Ambien CR and Daily Headaches

[Dina]

Christy wrote:

Good luck. My husband has had a headache since August of 2005. He too has been to many doctor who pretty much blow him off.
I am not aware that he has tried Ambien. His headache just appeared for no apparent reason.

it could be a tumor, but I do not want to scare you

[illjustsleepless]

Good Lord...Ambien CR gave me a headache like I had consumed a bottle of scotch or some other kind of alcohol. I thought I would have to go to the ER last night as well. I knew yesterday morning when I woke up that it was the Ambein CR. I've taken about 4 total in 2 weeks. Now mind you I have gotten a headache more than 24 hours after taking the stuff as well.
No more for me. I conferred with my my Mother. It gave her headaches. And also a clients daughter got headaches as well.
I had some Topamax hanging around, I was leary about taking that on top of the problem...but it (25mgs) licked the headache in a matter of an hour or two.
The last 24 hours of Ambien CR headache were the worst I've spent since the death of a family member 4 years ago. I'll stare at the ceiling before I take it ever again.
Boo on Ambien CR!

[Rebecca]

Wow. New to this board but I'm experiencing the really bad headaches also. I have been on ambien for about three weeks and the last week of it I got the worst headache I've ever had. I also experienced clammy like feelings. Went to the dr. and got the same response when I asked about ambien. She said she didn't think ambien was the problem that it was probably a sinus infection or a migraine. I didn't take ambien the last two nights and didn't sleep at all...soo hard. I too am convinced ambien was causing the headaches. I have felt a little better and hoping tomorrow the headache will leave!

[Terese from Las Vegas]

My headaches push up hard through my soft pallate and toward the front of my head-then all over top of head.Then the neck and head pain combine and are BRUTAL.

[Melinda]

I have had neck, shoulder and headache in the lower back of head since I have been taking ambien cr. I just thought, today it might be contributing to pain. Has anyone else had this pain? I mainly hurt on left shoulder, up nto neck and bottom of head.

Abby wrote:

<quoted text>
Unfortunetly I don't have a reply with an answer but I am experiencing the same thinga real bad pain in my back and my left shoulder blade right below it.I am having constant neck pain, temple pain, and severe nausea.Have you found any information from anyone else.Im in Iraq serving for the military so sleeping is usually not an option without ambien.Any knowledge that you might have would help.

[diane]

I have been taking ambien for 13 years now and have so many problems that I feel are due to this usage. I have tried a million times to quit but never make it. Feels like I'm losing the battle now.

capecod1 wrote:

I have been on ambien for 4 years witrh a host of health related "side effects"--lost memory but I have been having a serious headache for 3 months now that is intolerable--I feel like I have a brain tumor or something--never had a constant headache like this on one side of my head for so long. There is no study on ambien done for people taking it for years--doctor told me---so who knows what it can do to you long term. Just quit taking it --right??? Impossible--tried several times....would LOVE to<quoted text>

[Not the Only Side Effect]

Shortly after I started the 12.5 Ambien CR, I started getting headaches on many, but not all, days. Because I had started some other meds at about the same time, I didn't immediately make the connection. However, because the 12.5 seemed a bit strong, I started taking my wife's 6.25 dose and the headaches have mostly gone away. I think the 12.5 dose was the cause of the headaches!

[Dee]

This is weird mine is the total opposite of all of this! I have been taking Ambien CR for about a year now every night because I have insomnia so bad I can't sleep without it! My problem is if I DON'T take it I end up not sleeping at all and have the worst migraine ever! And now my insurance won't pay for it so I have to choose 9 nights a month to go without it! So that means I have 9 days of migraines and 9 nights of no sleep! It helps me!

[Cindy]

I too have been having headaches for several months now and have been taking the ambien 7 nights a week for several months also. I am desperate to find out why this is happening so I went to the ambien website and headaches are a side affect that has been reported. I am starting tonight giving up the ambien in hopes of getting rid of these annoying headaches and dizziness and hope that I will be able to get some sleep. I also find that I am edgy and still feel very tired during the day. There has got to be an answer.

[MyHeadHurts]

I am convinced my headaches were caused by or at least worstened by the Ambien. I stopped it cold turkey a few months ago and it took about 4-5 weeks for all of the pain and the tingly feelings in my temple to go away. I also got a sleep cd. A cd that relaxes you to sleep and I started getting massages. Not sure if it was a combo of things or what, but I had some pretty narley knots on the left side of my neck and back and my headaches were always on the left side so I think the massage might have helped too. I have been headache free (minus one week while I took some xanax for something else - they did the same thing the ambien did) so if you have headaches try no ambien, massage and good sleeping without sleep aid. Good luck everyone. I know your pain and it's awful!

[Night Owl]

Been taking ambien nightly for about 15 years. No headaches whatsoever until I started taking the generic version.

FYI -- Non-narcotic substances can cause dependency. Try quitting coffee cold turkey and you'll see!

First thing to do for headaches is see an optometrist if you haven't. If you're tired your eyes will tire from overfocusing and you may need glasses.

[Cristine]

I looked up the side effects of coming off ambien cr because my doctor told me there was none. Well, I have tried so many times to get off of it because of night eating and amnesia. Then I started reading about everyone having bad headaches. I have been getting horrible headaches and pain in my neck. Now that I think about it all started about the same time I started CR. Any help about getting through the nights with out taking it? I have to get up and go to work in the morning so it is really really hard. I'd love any suggestions.
I think the pharmacitical companies better do some more research on this. Thanks everyone

[Judy]

Cristine wrote:

Any help about getting through the nights with out taking it? I have to get up and go to work in the morning so it is really really hard. I'd love any suggestions.

Cristine, i have the same reason for putting off stopping the Ambien CR which i take nightly, because i have to get up and go to work in the morning. Can you take any vacation or sick time, just to get yourself started? I think once you start the process of getting off it and get through the first couple of nights, you may at least feel committed to staying off it, after investing those first days into it, and the next step will be to get up and go to work, even if you've only slept an hour or two. Ideally you could take two or three sick days and combine it with a weekend or a three day holiday weekend. I dont' know if your job has benefits like sick time or holidays or vacation but if so, that's my suggestion--I had to get off Valium once, about 13 years ago, and i took a week's vacation from work. I got almost no sleep for a couple of days, and not much after that for a while, and i was really tired in the day time for a while, but by the time i went back to work, it was OK, i could deal with it, i was very very happy at the time just to be off the Valium, so that lifted my spirit even if i was tired, and i found that i didnt' feel tired usually even if i only had 3 or 4 hours of sleep. So, i'm expecting that's how it's going to be when i quit Ambien, but i am going to try to do it without taking off from work because i've been through it before and i know what to expect i think. Only one way to find out though.

It's clear from reading the posts on this forum that drugs affect different individuals differently.

My main problem with Ambien is that i can't remember things that i need to remember in order to live day to day. I constantly lose important things, forget important things, apologize to people at work, let people down, create ordeals and disasters for myself. I don't have those blackouts people report, where they don't remember doing things like getting up in the night and driving and eating. Just my regular daytime memory, it's pretty much gone, it's impairing me a lot, hurting the quality of my life. And i'm just hoping that it will get better once the ambien is out of my system.

I do get headaches. I had them before i started taking Ambien. I take Fiornal for them and it works very well. I have them occasionally, not all the time. But lately i've noticed they're more frequent, and having read what people posted here, i am seriously considering that Ambien could be causing it.

Good luck to everybody.

[headaches for 3 months]

Upon a discussion with my psych about ambien and I started taking it more often, what do you know, headaches. But ambien has always worked great for me. I do notice night eating when I am trying to fall asleep. I am going to stop the ambien and see how the neck tension and headaches go. Wow, didn't know there was a connection at all. --jmc

[jennifer]

Judy wrote:

<quoted text>
Cristine, i have the same reason for putting off stopping the Ambien CR which i take nightly, because i have to get up and go to work in the morning. Can you take any vacation or sick time, just to get yourself started? I think once you start the process of getting off it and get through the first couple of nights, you may at least feel committed to staying off it, after investing those first days into it, and the next step will be to get up and go to work, even if you've only slept an hour or two. Ideally you could take two or three sick days and combine it with a weekend or a three day holiday weekend. I dont' know if your job has benefits like sick time or holidays or vacation but if so, that's my suggestion--I had to get off Valium once, about 13 years ago, and i took a week's vacation from work. I got almost no sleep for a couple of days, and not much after that for a while, and i was really tired in the day time for a while, but by the time i went back to work, it was OK, i could deal with it, i was very very happy at the time just to be off the Valium, so that lifted my spirit even if i was tired, and i found that i didnt' feel tired usually even if i only had 3 or 4 hours of sleep. So, i'm expecting that's how it's going to be when i quit Ambien, but i am going to try to do it without taking off from work because i've been through it before and i know what to expect i think. Only one way to find out though.
It's clear from reading the posts on this forum that drugs affect different individuals differently.
My main problem with Ambien is that i can't remember things that i need to remember in order to live day to day. I constantly lose important things, forget important things, apologize to people at work, let people down, create ordeals and disasters for myself. I don't have those blackouts people report, where they don't remember doing things like getting up in the night and driving and eating. Just my regular daytime memory, it's pretty much gone, it's impairing me a lot, hurting the quality of my life. And i'm just hoping that it will get better once the ambien is out of my system.
I do get headaches. I had them before i started taking Ambien. I take Fiornal for them and it works very well. I have them occasionally, not all the time. But lately i've noticed they're more frequent, and having read what people posted here, i am seriously considering that Ambien could be causing it.
Good luck to everybody.

I have this same problem. I am constantly being scatterbrained. I will walk to the copier and forget what I am copying or what to different rooms for things I don't need. I forget everything and misplace everything. My husband is constantly getting frustrated with my carelessness but I think Ambien is causing this. I was never like this before. But I am so scared to get off of it. Jenn

[Dave]

I took my first dose of Ambien and did not sleep one wink. I was in a daze most of the next day.
It appears to me tht it is a very dangerous drug not for use by everyone out here.

[fitlibrarian]

I too have the headaches. It is a dobule edged sword. I always have sleep issues when school starts back up. I need the sleep but then the headeache is just awful. This happenend to me in April and did not make the Ambien connection. I just thought the headache was because of the sleep loss. I do sleep 4-6 hours with Ambien CR but now wonder if less "natural" sleep might even be better for me.Trust me it is miserable to teach with this headache. Tomorrow I need to drive to a family get together and will choose the headace over sleep loss. Sunday night will be my last one and then it is back to Valerian Root. Hopefully a week from now I am headache free

[Jamie]

I have headaches, and aches and pains and i am on Ambien Cr 12.5 and i feel its the best thing thats happened to me...i get a lot of good sleep night needed for me.. I have fibromyalgia also ..so the headaches and aches are caused by something else...I just want u all to know that I have been on Ambien for 2 years now and my best friend how is an MA has been on it for 1, Fiance for 2 years, and mother for 1 year and we're all great and fine...so there are people out here that benefit from it...it's saved us all a lot of grief by giving our bodies rest!!!

[Andy Switzerland]

I took Ambien every day for 2 months. After the 1st month I ended up in hospital two days running with strong headaches, resulting in stress related hyperventilation.
All doctors said that it was nothing to do with Ambien. Took for another month with headaches every day. Stopped after two months. Minor withdrawal. No sleep for two days. Daily headaches disappeared after 4 days. Amazing. But now cannot sleep properly. Catch 22. Going to start with 3/4 days per week and see how it goes.

[rOGER]

I would suggest you take the regular ambien and see if that causes headaches. Ambien CR is long acting [it's marketed by the company because their patent for the regular ambien can/is go generic now]. There are other sleeping pills that can help as well if this one does not help such as Rozerem.