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• Friday, March 10, 2006 10:06 AM

  Thanks for raising awareness

  I have a horrifying Ambien story, as well. About three years ago, I got two traffic tickets in one day -- one on the way to work and one coming home -- both deserved, but I knew they would be very expensive despite the infractions being minor. I was having financial trouble already at that time, so it was pretty devastating. When I got home, I talked on the phone with a friend and drank a bottle of wine (first mistake, as I NEVER drink when I am upset). Deciding that the day was not going to get any better and I might as well get a good night's sleep, I took an Ambien and went to bed. I fell asleep, in my bed. The next day, I woke up in an ex-boyfriend's house, wearing clothing that I didn't remember putting on, and that's when I started remembering some of the events from the prior night, although it took a couple of days to put everything together.

  I had apparently woken up, gone to my computer, chatted with this ex-boyfriend, who I hadn't talked to in a couple of years, and who then invited me to come out with some of his friends. In the meantime, I e-mailed a childhood friend I hadn't seen in years and told her I was gay. (Didn't remember this AT ALL until she replied the next day.) I proceeded, although I don't know in what order, to throw up all over my living room and bathroom, to fall into the shower doors, completely knocking them off their tracks, to dress in clothes I would never wear out normally, and to leave my apartment with NO keys and leaving the front door open. I remembered vague snippets of some of these events, but not all. And while a bottle of wine is certainly not a small amount of alcohol, it's also not enough to cause this kind of memory loss.

  It was a horrifying event, and I am just so grateful that I didn't go near my car and that no permanent damage was done to anything or anyone. While the bottle of Ambien was printed with a "Do not drink alcohol" label, I had no awareness that this kind of reaction could occur... I merely thought it said that because the combination would make me even drowsier, which was fine since I was trying to go to bed. Anyway, I'm glad that the public is becoming more aware of the side effects of this drug. When taken correctly, it's a godsend to anyone who has trouble sleeping. But when taken with alcohol, it's extremely dangerous. Thanks for helping raise the awareness of the risks.

  —Anonymous
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