Because of high stress, various medical reasons and other factors millions of American suffer from insomnia. Insomnia is characterized by an inability to sleep or to remain asleep for a reasonable period of time. Insomniacs complain of being unable to close their eyes or calm their mind down for more than a few minutes. Insomnia is actually a symptom that can be caused by sleep disorders, but other common causes include fear, stress, anxiety, medication side effects, herbs and too much caffeine. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 60 million Americans suffer from insomnia each year.
In order to address the underlying cause of insomnia, many people are given a prescription medication as a short term solution. Ambien is an incredible popular option but it has recently been linked to some disturbing side effects. Ambien is manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis and was approved by the FDA in September of 2005. AMBIEN CR has been marketed as the first and only "…extended-release prescription sleep medication to help people with insomnia fall asleep fast and maintain sleep with no significant decrease in next day performance." according to Immunesupport.com.
There have been recent reports that people taking Ambien are experiencing bizarre Ambien side effects like sleepwalking, experiencing memory loss, and engaging in behaviors like binge eating and sex while they are sleeping and without any recollection after the fact. Some people have even reporting driving while sleeping and getting into car accidents. Other people have reported lingering effects the day following a dose of Ambien and some people have even gone to work and had meetings with people with no memory of doing so after the fact.
Currently, researchers in Minnesota are looking at instances of Ambien side effects that trigger sleep behaviors like sleep walking, binge eating and sex while sleeping while taking Ambien. Thus far it appears that individuals with prior history of sleep walking and women are at higher risk for experiencing these side effects. Apparently, these side effects are unique to newer sleep aids like Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata. The consumer watch dog group Public Citizen has called for very limited use of Ambien because of the temporary amnesia it may cause and they have called for appropriate warning labels to be affixed to the product.
Sleep medication usage is on the rise and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimated that about 30 million people in the U.S. are taking or have taken sleep medications. The marketing blitz of these medications and the willingness of doctors to prescribe them and patients to depend on them are also increasing. As a result, the numbers of those who are experiencing negative Ambien side effects is increasing exponentially.
If you are taking Ambien or another sleep medication and you are suffering from injuries based on side effects from this medication you should contact a qualified attorney as soon as possible. These side effects may well constitute a drug defect and if that is the case the manufacturer may be liable for damages and compensation. A qualified and experienced defective drug attorney, product liability attorney or personal injury lawyer should be able to advise you about your individual situation and your options.