Ambien CR

Ambien CR is the newer version of the original Ambien. Ambien is one of the more popular prescription sleep aids on the market. Ambien CR  promises to help you “fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up ready to face the day.” Can Ambien CR help you fall asleep? Yes, Ambien CR is an effective sleep aid….but it is riddled with side effects, is very expensive, and potentially addicting. Let’s take a closer look at Ambien CR.

Differences between Ambien CR and Original Ambien

The main difference between Ambien CR and the original Ambien appears to be the 2-layer controlled release formula. According to the manufacturers, this helps the body gradually absorb the pill leading it to work for a longer period of time.  Customer review-wise both pills have gotten nearly identical reviews (some people love it, some hate it) so it doesn’t appear there is a huge difference.

Because Ambien CR is newer, it might be more difficult to get insured and it is more expensive than the original.

Prescription Sleeping Pills

Ambien CR is a prescription sleeping pill. Prescription sleeping pills have both pros and cons. The biggest pro of a prescription sleeping pill is that it is FDA approved. What does this mean? In order to get the FDA’s approval, a product is subjected to clinical studies to evaluate effectiveness and safety.

Common Myth about Prescription Sleeping Pills #1-All prescription sleeping pills are effective. Just because a product is FDA approved does not mean that it works, as evidenced by the many mediocre prescription pills on the market.

Common Myth about Prescription Sleeping Pills #2. All prescription sleeping pills are safe. The FDA approval doesn’t entail that a product is free from side effects. To the contrary, most prescription sleeping pills have side effects much worse than pills that can be purchased online or over the counter.

One of the biggest cons of prescription sleeping pills is the cost. To get FDA approved costs a ton of money. Because of this prescription sleeping pills tend to be very expensive. They also require a doctor’s signature (i.e. a doctor’s appointment). Anyone who has ever been to the doctor knows that those appointments are not cheap.

Does Ambien CR work?

Ambien CR contains zolpidem. Zolpidem is a nonbenzodiazepine that increases the amount of GABA in the body. Translation in english=makes you sleepy. The original ambien is only  a short term insomnia solution and should not be used for more than 180 days. The website for Ambien CR doesn’t give a specific time limit but suggests that you consult with your doctor.  Most users have only been using it short term. This is a huge con about Ambien CR. Anyone who has battled with insomnia knows that a temporary solution is not good enough. Why pay tons of money and deal with the side effects of a prescription sleeping pill that is only going to work for 6 months?

Ambien CR Side Effects

The following side effects have been associated with Ambien CR:

• Short term memory loss
• headaches
• dizziness
• nausea
• impulsiveness
• increased extroversion
• impaired judgement and reasoning
• amnesia
• decreased libido
• increased appetite
• delusions
• euphoria
• ataxa
• hallucinations
• drowsiness

Yikes!

Who can take Ambien CR?

Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should not take Ambien CR. You should not consume alcohol while taking Ambien CR as it can increase the potential side effects. There also have been cases of people getting addicted to Ambien CR. If you have a history of substance abuse, Ambien CR is not for you.

How much is Ambien CR?

Ambien CR is very expensive (even more expensive than the original). A month’s supply of Ambien CR will set you back over $100. This does not include having to pay for the doctor’s visits to get the prescription and further consultation.

Is Ambien CR worth purchasing?

The cons outweigh all the pros with Ambien CR. It can help with insomnia…but is only a temporary solution, contains many side effects, and is very expensive.