Ambien Side Effects
Brief
info
Most
common side effects: All medicines have side effects. Most common side
effects
of sleep medicines include:
• drowsiness
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• difficulty with coordination
You may
find that these medicines make you sleepy during the day. How drowsy you feel
depends upon how your body reacts to the medicine, which sleep medicine you are
taking, and how large a dose your doctor has prescribed. Daytime drowsiness is
best avoided by taking the lowest dose possible that will still help you sleep
at night.
The
most commonly observed side effects in controlled clinical trials of Ambien were
drowsiness (2%), dizziness (1%), and diarrhea (1%). You
may find that sleep medicines make you sleepy during the day. How drowsy you feel
depends on how your body reacts to the medicine, which sleep medicine you're taking,
and how large a dose your doctor has prescribed. Daytime
drowsiness is best avoided by taking the lowest dose possible that will still
help you sleep at night. Your doctor will work with you to find the dose that's
best for you. To
manage these side effects while you're taking this medicine: When
you first start taking Ambien (or any other sleep medicine), use extreme care
while doing anything that requires complete alertness, such as driving a car,
operating machinery, or piloting an aircraft, until you know whether the medicine
will have some carryover effect on you the next day.
Never drink alcohol
while you are being treated with any sleep medicine. Alcohol can increase its
action and side effects.
Do not take any other medicines without asking your
doctor first. This includes medicines you can buy without a prescription. Some
medicines can cause drowsiness and are best avoided while taking sleep aids.
Always take the exact dose of sleep aid prescribed by your doctor. Never change
your dose without talking to your doctor first. Order
Ambien
Special Concerns
Some special concerns that may arise while taking
sleep medicines include memory problems , tolerance , dependence , withdrawal
, and changes in behavior and thinking .
Memory
problems
Sleep medicines may cause the special type of memory loss known
as amnesia. When this occurs, a person may not remember what has happened for
several hours after taking the medicine. This is usually not a problem, since
most people fall asleep after taking the medicine. Memory loss can be a problem,
however, when sleep medicines are taken while traveling, such as during an airplane
flight, and the person wakes up before the effect of the medicine is gone. This
has been called "traveler's amnesia." For more information about the
effect of Ambien on memory, see important product information. Tolerance
Ambien, like most other sleep medicines, is typically taken for 7 to 10 days as
needed. However, if sleep medicines are used every night for more than a few weeks,
they may lose their effectiveness. This loss of effectiveness is known as tolerance.
For more information about Ambien and tolerance, see important product information. Dependence
and addiction
Ambien is classified as a Schedule IV substance by government
regulation. Potential for abuse and addiction is a primary consideration of a
drug’s classification. Please ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions
about this. Addiction,
or dependence, can be caused by sleep medicines, especially when they are used
regularly for longer than a few weeks or at high doses. All people taking sleep
medicines have some risk of becoming dependent on the medicine. However, people
who have been dependent on alcohol or other drugs in the past may have a greater
chance of becoming addicted to sleep medicines and should be under their doctor’s
careful observation when receiving Ambien or any other sleep medicine. For more
information about Ambien and dependence, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, or
see important product information. Withdrawal
When people develop dependence, they may experience unpleasant symptoms if they
suddenly stop taking the medicine after having used the medicine daily for a long
time, and in some cases for only a week or two. In clinical trials that helped
determine if doctors should be allowed to prescribe Ambien, less than 1% of patients
reported withdrawal symptoms within 48 hours after they stopped taking Ambien.
Since doctors have been allowed to prescribe Ambien, reports of withdrawal have
been rare. Another
problem that may occur when sleep medicines are stopped is known as “rebound
insomnia.” This means that a person may have more trouble sleeping the first
few nights after the medicine is stopped than they did before starting the medicine.
If you should experience rebound insomnia, don't get discouraged. This problem
usually goes away on its own after a night or two. Talk to your doctor if the
problem persists. If
you have been taking Ambien for more than 1 or 2 weeks, do not stop taking it
on your own. Always follow your doctor's directions. For more information about
Ambien and withdrawal, see important product information. Changes
in behavior and thinking
Some people using sleep medicines have experienced
unusual changes in their thinking and/or behavior. These effects are not common
with Ambien. For more information about Ambien and behavior, see important product
information. Safe
Use of Sleep Medicines
To ensure the safe and effective use of Ambien
or any other sleep medicine, you should observe the following cautions: Use
any sleep medicine only as directed by your doctor. Follow your doctor's instructions
about how, when, and for how long to take this medicine.
Never use the medicine
for a longer period than your doctor specifies.
If you notice any unusual
and/or disturbing thoughts or behavior during treatment with any sleep medicine,
contact your doctor.
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines,
including those you can buy without a prescription.
Tell your doctor if you
drink alcohol. Do not use alcohol while taking any sleep medicine.
Do not
take Ambien unless you are able to get a full night's sleep before you must be
active again. For example, do not take Ambien on an overnight airplane flight
of less than 7 to 8 hours, since "traveler's amnesia" may occur.
Do not increase the prescribed dose of any sleep medicine unless instructed by
your doctor.
When you first start taking any sleep medicine, use extreme
care while doing anything that requires complete alertness, such as driving a
car, operating machinery, or piloting an aircraft, until you know whether the
medicine will have some carryover effect on you the next day.
Be aware that
you may have increased sleeping problems the first night or two after stopping
any sleep medicine.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant, if you
are planning to become pregnant, or if you become pregnant while taking any sleep
medicine.
As with all prescription medicines, never share any sleep medicine
with anyone else. Always store sleep medicine in the original container, out of
reach of children.
Ambien works very quickly. Only take it right before going
to bed, when you're ready to go to sleep. 
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