Is it Ambien or Altzheimers? (cold, blood, doctor, heart)

[yukiko11]

I tried posting this as a blog, but got no answer. I hope some of you out there can give me some insight.

My best friend is a 58 year old woman. In connection with treatment for Hepatitus C which she contracted as a medical worker, she experienced one of the side effects of the drug cocktail which was sleeplessness. Her doctor prescribed Ambien. It has been 3 years now and she has discontinued the drug treatment because she could not continue to work and do the therapy, but she has become dependent on the Ambien which her doctor keeps perscribing. She only takes 1/2 a tablet a night and has never increased the dosage.
In the past 2 years she has started showing signs of memory lapse. When we talk on the phone she repeats stories over and over, and she has problems remembering the names of things (sort of like "loss of nouns" during menopause which I had experienced) She has quit 6 jobs in 2 years because she complains the employer does not make sense when he is explaining what he wants from her her. Recently she had her car stolen and found out when she went to the police that she hadn't paid for her new tabs.
I have been best friends with this person for 49 years. Although we live in different states, we talk on the phone at least once a week and see each other at least once a year. She has always been very disciplined and organized. This is not her.
I am aware that Altzheimers runs in her family. My next door neighbor was diagnosed 15 years ago and is now in the last stages, so I have seen the symptoms. I have tried to convince her to get screened, but she won't listen to me because she thinks her memory problems are normal for someone her age and the fact that I haven't experienced them is because I am a genius. Although that is true, I know plenty of people our age who have not yet experienced any mental difficulties. Because we have no families, I am going to travel to her state this year where we will set up mutual living trusts naming each other as the executor and main beneficiary. We don't have much, but we want to be sure that our wishes about dying are carried out.
Whatever happens, she will be able to count on me to care for her. I am currently searching for a new home that we can share if needed to accomplish that.
My question is. Are these symptoms being caused by the Ambien or may she actually be developing Altzheimers.
I would appreciate hearing some of your experiences with both.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Ambien causes memory problems for me but only at the time I have it in my system, I think it has a half life of 8 hours, which means its half way out of your system once 8 hours have passed.
If I took Ambien and then didn't go right to sleep, I would not remember the next morning what I had done, like folding the laundry or talking on the phone, or getting the mail.

Its anyones guess what your friends symptoms could be from. I sympathize with your plight, I used to work in a job where I came in contact with Hep C patients and heard them speak of the psychological side effects of the treatment, many wondered if the treatment was not worse then the illness.

I took Ambien over the summer both my parents had heart attacks and my Father ended up passing away. I went off the Ambien cold turkey. I flushed it all down the toilet to make sure I didn't change my mind. Well of course I couldn't sleep. BUT I made sure the next day was a day when I couldn't lay down to sleep, by the time that evening had gotten there, I was a wreck and fell right off to sleep.

I hope you can find a way to have a conversation with your friend. She might think about trying an anti-anxiety med rather then the Ambien. I take Clonazapam at night that NORMALLY helps me sleep pretty well. Tonight being one of those exceptions, we are having Tornado warnings and watches, makes it hard to sleep.

[subsound]

Half a pill is a pretty small dose, but it's not unheard of...I've taken it occasionally and I would have a little short term memory loss as it hit, but never after I got up in the morning. I would see if she can ween herself off of it so you can at least see what's going on. It sounds a good deal like how my Grandmother presented at the start of Alzheimer's, so it's good to find out when loss is at it's beginnings. I really hope it's just the pills, they affect everyone differently especially over the long term, and not something like dementia

['M']

Yukiko...I sympathize with your friend's plight. She is fortunate to have such a caring friend as you who is willing to make sure she has good care. I don't know much about ambien, although I do know enough to know I probably wouldn't take it. I am acqainted with Alzheimer's patients, and even though their symptoms are similar, Alzheimer's patients can all be very, very different in how their disease progresses and presents. What doesn't sound so good is that Alzheimer's runs in her family. This represents the issues that we aging baby boomers are going to be facing in the next 20 yrs or so. It is an issue that is close to my heart since in my work so many of the elderly have some form of dementia or full blown Alzheimer's. What we really need is more education and awareness. People tend to run from anything they don't understand. Education and understanding tend to draw people together: patients, caregivers, and family members. You sound like you are dedicated enough to get the answers that are needed, and will make sure that your friend isn't left out in the cold, so to speak. If I hear of anything, I will post again. All the best to you and your dear friend.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

I have taking Ambien every night for about five years with no memory loss problems.

[yhwhshalomjr]

I've been on Ambien 1/2 pill very short term, and I have not experienced any problems
with forgetfulness that was out of the ordinary for someone our age,
I hope that this is not an early onset of Alzheimer's , there is supposed to be help and hope out there if she is diagnosed with it. all she has to do is get the blood work drawn.
try to continue to be there for her and encourage her to get a proper diagnosis;
a dear friend on this earth is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
You deserve all the best, I have one childhood friend like this we are miles apart but will check up on each other
God Bless You

[cjma79]

Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA

I have taking Ambien every night for about five years with no memory loss problems.

five years

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA

I have taking Ambien every night for about five years with no memory loss problems.

I have heard people say that and thats wonderful if it works like that for you. I used to wake up and find the laundry folded, the mail on the desk, opened and sorted but I am the kind that fights going to sleep. They say the memory thing is more likely to happen if you don't take the pill and go straight to bed.
I would resist falling asleep and do all these things and not remember the next day.

[anadyr21]

It could be either. For a short time, I took Ambien and would be confused about whether it was day or night, call my husband asking strange questions, and completely forget everything that happened in a day. I took it again at another time and had no problems at all.

She needs to find out. There are medications that can slow down the progress of Alzheimers.

[Woof Woof Woof!]

I've heard that Ambien causes you to "black out." It's strange and freaky. I have trouble sleeping, too, but I'm not taking that stuff!