Ambien or Zolpidem is a short-term oral use medication to treat sleep disorders such as insomnia. Ambien is a brand name owned by Sanofi international. The generic name is Zolpidem Tartrate. Here, we shall have a general description of Ambien and its uses.
What is Ambien?
Ambien falls under a type of drug called ‘Sedative-Hypnotic’. They produce a calming effect on your brain to help patients fall asleep quickly. If all goes well, Ambien can help a patient sleep for a solid 6-8 hours.
Therefore, it is important for the patient to have ample time to sleep before taking Ambien. Someone should take it only when he/she intends to sleep.
How does it work?
To understand how Ambien works, you must first understand how the sleeping mechanism works in our body. This is a general description of Ambien. Therefore, we shall not go into details. We have a separate article on how Ambien works.
Related: How does Ambien Work?
The sleep hormone that is released in our brain is called Melatonin. Ambien helps the receptivity of Melatonin and makes sure that it doesn’t get absorbed quickly. The result is a deep dreamless sleep.
As long as Ambien is active in the brain, a person will sleep. That is why it is also important to keep the family members informed of this situation so that they don’t try to wake the patient up before time.
Do I consult a doctor before taking Ambien?
Absolutely. It is a sedative-hypnotic and therefore, a prescription-only medication. You must consult a doctor before taking Ambien. Additionally, Ambien or any other sleeping pills, for that matter, are addictive.
Ambien should be used only for a short time (15 days or less) while the doctor figures out the actual cause of insomnia. Please read our article Insomnia and its causes for further understanding.
How to take Ambien
You should take Ambien only on the advice of the doctor. Furthermore, you may ask your pharmacist to understand it better. The medication package should also include guidelines on how to use Ambien.
Generally found in pill form, Ambien should be taken by mouth with a glass o water an hour before bedtime.
What are the Available Dosages of Ambien?
There are three dosages available in pill form:
- 5 mg
- 5 mg
- 10mg
Ambien 10 mg is the most common dose for average adults, but your doctor will prescribe it depending on the age, sex, and type of sleep disorder.
Side Effects
All medications come with some side effects and Ambien is no different. We have another article that discusses the side effects in detail.
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Common side effects include:
- Sleepiness
- Dizziness
- Laziness
- Blur vision
- Lightheadedness
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Loss of Appetite
- Nausea
These side effects are normal and should go away within a few days until your body adjusts to the new medication. However, if they become too uncomfortable, please consult the prescribing doctor.
What are the things to be careful about?
Here are a few things you should be careful about when you start taking it.
- Take it only when you are ready to sleep.
- Make sure your family members know that and won’t try to wake you up.
- Don’t take Ambien with alcohol.
- Don’t take Ambien with Marijuana or CBD oil.
- Unless prescribed by the doctor, do not take Ambien with antidepressants like Prozac or anxiety medication like Valium.
- Pregnant mothers should not take Ambien since Zolpidem passes through the placenta.
- Breastfeeding mothers should also avoid it since it passes through breast milk as well.
- People with a substance abuse history should avoid it at all costs.
Can I buy Ambien without a prescription?
Certainly, but it is not advisable. There are plenty of off-shore online pharmacies that offer Ambien without prescriptions, but they are not very reliable. You may find them cheap, but the quality of the Ambien is not guaranteed.
We also have an article on this matter so that you can find a reliable only pharmacy if you want to buy Ambien online without a prescription.
Related: Where to buy Ambien Online