Zolpidem and Sleepwalking: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• November 17, 2010

Zolpidem for Insomnia "I have been taking first Ambien and then Ambien CR for many years. I have had major difficulty in falling asleep and staying asleep. Although both medications work, I cannot function typically the day after. Furthermore, both need to be taken right before bedtime and no sooner. Amnesia and sleepwalking were major issues to the point where my doctor told me to stop taking both. My physician offered Silenor as an alternative. He told me I could take this every day and although I didn't really need to, no addiction potential for Silenor. Also, none of those nasty side effects like amnesia and sleepwalking. I can remember going to sleep, staying asleep, and waking up without feeling sluggish. Silenor has been good to me."

• Con...
• October 7, 2011

Zolpidem for Insomnia "I've tried several options, over the counter, homeopathic, and prescription in a quest to deal with transient insomnia, which typically triggers a worsened depressive mood (kind of a negative feedback loop). Ambien was one of the first I tried. It works very quickly, has very little hangover, but did not always keep me asleep. I usually wake around 4. The bad: tolerance, 'sleepwalking,' waking up in my roommate's bed with no memory of how I got there. Be cautious, if you live with other people, let them know you're suffering from insomnia and that you are taking this medicine. My roommates reported me seeming completely coherent while sleepwalking-it can be more problematic than mere 'sleepwalking.'"

• wis...
• March 23, 2009

Zolpidem for Insomnia "I took Ambien CR for a year, and at first, it worked pretty well, except for a minor side effect that left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn't let that bother me as long as I was getting my 8 hours of sleep. After a year, it stopped working, so I tried to double my dose. Big mistake, I had to stop using it because I started sleepwalking and having conversations with others without remembering anything. Ambien works, but be cautious of side effects."

• Anonymous
• April 14, 2010

Zolpidem for Insomnia "I have been taking Ambien for more years than I can count due to insomnia and nightmares. I have experienced the 'sleepwalking' activities, mostly repetitive conversations and eating, which have been benign and harmless. Fortunately, I have family that is up later than me, so they keep me from doing anything too outrageous. Sometimes I have a vague memory of my activities if my husband brings it to my attention, but if I am particularly stressed or anxious, the side effects are amplified and my memory is gone. As for morning grogginess, a shower usually perks me up."

• Los...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 17, 2021

Zolpidem for Insomnia "I've been taking Ambien on and off for years for extreme insomnia, 10 mg. I've tried everything under the sun, from natural remedies, a long list of RX sleep aids, OTC sleep aids, and it's usually to no avail. Ambien helped me sleep, however, all the horror stories you hear about taking it and then doing stuff are true, which is scary. It's caused me to sleepwalk before, though that never really bothered me. The last time I took it, I ended up driving somewhere without my kiddo, and when I came to and he wasn't there, I panicked and called the cops. (I'm a single mom.) They thought I was having some sort of mental breakdown because I was 'clearly out of it.' In addition to sleepwalking/driving, it's also caused severe memory issues. This medication is dangerous. Be cautious."

• 20 ...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 9, 2022

For Insomnia "I have successfully treated my chronic insomnia with a combination of temazepam and zolpidem for almost 15 years. I have a huge tolerance to both drugs, but I can still get to sleep on 30 mg of zolpidem and 30-50 mg temazepam. Zolpidem (Stilnox) is extremely dangerous for new patients and long-term patients who are experienced with it. The reason is, you WILL sleepwalk, you WILL sleep drive, etc. People taking this drug should take precautions like locking balcony doors (hiding the key), hiding your car keys every night. Ideally, get someone else to hide the keys because you WILL find the keys and go walking or driving and end up injured or dead. Trust me, you WILL do things in your sleep that you often have no recollection of. It's a super powerful drug for sleep, but the consequences of sleepwalking, etc. can be fatal. Be careful. Note to doctors: If a patient tells you they need this to sleep, give it to them. I would be dead without it, no other medication can put me to sleep."

• Joh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 4, 2024

Zolpidem for Insomnia "All good, took the CR Ambien before bed with a few slices of pizza and fell asleep normally and slept a full eight hours or so, and had some errands to do around noon the next day in a busy part of West Iowa near downtown Council Bluffs. Waking up from sleepwalking in the middle of a busy intersection with cars coming at me from every direction definitely made it more interesting."

• Ins...
• October 20, 2010

Zolpidem for Insomnia "I have been taking Ambien for 2 years now for insomnia and trouble sleeping. It does make you tired, but you also feel really good and happy. I would take it and an hour later, not remember anything. Also, I would still wake up every hour. It helped me fall asleep, but not stay asleep. Recently, I overdosed on Ambien. That is what really woke me up. This is not for me. I have been prescribed Seroquel for my sleeping problems, and this is wonderful. I have no more sleepwalking, and I remember everything."

• Anonymous
• February 5, 2010

For Insomnia "Ambien is a Godsend. Ten years ago, I couldn't sleep for weeks at a time. Started 10 mg Ambien. Started sleepwalking, sleep eating, walking, dancing, but I didn't clean up after my escapade. Reduced dose to 5 mg... much better... go to sleep and stay in bed for six hours."

• Sle...
• May 12, 2017

For Insomnia "Zolpidem is OK (not great) as a sleeping aid. I do experience a rather weird side effect: sleepwalking and sleepeating. Every morning my fridge looks as if the locusts have feasted (fortunately I don't have a weight problem)."

• LAU...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 22, 2012

For Insomnia "I've been taking zolpidem now for a year, always get a good night's sleep. Those of you who take the Controlled Release have problems because that's the one with slow release, not good. I also break pills in half or quarters, something you can't do with slow release CR either. CR makes you wake during the night and causes all sorts of problems, sleepwalking, etc. Take instant release zolpidem, see the difference."

• Lia...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 30, 2022

For Insomnia "I have used zolpidem a few times in the past as I have chronic insomnia. I find it an effective medicine for insomnia, and it never failed to send me to sleep, but it does have some weird effects. The first time I took it, I thought I'd read for 15 mins after taking it, but the next thing I knew I woke up. I had no memory of turning the light off or getting in bed, which was an odd experience to say the least. Thankfully, there was no indication that I slept walked or did anything strange in between waking up. The other times I took it, I made sure I was in bed 5 mins after taking it. So the moral of the story is don't stay up after taking it!"

• Lia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2012

Zolpidem for Insomnia "My experience: Cons- some nights, right as soon as I fell asleep, I'd wake up sleepwalking and make myself something to eat, or get naked and sit at the table. Now I'm not a sleepwalker, but my brother sleeps late, and he would always tell me in the morning that I'd walk into his room and say something random, or he'd be in the kitchen when I woke up sleepwalking. He'd say I always seemed fully awake 'cause my eyes were wide open, but I'd act weird. Pros- kept me asleep, and I'd wake up early feeling I had enough sleep."

• wcf...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 12, 2018

For Insomnia "I like this drug because it's sublingual, and so it works very quickly. They say it helps you fall asleep but not stay asleep, and I have found that to be true for me. There are also the well-known dangers of parasomnias, such as sleepwalking and sleep eating, and so on. I sleep-drove and even sleep-bought insurance, all with no memory, so take it just at bedtime, go right to sleep, don't take too much, and take some steps to make sure you wake up if you get out of bed (newspaper crumpled on the floor or something). But overall, I like it better than Zopiclone, which tends to have a residual effect the next day."

• wow...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 22, 2012

For Insomnia "The first time I tried Ambien, I was told I was sleepwalking with nothing on but a T-shirt. I don't remember this at all, but was told I refused to put on my pajama pants or underwear. The 2nd time, a couple of years later, I took a generic. This time I remembered microwaving a plate in the middle of the night, piling a mountain of random foods that should never be seen on the same plate. I walked out my front door, locking myself out. Wearing nothing but a tank top and underwear, holding that ridiculous plate. I thought the doorbell wasn't working, as I pressed and pressed for a long time. My neighbor came out-rang it on the 1st try."

• Lif...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 13, 2021

Zolpidem for Insomnia "This medication doesn’t live up to expectations. I’ve tried nearly every option and found them to be ineffective. This med is also ineffective. I’ve had no change in length or quality of sleep regardless of taking it on an empty stomach. I’m quite disappointed. I will note that the first time I took it, my boyfriend was a little freaked out after finding me sleepwalking."

• Jan...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 9, 2016

For Insomnia "I get very relaxed and tired, fall asleep, but I sleepwalk out to the kitchen and eat food. I also do other things in my sleep, but never anything dangerous."

• rei...
• February 8, 2010

For Insomnia "I take 1/2 of a 10 mg per night after I'm already in bed, and I am asleep in 15 minutes normally. I've been taking it for 3 months, it works great. No weirdness or sleepwalking/talking."