SLEEP Online Magazine - The SLEEP Blog - All about SLEEP, SLEEPING, and SLEEPINESS » ambien

A New Sleeping Pill called Intermezzo

Brian Yalung — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:57:19 +0000

It looks like there is a new sleeping pill made for people who get up in the middle of the night. The new sleeping pill is called Intermezzo, a new formula from Ambien that has just been approved by the FDA. However, there are certain dosage requirements for males and females.

The dose of Intermezzo is 1.75 mg for women and 3.5 mg for men. The reason for the different doses is due to the slower clearance rate in women. The standard dose of Ambien for sleep is 5-10 mg each night.

The new sleeping pill should help out people who wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep. It has already been evaluated via two clinical trials and was reportedly proven to be effective. However there are side effects and these include headaches, nausea and fatigue.

Be warned as well that Intermezzo should not be taken along with other medications. Further, it should not be combined with alcohol too.

In case you get the chance to come across it, be guided that you will need prescription to get one. And lastly, if ever you do try it out, do make sure you don’t grow dependent on it. One pill reportedly costs between $2 to $3, a bit expensive for people who may be planning to try it out.

Via

Tiger Woods Took Ambien But Not Addicted

Brian Yalung — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:13:00 +0000

Controversial golfer Tiger Woods has admitted that he had taken Ambien some time ago, a time when his dad was sick and when he passed away. Other than that, Woods said that he never needed any treatment for being hooked on to Ambien, a sedative which is also known to be hypnotic.

Tiger made it clear that he was never hooked or addicted to any prescription drugs. Tiger admitted to taking Ambien in the past, but also explained that he’s never received treatment for abuse of the drug and suggested that he is in no way addicted.

(Source) Zimbio

Woods Took Sleeping Pills for Sex?

Brian Yalung — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 05:26:54 +0000

Ambien has been known to induce sleep but sex? Well that is that the buzz is right now with Tiger Woods and his celebrated “affairs”. According to Rachel Uchitel, she and woods took Ambien before having sex to spice up their sex escapades.

Ambien is a brand name for a drug which, while used to treat chronic insomnia. And now it is said that it can enhance sexual experience dramatically in the minutes after it is taken. Well it looks like Woods will be a need a lot of sleeping pills to get himself out of this fine mess he is in. Last time I heard, he was even thinking of quitting golf!

(Source) Daily Mail

Zolpimist Spray Will Put Insomniacs to Sleep

Brian Yalung — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:40:22 +0000

Most insomniacs have surely tried out the various sleeping pills that they intake to help them sleep. Ambien, a sleep aid has been known to provide some sort of help for the insomnia-riddled people and it seems that there is a new type of sleep-enhancing product, an oral spray called Zolpimist from Nova Del Pharma Inc., which was recently granted approval for its supposed short-term treatment to the people suffering from insomnia.

How does this oral spray work?

Zolpimist is an oral spray that contains zolpidem tartrate, the same active ingredient found in the widely used prescription sleep aid Ambien. The substance is absorbed through the oral mucosa directly into systemic circulation. According to NovaDel, the most commonly observed side effects in clinical trials were headache, sleepiness and dizziness.

So if you are tired of the usual sleeping aids and pills, this can be a good alternative that will be worth trying out. You can get more information at their website here.

(Source) eFlux Media

Sleep E-mailing: A New Kind of Parasomnia

Brian Yalung — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:54:29 +0000

Parasomnia involved abnormalities as far as weird movements and behaviors are concerned. But as far as the known abnormalities today, it looks like the subconscious mind of people who think they are asleep are not fully snoozing. Some may even find themselves sleep e-mailing, a routine we normally do at work or when we are totally awake.

Seton Hall University researchers document the case of a 44-year-old woman who struggled with severe insomnia for years before she was prescribed the popular sleeping aid, zolpidem (also known by the brand name Ambien), in 2004.

Much of this has been said to be because of stress where people bring the office pressures to their sleep. It can happen and while we think we are in the real world, you may just find yourself wondering why you are getting tons of email replies when in fact you don’t recall sending out anything while you are awake. Add sleep-emailing to the list of new sleep disorders known today folks!

(Source) ABC News

Dreamkeeper 400: Acupressure Wristband for Better Sleep

Brian Yalung — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:55:52 +0000

Here is a good alternative to people who want to shy away from the usual sleeping pills to get a good sleep. Acupressure boasts of a biomedical device called the Dreamkeeper 400 that relies largely on acupressure techniques, stimulating the median nerves on the inside of the wrist through electrostatic pulses and adjustable vibration.

So for all the sleep deprived and insomnia-riddled people out there, this may be the solution that you have long been looking for. A better alternative than the risky sleeping pills such as Ambien.

The DreamKeeper 400 isn’t the first device to merge technology and acupressure points, however. The digital Aculife Magnetic Wave Therapist claims to bridge ancient Chinese medicine with modern technology by digitally locating your so-called acupoints so you can apply a “small amount of electricity” accordingly.

(Source) CNet News

Safety Questions for Sleeping Aids and Drugs

Brian Yalung — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:54:30 +0000

We all know that sleep deprived people would try anything to help them get the much needed respite and sleep. However, it also remains that they have to consider the safety of taking these sleeping aids. Side effects and potential health risks may be in play and rather than addressing the sleep problem issue, they may just find themselves battling worst case scenarios as far as their overall health is concerned.

There are drugs such as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata that are available in the market for sleep assistance. But the question still remains on how they may affect the health of a insomnia-ridden individual.

“Even though these are non-narcotic according to TV ads, they can be addictive and a person can abuse them the same way they can abuse (other substances),” Schwartz said. “A few extra, especially mixed with alcohol, could kill you.”

(Source) Fox News

Ambien Overdose Linked to Heath Ledger’s Death

Brian Yalung — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:06:37 +0000

Most people want to get the most out of what they can from sleeping pills like Ambien. But while they are known to provide temporary relief as far as helping people sleep, they may not necessarily produce the much needed sleep that we all look forward to. They are remedies but while they can allow you to sleep for a while, you may very well start to become immune to them and worse, get hooked on them without getting any sleep solution in the process.

Ambien has been in the headlines since there are rumors that is had something to do with Heath Ledger’s death. But as stated, they are just rumors and nothing has been scientifically proven just yet.

Did Heath Ledger die of an accidental overdose of sleeping tablets?

Among the many pills found near the actor’s body was the drug Ambien. Last week, Hollywood star Jack Nicholson said he’d warned Ledger against the sleeping pill.

“I tell people about Ambien. Somebody said: ‘Take this, it’s mild.’ I almost drove off a cliff 50 yards from my house.”

At the moment there is no evidence that Ambien played a part in Ledger’s death. However, the drug has been linked with other bizarre and terrifying experiences.

(Source) Daily Mail

Zolpidem Awakens Comatose Patient

Brian Yalung — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 07:00:32 +0000

Sleeping pills have been known to help people sleep better. However, to awaken them from deep slumbers such as being comatose for some years will draw mixed reactions. It can either be hilarious or strange. It may also do harm with regards to the credibility of the sleeping pill called Zolpidem distributed under the Ambien brand.

“When she takes the pill, I see her face relax and the old sparkle return to her eyes,” her mother, Thelma Pickard said. “It’s incredible.”

The woman’s case is described on “The Waking Pill,” a BBC documentary that aired on Wednesday of this week.

She is one of 360 patients around the world in a trial on using zolpidem for coma patients. The pill’s usefulness was first discovered in 1999 when a young South African, Louis Viljoen, who had been comatose for five years, was given a pill and awoke instead of going to sleep…

Source: Report: Sleeping Pill Appears to Awaken Woman from Coma