Side Effects of Ambien

As mentioned above one of the several trade names for zolpidem is ambien. It is a sedative, meaning it used for to treat insomnia. This drug starts working immediately and provides relief for around 3 hours. This drug is used for a short-term treatment as there are certain chemicals in this drug which can lead to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Ambien is also used as a prescribed drug to treat some brain disorders. The following paragraphs will discuss these side effects.

There is a lot of care to be taken while taking ambien. The daily dosage of ambien for an adult is 10 mg. It should never be more than 10 mg. Ambien can be addictive. Hence, it has to be always taken only when prescribed and should not be taken for a long duration. While going off this medication, it is necessary to do gradually. If a person stops taking these medications immediately, then it is possible that he/she will face some withdrawal symptoms. When a person stops taking ambien, he/she may experience certain discomforts like nausea and nervousness. All these points make it clear that this medication should be taken only if it is prescribed, should be taken in the prescribed dosage and the doctor should be consulted before ceasing to take these medications.

Ambien Side Effects

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Irritation in the nose and throat
• Muscle pain
• Upset stomach
• Headaches

There are several severe side effects like:

• Hives on the skin
• Itching
• Chest pain
• Difficulty in breathing
• Hallucinations
• Sleepwalking
• Unclear thinking
• Mood changes
• Depression
• Changes in the vision

The person showing any of these symptoms needs to be taken to the emergency room immediately to avoid serious complications. Some of the severe side effects are discussed in detail below.

Memory Loss
It has been observed that many people experience memory loss for several hours after taking ambien. They forget all that they had done. In some cases it has been observed that even if the person has forgotten all about what he/she did after taking ambien, the people around the person found the person to be lucid and normal. In order to avoid this memory loss, experts say that this medicine needs to be taken just before going to bed. It is recommended that this medication should be taken when the person is sure that he/she will get at least 8 hours of sleep immediately. This makes bedtime the best time to take ambien.

Ambien and Weight Gain
It has been observed that taking ambien for a long duration leads to weight gain. This weight gain is the result of binge eating. Some people who are on ambien may start having eating disorders, especially during the night. This binge eating at night increases the weight of the person. Moreover, the person may not remember anything about eating a lot due to the short-term memory loss. This is even worse. Thus, eating disorder is another side effect of Ambien.

Ambien Overdose
Ambien overdose can happen to a person who is on ambien for quite some period of time. As mentioned above, ambien can be addictive. A person who has become addicted to ambien may take an ambien overdose. Fatigue, congestive heart failure and lung failure are the symptoms of an ambien overdose. These symptoms are very severe and require the person to be admitted to the hospital immediately. The treatment for an ambien overdose will be closely monitored by the doctors and will include pumping and flushing the stomach of the person. However, this can happen only if the person has been admitted immediately after taking the overdose. Most of the time, the medicine gets absorbed in the system immediately and this increases the chances of fatality. Proper hospital care is needed in such cases.

As you can see from the above, there are several side effects of ambien and most of them are severe. It is necessary to get a proper prescription for this medication and the medicine needs to be taken in the right dosage to avoid fatality.