Ambien Side Effects & Hallucinations
Ambien is a name-brand hypnotic prescribed for sleep disorders and short term insomnia. It comes in pill form in either 5 mg or 10 mg doses. Adults should not exceed 10 mg per day. Due to its serious effect on the body, Ambien users should be aware of the drug's potential side effects.
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Rebound Insomnia
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Ambien may cause rebound, or next-day, insomnia in some patients. After a patient ingests the drug to achieve a full, interrupted sleep, that patient may find it difficult to fall asleep or remain asleep the next night.
Unconscious Activities
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Ambien has produced a state of sleep-activity in some patients, who report driving, binging, having sex or making phone calls all while under the influence of the drug and having no recollection of it. They may wake up in a different state or have the contents of their refrigerator spread amongst their bed sheets but will not remember anything.
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Sedation
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Ambien is a sedative/hypnotic and should only be taken directly before bed time. The drug depresses the central nervous system so motor responses are delayed and sluggish. Users are cautioned not to drive, operate heavy machinery or mix the drug with alcohol.
Anaphylaxis
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Anaphylactic reactions may be a result of Ambien's interaction with the blood stream. Some patients suffer from throat closing, airway obstruction, vomiting and nausea, or angioedema. Dizziness, dry mouth and drowsiness are also potential side effects from Ambien.
Mental Instability
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Taking a sedative or hypnotic may result in changes to behavior and mental instability. Inhibitions may decrease and the patient may become more aggressive or irritable. Hallucinations (both visual and auditory) have been reported. According to Rx List, hallucinations occurred in less than 1 percent of adult Ambien users and 7.4 percent of pediatric users.
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