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Zolpidem (Ambien, Stillnox, Zolpimist)

Zolpidem (Ambien, Stillnox, Zolpimist)

New Jersey Prescription Drug Defense Lawyers, Serving Monmouth, Ocean, Union, Mercer Middlesex County and all of NJ

Zolpidem

Brand names:  Ambien, Stillnox, Zolpimist

Street names:  A minus, Zombie pills

Drug Classification: Ambien is a Schedule IV substance in the US. It is illegal to sell without a valid license and illegal to posses without a valid license or prescription.

General Information

Zolpidem is a sedative medication and hypnotic (drug that induces sleep.) It is prescribed for the short-term treatment of insomnia and shares many chemical similarities with benzodiazepines. Zolpidem is known to cause anterograde amnesia, or complete loss of memory of the events that occurred while under the influence of the drug.

Zolpidem comes in short acting tablets for patients with difficulty falling asleep and in extended release tablets for patients with difficulty staying asleep. Zolpidem helps patients both fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. It also produces feelings of relaxation, which aids in the sleep-inducing process. The most common side effect of Zolpidem other than anterograde amnesia is a daytime drowsiness or a drugged feeling the day after ingestion. Patients should not drive until they are aware of how this medication will affect them the following morning. Users of Zolpidem may experience balance problems and visual changes or distortions, as well as abnormal or “complex sleep-related behavior” while asleep that they have no memory of. Zolpidem may also cause sore throat, stuffy nose, headache, weakness, diarrhea, and fatigue.

Dangers of Zolpidem

Patients have reported eating, driving, making phone calls, or performing other daily tasks while asleep with no recollection of these actions.

Ambien is often advertised as being for sale on Internet websites, though many of these pills have been found to contain other chemicals than Ambien, most commonly haloperidol (an anti-psychotic medication with extreme and potentially dangerous side effects. Zolpidem pills should only be purchased from a valid pharmacy.

Due to the rapid onset of action and potency of effects, Zolpidem should only be taken directly before going to bed. Those taking Zolpidem should not expect to be able to complete complex tasks requiring complete mental alertness or motor function.

Zolpidem (Ambien) Abuse

Recreational use of Ambien generally consists of crushing the tablets (sometimes to break the extended release coating) and swallowing or snorting them. Abusers of Zolpidem report a body high, visual hallucinations, perceptual changes, decreased anxiety, and euphoria. Users also report abnormal or vivid dreams.

Do not combine alcohol with Zolpidem, as it may increase the risk and severity of side effects. Combining it with other central nervous system depressants is also dangerous.

Overdose Signs and Symptoms

Overdose of Zolpidem is characteristic of other CNS depressants and consists of confusion, shallow breathing, fainting, coma, cardiovascular and respiratory depression, and potentially life-threatening conditions. Seek immediate emergency medical attention in the instance of an overdose.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Ambien is known to cause withdrawal symptoms when use is abruptly discontinued. The chance of withdrawal symptoms increases markedly if a user has been taking Zolpidem daily for a long period of time. Symptoms of withdrawal include insomnia, irritability, anxiety, panic attacks, nausea, stomach cramps, tremors, and seizures.

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