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Ambien Addiction
Q) What is
Ambien? A) Ambien with the generic name of Zolpidem belongs to a
class of medicines that effects the central nervous system, called sedative
hypnotics. Ambien is closely related to a family of drugs called
benzodiazepines. These drugs cause sedation, muscle relaxation, act as
anti-convulsants (anti-seizure), and have anti-anxiety properties. Ambien has
selectivity in that it has little of the muscle relaxant or anti-seizure effect
and more of the sedative effect. Therefore, it is used as a medication for
sleep.
Q) How is Ambien used?
A)
When abused, Ambien tablets are taken orally, crushed and then snorted, or
dissolved in water and "cooked" for intravenous injection.
Q) What are the effects of Ambien?
A)
- Daytime drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Difficulty with coordination
- Tolerance
- Dependence
- Changing in thinking and/or behavior
Ambien may cause special type of memory loss known as amnesia. When
this occurs, a person may not remember what has happened for several hours
after taking the medicine. In addition, addiction, or dependence, can be caused
by Ambien, especially when used regularly for longer than a few weeks or at
high doses. People who have been dependent on alcohol or other drugs in the
past may have a greater chance of becoming addicted to Ambien. Some people
using Ambien have experienced unusual changes in their thinking and/or
behavior.
- Less common side effects may include:
Abdominal pain,
abnormal dreams, abnormal vision, agitation, amnesia, anxiety, arthritis, back
pain, bronchitis, burning sensation, chest pain, confusion, constipation,
coughing, daytime sleeping, decreased mental alertness, depression, diarrhea,
difficulty breathing, difficulty concentrating, difficulty swallowing,
diminished sensitivity to touch, dizziness on standing, double vision, dry
mouth, emotional instability, exaggerated feeling of well-being, eye
irritation, falling, fatigue, fever, flu-like symptoms, gas, general
discomfort, hallucination, hiccup, high blood pressure, high blood sugar,
increased sweating, infection, insomnia, itching, joint pain, lack of bladder
control, lack of coordination, lethargy, light-headedness, loss of appetite,
menstrual disorder, migraine, muscle pain, nasal inflammation, nervousness,
numbness, paleness, prickling or tingling sensation, rapid heartbeat, rash,
ringing in the ears, sinus inflammation, sleep disorder, speech difficulties,
swelling due to fluid retention, taste abnormalities, throat inflammation,
throbbing heartbeat, tremor, unconsciousness, upper respiratory infection,
urinary tract infection, vertigo, vomiting, weakness
- Rare side effects may include:
Abnormal tears or tearing,
abscess, acne, aggravation of allergies, aggravation of high blood pressure,
aggression, allergic reaction, altered production of saliva, anemia, belching,
blisters, blood clot in lung, boils, breast pain, breast problems, breast
tumors, bruising, chill with high temperature followed by heat and
perspiration, decreased sex drive, delusion, difficulty urinating, excessive
urine production, eye pain, facial swelling due to fluid retention, fainting,
false perceptions, feeling intoxicated, feeling strange, flushing, frequent
urination, glaucoma, gout, heart attack, hemorrhoids, herpes infection, high
cholesterol, hives, hot flashes, impotence, inability to urinate, increased
appetite, increased tolerance to the drug, intestinal blockage, irregular
heartbeat, joint degeneration, kidney failure, kidney pain, laryngitis, leg
cramps, loss of reality, low blood pressure, mental deterioration, muscle
spasms in arms and legs, muscle weakness, nosebleed, pain, painful urination,
panic attacks, paralysis, pneumonia, poor circulation, rectal bleeding,
rigidity, sciatica (lower back pain), sensation of seeing flashes of lights or
sparks, sensitivity to light, sleepwalking, speech difficulties, swelling of
the eye, thinking abnormalities, thirst, tooth decay, uncontrolled leg
movements, urge to go to the bathroom, varicose veins, weight loss,
yawning
Q) What are the symptoms of Ambien overdose? A) People
who take too much Ambien may become excessively sleepy or even go into a light
coma. The symptoms of overdose are more severe if the person is also taking
other drugs that depress the central nervous system. Some cases of multiple
overdoses have been fatal.
Q) What adverse drug interactions are caused Ambien?
A) Alcohol has an additive effect with Ambien and the two should not be
combined. Ambien should be used cautiously in patients with respiratory
diseases because of its depressing effect on breathing. Ambien may increase the
effects of other drugs that cause drowsiness, including antidepressants,
alcohol, antihistamines, other sedatives (used to treat insomnia), pain
relievers, anxiety medicines, and muscle relaxants. However, caution should be
used when combining it with other sedative drugs. Ambien used at higher dosages
can cause withdrawal symptoms (muscle cramps, sweats, shaking, and seizures)
when the drug is abruptly discontinued. Ambien can cause abnormal behavior with
confusion and paradoxical insomnia and should be discontinued if these symptoms
appear.
Drug
rehabilitation is a multi-phase, multi-faceted, long term process.
Detoxification is only the first step on the road of addiction treatment.
Physical detoxification alone is not sufficient to change the patterns of a
drug addict. Recovery from addiction involves an extended process which usually
requires the help of drug addiction professionals. To make a successful
recovery, the addict needs new tools in order to deal with situations and
problems which arise. Factors such as encountering someone from their days of
using, returning to the same environment and places, or even small things such
as smells and objects trigger memories which can create psychological stress.
This can hinder the addict's goal of complete recovery, thus not allowing the
addict to permanently regain control of his or her life.
Almost all addicts
tell themselves in the beginning that they can conquer their addiction on their
own without the help of outside resources. Unfortunately, this is not usually
the case. When an addict makes an attempt at detoxification and to discontinue
drug use without the aid of professional help, statistically the results do not
last long. Research into the effects of long-term addiction has shown that
substantial changes in the way the brain functions are present long after the
addict has stopped using drugs. Realizing that a drug addict who wishes to
recover from their addiction needs more than just strong will power is the key
to a successful recovery. Battling not only cravings for their drug of choice,
re-stimulation of their past and changes in the way their brain functions, it
is no wonder that quitting drugs without professional help is an uphill battle.
As an organization we are dedicated to finding the correct drug rehab
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You can overcome addiction and we can help. Call (800) 772-5770 for a free consultation today
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