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Ambien |
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What is Ambien and why is it prescribed? Ambien is used for short-term treatment of insomnia. Sleep problems are usually temporary and require medication for a week or two at most. Insomnia that lasts longer could be a sign of another medical problem. If you find that you need this medicine for more than 7 to 10 days, be sure to check with your doctor. How should you take Ambien? Follow your doctors directions for taking Ambien. Ambien works very quickly. Take it just before going to bed. Take only the prescribed dose, exactly as instructed by your doctor. Take Ambien only as needed. Never double the dose. Store Ambien at room temperature. Protect from extreme heat. Are there any Ambien side effects? Ambien side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. More common Ambien side effects may include allergy, daytime drowsiness, dizziness, drugged feeling, headache, indigestion, and nausea. Less common Ambien side effects may include abdominal pain, abnormal dreams, abnormal vision, agitation, amnesia, anxiety, arthritis, back pain, bronchitis, burning sensation, chest pain, confusion, constipation, coughing, daytime sleeping, decreased mental alertness, depression, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, difficulty concentrating, difficulty swallowing, diminished sensitivity to touch, dizziness on standing, double vision, dry mouth, emotional instability, exaggerated feeling of well-being, eye irritation, falling, fatigue, fever, flu-like symptoms, gas, general discomfort, hallucination, hiccup, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, increased sweating, infection, insomnia, itching, joint pain, lack of bladder control, lack of coordination, lethargy, light-headedness, loss of appetite, menstrual disorder, migraine, muscle pain, nasal inflammation, nervousness, numbness, paleness, prickling or tingling sensation, rapid heartbeat, rash, ringing in the ears, sinus inflammation, sleep disorder, speech difficulties, swelling due to fluid retention, taste abnormalities, throat inflammation, throbbing heartbeat, tremor, unconsciousness, upper respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, vertigo, vomiting, and weakness. Rare Ambien side effects may include abnormal tears or tearing, abscess, acne, aggravation of allergies, aggravation of high blood pressure, aggression, allergic reaction, altered production of saliva, anemia, belching, blisters, blood clot in lung, boils, breast pain, breast problems, breast tumors, bruising, chill with high temperature followed by heat and perspiration, decreased sex drive, delusion, difficulty urinating, excessive urine production, eye pain, facial swelling due to fluid retention, fainting, false perceptions, feeling intoxicated, feeling strange, flushing, frequent urination, glaucoma, gout, heart attack, hemorrhoids, herpes infection, high cholesterol, hives, hot flashes, impotence, inability to urinate, increased appetite, increased tolerance to the drug, intestinal blockage, irregular heartbeat, joint degeneration, kidney failure, kidney pain, laryngitis, leg cramps, loss of reality, low blood pressure, mental deterioration, muscle spasms in arms and legs, muscle weakness, nosebleed, pain, painful urination, panic attacks, paralysis, pneumonia, poor circulation, rectal bleeding, rigidity, sciatica, sensation of seeing flashes of lights or sparks, sensitivity to light, sleepwalking, speech difficulties, swelling of the eye, thinking abnormalities, thirst, tooth decay, uncontrolled leg movements, urge to go to the bathroom, varicose veins, weight loss, and yawning. What are the possible food and drug interactions when taking Ambien? If Ambien is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. Be sure to inform your doctor of all the prescription and over the counter medications you are taking. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Ambien with The major tranquilizer chlorpromazine/Thorazine, The antidepressant drug imipramine/Tofranil, Serotonin-boosting antidepressants (such as Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft), or Drugs that depress the central nervous system (including Valium, Percocet, and Benadryl). Are there any special warnings about Ambien? When sleep medications are used every night for more than a few weeks, some may lose their effectiveness. You can become dependent on some sleep medications if you use them for a long time or at high doses. Some people using Ambien, especially those taking serotonin-boosting antidepressants, have experienced unusual changes in their thinking and/or behavior. Alert your doctor if you notice a change. Ambien and other sleep medicines can cause a special type of memory loss. It should not be taken on an overnight airplane flight of less than 7 to 8 hours, since "traveler's amnesia" may occur. When you first start taking Ambien, until you know whether the medication will have any "carry over" effect the next day, use extreme care while doing anything that requires complete alertness, such as driving a car or operating machinery. Older adults, in particular, should be aware that they may be more apt to fall. Use Ambien cautiously if you have liver problems. It will take longer for its effects to wear off. If you take Ambien for more than 1 or 2 weeks, consult your doctor before stopping. Sudden discontinuation of a sleep medicine can bring on withdrawal symptoms ranging from unpleasant feelings to vomiting and cramps. When taking Ambien, do not drink alcohol. It can increase the drug's side effects. If you have breathing problems, they may become worse when you use Ambien. |
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Information on this website is provided for educational purposes and should not replace discussions with your doctor. |
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