Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed: "So do you use sleeping tablets to organize yourself?"
Colin Powell: "Yes. Well, I wouldn't call them that. They're a wonderful medication -- not medication. How would you call it? They're called Ambien, which is very good. You don't use Ambien? Everybody here uses Ambien."
-- Nov. 5, 2003 interview with former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
I've always been leery of the sleeping pill Ambien* since reading about it. I've never taken Ambien, despite having some fairly serious issues with sleeplessness. My 75-year-old mother, however, is now taking the stuff nightly, for some months now, and I'm quite concerned, particularly about her frequent sleepwalking.
*(Trade names: Adormix, Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, Zolpimist, Damixan, Hypnogen, Ivedal, Lioran, Myslee, Nasen, Nytamel, Sanval, Somidem, Somit, Stilnoct, Stilnox, Stilnox CR,Siesta (in Egypt), Sucedal, Zodorm, Zoldem, Zolnod, Zolnox (in South Africa), Zolpihexal and Zolsana)
Staying at her place over the xmas weekend, I was awake very late (nothing unusual for me), reading a book in the living room. She came shuffling out of her room, lightly snoring while walking; it was pretty obvious she was asleep. Yet she was able to interact when I asked why she was up. I figured our short conversation had woken her up, but no, she continued, trance-like, into the kitchen where she started to put away the dishes. "Mom, why don't you go back to bed," I suggested. She said, "Don't tell me what to do." (a remark we both laughed about the next day when I told her about it.) She continued haltingly in the kitchen, making a sandwich.
In the morning she found the silverware in the wrong drawers, etc. The sandwich, with one bite taken, was on a plate by her bed. She had only the vaguest memory of being up out of bed at all.
Since starting Ambien, she's frequently been finding herself sleepwalking. Fortunately she doesn't seem to have ever ventured out of doors, but Ambien is associated with "sleep driving" and she has an independent streak and a car.
She was prescribed Ambien post-back surgery, to help her get a full sleep. I've tried to warn her about it, but she says it's "so wonderful to get a good night's sleep." But is she?
I'd like to hear anyone's thoughts about Ambien. Here are a few items on Ambien and some of the problems with it, with some special attention to its use by the elderly. Might as well start with the Ambien website:
http://products.sanofi.us/ambien_cr/ambienCR.html#section-5
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
5.3 Abnormal thinking and behavioral changes
A variety of abnormal thinking and behavior changes have been reported to occur in association with the use of sedative/hypnotics. Some of these changes may be characterized by decreased inhibition (e.g. aggressiveness and extroversion that seemed out of character), similar to effects produced by alcohol and other CNS depressants. Visual and auditory hallucinations have been reported as well as behavioral changes such as bizarre behavior, agitation and depersonalization. In controlled trials, <1% of adults with insomnia who received zolpidem reported hallucinations. In a clinical trial, 7.4% of pediatric patients with insomnia associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who received zolpidem reported hallucinations [see Use in Specific Populations (8.4)].
Complex behaviors such as "sleep-driving" (i.e., driving while not fully awake after ingestion of a sedative-hypnotic, with amnesia for the event) have been reported with sedative-hypnotics, including zolpidem. These events can occur in sedative-hypnotic-naive as well as in sedative-hypnotic-experienced persons. Although behaviors such as "sleep-driving" may occur with Ambien CR alone at therapeutic doses, the use of alcohol and other CNS depressants with Ambien CR appears to increase the risk of such behaviors, as does the use of Ambien CR at doses exceeding the maximum recommended dose. Due to the risk to the patient and the community, discontinuation of Ambien CR should be strongly considered for patients who report a "sleep-driving" episode. Other complex behaviors (e.g., preparing and eating food, making phone calls, or having sex) have been reported in patients who are not fully awake after taking a sedative-hypnotic. As with "sleep-driving", patients usually do not remember these events. Amnesia, anxiety and other neuro-psychiatric symptoms may occur unpredictably.
In primarily depressed patients, worsening of depression, including suicidal thoughts and actions (including completed suicides), have been reported in association with the use of sedative/hypnotics.
It can rarely be determined with certainty whether a particular instance of the abnormal behaviors listed above is drug induced, spontaneous in origin, or a result of an underlying psychiatric or physical disorder. Nonetheless, the emergence of any new behavioral sign or symptom of concern requires careful and immediate evaluation.
5.4 Withdrawal effects
Following the rapid dose decrease or abrupt discontinuation of sedative/hypnotics, there have been reports of signs and symptoms similar to those associated with withdrawal from other CNS-depressant drugs [see Drug Abuse and Dependence (9)].
5.5 CNS depressant effects
Ambien CR, like other sedative/hypnotic drugs, has CNS-depressant effects. Due to the rapid onset of action, Ambien CR should only be taken immediately prior to going to bed. Patients should be cautioned against engaging in hazardous occupations requiring complete mental alertness or motor coordination such as operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle after ingesting the drug, including potential impairment of the performance of such activities that may occur the day following ingestion of Ambien CR. Ambien CR showed additive effects when combined with alcohol and should not be taken with alcohol. Patients should also be cautioned about possible combined effects with other CNS-depressant drugs. Dosage adjustments may be necessary when Ambien CR is administered with such agents because of the potentially additive effects.
5.6 Special populations
Use in the elderly and/or debilitated patients: Impaired motor and/or cognitive performance after repeated exposure or unusual sensitivity to sedative/hypnotic drugs is a concern in the treatment of elderly and/or debilitated patients. Therefore, the recommended Ambien CR dosage is 6.25 mg in such patients to decrease the possibility of side effects [see Dosage and Administration (2.2)]. These patients should be closely monitored.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zolpidem
Zolpidem (Ambien, Stilnox) is a prescription medication used for the short-term treatment of insomnia, as well as some brain disorders. It is a short-acting nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic of the imidazopyridine class [2] that potentiates gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, by binding to GABAA receptors at the same location as benzodiazepines.[3] It works quickly (usually within 15 minutes) and has a short half-life (2–3 hours).
Zolpidem has not adequately demonstrated effectiveness in maintaining sleep; however, it is effective in initiating sleep.[4] Its hypnotic effects are similar to those of the benzodiazepine class of drugs, but it is molecularly distinct from the classical benzodiazepine molecule and is classified as an imidazopyridine. Flumazenil, a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, which is used for benzodiazepine overdose, can also reverse zolpidem's sedative/hypnotic and memory impairing effects.[5][6]
As an anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant, the beneficial effects start to emerge at 10 and 20 times the dose required for sedation, respectively.[7] For that reason, it has never been approved for either muscle relaxation or seizure prevention. Such drastically increased doses are more inclined to induce one or more negative side-effects, including hallucinations and amnesia.
...
Zolpidem is used for short-term (usually about two to six weeks) treatment of insomnia.[11] It has been studied for nightly use up to six months in a single-blind trial published in 1991,[12] an open-label study lasting 180 days published in 1992 (with continued efficacy in patients who had kept taking it as of 180 days after the end of the trial),[13] and in an open-label trial lasting 179 days published in 1993.[14] Zolpidem has not proven effective in maintaining sleep and is more used for sleep initiation problems.[4]
The United States Air Force uses zolpidem as one of the hypnotics approved as "no-go pills" to help aviators and special duty personnel sleep in support of mission readiness
...
Side-effects at any dose may include:
Nausea
Vomiting
Anterograde amnesia
Hallucinations, through all physical senses, of varying intensity
Delusions
Altered thought patterns
Ataxia or poor motor coordination, difficulty maintaining balance[16]
Euphoria and/or dysphoria
Increased appetite
Increased or decreased libido
Amnesia
Impaired judgment and reasoning
Uninhibited extroversion in social or interpersonal settings
Increased impulsivity
When stopped, rebound insomnia may occur
Headaches
Short term memory loss
Some users have reported unexplained sleepwalking[17] while using zolpidem, and a few have reported driving, binge eating, sleep talking, and performing other daily tasks while sleeping. Research by Australia's National Prescribing Service found that these events occur mostly after the first dosage taken or within a few days of starting therapy.[18] Rare reports of sexual parasomnia episodes related to zolpidem intake have also been reported.[19] The sleepwalker can sometimes perform these tasks as normally as they might if they were awake. They can sometimes carry on complex conversations and respond appropriately to questions or statements so much so that the observer may believe the sleepwalker to be awake. This is similar to, but unlike, typical sleep talking, which can usually be identified easily and is characterised by incoherent speech that often has no relevance to the situation or that is so disorganised as to be completely unintelligible. Those under the influence of this medication may seem fully aware of their environment even though they are still asleep. This can bring about concerns for the safety of the sleepwalker and others. These side-effects may be related to the mechanism that also causes zolpidem to produce its hypnotic properties.[20] It is unclear whether the drug is responsible for the behavior, but a class-action lawsuit was filed against Sanofi-Aventis in March 2006 on behalf of those that reported symptoms.[21] It is possible some users believe they were asleep during events they interacted in because they do not remember the events, due to the short-term memory loss and anterograde amnesia side-effects.
Residual 'hangover' effects, such as sleepiness and impaired psychomotor and cognitive function, after nighttime administration may persist into the next day, which may impair the ability of users to drive safely and increase risks of falls and hip fractures.[22]
The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia reported in 2007 that a man who fell 30 meters to his death from a high-rise unit balcony may have been sleepwalking under the influence of Stilnox. The coverage prompted over 40 readers to contact the newspaper with their own accounts of Stilnox-related automatism, and as of March 2007, the drug was under review by the Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee.[23]
...
A review medical publication found that long term use of zolpidem is associated with drug tolerance, drug dependence, rebound insomnia and CNS related adverse effects.
...
The elderly are more sensitive to the effects of hypnotics including zolpidem. Zolpidem causes an increased risk of falls and may induce cognitive adverse effects.[40]
An extensive review of the medical literature regarding the management of insomnia and the elderly found that there is considerable evidence of the effectiveness and durability of non-drug treatments for insomnia in adults of all ages and that these interventions are underutilized. Compared with the benzodiazepines, the nonbenzodiazepine (including zolpidem) sedative-hypnotics appeared to offer few, if any, significant clinical advantages in efficacy or tolerability in elderly persons. It was found that newer agents with novel mechanisms of action and improved safety profiles, such as the melatonin agonists, hold promise for the management of chronic insomnia in elderly people. Long-term use of sedative-hypnotics for insomnia lacks an evidence base and has traditionally been discouraged for reasons that include concerns about such potential adverse drug effects as cognitive impairment (anterograde amnesia), daytime sedation, motor incoordination, and increased risk of motor vehicle accidents and falls. In addition, the effectiveness and safety of long-term use of these agents remain to be determined. It was concluded that more research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of treatment and the most appropriate management strategy for elderly persons with chronic insomnia.[41]
...
Date rape drug
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, zolpidem (Ambien, Stilnox) is quickly overtaking illegal sedatives as the most common date-rape drug.
With more than 250,000 prescriptions written in the last year, Ambien is more accessible to potential sexual abusers than Rohypnol, or "roofies," and its side effects when mixed with alcohol can exacerbate the sedative effects.
Because of its lack of taste, Ambien can easily be added to drinks.[63]
The following article has some interesting info about how Ambien acts on the brain:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629200645.htm
'Sleep Walking' And Talking That Can Occur With Popular Sleep-Aid Ambien Explained
ScienceDaily (June 29, 2009) — Some people who take the fast-acting sleep-aid zolpidem (Ambien) have been observed walking, eating, talking on the phone and even driving while not fully awake. Many often don't remember doing any of these activities the next morning. Similarly, this drug has been shown to awaken the minimally conscious into a conscious state. A new study by Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) researchers may help explain why these "awakenings" occur.
The study, published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 29, suggests that while some powerful brain circuits are shut down with zolpidem, the powerful sedative activates other circuits when deprived of activity.
"Brain cells or neurons are highly reactive to incoming activity throughout life," explains Molly M. Huntsman, an assistant professor in the department of pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center and corresponding author for the study. "When brain activity is silenced, many neurons automatically react to this change. We see this in our study which suggests that inhibitory neurons responsible for stopping neural activity are themselves shut down by zolpidem. The excitatory neurons, responsible for transmitting activity, are then allowed to re-awaken and become active again, without monitoring because the inhibitory neurons are 'asleep'."
Rodents are especially dependent upon their whiskers to explore their environment; for the study, researchers trimmed the whiskers of mice (while under anesthesia). They then studied the region of the brain responsive to whisker movements to examine activity-dependent brain circuits. After removing the whiskers and depriving neural activity, the inhibitory neurons that normally don't respond to sedation by zolpidem underwent a change, becoming more sensitive. The researchers posited that these neurons are shut down and, in turn, not able to monitor other brain circuits.
"This was really unexpected. It appears the receptors on some inhibitory neurons were changed and were able to be inhibited by zolpidem, preventing them from performing their normal functions. We merely wanted to use zolpidem as a tool to examine which type of functional inhibitory receptor is expressed in certain neurons. Yet it turns out that sensory deprivation in the form of whisker trimming is enough to alter the receptor composition expressed in these cells." Huntsman says.
Researchers say that while the study suggests that zolpidem shuts down active neural pathways and perhaps then triggers others, the activation of this trigger is unknown.
"Nevertheless, the paradoxical activation of brain circuits by a powerful sedative definitely needs more attention in additional studies both human and in animal models," Huntsman concludes.
Other authors of the paper include Peijun Li of GUMC and Uwe Rudolph of McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate. The authors report no related financial interests.
This work was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.
Ambien sleeping pills linked to bizarre sleep walking behavior, including unconscious driving of vehicles and wild hallucinations
Thursday, June 08, 2006 by: Dani Veracity
Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed: "So do you use sleeping tablets to organize yourself?"
Colin Powell: "Yes. Well, I wouldn't call them that. They're a wonderful medication -- not medication. How would you call it? They're called Ambien, which is very good. You don't use Ambien? Everybody here uses Ambien."
-- Nov. 5, 2003 interview with former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
"Everybody here uses Ambien," former Secretary of State Colin Powell said in a Nov. 5, 2003 interview. Well, maybe not everybody in America uses Ambien, but the figures are astoundingly high: In 2005, 26.5 million prescriptions for Ambien were written in the United States alone, totaling $2.2 billion in sales. Contrary to Powell's 2003 statement, Ambien is a medication -- one with very serious, impairing and sometimes hallucinogenic side effects. With these effects in mind, the fact that 26.5 million Americans -- including major political figures like Powell -- use this powerful drug is alarming indeed.
Ambien is a hypnotic drug; it fulfills its purpose by literally hypnotizing the brain to sleep. Biologically speaking, it binds to the brain's GABA (gamma-amino-butyric-acid) receptors, making the neurotransmitter perform its job more effectively. What is GABA's job? Promoting sleep, of course; GABA prevents the brain cells from firing, which causes you to slumber.
Unfortunately, in many cases, Ambien's effect on brain chemistry results in much more than a good night's sleep. In 2004, the FDA received 48 "adverse event" reports about the use of Ambien, both with and without the use of other drugs. The phrase "adverse events" falls short of describing the horrifying effects some Ambien users have experienced, and some of these "adverse events" have resulted in nearly insurmountable legal troubles.
In the breaking New York Times article, "Some Sleeping Pill Users Range Far Beyond Bed," reporter Stephanie Saul tells the story of a registered nurse who took Ambien before going to sleep one night in January 2003. Sometime after falling asleep, she went out into the Denver winter night wearing only a thin nightshirt, even though the temperature was only 20 degrees. She got into her car, caused an accident, urinated in the middle of the intersection and then got into a violent altercation with the police officers who came to arrest her. In the matter of one night and one sleeping pill, her traffic record went from exemplary to tarnished with a reduced charge of careless driving. Interestingly enough, she says she remembers nothing of what happened during that Ambien-influenced night.
This Denver woman is not alone in her experiences. Every day, an increasing number of people are experiencing the strange, sometimes terrifying effects that this common sleeping pill can create. On AskDocWeb.com, a number of everyday people have posted their Ambien experiences:
On May 20, 2004, "JW" posted an Ambien-related incident similar to the one experienced by the Denver woman. "I had a major problem. At 10:30pm I took one Ambien 10 mg and went to bed. Apparently, I slept at least one hour before getting up and driving off in my car. I was arrested at 01:59 and placed in jail for DUI at about 07:50 am. I awoke to find I was in jail. I have no memory of getting out of bed and dressing and driving off in my car. Fortunately, all charges were dropped. I will never use the RX, ever again."
Then, on Dec. 17, 2005, "Vicki" wrote about her boyfriend, who was not as lucky as "JW" and experienced severe legal consequences as a result of his use of Ambien: "My boyfriend is in jail now with a DUI for "sleep driving" while on Ambien. The first night on the drug that he spent in the house alone, he took the pill, went to bed, awoke, got in his truck, drove two miles down the road and into a parking lot. He bumped into a parked car, was accused of being "drunk," cuffed, beat up and put in jail. To this day, he has no memory of anything before being taised (sic) by the cops. Be careful with Ambien. If you don't stay asleep after taking it, you will do some strange and maybe dangerous things."
The incidents detailed above have some serious implications. Frankly, the idea that each night, there are people driving around the streets, doing outrageous things like urinating in public and becoming violent is a bit disconcerting. Then, these people wake up from their Ambien-influenced nights with no memory whatsoever of the events that happened -- even if the night involved getting into car accidents, becoming violent with police officers and getting thrown in jail.
In 1995, science-themed horror writer Robin Cook eerily foretold the potentially dangerous side effects of brain chemistry-altering pharmaceuticals in his book Acceptable Risk. In the medical thriller, Cook writes of a group of Harvard-based researchers who develop a new antidepressant drug based on the active ingredients of a fungus found in a historical home located near Salem, Mass. The researchers run phase-one clinical trials on themselves to expedite the development of what they believe will be a groundbreaking pharmaceutical. During the clinical trials, the antidepressant makes the researchers "sleepwalk" each night and take part in feral behavior such as attacking animals and people. In the morning, they remember nothing that they did the night before.
Though Cook's work is of course fiction, it is based on historical precedent that also applies to the "sleep walking" and "sleep driving" incidents involving Ambien. People taking part in deviant, nighttime behavior that they don't remember in the morning is reminiscent of the "witches" that were persecuted during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. This is more than a simple coincidence. Based on Linnda Caporael's research, experts now believe that the nighttime deviance of the Salem "witches" was due to ergot poisoning. When the fungus Claviceps purpurea infects rye and other grains, it turns the grain kernels into sclerotia -- which contain potent chemicals, including the lysergic acid from which the hallucinogenic drug LSD is made.
Now, what does this have to do with Ambien? Like the Salem "witches," many Ambien users are being legally persecuted for the nighttime behavior they exhibit while under the influence of the hypnotic drug. Instead of being executed, they're being thrown in jail and are then faced with charges of DUI, reckless driving and more. Furthermore, like the sclerotia's lysergic acid component, Ambien is a hallucinogen.
Take a look at the following, Dec. 6, 2005 AskDocWeb.com post by "Tammy":
"I have only taken Ambien a few times. The last time was about three days ago. My husband got in the shower as I was taking it and when he got out of the shower he came into the den where I was and found me staring at the Christmas tree in horror. I remember thinking the tree was grabbing at me and although I knew it wasn't real it seemed very real. Everything almost looked 3-D to me. When my husband called my name, I turned and looked at him and his face seemed to melt away which freaked me out and I started crying. He got me up and walked me to bed and he practically had to carry me because I could hardly walk. I do enjoy the great sleep I get while taking Ambien but I'm not so sure I can handle the hallucinations."
Tammy's story almost sounds like a bad LSD "trip," and as you might imagine, drug abusers worldwide have already recognized Ambien's hallucinogenic qualities. "Drug experience" sites contain many accounts of Ambien hallucinations that are contributed by visitors to the sites. Now, as the FDA and Sanofi-Aventis (the pharmaceutical company that produces Ambien) will surely argue, many of these Ambien abusers combined the sleeping pill with alcohol and other drugs -- combinations that Ambien's label specifically warns against. Given this warning, neither Sanofi-Aventis nor the FDA should be held accountable for Ambien abusers who overdose on the drug or combine it with other substances. However, many Ambien users -- people like Tammy, who have doctor-authorized prescriptions for the drug and who use it in the recommended dosages -- are nevertheless still experiencing hallucinogenic effects.
Drug rehabilitation centers worldwide realize that Ambien can cause dangerous side effects, as they have seen and heard accounts of Ambien-induced activities. Narconon of Georgia describes Ambien's effects on the mind and behavior as follows:
"A variety of abnormal thinking and behavior changes have been reported to occur in association with the use of sedative/ hypnotics. Some of these changes may be characterized by decreased inhibition (e.g., aggressiveness and extroversion that seemed out of character), similar to effects produced by alcohol and other CNS depressants. Other reported behavioral changes have included bizarre behavior, agitation, hallucinations, and depersonalization. Amnesia and other neuropsychiatric symptoms may occur unpredictably. In primarily depressed patients, worsening of depression, including suicidal thinking, has been reported in association with the use of sedative/hypnotics."
Unfortunately, the FDA and Safosi-Aventis fail to recognize the seriousness of these effects, and doctors continue to prescribe Ambien with alarming frequency. Former Secretary of State Powell's description of Ambien sums up the popular perception of the hypnotic drug perfectly: "They're a wonderful medication -- not medication. How would you call it? They're called Ambien, which is very good." Unfortunately, this concept of Ambien as "not a medication" but rather some sort of sleep-regulating "non-pill" is misguided.
Who wants to live in a nation where "everybody," including the country's most powerful political figures, take hallucinogenic drugs?
Note from Mike Adams: "I thought all our politicians were on crack. Turns out it was Ambien."
Sources:
Al-Rashed, Abdul Rahman. Interview with Former Secretary of State Colin Powell. 5 Nov. 2003.
http://www.state.gov
Cook, Robin. "Acceptable Risk". New York: Penguin Putnam, 2005.
Lewis, Mark, dir. "Secrets of the Dead. Case File: The Witches Curse." 2002.
http://www.pbs.org
Narconon of Georgia. "Ambien." 2006.
http://www.drugsno.com
Saul, Stephanie. "Some Sleeping Pill Users Range Far Beyond Bed." New York Times. 8 Mar. 2006.
http://www.nytimes.com
http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20189024_1,00.html
Ambien Sleep Walking Turned Me Into a Midnight Binge Eater
[Last Updated: May 09, 2008]
Of all the strange nocturnal behaviors that have been reported with the use of Ambien and other prescription sleep drugs—acting out, sleep walking and talking, and even driving while asleep—the most prevalent by far is sleep eating. Though the side effect is rare overall [OH REALLY?], most sleep doctors have heard a few stories of refrigerators being raided, ovens left on through the night, or strange food appearing in the bedroom.
Many of these sleep-eating patients take Ambien, although it's not clear whether this particular drug really is more likely to cause sleep eating, or if it's just that more cases are reported because so many more people take Ambien than any other sleep medications.
For some, the strange side effect is unacceptable: They may gain a significant amount of weight, or worry about operating kitchen appliances while sleeping. For others, like Rebecca Wiseman, 26, of Sumter, S.C., sleep eating happens only occasionally—and it's a small price to pay for the relief that medication can bring.
Relief from hospital-induced insomnia
Wiseman starting taking Ambien while she was in the hospital on bed rest during her second pregnancy. She was grateful for the full eight hours of sleep it got her, and took a pill just about every night for six weeks.
She's not sure exactly when the strange nighttime behaviors started, but she first realized that something was unusual when her doctor asked her about something that had occurred the night before—she'd had some troublesome symptoms and her mother had gone to get a nurse. She had no recollection of this.
"I was scared; what if something had really gone wrong and I had no memory of it?" says Wiseman. "The doctor told me it was a common occurrence though, so I was a little relieved. And I knew I was constantly being monitored by nurses, so they would know if something happened."
This changed, however, when she left the hospital and returned home with newborn twins. Wiseman's military husband worked long shifts and needed sleep, so she didn't take medication on nights when she had to be up with the babies. But she struggled with so little sleep and looked forward to the two or three nights a week when her husband didn't work the next morning so she could get good rest with Ambien.
Morning surprises
Then she started raiding the fridge. "I have no idea when it started happening, but one morning I woke up with milk and cereal all over me," she says. "Somehow during the night I'd gone downstairs and fixed a bowl of cereal—then climbed back into bed and dumped it all over the front of me. Another time I found a plate of half-eaten dinner at the foot of the bed: I had fixed a plate, heated it up in the microwave, and then gone back to bed to eat."
Wiseman, who had gastric bypass surgery about four years ago and cannot handle large quantities of food, says she's never a binge eater during the day. "Sometimes I have flashbacks of getting sick the night before, after eating too much of the wrong food, like leftover barbecue roast beef sandwiches. And my husband, when he's tried to stop me, says I yell at him—which is very unlike me."
Even so, it's still worth it
But still, Wiseman relies on medication to keep her functioning. When her prescription ran out and the family moved to a new military base, her new doctor refused to prescribe more pills. She spent a few miserable months barely getting by with over-the-counter and herbal sleep aids, until she found another physician who renewed her Ambien prescription.
Wiseman is hoping that by only taking it twice a week she'll keep her nighttime side effects to a minimum, and that once her babies are sleeping better she'll be able to get back on a more regular schedule without medication. "But for now—even with the night eating and walking—a full night's sleep is still worth it all when you hit those lows," she says. "People don't realize what no sleep can do to you."
(Edited for a couple of opbvious typos)
. Felt like I was tripping.