![]() I could have been driving and killed someone.” Margaret in Georgia also had problem: So I’m waiting to explain the situation to the shrink so I can get out of here. “I have zero memory after going to sleep. So they assumed I took them all and got me pink- slipped at the ER for attempted suicide. The Ambien bottle was empty, but I just filled the script that day. The story goes that someone in my building saw me stumbling around and called the police. “The last thing I remember is taking a 10 mg Ambien and going to bed. It took over a day to get the full story. “I woke up in the ER, not knowing how I got there. They said I stopped at all the lights, didn’t break any traffic laws, but he thought I was asleep.” Ed in Ohio had a close call: To my surprise there were 6 officers surrounding my car. ![]() I drove 30 miles through town, I remember leaving my house and the next thing I knew I was parked in front of a book store with a police officer knocking on my window. “I took Ambien 10 years ago for about 2 months. “After this incident she threw the sleeping pills away and has now become clear headed again.” Barbara in Kansas City, MO had a scary sleep driving episode: It is as if she was in a zombie state for much of that time. We found out after this incident that she had many memory lapses as to events, people she had contact with etc. “When they upped her dose of Ambien she always seemed groggy all day. She drives for a living and would never risk losing her license. If she did drink, it would have maybe been one beer at home or one drink at a restaurant. “Her PBT and blood tests showed a high alcohol content in her system. We found out from doing research that the FDA said women should not be given 10mg doses! Her doctor gave her a 10 mg script for Ambien. “She was having chronic sleep issues and got a CPAP machine. “My wife, who is very responsible and would never drink and drive, was arrested for DUI after leaving the scene of an accident she never remembers being in. And yet we have heard from lots of people who are totally amazed to discover that is what happened to them. Most of us find it hard to imagine someone would take a sleeping pill, go to bed and then end up in an automobile accident. When zolpidem is combined with other drugs that depress the central nervous system–such as anti-anxiety medications (e.g., benzodiazepines), narcotic pain relievers, or alcohol–the sedative effects of zolpidem can be dangerously enhanced.” Sleep Walking, Sleep Driving, Sleep Eating: “Adverse reactions have occurred, including daytime drowsiness, dizziness, hallucinations, behavioral changes (e.g., bizarre behavior and agitation), and complex behaviors such as sleepwalking and ‘sleep driving’ (i.e., driving while not fully awake). People over 45 account for three-fourths of the emergency department visits due to adverse effects of the sleeping pill zolpidem ( The CBHSQ Report, May 2013). The authors note: One of the more popular prescription sleeping ingredients has been zolpidem ( Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, Zolpimist). Regular use of many sleeping medications can have serious consequences for older adults. Sleeping Pills for Seniors: A Darker Picture The pills are supposed to allow people to awaken refreshed. People are encouraged to take a medicine that will help them fall asleep and remain asleep. TV commercials may reinforce the idea that insomnia can cause cognitive impairment. As a result, lots of folks swallow a sleeping pill “just in case” they might have trouble falling asleep. No one can predict which night will pose an insomnia problem. ![]() ![]() It’s hardly any wonder that millions of people pop a sleeping pill every night. Commercials Make Sleeping Pills for Seniors Seem Natural: A majority of those taking prescription sleeping pills had been taking them for years. Almost one third use their medicine regularly, with another third using it occasionally. Not surprisingly, people who reported they frequently had trouble getting to sleep were even more likely to take such medication. “…reported using some type of medication to help with sleep including prescription sleep medications, over-the-counter (OTC) medications promoted as night-time formulations, herbal/natural sleep aids (like melatonin) or prescription pain medications.” The pollsters at the Univeristy of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation discovered that more than one third of those over 65: According to the National Poll on Healthy Aging, however, half of older adults are convinced that sleep problems “come naturally with age.” Many think that sleeping pills for seniors are a simple solution to insomnia. Do you have trouble sleeping? That’s just a natural outcome of accumulating lots of birthdays, right? Actually, insomnia is not a normal consequence of aging. ![]()
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