For people worried about side effects: You don't have to take the full 10 mg. dose. It's easy to break a tablet into halves or thirds, and for some people that's enough to get to sleep while lowering the risk of aftereffects.

My absolute favorite side effect in any drug commercial, mentioned in the Ambien ad: MAY CAUSE DROWSINESS!

ChrisF said:For some people it works wonders. For some it doesn't. Side effects will vary from person to person. It's probably not great to take it for an extended term, but then again, there aren't many good sleeping drugs out there as of yet.

robby69 said:The only reason there is an Ambien-CR is because the companies patent expired on regular Ambien. Every manufacturer comes out with a me too drug trying to retain market share when one of their drugs goes off patent.

Exactly what my physician said when he was handing me a bag full of Ambien CR samples... I use it when I travel, as I can't sleep in an airplane without it (or a 2 by 4). Great for jet lag, too, the first night overseas.

These are also available thru Caremark and other company mail order drug plans... mine would cost $20 for 90 tablets (zolpidem 10 mg).

zevilone said:ambien is fun.....if you fight off the sleep you will hallucinate.....and ambien + jagermeister = party timeI certainly hope you're only making a bad joke...

benadryl 25 mg knocks my sorry ass out.

I could use some Ambien now. I have never tried it, do I just ask my doctor for a prescription? Is it something to be embarrassed about? Would I need to schedule an appointment specifically to get a prescription? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

queentut said:30 pills at Walgreens of the GENERIC version is $114.99!!

funny that ... i just picked up (on friday) a refill of ambien and the pharmacist substituted the generic zolpidem ... noticed the price difference (i only pay $10 copay). the manufacturer of the generic i received was Teva, which makes all kinds of generic drugs.

Has all Ambien gone generic, or just the "regular" version? I'm interested in the CR

Also, to clarify...you don't have to be a member of Sam's or Costco to use their pharmacy. I think there's something illegal about that which is why it's open to everyone regardless of membership (heard it on the local news, so you know it's true )

I'm a Pharm.D student. Thought I'll provide some basic information on Zolpidem (aka Generic Ambien) we have.

DrugPoint® Summary
ZOLPIDEM TARTRATE
Details in DRUGDEX® ZOLPIDEM
Tradenames

* Ambien
* Ambien CR

See Complete Tradename Listing
Class

* Nonbarbiturate Hypnotic

Adult Dose

* Insomnia, Short-term use: immediate-release tablets, 10 mg ORALLY at bedtime
* Insomnia, Short-term use: extended-release tablets, 12.5 mg ORALLY at bedtime

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
Pediatric Dose

* Safety and efficacy in children under the age of 18 has not been established

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
Dose Adjustments

* debilitated patients: 5 mg ORALLY at bedtime (immediate-release), 6.25 mg ORALLY at bedtime (extended-release)
* geriatrics: 5 mg ORALLY at bedtime (immediate-release), 6.25 mg ORALLY at bedtime (extended-release)
* liver disease: 5 mg ORALLY at bedtime (immediate-release), 6.25 mg ORALLY at bedtime (extended-release)

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
Administration

* Oral: (extended-release tablet) swallow whole; do not divide, crush, or chew tablet

Monitoring

* decreased insomnia
* excessive sedation, impaired coordination; elderly

How Supplied

* Oral Tablet: 5 MG, 10 MG
* Oral Tablet, Extended Release: 6.25 MG, 12.5 MG

# Indications FDA labeled indications

* Insomnia, Short-term use

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
Mechanism of Action

* Zolpidem is a hypnotic agent unrelated to benzodiazepines, or barbiturates. Zolpidem binds the benzodiazepine (BZ) receptor subunit of the GABA-A receptor complex, which is hypothesized to be responsible for sedative, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and myorelaxant properties. The preferential binding of zolpidem to the BZ1 receptor may explain the relative absence of myorelaxant and anticonvulsant effects as well as the preservation of deep sleep (stages 3 and 4) of zolpidem at hypnotic doses .

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
# Pharmacokinetics Absorption

* Oral, tablets: rapid
* Oral, extended-release tablets: initial rapid release followed by slow release core
* Bioavailability: (Oral, tablets) 70%
* Effect of food: decreases bioavailability

# Distribution

* Vd: 0.54 L/kg
* Protein binding: 92.5% (range 92.4% to 92.6%)

# Metabolism

* Hepatic

# Excretion

* Renal: 48 to 67%
* Fecal: 29% to 42%
* Dialyzable: no (hemodialysis)

# Elimination Half Life

* Adult, tablets: 2.5 h to 2.8 h (range 1.4 h to 4.5 h)
* Adult, extended-release tablets: 2.8 h (range 1.6 h to 4 h)
* Elderly (greater than 70 y), tablets: 2.9 h
* Elderly (greater than 64 y), extended-release tablets: 2.9 h (range 1.6 h to 5.5 h)
* Chronic hepatic insufficiency: 9.9 h (range 4.1 h to 25.8 h)

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
Contraindications

* hypersensitivity to zolpidem tartrate or any component of the product

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
Precautions

* abrupt withdrawal; may cause severe withdrawal symptoms
* anaphylaxis; may occur as early as the first dose
* angioedema; potentially fatal swelling of the throat, glottis, or larynx have been rarely reported (may occur as early as the first dose)
* concurrent use of alcohol or CNS depressants; may increase risk of complex sleep-related behaviors
* depression; may exacerbate symptoms including suicidal thinking
* diseases or conditions that affect metabolism or hemodynamic response
* elderly or debilitated patients; increased risk of impaired motor and/or cognitive performance
* exceeding recommended dose; increases risk of complex sleep-related behaviors and other adverse events
* hepatic impairment; drug elimination may be prolonged
* renal impairment
* respiratory impairment; may depress respiratory drive
* sleep-related behaviors, complex; possibility of patients performing activities while asleep, with no memory afterwards; includes sleep-driving, making phone calls, and preparing and eating food
* sleep apnea, mild to moderate; may depress respiratory drive

# Adverse Effects COMMON

* Gastrointestinal: Diarrhea, Nausea (7%), Xerostomia
* Musculoskeletal: Myalgia (4%)
* Neurologic: Dizziness (12%), Drugged state, Headache (19%), Somnolence (15%)

# SERIOUS

* Psychiatric: Depression, worsening, Suicidal thoughts

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
# Drug Interaction Moderate

* Bupropion (probable)
* Desipramine (probable)
* Ketoconazole (probable)
* Rifampin (probable)
* Sertraline (probable)
* Venlafaxine (probable)

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
Pregnancy Category

* Zolpidem: C

Details in DRUGDEX®
ZOLPIDEM
Breast Feeding

* Zolpidem: Infant risk cannot be ruled out.

Details in DRUGDEX®

I personally took some Ambien couple of years ago, for stress induced insomnia. It's a very potent sleep-aid, as I can't fight it to stay awake. The main concern is that you shouldn't use it for long, as you have the potential to become dependent on it.

Yeah, we pay ~$1.30 (cost) for #30 at my job. we are baffled as to why it is so cheap tho, since generic drugs usually take quite some time to come down in price; at least to this level. This is an insane cost for a 1st to market generic. Even the once-cheaper benzodiazepine alternatives (namely restoril) cost more than this. The only thing I can figure is that Sanofi-Aventis manufactured a LOT for Prasco, knowing that their patent expiry was around the corner, and that forced the other mfr's down in price. But even that would be shooting themselves in the foot by causing people they've successfully switched over to CR to switch back because of price. Maybe not since the AWP is still very high. I dunno.
Anyways, if you are taking the brand still and are weary of generics, go for Prasco- they are made by the brand name mfr still (they don't make their own drugs). only difference is the imprint.
IQ70 said:Sanofi wanted to hold onto the patent hence came out with the CR version.
Once that expires they will come out with the SR version which will be claimed to be "better".Technologically they usually are better...