Ambien and Headaches: What Users Say

• HKG...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2014

For Insomnia "When I got prescribed Ambien, I started with 5mg, and it worked, but I only slept for 4 hrs. So the following night, I took 10mg, and I was asleep in no time and got a full 9 hrs of sleep. Best night ever in years. I woke up feeling refreshed. Minor headache, but I don't know if it was due to the Ambien. One Tylenol pill took it away, so no biggie. This is the only sleep pill that has helped me. I tried Restoril and Seroquel and got no sleep, only bad side effects. I love Ambien."

• Sue...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 14, 2018

For Insomnia "I've been taking Ambien for several years. Started taking 5 mg only when on vacation while sleeping in an unfamiliar environment. Several years later, I started having to take 5 mg every night. Now I split the 10 mg into thirds, and it works great, but I still take it every night. No side effects that I can tell. I always sleep through the night. Would like to split it into fourths, but it's difficult to split that small. Melatonin is horrible, makes me sluggish the next morning with a nasty headache. I've tried several times to stop Ambien, and it's not difficult to stop (no cravings or withdrawal symptoms). It's just that I don't fall asleep on my own anymore."

• N19...
• November 29, 2016

For Insomnia "I was a bodybuilder and personal trainer active in my career until I got a kidney removed due to a tumor and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at 65. My GP did not want to give Ambien, instead, he prescribed some other medication for psychotic people, and I stopped it. Another doctor gave me Ambien, which I have been taking, 5 mg. However, lately it is giving me headaches, I wake up a few times at night and can't go back to sleep. I feel tired and disconnected. I need to stop, and I am afraid of the process."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2015

For Insomnia "No sleep as yet, 10 mg Ambien last night, 20 tonight! Last night I fell asleep after about 4 hours (normal for me with or without meds). I woke up feeling really rather strange, lethargic almost. Passes after 2-3 hours with coffee! Tonight on 20 mg it's been 3 hours so far! Light headache, very restless."

• Mys...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 7, 2017

For Insomnia "The first two weeks were great. I was shocked that I slept through the night all week. I woke refreshed, not sleepy at all, and just so happy. I even checked, there were no antidepressants mixed in the formula. All day, I felt fantastic. The third week is different. I am tired during the day, and in the evenings, I am so tired I can barely make it to 7 pm without feeling like I am going to fall asleep standing up. I have a mild headache most days, like my head feels heavy, and my nose is stuffy every day, but it isn't turning into a cold. I had some strange thoughts after taking the half pill, 5 mg, no hallucinations or sleep was at all. I am calling the doctor to check if this is working for me. It really was something great."

• Anonymous
• November 21, 2008

For Insomnia "Helps me sleep better, but still not great. I continue to wake up many times throughout the night, but at least I can seem to fall right back to sleep and not just lay there. Gives me a headache a few hours into the next day after I wake up and seems to last for a while."

• Ami...
• September 8, 2017

"Ambien helped me sleep, and I didn't seem to have any adverse symptoms - until I quit taking it. I've quit taking Ambien three times in my life, and this third time confirms for me that withdrawing from it causes severe migraines. The first time I stopped taking Ambien, I was treated for TMJD because of the horrible neck, shoulder, and head pain. The second time, I was pregnant and thought the migraines were due to hormones. This is the third time and final time. This time, I've also had neuropathy in both feet, legs, one side of my trunk, and both hands."

• Ali...
• December 18, 2010

For Insomnia "I was prescribed this after suffering from insomnia for several years. Tried OTC sleeping pills, which made me feel hyper all night and just a sick overall feeling. Ambien is not for long-term use, as I have learned. Ambien was fantastic the first year I took it. I would look forward to taking it, feeling peaceful and going to bed. In the past year, I take it, feel sick and hungover, and decide to go lay down. I do fall asleep but wake up in the morning feeling sick and with a headache. I have to drag myself out of bed. I know it is from taking Ambien for too long, so I am switching to something else. Was helpful for about a year."

• can...
• September 4, 2014

For Insomnia "First 2 weeks, it kept me asleep. 3rd week on, I wake up with headaches and don't go back to sleep. It's 2 a.m., and I'm wide awake."

• Gen...
• February 1, 2022

For Insomnia "5 mg Ambien makes me feel nauseated, irritable, and experience a terrible headache. Seroquel is so much better! Doc will start you on 25 mg and increase the dose if needed."