![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by becksA on April 7, 2005, at 14:38:09
Ambien has been helping me sleep, it's been amazing. Just curious though, I've noticed something a bit strange when it is working and I've laid down and closed my eyes for a while. It is difficult to describe but I usually imagine things, as if I'm watching a movie screen..whatever comes to mind. With Ambien though, this becomes VERY real, like I was on acid or something. Everything becomes so real sometimes I almost forget I'm lying in bed for a split second.
Anybody have this happen to them with Ambien?
Posted by MidnightBlue on April 7, 2005, at 15:33:42
In reply to Ambien - Is this effect common??, posted by becksA on April 7, 2005, at 14:38:09
I've taken Ambien on and off for many years and I've never had that problem. Maybe it is because of what you are combining it with?
Posted by mattdds on April 7, 2005, at 15:42:32
In reply to Re: Ambien - Is this effect common??, posted by MidnightBlue on April 7, 2005, at 15:33:42
Posted by abitscared on April 7, 2005, at 16:01:20
In reply to Ambien - Is this effect common??, posted by becksA on April 7, 2005, at 14:38:09
Ambien is becoming one of my favorite recreational drugs! I really enjoy taking 15mg (instead of 10 mg) - on a COMPLETELY empty stomach - i get really trippy if i do that - the only thing that sucks is that i fall asleep fairly quickly - but i fight it as long as i can just to enjoy some of the hallucinegenic effects that ambien provides
Posted by Minnie-Haha on April 7, 2005, at 16:08:26
In reply to Ambien - Is this effect common??, posted by becksA on April 7, 2005, at 14:38:09
> Ambien has been helping me sleep, it's been amazing. Just curious though, I've noticed something a bit strange when it is working and I've laid down and closed my eyes for a while. It is difficult to describe but I usually imagine things, as if I'm watching a movie screen..whatever comes to mind. With Ambien though, this becomes VERY real, like I was on acid or something. Everything becomes so real sometimes I almost forget I'm lying in bed for a split second.
> Anybody have this happen to them with Ambien?I haven't experienced this on Ambien, but I have experienced it in my life. Especially when I was sick in bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. (I used to get bad tonsilitis as a kid.) Anyway, it's called hypnagogic hallucination. It is not harmful, but it can be really scary.
Posted by Spriggy on April 7, 2005, at 16:15:24
In reply to Re: Ambien - Is this effect common??, posted by Minnie-Haha on April 7, 2005, at 16:08:26
Somebody up there wrote that they take extra Ambien on an empty stomach to get that trippy feeling.
Am I just weird or what becuase I HATE, HATE, HATE that "drugged, tripped out" feeling. I hate it when I feel all floaty and weird out of my head.
I'd rather poke a needle in my eye than feel that way (well, okay, maybe that's a little much but you get the point).
I wonder if the "trippy" feeling feels different for different folks because it ain't pleasant for me.
Me not like trippin'. Nope.. not one bit.
*makes mental note to stay away from Ambien* LOL
Posted by Lydia on April 7, 2005, at 16:59:42
In reply to you like that trippy feeling???? WHY?, posted by Spriggy on April 7, 2005, at 16:15:24
i hate the feeling too, Spriggy! Could never imagine why half the kids I go to school with drop acid on the weekends. For fun. *shudder*.
I took an ambien on tuesday night, and I don't remember ANY of this, but my sister told me that at like 1 am, I was sitting cross-legged on the kitchen counter staring into an empty cereal bowl with a goofy grin on my face for a half an hour. Then apparently I talked about how much I love Lucky Charms and how I wish i had some lucky charms to fill the bowl with, and how cute leprachauns are and how if I had a pet leprachaun I'd name him Theodore.. and then we watched the movie Sideways, and she told me i was laughing my *ss off through the whole film. I dont know how much of this she was exaggerating, but the last thing i remember from that night is taking an ambien and then laying down to go to sleep.
thats pretty spooky isn't it? from now on, i too stay away from ambien
Posted by becksA on April 7, 2005, at 17:29:08
In reply to Yes, very common - enjoy the ride! (nm), posted by mattdds on April 7, 2005, at 15:42:32
is ambien chemically tied in any way to hallucinogens??
Posted by Vivi on April 7, 2005, at 18:03:56
In reply to Re: you like that trippy feeling???? WHY? » Spriggy, posted by Lydia on April 7, 2005, at 16:59:42
I have had the exact same thing happen. I have taken Ambien and do not remember things I have done or said. I usually lay down right after I take it, but a few times I have stayed up. its a really weird drug.
Posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 18:27:23
In reply to Re: you like that trippy feeling???? WHY?, posted by Vivi on April 7, 2005, at 18:03:56
It just allowed me to sleep for about 4 hours. The lucky charms and Theodore are hilarious. You just gave me my first good laugh today! Fondly, phillipa
Posted by Vivi on April 7, 2005, at 19:02:39
In reply to Re: you like that trippy feeling???? WHY?, posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 18:27:23
I usually only sleep for about 4 hours too. Isn't it supposed to be for 7-8 hours?
Posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 19:08:52
In reply to Re: you like that trippy feeling???? WHY?, posted by Vivi on April 7, 2005, at 19:02:39
I think most people only get around 4 hours sleep on it. Lunesta is supposed to be out and that is supposed to be nonaddictive for longterm sleep problems. It's supposed to have some AD action too. Can't wait to hear how the first to try it do! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Vivi on April 7, 2005, at 19:31:09
In reply to Re: you like that trippy feeling???? WHY? » Vivi, posted by Phillipa on April 7, 2005, at 19:08:52
I have never heard of that. I have also tried Trazadone, but that nakes me feel so sluggish in the morning. At least with Ambien I don't feel that hung-over feeling, I just don't like the forgetfulness that I have experienced.
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on April 7, 2005, at 21:42:30
In reply to Ambien - Is this effect common??, posted by becksA on April 7, 2005, at 14:38:09
I don't know if this is the same thing, but at first if I would go back to sleep after I woke up I would have vivid, horrible nightmares. That went away.
I do love ambien. Works really well for me.
But after reading the above posts, I do wonder if I have done strange things in the middle of the night. I just live with cats, so I don't think that they would tell me if I did something silly.
EE
Posted by jane d on April 7, 2005, at 23:33:47
In reply to you like that trippy feeling???? WHY?, posted by Spriggy on April 7, 2005, at 16:15:24
> Am I just weird or what becuase I HATE, HATE, HATE that "drugged, tripped out" feeling. I hate it when I feel all floaty and weird out of my head.
Spriggy,
I can't honestly swear that I never enjoy that feeling. I might have inhaled once upon a time. (Or I might not have. I refuse to commit myself one way or the other). But when I'm desperate to get some sleep it's the last thing I want. Fortunately 10 mg of ambien never did anything except let me get to sleep. It might have been different if I'd forced myself to stay awake. I'm very glad to have missed this particular experience.
Jane
Posted by Spriggy on April 8, 2005, at 11:26:19
In reply to Re: you like that trippy feeling???? No!!!! » Spriggy, posted by jane d on April 7, 2005, at 23:33:47
This is exactly why I'd never be a good drug addict; I HATE that trippy,foggy feeling that marijuana and such drugs would produce. And any drug like speed or such would increase my anxiety.
I'd be out of luck in the drug addict business.
Posted by tendency on April 12, 2005, at 17:56:31
In reply to why I wouldn't be a good drug addict, posted by Spriggy on April 8, 2005, at 11:26:19
> This is exactly why I'd never be a good drug addict; I HATE that trippy,foggy feeling that marijuana and such drugs would produce. And any drug like speed or such would increase my anxiety.
>
> I'd be out of luck in the drug addict business.you done just ain't found the right drugs ;-)
Posted by sm2010 on September 11, 2005, at 23:15:29
In reply to Ambien - Is this effect common??, posted by becksA on April 7, 2005, at 14:38:09
Ambien was very hallucinogenic for me...VERY. I stopped taking it because it caused me daytime anxiety (never had before) and I built up a very quick tolerance, which in the long run worsened my insomnia.
My Dr. just prescribed me Lunesta which I'm not sure if I'm going to take. I don't want to get into the same mess I did w/ ambien. Can anyone who's taken both ambien and lunesta attest to whether lunesta gives the same "trippy" affects, tolerance and rebound insomnia (if you stop it)?
Posted by vbAgent on September 12, 2005, at 1:44:23
In reply to Re: Ambien - Is this effect common??, posted by sm2010 on September 11, 2005, at 23:15:29
> Ambien was very hallucinogenic for me...VERY. I stopped taking it because it caused me daytime anxiety (never had before) and I built up a very quick tolerance, which in the long run worsened my insomnia.
>
> My Dr. just prescribed me Lunesta which I'm not sure if I'm going to take. I don't want to get into the same mess I did w/ ambien. Can anyone who's taken both ambien and lunesta attest to whether lunesta gives the same "trippy" affects, tolerance and rebound insomnia (if you stop it)?
I take Lunesta 2mg, which hasn't caused visual hallucinations. I was prescribed Ambien in the past and didn't experience hallucinations either. Higher doses of Lunesta, however, such as 4mg, produces some "trippy" effects for me - safe to say it's the reason I'm not doubling the dose again.
Does anyone know how the nonbenzodiazepine sedative/hypnotics, presumably safer with less addiction potential than their benzo-counterparts, cause such "trippy" effects?
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.