I've been taking 10mg zolpidem (generic Ambien) for a couple of weeks. Last night I didn't take it and I had horrible, vivid nightmares. We're talking stuff from horror movies, really disturbing. Was I just having a bad night or can Ambien withdrawal cause this?
Can Ambien withdrawal cause nightmares?
Question posted by Anonymous on 3 May 2013
Last updated on 27 February 2024
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
20 Answers Page 2
twyn
12 Oct 2014
I thought I was the only one. When I know I can`t take mine I dread going to bed, wondering how bad my dreams will be. I work 3rd shift so I take it to sleep during the day. When I`m on vacation I try not to take it and the dreams get better by the 3rd night usually. Lousy side effect.
Fordwv
19 April 2014
Same problem here. I've taken zolpidem for over a year now. A couple of months ago I didn't take it and had repeated terrifying nightmares. One after the other. Tonight I awakened thinking I was in an earthquake.
erick777
17 July 2013
Same thing happened to me twice. I've been talking zolpiden for 7 months. Forget to take during a one day trips to the beach and had the worse nightmares.
seachange
16 Aug 2013
This has happened to me more than once, and I only take 5mg. I finally decided to see if anyone else had the same problem. Kind of makes we wonder what would happen if I didn't take it another night- or another...
Ahmad Ali
20 Sep 2013
I had variations of nightmares after zoldem withdrawal (10 mg at 11 pm just for 3 nights). It was so bad experience.
9design
22 June 2013
I didn't take ambien last night and I had that exact experience. Very vivid and disturbing. When I woke up the images kept me awake so I took the ambien and slept soundly. Like you said, it was just like a very scary movie but I was in it. I've been taking it without a single problem for 2 months. That was such a bad experience I got online tonight to see if anyone else had the same experience.
Inactive
24 June 2013
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. It has repeated itself a couple of times when I forgot to take the Ambien. Disturbing, but at least I know what seems to cause it.
mhelcl
5 May 2013
No, this is not a typical withdrawal symptom with Zolpidem.
madebyford
19 April 2015
Typical or atypical, it is in fact a side effect from Zolpidem withdrawal. I've learned this from personal experience.
Ajarn
4 Aug 2018
Matthew Walker's excellent book "Why we sleep" covers recent research on Ambien/Zolpidem suggesting that it actually changes the way the brain falls asleep.
Hence the possible dangers of taking it over too long a period.
I, too, on withdrawal, found that I experienced extremely vivid and stressful dreams almost as soon as I fell asleep.
On being woken by them, it was difficult to work out whether I was remembering a dream, or something very stressful that had actually happened...
SkylorBlue
26 Feb 2019
Not true. Google it
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ambien, nightmares, zolpidem, withdrawal
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