Ambien in the Military Pt. 2

Dear Used Responsibly, Ambien is Useful & Safe,

First, I will not use this forum to get into a “tit for tat” discussion with anyone. It is too important for people to come to this site and tell their story. It is also important for persons like you to have the privilege to comment about any story. I respect that privilege.

However, I want to make this certain about my military son and Ambien. My son had no mental problems. The evidence from the investigations of his death confirm this. The standards that were used to come to this conclusion are those published by the Mayo Clinic. It is very distressing and immature for you to make the claim that my son must had had a mental problem without facts to support your “certainty.” That said, we will move on.

This information comes from the web site www.Rxlist.com. “Ambien (zolpidem tartrate) is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic of the imidazopyridine class and is available in 5 mg and 10 mg strength tablets for oral administration.” Notice the key word “hypnotic.” I have friends and acquaintances who have become “hypnotic” from Ambien and abandoned the drug as a result. They have reported taking more pills than prescribed without realizing what they had done until they came out of theri hypnotic state, usually in the mornings. I have nurse friends who say they cringe whenever patients in their hospitals are prescribed Ambien, because they never know if the patient is going to experience a hypnotic effect and act irrationally. You admit that you purposely overdrug yourself to acheive hallucinations. What do you think happens to someone who takes more pills than prescribed while in an Ambien induced hypnotic, irrational state?

This information comes from the web site www.drugs.com. “Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Zolpidem (the generic of Ambien):
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the hands, legs, mouth, face, lips, eyes, throat, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); abnormal thinking; behavior changes; chest pain; confusion; decreased coordination; difficulty swallowing or breathing; fainting; fast or irregular heartbeat; hallucinations; memory problems (eg, memory loss); mental or mood changes (eg, aggression, agitation, anxiety, depression); severe dizziness; shortness of breath; suicidal thoughts or actions; vision changes.

As you can see, the manufacturer warns about the severe side effects of “hallucinations, mental or mood changes, and suicidal thoughts or actions.” With these explicit warnings, why would you question the veracity of our stories. Do you think that we open ourselves up like this for a thrill or for attention. I comment because I do not want to see anyone else die, including you. Please do not take Ambien for the high that it might give you. All it takes is one time for you to have lost your life, as well.

One last comment. In at least one of the military branches there is a ban against prescribing Ambien to certain military personnel depending upon their job specialty. If Ambien is completely safe at all times when used as prescribed, why would this ban exist.

-Gregg