Did Ambien Contribute to Heath Ledger's Death?
The medical examiner's office says that they still have more tests to run to determine an actual cause of death for Heath, but until that news is published, we can only speculate as to the cause. If it is found that Ambien is the cause of death, or contributed to the cause of death, the prescription drug industry will need to prepare for a hard hit.
I have taken Ambien in the past to help my sleep disorders due to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. A few years ago, doctors were raving about the effectiveness of Ambien and how it would be a great breakthrough for CFS and Fibromyalgia patients. When I first stated taking Ambien, I was seeing great results as far as sleeping went. But after taking the drug for a while, I noticed that I had built up a tolerance and needed more in order to get to sleep. Once the doctor increased my dosage, all sorts of strange things started to happen.
At first, I found that even though I took the pills as directed (30 minutes before bedtime) I was staying awake longer. Then I started having hallucinations and was having extensive conversations with people that I wouldn't remember the next day. The hallucinations were the worst, though. When I would go to bed, I would see animals dancing on the bed - big animals. I would be afraid to get into bed because of these animals that I swore were there. I would also get up in the middle of the night and eat, do chores with no recollection of this until I would find crumbs and things done around the house. It was a scary time and I thought I was going crazy. It didn't take too many nights of this stuff happening for me to quit taking Ambien.
If you are considering trying Ambien as a sleep aid, make sure you talk to your physician first and weigh the pros and cons. While taking Ambien, you need to make sure that you sleep for a minimum of eight hours so that the drug is worn off when you get up the next morning. I always felt like I was hungover after taking Ambien. I guess it was because of getting up in the middle of the night the drug didn't have a chance to fully wear off.
Let your physician know all of the medications you are currently taking before starting Ambien or if you are taking any other sleep aids or even over-the-counter medications and supplements. If you drink alcohol, you should not use Ambien.
Contact your doctor if you notice that you are having any unusual thoughts or behaviors (like me) while on Ambien. Don't let the problems persist without seeking advice from your physician.
Never increase your dosage of Ambien without having approval from your doctor. Even with approval from your doctor, proceed with extreme caution. After my dosage was increased was when I started having the weird reactions.
Never share your Ambien with anyone else. These medications can have different effects on everyone and besides that, it's illegal.
Common side effects of using Ambien can include next day drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and coordination problems. Taking sleep aids can also cause dependence, memory loss, tolerance, withdrawal and hallucinations.
Back in 2006, CBS News reported some Ambien users reported driving while sleeping. They had taken their medication, went to bed, and then would wake up without having the proper amount of sleep time and start driving. People were either taking too much Ambien or were being prescribed Ambien for mild insomnia. According to the article, research indicated that taking Ambien could be contributing to vehicle accidents.
Taking prescription sleep aids is not something to consider lightly. Research everything you can about the drug and determine if there is possibly something over-the-counter that can help before going to something stronger like Ambien.
Sources:
MSNBC.com, Autopsy On Heath Ledger Inconclusive, Associated Press
Ambien CR, Side Effects of Ambien
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- The world was saddened to hear the news of the death of 28-year-old Heath Ledger.
- News reports have revealed that Heath took the prescription sleep aid, Ambien to help him sleep.
- If you are considering trying Ambien, talk to your physician and weigh the pros and cons.