Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

A New Sleeping Sickness Is Haunting Highways (the Ambien driver)
NY Times ^ | March 8, 2006 | STEPHANIE SAUL

Posted on 03/07/2006 8:06:19 PM PST by neverdem

With a tendency to stare zombie-like and run into stationary objects, a new species of impaired motorist is hitting the roads: the Ambien driver.

Ambien, the nation's best-selling prescription sleeping pill, is showing up with regularity as a factor in traffic arrests, sometimes involving drivers who later say they were sleep-driving and have no memory of taking the wheel after taking the drug.

In some state toxicology laboratories Ambien makes the top 10 list of drugs found in impaired drivers. Wisconsin officials identified Ambien in the bloodstreams of 187 arrested drivers from 1999 to 2004.

And as a more people are taking the drug — 26.5 million prescriptions in this country last year — there are signs that Ambien-related driving arrests are on the rise. In Washington State, for example, officials counted 78 impaired-driving arrests in which Ambien was a factor last year, up from 56 in 2004.

Ambien's maker, Sanofi-Aventis, says the drug's record after 13 years of use in this country shows it is safe when taken as directed. But a spokeswoman, Melissa Feltmann, wrote in an e-mail message, "We are aware of reports of people driving while sleepwalking, and those reports have been provided to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as part of our ongoing postmarketing evaluation about the safety of our products."

A spokeswoman for the F.D.A. said the drug's current label warnings, which say it should not be used with alcohol and in some cases could cause sleepwalking or hallucinations, were adequate. "People should be aware of that," said the spokeswoman, Susan Cruzan.

While alcohol and other drugs are sometimes also involved in the Ambien traffic cases, the drivers tend to stand out from other under-the-influence motorists. The behavior can include driving in the wrong direction or slamming into light poles or parked vehicles...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ambien; health; hypnotic; hypnotics; insomnia; medicine; roads; sanofiaventis; sleep; traffic; wodlist
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 last
To: neverdem
Retroactive amnesia from abusers is the same shit that doomed Halcion.

Taking more than the prescribed dosage and drinking -- what do they expect is going to happen?

81 posted on 03/08/2006 12:59:22 PM PST by StAnDeliver
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jakerobins

Whoa!! Interesting story.


82 posted on 03/08/2006 1:02:32 PM PST by syriacus (Hillary says: Millions to China's state-run shippers; not one RED cent to the UAE shippers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: R. Scott
Back when I used to work 12 hour night shifts then drive 40 miles home in the morning, more than once I would find myself entering my driveway with no recollection of the drive home.
Talk about scary!
83 posted on 03/08/2006 1:03:26 PM PST by mollynme (cogito, ergo freepum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: mollynme
Talk about scary!

Very! There’s nothing like it to make a person a believer.
84 posted on 03/08/2006 1:13:15 PM PST by R. Scott (Humanity i love you because when you're hard up you pawn your Intelligence to buy a drink.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

I have sometimes posted to Free Republic after taking ambien, then I click "abuse" and report myself to the mods.


85 posted on 03/08/2006 1:14:10 PM PST by Alouette (Psalms of the Day: 44-48)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: muggs

I ended up needing only 1/2 the dose my doctor originally prescribed. Ask for the 5mg, not the 10mg. You can always take two if you really need more.


86 posted on 03/08/2006 2:10:38 PM PST by GovernmentShrinker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

"Wisconsin officials identified Ambien in the bloodstreams of 187 arrested drivers from 1999 to 2004."

Duh, how many blood samples were taken during this period?


87 posted on 03/08/2006 2:28:21 PM PST by Grampa Dave (Visit Free Republic to enjoy shameless Schadenfreude as the lies of liberals are exposed!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
..With a tendency to stare zombie-like and run into stationary objects, a new species of impaired motorist is hitting the roads:

For a minute there I thought this was another blonde thread.

88 posted on 03/08/2006 2:31:15 PM PST by SGCOS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jocon307
What you say makes sense, I guess in liquid form it is diluted and dispersed throughout the liquid. I'm sorry for any inaccuracies, I never touch that stuff. I even have a cold right now and won't touch it. I stick to Vick's!

I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be snickety correcting you about the stuff. The only reason I knew about the pseudoephedrine is because I was talking to our undersheriff about cold medicines one time. We both weren't feeling very good so we were talking about over the counter medicines that worked for us. He was talking about how well Nyquil worked for him and I was telling him I couldn't take Nyquil because the pseudoephedrine would make me feel like I was about to jump out of my skin. One thing led to another and we started talking about the meth problem we had in our small town. Of course this was before our local state trooper was killed by a local firefighter because the trooper rolled up on the firefighter in his mobile meth lab. The meth heads were making the stuff in their cars because there's a really strong smell when meth is being cooked.

When Nyquil quit putting the pseudoenephedrine in their formula, the undersheriff called and let me know. Now I can take it because it works better than benadryl for me and it doesn't have the side effect it used to have. If you can tolerate benadryl, you probably would be able to use Nyquil now.

89 posted on 03/08/2006 2:56:04 PM PST by Sally'sConcerns (Native Texan now in SW Ok.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: GovernmentShrinker

Thanks


90 posted on 03/08/2006 3:10:47 PM PST by muggs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: muggs

Better yet, sometimes a 10 mg pill is the same price as a 5.
You can cut the pill in half and save money. You can check out the prices to see.
My husband does that for his sleeping pills.


91 posted on 03/08/2006 4:19:00 PM PST by Peace Is Coming
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: pandoraou812

Maybe the funny taste in your mouth from Lunesta is from that stupid glow-in-the-dark moth.

I've used Ambien post-surgery, and it worked like a charm, esp. when my incisions were still healing. Kept me still during the night and enabled me to heal more quickly.

Once in a while, I'll take some of the leftover Ambien if I'm trying to make the transition from late-night deadline work to sleep, but I'll only take half. That's usually enough.


92 posted on 03/08/2006 7:20:21 PM PST by bootless (Never Forget - And Never Again)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: muggs

I am taking 10 mg. and I do not have blood pressure issues or have in the past.


93 posted on 03/09/2006 3:47:48 AM PST by alisasny
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]

To: beezdotcom

Aliens. Ornery little boogers generally.

Careful of their anal probes!


94 posted on 03/09/2006 6:44:47 AM PST by NaughtiusMaximus (DO NOT read to the end of this tagline . . . Oh, $#@%^, there you went and did it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
Ambien drivers, eh? I guess the "my accelerator mysteriously jammed at full throttle" and "after I crashed my car, I was so freaked out that I pounded a pint of vodka that just happened to be in my trunk" excuses that DUI drivers normally use have officially become overused.
95 posted on 03/11/2006 6:07:29 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity ("Sharpei diem - Seize the wrinkled dog.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: muggs
Then Ambien, it was like I took speed, I was wide awake all night.

I take the AmbienCR a lot, I've also taken the Ambien too. I've found it doesn't work to good or at all on a full stomach, I pretty much take it on an empty stomach and or after eating a lite meal a few hours before.

I've also found drinking a beer before taking it is not a wise thing, I've suspected a few strange things have happen while I was suppose to be in bed sleeping.

I basically take the medicine and get right into bed now, my roommate says he has picked me up off the floor one time to put me in bed after I had taken it. I put my glasses on the dresser now away from the bed since several times I've had to look around for them around the bed area after getting up. Also I turn the volume down on the TV in case I'm just planning on watching a few minutes of TV but fall asleep before I turn it off. Several times I've fallen asleep while watching TV, and have woken up after the alarm goes off, around 7-8 hours later. I can just make out what is on the TV at the foot of the bed with out my glasses.

The drug really works good, most of the time. Some times it didn't do any thing for me. Don't like to take it any more then 2 maybe 3 times a week, the brain adapts itself to drugs like this, it will try to compensate for the effect of which it is made to have. That why it can be a dangerous drug, to be monitor by doctors. I work the grave yard shift, that is why I take it.

96 posted on 03/12/2006 1:28:07 AM PST by ReformedBeckite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: ReformedBeckite

Also I do not take it with my other drugs, or even vitamins. This is an important advice to heed.


97 posted on 03/12/2006 1:30:53 AM PST by ReformedBeckite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: beezdotcom
When I went downstairs, the TV was still on, a sandwich was made and half eaten, and several board games were spread out on the floor

Most of been something in the sandwich, just kidding, see my posting on number 97

98 posted on 03/12/2006 1:41:11 AM PST by ReformedBeckite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: ReformedBeckite

Whoops see posting 96


99 posted on 03/12/2006 1:42:06 AM PST by ReformedBeckite
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-99 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson