Ambien CR for Insomnia User Reviews (Page 3)

• LizaS
• March 14, 2015

"I have been on regular Ambien 10mg since 2007. I have major insomnia and have tried alternatives and even quit drinking caffeine and limit sugar to no avail. I talked to my doctor yesterday and decided to try the CR because I just couldn't stay asleep. After 3-4 hours I was wide awake. Well last night I had the most vivid dreams and still groggy this morning. It definitely helped me fall back asleep. (I pee a lot lol) I am glad I waited until the weekend to see how it would affect me. I took it at 8:30p and it's almost 9a and I feel slightly hungover. I'm going to try it again tonight, but sleeping through the night might not be worth it. I can't believe some reviews say it's not affective because it immediately made me sleepy!"

• Anonymous
• March 25, 2009

"This is very effective, but TAKE ONLY RIGHT BEFORE YOU GO TO BED. I did not do this once and ended up sleep walking to my car, driving and rear ending someone. I had no memory of doing this - only found out details by reading the police report. Take only as prescribed."

• paw
• March 13, 2011

"Ambein CR 12.5 is great. I took it for years until AARP Medicare prescription drug plan removed it from their list. I did not experience any known side effects. It is the only medicine for insomnia that has worked for me. Maybe soon the insurance company will realize that and stop causing me to lose sleep."

• aammkk
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2016

"I started taking Ambien CR 12.5mg for insomnia and it initially worked very well. Sometime around my 4th month on it I started to unknowingly wake and take at least one (or more???) during the night. One morning I awoke to find about half my bottle of pills spilled on the floor by my bed. Another time I awoke to find an empty drink glass beside my bed. Apparently I had got up and mixed a drink (maybe more than one???) . . . SCARY STUFF! No more Ambien for me, EVER."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2012

"I take the 12.5 CR and it does nothing for me but give me double vision. I take Melatonin over the counter now after waiting 3 or more hours for the Ambien to kick in. The Melatonin actually works. I did this for 3 days and gave up on the Ambien now."

• Krist...
• July 7, 2016

"I was given two choices for my insomnia; melatonin or ambien as a quick fix. Of course I picked the quick fix and went with ambien. I took the first night and for 20-30 minutes after taking read reviews online. While reading I noticed my phone screen seemed to move and I lost focus over and over again. I thought maybe because I had been up for over 24 hours from the insomnia prior to getting the prescription, but upon the second time taking it realized that if you fight the window of time to fall asleep, you do get quiet a high. Hallucinations do occur occasionally. However, i was given a two week trial of this drug to see how well it worked for me and as I continue to take it I notice that I fall asleep quickly, but wake up throughout nite"

• Anonymous
• January 8, 2010

"I was taking Lunesta, which is fantastic, however Blue Shield would not cover this drug until I first tried regular Ambien and then Ambien CR (in that order). Regular Ambien only put me asleep for about 2 hours. Ambien CR would work for a full night. However, both versions of Ambien gave me a dull headache as they were taking effect. The next 1-2 days following, I'd be in a really foul mood, depressed, anxious, and a real "fight picker" with others. No such problems with Lunesta. Luckily, my employer switched to Blue Cross, which does not pay for Ambien CR but does pay for Lunesta, so I'm in luck. I wish these insurance companies would just let doctors prescribe whatever works..."

• Kyle...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 2, 2023

"It totally cured my brain injury (: it is a miracle pill. It does something to my brain where I can retain information and remember things in my head and be creative. I also have insomnia and on the autism spectrum. Zolpidem restored the damaged brain."

• ruudii
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 30, 2023

"Been on Ambien CR (Par Pharma brand zolpidem ER) for years with good results. Recently had to switch to Breckenridge since Par is impossible to get. This brand is effective as far as getting me to sleep. However, it gives me headaches and strange mood swings, even nightmares that I never used to have before. I would not recommend Breckenridge. Does anyone know if Winthrop brand is available in 6.25mg? I've heard good things about that manufacturer brand."

• clayboy
• January 19, 2010

"My mother is 88 and has had a problem with Ambien for the four or so years she has started taking it. She ran over a bunch of signs in the middle of the highway with no memory of it. She got lost twice before we realized it was the Ambien and not Dementia. I keep it away from her and administer it each night. She is like a drug addict as she has reported her pills lost and got duplicate prescriptions sent to her. I think it is too strong for older people!"

• Dennis
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 4, 2018

"They had me on ambien 10.5 for thirty day. It never worked for me. Now he has me taking Ambien CR which is not any better. Ambien seems like a sugar pill as far as I can tell. Think twice before paying for it!!!!"

• wants...
• October 23, 2010

"I have been taking Lunesta 3mg for a while but it just wasn't getting me to sleep or keeping me asleep. So I started taking 12.5mg Ambien CR about 3 days ago and I swear it had no effect on me whatsoever. I am going to keep trying for the next couple nights, but I need some good sleep soon. I was really surprised that at such a high dosage I didn't even feel sleepy at all."

• steph
• June 12, 2010

"I am a pharmacy tech and am on Ambien CR 12.5 mg. I have been on it for about 3 months now but I don't take it every night. When I do take it (as my thyroid is hyperactive) I do feel rested in the morning but when I don't take it, it's really not a big deal. It does help with my sleep but I do hide my car keys from myself just in case."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2021

"AWFUL...I been on regular ambien for years 10mg switched to 12.5 CR and everyday so far ALL DAY LONG I feel awful...sick feeling kinda nauseous over medicated feeling and bad headaches. Sweating all day profusely when I never sweat at all. Wishing I can feel normal again awful awful AWFUL!!!!"

• Faith...
• May 5, 2009

"I've tried several different sleep medications for insomnia and while attempting to get used to the CPAP machine for sleep apnea. Ambien CR works great, I can get a full nights sleep, however go to bed within 1 hour of taking the medication or you will feel a bit drugged. I don't recommend taking every night, it is addictive (try not to take more than 3 nights in a row). It is more difficult to wean off from than regular Ambien. Overall, if needed this is a good medication if taken responsibly."

• Anonymous
• April 8, 2010

"After having an accident at work a few years ago I wasn't falling asleep until the sun came up because of chronic pain. My muscle relaxers and pain medicines were no longer giving me enough relief to sleep at night so my doctor put me on Ambien CR. After about 2 weeks I had to stop taking it because I was hallucinating, I was suffering from severe anxiety, I had tremors, I don't have enough room here to list everything. I am now on Restoril and I don't have any side effects at all."

• ilove...
• May 1, 2009

"I have been using Ambien CR for 3 years. I love it. I make sure to take it on an empty stomach and in 20-30 minutes I am asleep. The only things I would warn about is: make sure you have at least 8 hours of sleep time, it doesn't work well if you eat before taking the pill, and I have done some things I have no memory of doing. My husband has tried Ambien CR and said it doesn't work on him. I would recommend Ambien CR to anyone who has trouble falling and staying asleep."

• Ivego...
• March 5, 2009

"Ambien CR is great. You can expect a full nights sleep waking up refreshed. Sometimes, however, I have problems with it not working at all. I will take one, wait two hours, take another, and after a little while longer will take a third. Not only does it not put me to sleep sometimes, but it gives me a headache and having been laying in bed for hours hoping for the Ambien to kick in, my anxiety levels shoot through the roof. After this I surely need a few benzodiazepines to calm down. But then again, I'm still awake despite the three Ambien CR!"

• sleep...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 30, 2021

"Ambien CR is the only sleeping pill that works for me. I am a chronic insomniac - It takes forever to fall asleep and it is impossible to stay asleep. With this drug I fall asleep and stay asleep. And, I have no side effects."

• Anonymous
• October 5, 2009

"Insomnia is one of the tag alongs with my Bi Polar. My doctor prescribed every medication on my Group Health formulary to no avail. I either had radical side effects or they only worked for 2 to 3 hours. Ambien CR is a blessing. I actually now get at least 5 to 6 hrs of sleep a night. For those of you with Bi Polar, you understand sleep is crucial to preventing mood swings. The only problem I have experienced is Ambien tends to build up and quit working every so often so I have clonazapam to use for a few days until the tolerance wears off. Thank God for Ambien CR."

• Anonymous
• March 29, 2011

"I have been on Ambien CR 12.5mg for a while and it does not seem to work for me. I take it and I do not even get tired but feel drunk. The first day I was on it I got in my brand new car and wrecked it. When I take it and do go right to sleep, I still wake up every hour after that so I am not even actually getting restful sleep. I don't know why this medicine seems to work so well for everyone else on here and not work for me."

• tacdt
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 31, 2021

"I have used Ambien on and off for years for travel, work, etc. Sleeping pills are handy for me on occasion, but I have to be very careful not to take them on a regular basis. If I take Ambien consecutively more than 3 nights, then my brain no longer shuts down by itself. Then the impulse is to keep taking it and that's when troubles set in: the medicine gives me around 5 hours of sleep, and I don't feel fully rested as I really need 7, but yet since my brain can't shut down naturally anymore, I just feel sleep deprived during the day. I even had migraines when I was chronically sleep deprived on Ambien. Going off of Ambien depends on the formulation. With CR, it takes a long 4-5 days walking around like a useless zombie before my brain finally falls asleep naturally. Those withdrawal symptoms are not for the faint hearted and honestly a stark reminder why I do not take Ambien regularly. It is still a good tool to use sparingly and judiciously, but it is all there is to me."

• Night...
• August 18, 2010

"Ambien CR assists me in falling asleep but only briefly, often waking after just 3-4 hours. When it does work, I don't recall things like getting up to turn on lights and the TV full blast! I have also experienced dizziness, loss of motor skills and next day grogginess/sleepiness. Today I woke to find my small craft table smashed on the floor all the craft items scattered on the floor. A crash like that would most certainly have awoken me right? Well no it didn't and I don't recall knocking it over! So it had to be me while sleepwalking again! I have turned to taking it only when I am truly desperate for a decent night's sleep! "

• Steven...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 1, 2022

"Long story short, I took this to help sleep, I had trouble my whole life until these magic pills came along and helped. After taking them for about 2 months, one early morning 3am I woke up in a fenced in construction site sitting naked in one of the tractor cabs driver seat. I had no recollection of how I got 6 blocks from my house and thru fencing and into the tractor cab. If they had left keys in it I would be dead I'm quite sure. I made it home by grace of God no one saw me. I flushed the rest down the toilet."

• Rich
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2022

"I have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. After 8 weeks of failing with Trazodone I decided to give Ambien a try. Took the immediate release version first, and while it did great helping me fall asleep, I'd wake up a couple hours later. Now I've been taking Ambien CR for a week and I get about 4-5 hours of sleep. Mostly 4 hours a night. It's not ideal but it's something. May look into Lunesta for its longer half life."