Ambien Adverse Effects

I was taking zolpidem CR/12.5mg for about 6 months. A few days ago, I came home from working an evening shift and drank one 24 ounce can of beer (officially two drinks). 3 hours later I took my usual dose of zolpidem, which I use approx 3 times each week. I really thought nothing of it at the time. I didn't use them together at the same time. I don't get high, I don't look for a buzz. I don't remember anything else. I got up at some point and took more (i assume, because the bottle was halfway gone. I don't remember doing this, it's not something I have ever done and I have always followed prescribed dosing. After going to bed, the next thing I remember is waking up 50 miles away in jail, in a county completely unfamiliar to me (i didn't know how to get there or even where it was on a map). I was arrested for impaired driving. The trooper reported that I said I was "going camping" and had an ACE bandage around my head "to stay warm". I have ZERO recollection of this. It's just not there. My life is completely changed. Completely and miserably. My point is: this can be dangerous. You may take it 50 times with perfect results, and on the 51st, if you have a glass of wine with dinner and take the med, it could be the last time you ever do anything. If you experience ANY episodes of sleepwalking, eating, unexplained activity or moving things around in the house, weird texts to people...ANYTHING, don't take it and consult your doc for guidance. Please hear me and consider this...you have to have this information, and do research on it yourself. It's too late for me. My life will never be the same.

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Hi, Medic! I am so sorry about what happened to you, that's terrible. It's great of you to post a warning for others, thank you!

Zolpidem/Ambien is very well known to cause hallucinations and sleep actions in some people that take it and that is warned about in the drug monograph. It doesn't happen to everyone that takes it, which is evidenced by the fact that you took it for so long, without any problems.

Thus, I have to agree with you that the tipping point in your case was likely the beer. There is a reason people are warned to abstain from alcohol, while taking most prescription medications, or warned that alcohol with it could intensity some of the effects….because it really does.

When a prescription medication carries that warning, it is one that everyone should take very seriously, though I know most people don't. Many just don't understand the severity of the possible dangers.

Many prescription medications tend to slow down how fast alcohol is processed through your liver and out of your body, this basically intensifies the effects of the alcohol, which means that your 2 servings of beer were actually equivalent to about 4 servings, since you'd been taking the Zolpidem regularly.

And the alcohol, in turn, tends to intensify the side effects of many medications, which explains how you suddenly experienced the hallucinations and sleep actions, even though it had never happened to you, before.

Learn more Ambien details here.

So yes, it really is very dangerous to mix alcohol with prescription medications. Not just Ambien, but virtually all prescription drugs.

Are there any comments or questions?

And Medic, I wish you the best and hope all turns out well. But something you do need to know is that your life isn't ruined and over, due to this happening. You may have to deal with some ramifications, but life does go on and you'll eventually be able to smile again.

Please have a fantastic day!

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