General Ambien Amnesia

[BehindBlueEyes]

Has anyone else had issues with their significant other having memory lapses while taking ambien? My fiancé has taken it for years but just 2 months ago started showing major signs of undiagnosed PTSD (still trying to get into be evaluated) and insists on taking the Ambien and seriquil and then having long conversations with me. I try to tell him to just go on to sleep but he gets frustrated and wants to talk but then doesn't remember anything in the morning. He has had times of "blacking out" during the night and accidently physically injured himself but doesn't remember what happened, like a fall etc. He has also lost many memories from the beginning of our relationship, and this is extremely hurtful to me and him as well. Anyone else have these side effects of ambien??

 

[franciemarnie]

Absolutely. I black out on any type of tranquilizer and that's why I don't take them (not to mention the inevitable withdrawal and temporary increase in anxiety when you stop.)

It must be a drag talking with him when he is on them knowing he won't remember most likely. Like talking to someone in an alcoholic black out.

That would be a quandary though. He wants to talk. You want to be accommodating. But he should realize it feels pointless to you under the circumstances. You could tape him so he understands the next day when you play it. He should put himself in your shoes and at least not expect you to want to talk. How would he feel if it was reversed?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

If he's taking Ambien, he should be going to sleep soon thereafter and not engaging in much of anything. Let's just say I had one of the wildest nights in college after taking Ambien and then having my friends unexpectedly drag me out. Well, from what I can remember. I don't advise anyone to take sleep meds and not go to sleep.

Ambien has a list of documented side effects such as this. Stop me if I'm wrong, but haven't there been cases of sleep driving while on Ambien? I vaguely remember something like that.

If he is having such effects, it's advisable that he find a new medication. This one is damaging your relationship and that's not fair to you when there are other options out there.

 

[Barconian]

All drugs affect people differently

 

[MSMiller]

HECK yeah! MY hubby drives me crazy with his forgetfulness. He takes Ambian and the side effects are hard for us. He talk and has had accidents in his sleep in our bed. The other choice is that he is just up for hours at night and that disturbs me more than the sleep talker. I ask him things in his sleep and that is a little amusing to see what I get back.

I would suggest just breathing and adding anything important he needs to remember to the calendar on his phone and in his email. I put notes on the fridge as a reminder and will text him things I need done around the house again as an overview. Other than that it is hard to overcome. It is hurtful and challenging to cope with for both of us. I have to constantly remind him of things and when I do it too much for his comfort level (he gets emabarased) he gets frustrated with me.

Remember your fiance is not doing it on purpose and I am sure if he could help it he would.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

But.....he CAN change things from here forward. Yes the medication has caused problems in the past, but since you have identified issues with it, he has full power to try something new. So in that sense, he can help it.

 

[MSMiller]

Good point Solara... Investigate other medications and even some natural methods that may work too.

Example: Melatonin can be found in the herbal section bout $6.

 

[Badger]

Lets just say Ambien's been a problem for me recently too. It was at least partially responsible for a major mess in my relationship. I take it right before bed, and my significant other who is more of a night owl then I am texts me or IM's with me when I am on it. I never mind waking up in the middle of the night to talk, or really interacting with him at any time of the night because I know he finds it comforting when I respond to those texts but I have been having some IM conversations with him where he has gotten upset and told me I am contradicting myself and to me they seem mostly convoluted and retarded, like miscelleanous wierdness coming out spelled wrong etc. I can make some sense, but there alot of times i dont remember what order things happened in etc-or half of what I wrote when I go back and look at it. This clearly frustrates him, and I can't blame him for that, he's dealing with a temporary idiot. I either need to stop taking it or shut my phone and computer off right after I do. I get caught talking in the half hour where its kicking it and I don't realize it when the retardedness (sorry for lack of political correctness but I cant think of better term) hits. So glad someone brought this up because it looks like I am going to need to be done with Ambien. It has actually created a huge problem for me and it's not conducive to my life right now. I'm thinking benadryl should work fine to wean myself off off it. A few sleepless nights arent the end of the world anyway.

 

[MSMiller]

Have you all tried the "Zzz quil" product it is supposed to be a sleep aide as well... just a thought.

It seems like so many cures are not good for us.

 

[waitingforhim]

Ambien definitely can cause memory loss. It takes effect almost immediately, especially on an empty stomach, and ideally should be taken right before you're going to bed. I've known many people (myself included) who have taken it and reported problems with having conversations they don't remember, driving, cooking/eating, etc. while under the influence. One friend said she woke up to an e-mail receipt reading "Thank you for shopping with Nieman Marcus online!" While it's a very effective medication when used properly, it can also be very dangerous.