Observations placeholder

Zolpidem   - is a prescription medication used for the treatment of insomnia. Zolpidem has not adequately demonstrated effectiveness in maintaining sleep; however, it is effective in initiating sleep. Its hypnotic effects are similar to those of the benzodiazepine class of drugs, but it is molecularly distinct from the classical benzodiazepine molecule and is classified as an imidazopyridine. Flumazenil, a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, which is used for benzodiazepine overdose, can also reverse zolpidem's sedative/hypnotic and memory impairing effects.

It should be used only for short-term treatments - usually about two to six weeks.  A review medical publication found that long term use of zolpidem is associated with “drug tolerance and drug dependence”, rebound insomnia and CNS related adverse effects.

So it is addictive. 

It was recommended that zolpidem be used for short periods of time using the lowest effective dose. It was stated that “Zolpidem 10 mg is effective in treating insomnia when used intermittently no fewer than 3 and no more than 5 pills per week for a period of no more than 6 weeks”. It also stated that “15-mg zolpidem dosage provided no clinical advantage over the 10-mg zolpidem dosage”.

Tolerance can develop in some people to the effects of zolpidem in just a few weeks. Abrupt withdrawal of zolpidem may cause delirium, seizures, or other severe effects, especially if used for prolonged periods and at high dosages.  When drug tolerance and physical dependence to zolpidem has developed, treatment usually entails a gradual dose reduction over a period of months in order to minimise withdrawal symptoms that can resemble those seen during benzodiazepine withdrawal. In some cases doctors switch their patients to a benzodiazepine, which appears superficially to be throwing the patient from the frying pan into the fire, but then who am I to judge.  The seriously hard doctors take people in as inpatients and give them a ‘detox’ using flumazenil.

Trade names of zolpidem include:

• Adormix
• Ambien and Ambien CR
  
• Edluar
• Zolpimist
• Damixan
• Hypnogen
• Ivedal
• Lioran
• Myslee
• Nasen
• Nytamel
• Sanval
• Somidem
• Somit
• Stilnoct
• Stilnox and Stilnox CR
• Sucedal
• Zodorm
• Zoldem
• Zolnod
• Zolnox
• Zolpihexal
• and Zolsana.

As you can see from the list the number of hallucinations that it invokes are large, it at times seems more successful than many ‘recreational drugs’ and this fact has not been lost on this community.  Partially due to its 'recreation' potential, Zolpidem, along with the other benzodiazapine-like "Z-drugs", is a Schedule IV Controlled Substance in the USA, according to the Controlled Substances Act.

For the EROWID data see this LINK

 Side effects

Most common Zolpidem side effects from eHealthme

• Completed suicide - (2,493 reports)
• Nausea - (2,187 reports)
• Drug ineffective - (2,007 reports)
• Fatigue - (1,952 reports)
• Pain - (1,683 reports)
• Weakness - (1,678 reports)
• Insomnia - (1,667 reports)
• Breathing difficulty - (1,640 reports)
• Fall - (1,618 reports)
• Diarrhea - (1,558 reports)

It has a number of other side effects at any dose, these may include: 

• Nausea and Vomiting
• Increased appetite
• Increased Libido or decreased libido/destrudo
• Uninhibited extroversion in social or interpersonal settings
• Increased impulsivity
• Headaches

 Some users have reported unexplained sleepwalking while using zolpidem, and a few have reported driving, binge eating, sleep talking, and performing other daily tasks while sleeping.

 The sleepwalker can sometimes perform these tasks as normally as they might if they were awake. They can sometimes carry on complex conversations and respond appropriately to questions or statements,  so much so that the observer may believe the sleepwalker to be awake. Those under the influence of this medication may seem fully aware of their environment even though they are still asleep. This can bring about concerns for the safety of the sleepwalker and others.

 Residual 'hangover' effects such as sleepiness, impaired psychomotor and cognitive after nighttime administration may persist into the next day, which may impair the ability of users to drive safely, increase risks of falls and hip fractures.

 An overdose of zolpidem may cause excessive sedation, pin-point pupils, depressed respiratory function, which may progress to coma and possibly death. Zolpidem combined with alcohol, opiates, or other CNS depressants may be even more likely to lead to fatal overdoses.  Zolpidem overdosage can be treated with the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil. 

Time on Zolpidem when people have Hallucination  :

On Apr, 3, 2015: 24,424 people reported to have side effects when taking Zolpidem. Among them, 520 people (2.13%) have Death.

Time on Zolpidem when people have Death  :