Heath Ledger and the Ambien Panic

Over the years I've taken every over the counter medication, folk remedy and health food store concoction known to man with varying degrees of success. The current news headlines about the unfortunate death of Hollywood golden boy Heath Ledger and its possible connection to the prescription sleep aid Ambien (Zolpidem Tartrate), have left many confused and wary about the contents of their own medicine cabinets.

Before taking any medication - over the counter or otherwise - you should always educate yourself as to the potential risks. When I learned recently about a friend who gave her 11 year old an Ambien when he couldn't sleep through the night, I was horrified because I knew that this particular prescription has never been shown to help children sleep, instead causing hallucinations, dizziness and headaches -1-. I told her about that risk as well as other possible side effects that she herself might experience such as "sleep driving" (think sleep walking, only behind the wheel) and a laundry list of others. She became so paranoid that her answer was to immediately flush the rest of the bottle down the toilet.

In my own experience, Ambien is the only prescription sleep aid that has delivered on its promise to help me fall asleep and stay asleep for several hours were it not for three major pitfalls, I'd be taking it now. First, it can cause (or at the very least contribute to) depression and as a man who once suffered severe bouts with that particular demon, I don't want to play that game. It also has the propensity for dependence, or in simpler terms, you can get addicted to the stuff. Still, I have had episodes where my lack of sleep has made me want to seek out a prescription. Without health insurance though, I just can't afford it.

A report on CNN's website quotes a New York Times article in which Ledger said, "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He went on to say that prescription drugs weren't helping -2-. I've not only had those nights, but I'll admit to taking more than the prescribed dose of this or that on occasion to allow me to drift off. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I know the risks because I have read every letter of the dosage instructions, warnings, indications & contraindications. When you can't sleep, the risks don't always matter.

Though I'm not convinced that Ledger's death was caused by an accidental overdose (his initial autopsy was inconclusive), I'll still be a little more careful about what I take, how much I take and when. I hope you will too.
Sources:

-1- RxList.com Ambien Listing
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/zolpid_pi.htm

-2- CNN: "Autopsy fails to find how actor Heath Ledger died"
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/23/heath.ledger.dead/index.html