For anyone considering the sleep medicine ambien side effects are crucial to know. The list of potential issues with this drug may make you think twice before you fill that prescription. The more you use it the greater your risk too.
While Ambien is one of the more widely prescribed sleeping medications in use today, too many people including doctors treat it as a fairly safe and harmless drug. However, the more you dig into this drug the more disconcerting it becomes. Ambien side effects are in many cases fairly serious and even life threatening. It is critical that you be aware of them if you are thinking about using this drug.
The side effects of Ambien are varied. The mild ones are upset stomach, headaches, possible next day drowsiness, muscle pain and blurred vision. These however are the least of the possible problems with this drug. The worst ones are down right frightening.
One of the Ambien side effects that is of note is that it can produce blocks of amnesia. People on Ambien have reported periods of time either before they went to sleep or sometimes during the night where they have performed activities: cooking, eating, cleaning house, calling people on the phone, emailing, etc. and have no memory of the events. Often the events that involve other people like phone calls are bizarre for the person on the receiving end. The person on Ambien sounded like they were on drugs or in some cases was downright mean and abusive. At one web site I went to a women taking Ambien mentioned throwing her significant other out of the house during the night and had no memory of it and no idea why she would have done that.
In the same vein as the above side effects of Ambien is that some people become sexually uninhibited and display extreme sexual behavior while on Ambien. Again, most do not remember acting that way or that they engaged in sexual activity when they wake up the next morning. While some may find this to be a side benefit rather than a side effect it can be dangerous. Often the person tends to not have inhibitions about WHO they have sex with. One woman reported that several people who knew she was taking Ambien used it as an opportunity to have sex with her when she normally would not have done so with them.
It should also be noted that Ambien cr side effects are the same as regular Ambien. The drug is the same, just in an extended release format. Ambien cr side effects do not seem to vary to much from the standard version even though the user receives the drug throughout the night.
Ambien side effects also include hallucinations. Several people have noted that they start to see and hear things that aren't there before they fall asleep. Many have reported having conversations with people or objects not actually present or that are not alive prior to going to sleep. They seem to do this regardless of whether others are present in the room or not.
Mood/Behavior changes are also one of the many dangerous Ambien side effects. A teacher who was taking the drug noticed that she started to be angry and verbally aggressive toward her students the next day after taking the drug. This went on for some time until one night she didn't take it. The next day she was calm again and able to handle her students appropriately. She has since stopped taking the drug. Others have noticed that they tend to have significant mood swings and changes in normal behavior.
The drug is also somewhat addictive in that people can become dependent on it for sleep. Many have noticed that they have rebound insomnia when they come off the drug. Others find that their body adjusts to it and they need increased doses or different drugs in order to maintain sleep.
These are just a few of the possible Ambien side effects. However, I think it is sufficient to show that this drug is not as safe as many believe it is. Yes, it does help you get a good nights rest in many cases, but is it worth it? Doing things you would not normally do and not remembering them or engaging in behavior and mood that is out of place is not something to be treated lightly. Consider these things carefully and perhaps consider alternatives like lifestyle changes, natural supplements or therapy to help your body go to sleep naturally without the risk of such side effects.
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