Ambien CR and Memory Loss: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• June 11, 2012

For Insomnia "After using Lunesta for a couple of years, the effect began diminishing. My doctor prescribed Ambien CR. It has worked perfectly for my chronic insomnia. I have experienced memory loss. Several times, I have sent emails, and when I get replies, I do not have any memories of what I wrote or of sending the email. But I did get very deep sleep, so I learned to stay off the computer after taking a pill."

• cla...
• January 19, 2010

For Insomnia "My mother is 88 and has had a problem with Ambien for the four or so years she has been 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!"

• ilo...
• May 1, 2009

For Insomnia "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 are: 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."

• Kir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 20, 2023

For Insomnia "Ambien CR is on my DO NOT PRESCRIBE list. It has caused me to do random things that I had no recollection of doing. The first night I took 10 mg as per my doctor's prescription. I woke up the next morning to find I had eaten all the desserts I had bought the day before - half a gallon of ice cream, a blueberry pie, and a bag of teriyaki-flavored rice cakes and didn't remember eating them. I kept taking it and a week later, I had a delivery of an expensive full-length black velvet evening gown. I contacted the company and reported that it had been sent to me in error. The customer service rep told me someone in my household must have ordered it for me as a gift. I said, 'My service dog is highly intelligent and trained as a scent dog. She could have scented out my credit card, but it is most improbable that she would have been unable to use my phone.' She checked their records and the order was placed at 2:33 a.m. I had no recollection of doing this. This medication is scary."

• pur...
• September 27, 2007

For Insomnia "My father was taking Ambien CR and drinking alcohol with it. Falling down and not remembering things was an everyday problem. I tried telling his doctor this, but he did nothing but gave him more pills."

• Anonymous
• November 15, 2010

"I came here to post my experience over the years with Ambien and Ambien CR. They were bad for me. I had issues with memory, especially with my family having to remind me of what I said and did, even the morning after, really groggy, cloudy, fuzzy. Not good for raising kids. I was helped by sweetlemon on this website in her post here: I asked my doctor about Silenor, and she gave me 3 milligram tablets. She had no samples, but I figured I had already spent a fortune on Ambien, so why not. Got 7 hours of sleep without a problem. I haven't felt this good in a very, very long time. Thank you all on this website. I can sleep now!"

• now...
• May 17, 2009

For Insomnia "Great drug. Never knew how important sleep was to the human body. Would only sleep 3 hours a night and thought that was normal. However, since I have been on Ambien, I eat at night and do not remember it at all. My family tells me I am funny but do not remember talking to them. Never had dreams before, now they are vivid and real and colorful. This is a bit on the weird side."

• old...
• March 8, 2009

For Insomnia "I successfully took Ambien, not every night. And it was great. However, Ambien CR has caused vivid dreams, memory loss, sleep driving. I stopped using CR when I had a sleep driving event and no memory of the event. Will have to battle my sleep problem without it."

• hsc...
• November 26, 2011

For Insomnia "Very consistent seven hours of sleep. However, if I don't go right to bed, I may do things I don't remember, like leaving a bunch of lights and the TV on. Had to discontinue due to high cost."