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Ambien Can Cause Indigestion

Many people who have a hard time falling asleep turn to Ambien for help, but they may not realize that their sleeping pill could be causing indigestion.

Q. I have been taking Ambien for about six months. It really helps me get a decent night’s sleep but now I have heartburn.

Can Ambien cause reflux? I hate to take Nexium to counteract indigestion that might be caused by Ambien.

A. Ambien (zolpidem) can cause indigestion or reflux. Here is another reader’s experience:

“Ambien gave me a great night’s sleep after years of wakefulness. The cost was disabling digestive problems: bloating, pain and acid reflux.

“After a year of pain, more than $20,000 in uncomfortable testing and drugs for reflux, I took myself off Ambien. Two doctors had insisted that my digestive woes were not related to Ambien but after three nights of sleeplessness, the digestive problems went away.”

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About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
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