TREATMENT DATABASE
Ambien (generic: zolpidem) is a sedative-hypnotic that potentiates gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. It does not affect sleep cycles, as do benzodiazepines and antidepressants.
Ambien works very quickly (15 minutes) and has a short half-life. It is most effective for sleep initiation problems, rather than sleep maintenance. Because tolerance is easily developed, a low dose (10 mg) used intermittently for not more than twelve weeks is recommended. Common side effects are sedation, rebound insomnia, GERD, and impaired psychomotor and cognitive function the following day.
Ambien has been associated with several deaths, (including actor Heath Ledger). In Australia, Zolpidem (brand: Stilnox) contains a “black box” warning.
USES IN ME/CFS: While some patients report that Ambien gives them a good night's sleep, others report rapid heartbeat, a “trippy” feeling (hallucinations), and a general worsening of symptoms.
| Rating | Side Effects | Reason for Treatment | Dosage / Duration | Age | Sex M/F | # of years Ill | Additional Comments | Illness Severity | Date Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | None whatsoever. I have to make sure I take it 9 hours before I need to wake up and function. | When I became ill with ME (sudden onset following virus), I lost the ability to sleep. Ambien enables me to go to sleep. It's the only reason I can still function with ME. (I now take the generic form Zolpidem.) | 8 year 12.5 mg 1X day | 59 | Female | 11 | My symptoms fit the Canadian Consensus Criteria (CCC) and the International Consensus Criteria (ICC) with near precision. I was highly physically active and in robust health when I fell ill with ME following a flu-like virus. I never suffered from clinical depression or anxiety. Loss of ability to sleep utterly incapacitated me. With this daily sleep aid, while I still have other symptoms, I can function and live a life. | Moderate | 06/20/18 |