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Ambien's weird side effects

Posted by Melissa McEwan at 9:24 AM on March 14, 2006.


Study links Ambien use to unconscious food forays
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The Heretik points to a New York Times article about the strange side effects of the popular sleep aid, Ambien, including unconscious nighttime food forays.

The sleeping pill Ambien seems to unlock a primitive desire to eat in some patients, according to emerging medical case studies that describe how the drug's users sometimes sleepwalk into their kitchens, claw through their refrigerators like animals and consume calories ranging into the thousands.

The next morning, the night eaters remember nothing about their foraging. But they wake up to find telltale clues: mouthfuls of peanut butter, Tostitos in their beds, kitchen counters overflowing with flour, missing food, and even lighted ovens and stoves. Some are so embarrassed, they delay telling anyone, even as they gain weight.

Totally bizarre. And obviously worrisome, considering the health hazards--not the least of which has to be choking. Sleeping with a mouthful of peanut butter doesn't sound especially safe to me. And with 26 million prescriptions made out for Ambien in America last year alone, the strange reactions among some users, which also include sleep-driving and hallucinations, are worth noting.

In his usual cheeky way, The Heretik also asks, "What else are we sleeping through?"

I think the answer to that is all too clear.

(The Heretik)

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Melissa McEwan writes and edits the blog Shakespeare's Sister.


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Reminds me of that thriller...
Posted by: bettsoff on Mar 14, 2006 9:55 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Who is it who writes the medical creepy thrillers? Crichton? Koontz? Saul? It was called "Acceptable Risk." Anyone read that book? Kinda creepily similar to this post.

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Ambien
Posted by: fariayousuf on Mar 14, 2006 1:52 PM   
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I think who ever wriote this is true because i experienced the same thing and really never know why this was happening to me, now i know thanks for your help!!!!!!!!!!

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Ambien
Posted by: fariayousuf on Mar 14, 2006 1:54 PM   
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I think who ever wrote this is true because i experienced the same thing and really never know why this was happening to me, now i know thanks for your help!!!!!!!!!!

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!
Posted by: sui_generis on Mar 15, 2006 7:55 AM   
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Damn!

This explains what happened to my pillow, before that dream about the giant marshallows woke me up...

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Not the only side effect
Posted by: cyberfactotum on Mar 15, 2006 10:53 AM   
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If one takes Ambian (zolpidem) and has someone keep you awake instead of allowing you sleep, it is very common that you will then have very intense interactions with objects (instead of people) and not be able to remember events that took place while under the influence.

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Ambien
Posted by: migente on Mar 28, 2006 1:07 AM   
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Ambien, a dream come true for insomniacs but can also ruin other things and make you lose things like relationships, cars, marriages, etc. I too have the weird effects, can't lose the extra 50 lbs I gained over the past 3 yrs and now I find myself arguing and waking up in the screaming argument with my husband about why I am sleep walking in shorts and tank top around neighborhood, ordering items off the tv at 3am, having good sex and I do not remember a thing the next day until he tells me. Very frightening and addictive. Any suggestions how to successfully give up the stuff once and for all?

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