Ambien Side Effects

Multiple cases of 'sleep-eating' have been reported by people taking the prescription sleep aid Ambien, which is made by Sanofi-Aventis.

Ambien users say they have no recollection of getting up and eating while using the drug, but wake to find empty food containers and other evidence of late-night snacking. There are even incidents of sleep-eating say that victims would sometimes eat odd or even unsafe items, such as butter-covered cigarettes and raw meat.

One woman claims she gained over 100 pounds from eating while using the drug, but initially could not figure out why she was gaining the weight.

They also said there were reports of people injuring themselves with knives and other kitchen appliances as they tried to prepare food while asleep.

Milton Shobe said his mother, Doris, 62, was taking Ambien. She was found dead in her yard in November. She froze to death, and her family believes she had been sleepwalking. There have also been complaints that people were getting up and driving while using Ambien, and then having no recollection of their actions.

Incident reports showed that people driving while using Ambien were sometimes driving down the wrong side of the road or exhibiting bizarre behavior.

Another Ambient user said he took off his shirt and threatened other passengers during an airline flight. He says he woke up in a jail cell without a clue as to why he was there.

Brain activity specialists say that while most people believe the entire brain is sleeping while a person is asleep, the opposite is usually true. They say that while some parts of the brain sleep, other parts are active. Ambien may be affecting brain activity while sleeping, leading to the unusual behaviors.