Problems with Ambien CR (depression, quit smoking, doctor, heart)

[GCSTroop]

I don't post on this forum very often, but I thought I'd inquire on something that happened to me the other day.

I very rarely take any sort of medication. However, due to my job being a night shift operation, I have had some problems sleeping during the day. I went to see a doctor and she prescribed Ambien CR for me.

I tried it for the first time yesterday morning after work. I took it about 0830 in the morning, and about 30-45 minutes later I fell asleep. I'd say I got about 1-2 hours of sleep before I popped awake. I was awake, but felt drowsy (as if the Ambien were working) but I was also high strung. I suppose the best description I can give (although I've never done it) would be something like having taken an 'upper' and a 'downer' at the same time. My heart was jumpy, but I was sleepy. I also had terrible mood swings, dominated particularly by anger but also by a feeling of pretty strong depression.

Finally around 4:30 P.M. (when I normally wake up) the full effects of the Ambien CR seemed to hit me. I was out like a light. I had to be at work at 2100 (9 P.M.). I managed to get out of bed at 7:30 having felt like I was heavily sedated/drugged and, like an absolute idiot, I drove to work. The thing that scared me was that I had very little recollection of actually having driven to work. I was halfway there and couldn't even remember leaving my driveway. I got to work, told my boss that I had an adverse reaction to some medication, and asked if he needed me to stay. He told me that I could go if I felt like it, but he'd appreciate it if I stayed. To be honest, I was kind of scared to drive home at that point so I stayed at work thinking the Ambien would HAVE to eventually go away. It did around midnight, but then I was absolutely exhausted from not having slept at all.

Has anyone heard of Ambien CR causing such problems? The mood swings, the drowsy but awake feeling, and the almost hallucinogenic un-euphoric state have me wondering the most. I am going to ask my doctor about it, and I have not and will not take it again. Has anyone else taken Ambien/Ambien CR and had a similar reaction? It really whacked me out.

Edit: I am not currently taking any other medications, just in case someone else wanted to know.

[PinkString]

There have been other threads here on city-data where people talked about the terrible side effects from using Ambien and other sleep related pills.
Some downright scary one's too. You may have to go back several pages through this section to find them.

Also, i found a forum that is totally devoted to sleep disorders, and they many threads dedicated to scary side effects and other problems with Ambien. You can find that here:
View Forum - Insomnia

There is always an alternative to taking a pill. If i were you, i'd quit the Ambien and take a natural herb that induces sleep instead. And no side-effects. I'll post more on that later, once i check my prescription alternatives book. You can also find that at amazon.

[GCSTroop]

Thank you! I appreciate the information, and I'll definitely research it some more.

[silverwing]

Originally Posted by PinkString

Also, i found a forum that is totally devoted to sleep disorders, and they many threads dedicated to scary side effects and other problems with Ambien. You can find that here:
View Forum - Insomnia

Before I go searching thru that forum (I looked and noted that it was many threads with a lot of questions) does it address night shift workers and their sleep issues specifically? A lot of us don't have a problem with sleep, itself, it's getting your body to sleep during a time totally not normal for it. Like the OP, I'm a night shift worker; have been for years. One would think a body could adjust to that schedule, but I absolutely can't. When I lived like a normal person, and slept at night, I had no problems. I have to chemically induce sleep to get any rest at all. And I've tried allll the natural stuff: melatonin, valerian, warm milk .. nothing works but diphehydramine, taken in doses that have increased over the years to be effective.

To the OP: I had reactions similar to yours, though it didn't affect work. I waited until my weekend when I could stay in a safe place while trying out Amiben CR -- it's a method I suggest for anyone trying out the drug. Once I woke up, I wasn't able to function because of dizziness, nausea and just feeling generally spaced out. I had to call my spouse (also a night shifter) home to watch over me while I waited for the drug to leave my system. Scared the heck outa me and I never tried more than that one dose.

[mimosa]

Ambien CR did nothing for me as i was taking Wellbutrin to quit smoking and couldnt sleep. Never took it again. Jack Nicholsen says he almost drove off a bridge taking the stuff. People are sleepwalking and driving cars in a tranz. It should be taken off the market. When i can't get to sleep i take 1/2 Xanax and it works for 3 hrs at least. My head and thoughts are what keep me awake so that works and no side effect.

[mdtoaz]

My friend's husband was taking Ambien, and she would wake up to find him asleep at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal in front of him. When she'd try to talk to him, he would appear to be awake, but be totally incoherent and would not remember anything of the incidents. Pretty scary stuff.

[tinka]

MY DOC. GAVE ME AMBIEN IT PUT ME TO SLEEP QUICK BUT I FEEL DEPRESSED I EVEN FELT LIKE KILLING MYSELF SOMETHING TOLD ME TO CHECK THESIDE AFFECTS TODAY AND I DID COME TO FIND OUT IT CAUSES DEPRESSIONJ AND SUCIDAL THOUGHTS i'M NOT TAKING THAT ANYMORE

[jessiegirl_98]

Whenever you feel like you're having side effects, always talk to your doctor. Also, you can even just call Walgreens and they will tell you what the side effects are, or check out Mayo Clinic medical information and tools for healthy living - MayoClinic.com

[Bridget]

I had two friends that took Ambien and got mildly addicted to it (Is there such thing as mildly). One found that he had driven to McDonalds, gotten food, went home and ate it before his wife found him asleep on the couch with his mouth full of fries.

The second used to take it and she would find empty boxes of crackers on her counter. One morning was going about her day when she found some evidence that she might have ordered directv the night before. She called them pretending like she was just verifying info and sure enought she scheduled them to come and hook up a system for her.

[umograd83]

I took Ambien CR for quite some time when I was depressed. I would take it and wouldn't fall asleep right away. My husband said that I would talk to him. The next day I didn't remember what I had said. I would say "Tomorrow, I'm going to blah, blah, blah". Couldn't remember saying it. I have heard of those symptoms of people driving and not being aware of it. Or eating and not being aware of it. Isn't that what happened to one of the Kennedys last year in Washington, DC?