Ambien causing people to DRIVE in their sleep.

[Eric J in MN]

Sometimes on the wrong side of the road.

There was a report on "ABC World News Tonight" tonight about the sleeping pill, Ambien.

The harshest criticism of Ambien over it causing people to drive in their sleep was that there should be stronger warning labels. No one said to ban it.

Related ABC News article.

March 9, 2006— They smash into parked cars, drive the wrong way down busy highways and weave in between lanes. These drivers are not drunk, they're taking prescription sleeping pills, and sometimes they don't have any recollection of getting behind the wheel when they are pulled over.

Police and toxicologists say Ambien — the nation's most popular prescription sleeping pill — is increasingly behind traffic arrests. In some states, Ambien has made it onto the lists of the top 10 drugs found in impaired motorists.

[Taverner]

1. Um...it says pretty clearly on the label DO NOT DRIVE!!!!!

I hate to side with big pharma on this one, but I have a bottle and there are PLENTY of warnings.

[Mass]

3. Agreed, but if you are not aware that you take your car because

of the pill, what good do the labels do?

[leftofthedial]

4. how do warnings keep someone from walking to their car

in their sleep

climbing into the car--still asleep

and driving--still asleep?

[Fridays Child]

5. Evidently, though, some people don't know that they're driving.

Edit: Well, I see that I'm the third one to pile onto your post! :P

[MADem]

8. Problem is, people aren't doing it on purpose

There was a big thread about this a day or so ago, had a lot of personal anecdotes in it. Fascinating, and frightening: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2151816

[pitohui]

14. you're missing the point my friend

some people -- not all people and clearly not you but SOME people -- are not able to control their actions while under the influence of ambien, they are ASLEEP dude they are in dreamy world and they don't know they are driving until two days later and wake up in jail

i'm a frequent flyer so i meet a LOT of ambien users, since ambien is the jet lag drug, for most it works well, for the person it doesn't work, it wrecks their life and the repercussions last years or a lifetime because other people don't understand that the victin was literally sleeping when he pissed in the aisle of the jet aircraft or went hitting telephone poles in somebody else's porsche

in my dreams i have no inhibitions, i frequently shoot and KILL people

nope, don't think i'll risk ambien any time soon, chances are it would work just fine but it's that 5 percent chance of ruining my life and somebody's else, i just can't take that chance

[Mass]

2. Frightening.

stronger labels? How will this be useful? Are they supposed to hide their keys before they fall asleep?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

6. Much Ado About Nothing.

I take ambien, but wouldn't recommend driving on it. Actually, I wouldn't recommend driving on any sleep medication.

And based on the only number available in the article of incidents a year (78 in Washington), if you multiplied that times 50 states you'd get only 3900 incidents out of 27 million prescriptions. So 1 in 7000 people have a problem. Not something I'd exactly call statistically significant, especially in the absence of placebo statistics.

I read the article, but don't find a thing in it to be concerned about. :)

[Eric J in MN]

10. They said it's one of the Top 10 substances in impaired motorists.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/story?id=1704089&page=1

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

13. That Isn't Really Saying Much

What are the other 9? What percentage of the 10 does the ambien account for? Does number 1 carry 70% weight, number 2 20% weight, and by the time you get to the tenth, it is only a fraction of a percent?

[SoCalDem]

7. Posted this yesterday.. (my sleep-driving experience)

SoCalDem (1000+ posts) Wed Mar-08-06 12:41 AM

Response to Reply #1

24. Here's why.. I almost ran into a train..not on Ambien, but


"sleep-driving" just the same..

My job required me to be at work at 4:45AM, and I had a 56 mile (one-way) commute on SoCalif freeways, along with 50 million other "earlybirds.. Often, I would find myself still wide awake at 2am. knowing that I had a 1hr + commute, and an 8 hr day ahead, and another 1 hr+ commute home..I did that schedule for almost 10 years, and was a zombie..

Know what went through my mind when the guy next to me at the crossing HONKED and made me stop before I plowed into the train?? "Damn...That would have really messed up my new car"..

Millions of people in California are seriously sleep-deprived, and yet they must work and drive to get to work..

The zombie-life I led ruined my sleep cycle forever..and I no longer work, mostly because of the dreary insomnia/depression I ended up with..

People are taking Ambien and other stuff to try and force themselves to sleep.. In my town the highways are bumper to bumper at 3AM..Ambien says you must allow at LEAST 8 hrs after you take one.. If you have to hit the road at 3AM, then you must take that pill very early the night before..and if you are a Mom, you know what that means...

[NYC]

9. Read some of these reports from people who took Ambien.

http://www.sleephomepages.org/discussions/basic/messages/msgs08802.html
Click each of the "follow up" postings to read the accounts.

From yesterday's thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2151816

[catmother]

11. the driver was asleep. had no awareness that she was driving.

woke up at the police station. i've seen videos of people who go to the refrigerator and eat while they're still asleep. my nephew used to sleepwalk when he was young and one time at my mom's he lifted the top of her garbage pail and peed in it.

and then there was the guy here in phoenix who claimed he was sleepwalking when he killed his wife. but that was proved to be a crock.:eyes:

[RandiFan1290]

15. I saw a show about that once

Where people would eat strange things in their sleep. They would eat dirt, cigarette butts, jars of mayo, etc.

[catmother]

12. something just came to my memory. i tried ambien. one night

it didn't work and i took a 2nd one. i know i had the tv on. my mom told me that i called her on the phone and we had a discussion. she was surprised that i called so late -- she was watching jay leno and i'm usually asleep by then. i think what might have happened was i had a lot of dental work that day -- so maybe the combination of the ambien and novocaine in my system caused this. but it was weird -- i had absolutely no recollection of calling my mom.:scared: