The side effects according to the TV commercial, are “headache, drowsiness, (wait, isn’t it a sleeping pill!?) dizziness and Diarrhea”???
Ok, this isn’t a good thing. Is it?
What could be a worse combination of side effects?
From what I understand, this stuff knocks you out but you don’t feel rested in the morning.
I don’t take sleeping aids, have never had to. I certainly wouldn’t take one that gave me diarrhea.
Constant sneezing, loose bowels, vomiting, and heart failure?
Constant sneezing, loose bowels, cotton mouth, frequent urination and the sudden urge to listen to ABBA.
I love Ambien! I go through periodic stages of insomnia when I’m my most stressed, and have taken Ambien from time to time. I had absolutely no side effects (other than the aforementioned drowsiness), and I felt great when I woke up in the morning. It was really cool, too–you have to take it when you’re in your jammies and in bed, because within 5 minutes you’re asleep!
I’ve also used Ambien in the past, with no side effects. (And I believe they usually use the disclaimer “possible side effects include…”). I too fell asleep rather quickly and awoke feeling refreshed.
IANAD, but if you try it once and it doesn’t work for you, and you do experience any of the side effects mentioned, there are other alternatives to Ambien your doctor could prescribe.
Sweet dreams to you! 
Once of the side effects is also temporary amnesia. I had a whole conversation with my SO one night and don’t remember anything about it. Apparently I was really sweet too which cracked me up because I had been pissed at him before I went to bed.
I don’t know about Ambien, but this is true for me regarding the OTC sleeping pills I occasionally take (Tylenol Simply Sleep or something). They knock me out, but I never feel that rested the next day.
From the Physician’s Desk Reference info on Ambien, on the drugs.com website:
These data points are consistent with my personal experience of Ambien: that it does not leave the patient groggy the next day, unlike older sleep meds such as Valium and its analogues, or antihistamines like diphenhyramine (aka Benadryl, which is the only active ingredient in many OTC sleep aids).
Now, to go back to the OP. Here’s the money quote from the PDR data:
At 1%, that’s down to statistical noise level. I believe the FDA requires advertisers list the most common side effects, though, regardless of how many people actually got them - not a helpful rule, IMO, because it results in people getting a warped perspective.
I’m sorry, if I offended any Ambien® users.
I just found the juxiposition of side effects amusing.
I understand how drug studies work.
I’ve been on both sides; as researcher and a subject.
Oh, goodness no - I hope I didn’t sound offended! I just wanted to set out what the research actually showed. These drug ads are a bugbear of mine; on the one hand, the images they show are often very unrealistic, but the warnings are often overdone, too.
Verbosamine, for the treatment of social anxiety disorder.
May cause amnesia, halitosis, gassiness and hearing loss.
If you won’t shut up, don’t realize you’re farting like a mule in a cabbage patch, forget what you’re saying and have funky breath, please consult your doctor.
I think the drugs whose side effects kill your liver are probably the worst. Although, they probably don’t have those on TV, do they?
“Side effects may include liver death”
nah…
In social situations, you may not hear people, forget what they say when you do, have goat breath and fart like a camel…
…but at least you won’t feel all weird about it!
The Something Awful forum has a section for drug discussion. The kids on there talk and talk about “tripping” on Ambien. I’m sure they’re taking larger than recommended doses, but the stuff sounds kind of scary to me regardless.
But, I do have some awful insomnia. Maybe it’s worth a try.
It’s call Tylenol.
Indygrrl, re: tripping on Ambien - I’ve been know to have some wild hallucinations on one 10 mg dose of ambien. This happened a lot more when I only took it occasionally. I take it regularly now 1/2 hour before bedtime, and I still get mild hallucinations every so often, but nothing like I used to. I’m working with a sleep clinic to try and get my sleep disorders resolved, but they didn’t want to change too many things at once, so I’m still taking Ambien every night, occasionally two.
I don’t know why this tickles me so, but what a great (horrible!) combination of problems!
As is pretty obvious, it varies a whole lot from one person to another. I took Ambien briefly when I was having difficulty sleeping because of anxiety. I conked off to sleep almost instantly, but woke feeling just as anxious as when I went to sleep, and thus did not feel very rested. Fortunately, another doctor who actually listened to what I was saying prescribed Trazadone, which is an old anti-anxiety med that has the side effect of sleepiness. Much better for me.
With Ambien, you do have to be sure that you only take it when you are going to be able to have a full night’s sleep. If you stay up late and take it at 2 a.m., you are not going to be in shape to function well at 6 or 7 a.m.
OTOH, I know of another person who swears that the Ambien does not even make her drowsy, which I find hard to believe, but she’s never lied to me about a thing like that before.
First of all it’s technically a hypnotic. Secondly, especially when you first start taking it, it will knock you the fu*k out! You start getting really strange incoherent thoughts running through your head, and if you’re in bed at the time, you go right to sleep. If you’re awake when it kicks in, you might not remember a damn thing about anything the next day, and you are in a usually very, very, good mood.
On a few occasions I had to get up to go to the restroom about 20 minutes after taking a 10mg, and I’d see little people in the shadows, but it wasn’t even remotely frightening. I was kind of like, “Hi, what are you people doing in my bathroom?” I realised it was a hallucination, and that was just fine with me. Woke up 8 hours later feeling fine almost every time, usually without even having to set my alarm.
This is a controlled substance though, only take Ambien according to your doctor’s directions. It can be habit forming, and you will eventually build up a tolerance to it. That said, Ambien is awesome. Hell, most of the White House cabinet swears by it (according to Colin Powell) cite availably on request.
Orignalli posted by picunurse
The side effects according to the TV commercial, are “headache, drowsiness, (wait, isn’t it a sleeping pill!?) dizziness and Diarrhea”???
Ok, this isn’t a good thing. Is it?
What could be a worse combination of side effects?
Originally Posted by Necro Romancer
Constant sneezing, loose bowels, vomiting, and heart failure?. . . .
HIJACK
Reminds me of the joke:
Pharmacist leaves the shop in the hands of the assisant saying,“Don’t fill any scripts or dipense any medical advice while I am out. However, I will be back in 30-45 mins.” And the assistant acknowledges the directions and states that the pharmacist should not concern himself unduely. The pharmacist returns an hour later and while putting his white coat back on asks, “Anything come up while I was out?”
Assistant: “Yes, Mr. Jones came in with a constipation, hiccups, and sneezing fits. And I had him drink 16oz of prune juice right quick in one gulp.”
Pharmacist: “OMIGOSH! I told you . .uh . . where is he?”
Assistant: “In the corner over there holding his nose and trying not to sneeze.” Implying that the individual will soon explode nastily if he sneezes again.
/HIJACK
Sometimes listening to the voiceover rattle off the possible side effects of these “miracle” drugs makes me stop and think to myself-“Why in the world would I take this medicine since the PSE sound worse than the affliction I would take the med for?”
OTOH, stating a PSE is drowiness in a sleep aid is kinda like, “No, duh. Wouldn’t excitability or wakefulness be considered a more undesireable PSE?”