Zolpidem and Headaches: What Users Say

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

Zolpidem 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."

• Jaq...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 7, 2019

For Insomnia "Worked for airlines for the last 30 years. Need to sleep on command, because flights are 19 hours ahead of my normal time zone. Been a brand Ambien user for 25 years, 10 mg (cut in half), taking 5 mg at sleep/rest time. Pharmacist decided to give me the generic Zolpidem Tartrate, and I didn't check until I arrived home. Pharmacy refuses to take it back, so I've been trying it for 1 week now, doesn't work like Ambien brand, takes longer to fall asleep, wake up with headaches, and I feel very groggy when I wake. Had to call my local pharmacist, told them to log in my account records and note: never switch Ambien brand with any other generic names. It's just a few bucks more with insurance, but it's worth being able to sleep on command 95% of the time. Zolpidem Tartrate rating 3, Ambien brand rating 9."

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

Zolpidem 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

Zolpidem 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."

• Lis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 24, 2019

Zolpidem for Insomnia "I was given Zolpidem 5 mg for insomnia about a month ago. It helped me fall asleep, but I would wake up after three hours, which was my normal routine prior to taking this pill. The only benefit this dosage had was in helping me fall asleep again shortly after. After almost two weeks, I asked for an upgrade. My doctor put me on 12.5 mg of the ER version. Now I get five hours of consistent sleep. I've yet to take the higher dosage during the week since I don't always give myself an 8-hr window before waking up. I have noticed mild headaches after taking both versions. Will probably try something else once I finish both bottles."

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

Zolpidem 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."

• Anonymous
• January 8, 2010

Zolpidem for Insomnia "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..."

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

Zolpidem 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

Zolpidem 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."

• Sun...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 12, 2019

For Insomnia "I have been taking Ambien for about 8 years. The withdrawals are very bad, they include sweating, irritability, not able to focus, and headaches. It works great, but sometimes you will feel these effects. Honestly, I have tried everything else, doxylamine (over the counter) works good as well. To each their own."

• Ive...
• March 5, 2009

Zolpidem for Insomnia "Ambien CR is great. You can expect a full night's 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!"

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2021

Zolpidem for Insomnia "Awful... I've been on regular Ambien for years, 10 mg, switched to 12.5 CR, and every day 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!!!"

• Ami...
• September 8, 2017

Zolpidem "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."

• Anonymous
• April 12, 2010

For Insomnia "I may sound like a commercial here, but I want to share that my experience with generic zolpidem versus name brand Ambien is night and day. The generic barely works, I needed two generic tablets to get the same sleep effect as one name brand tablet, and the generic leaves me with a headache the next day and causes depression. I tried it for several months because the name brand, through my insurance, is much more expensive ($7 generic - $50 name brand), and I have to say the name brand is far superior. For my experience, the generic zolpidem was awful, I would rate it a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10, and the name brand is a 10."

• Jst...
• June 10, 2017

For Insomnia "I was on a cross-country flight and took Ambien in hopes of sleeping through the ordeal. I have severe anxiety when it comes to flying, and a (seemingly unattainable) dream of mine is to be able to board, pass out, and wake up when we land. I took two Ambien and was rewarded with some mild symptoms of intoxication, a headache, and a few weepy spells. I thought this medication would do what I needed, but now I guess I officially know there's no way to snuff out my nerves."

• vir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2014

For Insomnia "I have had insomnia for about 7 years. I took temazepam (Restoril) for about 3 years, but it eventually quit working entirely, so I started taking 10 mg of zolpidem nightly about 4 months ago. It is very good at helping me to go to sleep quickly, and I stay asleep about 6 hours, but not much longer. I haven't felt any drowsiness the next morning or had any headaches or other side effects. I have learned a few things about zolpidem, though. I cannot eat at all for at least 2 or 3 hours before taking it. Also, I need to go to bed within 15 or 20 minutes after taking it, or it doesn't work very well. Lastly, I learned that I can't eat chocolate for at least 5 or 6 hours before taking it because of chocolate's high caffeine content."

• Ali...
• December 18, 2010

Zolpidem 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."

• wid...
• July 2, 2017

For Insomnia "This medication just makes me more frustrated... Absolutely not a wink of sleep for two nights in a row. I just feel extremely exhausted but cannot sleep even after taking the pill about 6 hours ago, instead, I'm getting a pounding headache."

• bry...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 5, 2021

For Insomnia "Zolpidem does work for me, as does eszopiclone. I'm a chronic insomniac and will probably get early dementia from all the sleep I haven't had. Sometimes I take trazodone, Unisom, and melatonin together and STILL barely sleep. But the manufacturer matters. Torrent gives me a headache and doesn't help with sleep."

• jua...
• January 17, 2017

For Insomnia "The first day went well, and at 10 days it went very badly. I take the pill at 9 pm and it gave me a headache, and I slept 30 minutes all night, and more with itching, dry mouth. This is not good for everyone."

• can...
• September 4, 2014

Zolpidem 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."

• Joa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2020

For Insomnia "On the generic brand zolpidem, and yep, same as a few here, may as well have taken a Tic Tac, all it did was mild to severe headaches."

• Lit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 11, 2015

For Insomnia "2-3 hrs sleep per night for the last 2 months. Took 10 mg Zolpidem last night and had a full 8 hrs of uninterrupted sleep. Slight headache today, but other than that, feel great."

• Ben...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 27, 2022

For Insomnia "Tried half a tablet. Was hallucinating, and the next day was just full-on headache and drowsiness. Couldn’t function."

• Jar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2020

For Insomnia "2 nights, amazing refreshed sleep, and then it kept me up all night with a headache. Even a year later, I can take one, and it does nothing but give me a headache."