58:17
Question/Comment:
does this drug cause heart problem
26 year old Male
Posted: 2008-07-01 08:56:34
Answer/Reply:
There is no current evidence that ambien causes any heart problems.
33 year old Male
Posted: 2008-08-04 19:33:00
Question/Comment:
I Love my ambien and will probably be on it for the rest of my life. It not only helps me sleep, it seems to help with my anxiety also. It also does not leave you groggy in the morning.
30 year old Female
Posted: 2008-05-01 10:08:17
iGuard.org Answer/Reply:
After 2 hours of insomnia, I break a pill in half and take that. It does the trick and quiets my brain so I don't have thoughts running all the time. My pharmacist suggested the half pill when I was concerned about the narcotic nature. I also tried Rozerum and was always groggy for the whole day after, plus some muscle weakness, even taking half a pill. So the half pill (not the Ambien CR which you can't break in half) is fine for me. A friend took Ambien in the hospital, and almost sleep-walked off past the nurses station! One pill is too strong.
I am a 78 year old female with an at-home business.
Posted: 2008-09-23 09:42:10
Answer/Reply:
Ambien is the only one that doesn't leave you with a hangover the next morning. I take it off and on but not everynight as I'd think it would lose its effectiveness taking it everynight. I take it if I have to wake up early for a day of work.I never sleep over 3-4 hrs a night and am constantly tired but am diabetic also and on amaryl so don't know if it it interacts with that.
70 year old Female
Posted: 2008-09-26 00:01:34
Question/Comment:
Doesn't seem to last a full 8 hours
71 year old Male
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
if you have moderate insomnia, the extended release form will work better
56 year old Male
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
take it works for me
45 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
My advice is to take the medication about 20-30 minutes before you are ready to go to sleep.
67 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Make sure you have atleast 8 hours to devote to sleep and go right to bed after taking ambien CR
45 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Do not eat or drink anything except water, especially coffee, tea or any kind of carbonaated drinks for several hours before taking the pill. And clear your mind and goto bed immediately after taking the pills and keep bedroom cool and quiet and as dark as possible without any distractions, like radios, tvs, computers or anything in the bedroom that may tempt you to turn them on.
62 year old Male
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Ambien needs to be taken at least 1 hour prior to going to bed
53 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Just take it the way the doctor prescribs
55 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Zolpidem will only give me 3 to 4 hrs. of sleep.
56 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Only take it as directed and your insomnia problems will be easily handled.
65 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Tell your doctor all of your symptoms and questions before you start.
53 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
doctors need to stress more the seriousness of taking this medicine and how it can interact with other medicines, such as antidepressants, etc.
50 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
Don't start it. Do anything else you can to not have to take it!
60 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
Question/Comment:
If ambien causes you to get up in the middle of the night and you are doing things you don't remember in the morning try taking a lower dose.I did this and I am still getting the same good effects with out having this bad side effect.
38 year old Female
Posted: 2008-03-10 00:00:00
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