The People's Pharmacy® with Joe and Terry Graedon

I have had similar problems with Ambien. I have already been diagnosed with acid reflux, but it is 10 times worse while taking Ambien. Whenever I take Ambien, I always vomit stomach acid and bile the next morning. So, now I am having to get an EGD done to make sure that my esophagus is not damaged. Anyway, I feel your pain. I would rather have sleepless nights than have the stomach problems that go along with taking Ambien.

I have been on CCBs (calcium channel blokers) for high blood pressure for the last four years, and have added Ambien since January 2007.

I developed terrible gastritis & bile reflux without warning starting in August of this year. I wonder if the combination of these two drugs is the cause of my problem. Taking Nexium 40 mgs and being on a very restricted diet has not helped!

Anybody out there in a similar situation?

Ambien was a wonderful sleep aid; however, I developed very bad heartburn symptoms that I had never had (I'm 60), and it took me a while to associate the two. I experimented by stopping the drug, and when I did, the heartburn disappeared. This side effect should be listed by the drug company, as it became severe after several months on the drug.

I was diagosed with acid reflux last year and had several tests done. The EGD, 24 hour PH Study, Upper GI series and they all came back within normal range. But I was still experiencing regurgitation as well as heartburn.

When my gastroenterologist put me on Nexium, Aciphex, Protonix, and Prilosec they all made my heartburn worse. I then stopped all medications but not the Ambien. But later I started wondering if the Ambien could be causing my reflux symptoms. So I decided to stop taking the Ambien, and sure enough after about two days my symptoms started to subside.

My doctor told me that Ambien doesn't cause gastro problems, but it did in my case. If you do experience acid reflux write down everyhing you're eating and taking and you might be suprised to find out that Ambien could be the culprit.

I have been taking Ambien for about a month. I started having severe abdominal pains and reflux since I began taking it. I thought my problem was related to increased stress, and weight gain. I tried a bland diet to help, with no improvement. I was really becoming concerned, and here I am presently with no health insurance.

It occured to me a few days ago that it might be a side effect of the Ambien, so I did an internet search about it. I didn't find it listed as an official side effect, but I found several sites like this one, and I was so excited! I have been off of the Ambien for two days and my pain is almost completely gone.

Thank you all for posting.

I started taking Ambien about 4 months ago. Almost immediately I experienced horrible heartburn and acid reflux. I have Gerds and have been on and off Nexium for several years. It was so bad I went to the gastro doctor and he increased my dosage of Nexium from 40 mg to 80 a day. When that did not work, he put me on prevacid and something else. Nothing is working. I could down an entire bottle of maalox, eat 20 bottles of antacids and rolaids and still feel horrible. I decided to go online and guess what I found? Yep, this website. I will no longer take Ambien starting tonight and can hardly wait to see if this cures my problem. In addition to the acid reflux, I have been experiencing sinus and allergy problems. Anybody else have these issues?

Yesterday evening I got online and read the entries on acid reflux caused by Ambien. I did not take Ambien last night and would you believe the heartburn and acid reflux are gone. I had my first cup of coffee in months this morning with no horrible burning. I feel like a new person.

I have spent hundreds of dollars on antacids and misc other medications, not including two trips to my gastro doctor, who probably things I was making everything up. Now we will see if my allergies and sinus nasal drip disappear.

Thank you so much for the immediate help. I will now be able to enjoy eating and living... What a relief. These side effects need to be on the labels of Ambien or any Ambien generic medications. People like myself, who already have GERDS, should never be given this medication. I am so, so happy today...

Ambien appears to be the cause of my digestive problems. I had been taking Ambien for over a year. With an excruciating sore throat and trouble breathing, I went to nine doctors in one month. I had ended up with an ambulance trip to the emergency room when my breathing became compromised. After ruling everything else out, they finally decided it was acid reflux. The gastrologist did an endoscopy and diagnosed esophogitis. I missed work for a month. I was on four prescription meds. My gastrologist began talking about surgery and I was beginning to accept any intervention that might give me my health back. I had done all the lifestyle changes with GERD and was sleeping at a 45 degree angle to try to manage my night time reflux accompanied with aspirating digestive acids into my lungs. Trying to sleep sitting up I kept taking the Ambien.

I mentioned to every doctor that I was taking Ambien and no one drew a correlation. I decided I should write down everything that was different in my life this year from last year that might have triggered my problems. Taking Ambien was one thing on the list. I went looking for information on Ambien and acid reflux and found this site. I have been off Ambien for three nights and my awful symptoms are abating. I am convinced a drug side effect has been what has been plaguing my life for four months.

I started Ambien 10 days ago. My laryngopharyngeal reflux is out of control since 4 days ago.

Ihave lost 5 pounds since I am unable to eat much due to the acid reflux, stomach pain, abdominal cramps. Had to go to ER as became severely dehydrated as a result of nausea.

Hope all of you are right and that stopping the Ambien will give me relief. I am stopping it tonight and going back on 50 mg. Trazedone which has given me no trouble in 10 yrs. other than daytime sleepiness.

Lastnight I took an ambien before bed, and this morning I woke up to the most horrible sore throat I have ever experienced. After reading this, Im positive that ambien caused this

After months of uncomfortable digestive problems and numerous tests and medications, my doctor has determined that I have very slow intestinal motility due to something blocking the nerve activity to the area. I have been taking Ambien for many months now. Does anybody have similar problems, or information about this?

I took Ambien for a month and developed nausea and severe heartburn. This side effect really needs to be on the package insert. I did not put it together right away that Ambien was the cause and even asked my doctor about the possibility (which he denied). Then I stopped taking it and now I am well again.

I have been taking Ambien for about two weeks, and the heartburn started almost immediately. Thank you for all the posts, I don't feel I'm losing my mind now :) .

I had a history of somewhat severe acid reflux before I began taking Ambien about a year ago, so when my indigestion/acid reflux took a turn for the worse, I just assumed it was unrelated to the Ambien. After reading this site, I'm absolutely certain that I was wrong. I took a Lunesta last night instead of my normal Ambien, and I'm amazed. I woke up this morning feeling great (aside from the bitter aftertaste that Lunesta is known for). I used to have "coffee grounds" vomit every single morning, but today I was fine! Hopefully this isn't just a fluke, because I'm looking forward to being able to drink a beer and eat some pizza without fear of gastrointestinal retribution.

I've been using Ambien for sleeplessness due to pain and stiffness from fibromyalgia. After many months of using it, I developed horrible stomach pain last fall and had an endoscopy, during which several small bleeding spots were cauterized. I also had some signs of acid reflux in the esophagus.

The gastroenterologist had me use Prilosec to manage the stomach symptoms, and they disappeared until last week when they started up again. I think I'll try stopping Ambien since the Prilosec does seem to be working this time. I think there's probably a correlation here.

I am so glad I found these other posts. I'm 28, and I started taking Ambien about a month ago a couple times a week and have thrown up stomach bile and acid the next morning about half the time. This stuff has to be just horrible for the stomach, I'm surprised there is not more significant warnings about this side effect.

I am having acid refulx symptoms. They came on very suddenly. The only change I can see is that I have been taking Ambien for about a month. I am going to stop the Ambien tonight. I pray that this stops the symptons. I am a yong healthy women so I can't imagine what would cause me to have GERD. Wish me luck...

Ambien has given me the ABSOLUTE WORST STOMACH PROBLEMS IN DECADES! I've been diagnosed with GERD but it comes and goes; it can be months before I have any stomach problems. After just 2 Ambien...5 days apart I am in total agony. Bloated and filled with gas my stomch hurts to touch. It hurts to move, bend, sit, lie down. IT JUST PLAIN HURTS!!!! Don't even try it!

I'm 30 years old. For two months, I have thought I had complications due to food poisoning. It wasn't until this morning that the 'light bulb' went off and I realized that it was the Ambien causing these stomach symptoms. Because, when I am off it, the symptoms quickly resolve. I have had severe diarrhea, stomach cramps, boating, indigestion, etc.

Basically, my stomach is completely screwed up. But, like other users, I am faced with either not sleeping well or stomach issues. I think I am going to investigate other options... as chronic digestive problems are not good.

its 3 a.m. and i'm still up. cant go to sleep. took an ambien the night before last and my stomach is killing me. i can barely sit still due to the hurting. i was diagnosed with gastritis in dec and i'm thinking this could be whats causing it.

i've been taking ambiem pretty consistently and each time i pay the price for it! i've gotta stop this med. my whole stomach is on fire and i'm nauseous which doesn't happen quite often (nausea). i almost wanna go to the hospital it's so bad, but that probably is just a waste of time and money.

they'll just blow it off. my gut instinct tells me its this medicine cuz when i'm on it, its horrible. my stomach doesn't start acting up till about 12 hours after i take the medicine. i know i'm not alone since i've found this site, thanks for making this site. i'm a 25 year old male. i'm officially off this med, i hope my stomach starts feeling better..

Hope this helps some of you. I've also have acid reflux. Tried many over the counters, some did nothing, a couple of them help to varying degrees but nothing totally eliminated it. Have been taking Nexium, but seems to be less effective as time goes on. So I called my Mom who is 78 yrs old & seems to be able to recall every old home remedy in the book.

To my surprise, she's had reflux also, but started taking a coffee cup of room temp water with a T. of apple cider vinegar, 1 t. of honey, or to taste to quell the taste of the vinegar, & add enough ice to get real cold & just sip the water till gone. Said she only has to take it once a week to keep the reflux at bay.

Since then, I've talked to several friends who are also taking it & ALL swear by it. A neighbor tells me now he only has to drink this once a month to keep the reflux at bay. Does anyone have any comments good or bad taking this?

I'm so happy to have found this site. I started taking Lexapro and Ambien about a month ago for anxiety-related sleep problems. I've been sleeping so much better, but have developed a persistent pain in my stomach and constant nausea.

I have been on Lexapro before with no stomach problems, but didn't think the Ambien could cause them. Then I actually slept two nights ago without the Ambien, and I felt so good yesterday, the best in a long time. Then I took Ambien last night, my usual 5mg plus another cut in half two hours later when it didn't work.

I woke up this morning with that horrible nausea again. So I think I'm finally putting the pieces together. I'll skip the Ambien a few nights and see how it goes. Thank you all for your helpful comments.

I am having terrible stomach pain, gas, bloating, indigestion. I have been on Ambien for (5+ years) I skipped it last night and did not sleep much at all. I am experiencing awful withdrawals from this drug. I usually took 5mg and switched ti 2.5 mg tonight in hopes of winging myself off this drug.

I need some sleep but I also am having a difficult time dealing with the stomach pain, especially when sitting down. Your thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Also I covet your prayers. I have a stressful sit down job and I have been battling non diabetic perphieral neuropathy since 1991. Help!!!!!!!!

i googled acid reflux and ambien and found this site. thank god. i had horrible acid reflux for many years and 5 years ago they found benign tumors in my esophagus caused by the reflux. went on acifex and have been on it for 5 years with no further acid reflux problems.

I started taking ambien about a month ago and developed horrible acid reflux. didn't put two and two together until last weekend when i thought about what was new in my life (besides stress). when i figured out ambien and googled and found the helpful comments on this site i immediately stopped the ambien. it's three days later and feel like a new person. back to normal. i appreciate everyone who has posted on this site.

I have been on ambien for the past 5 years as well. Not until recently did i become so sick i could barely compose myself. I too panicked of the thought of even trying to lay down without it, but after reading all your posts i stopped taking it as well. I mean whats worse-- being a little groggy or riddled with stomach pain?

I tossed and turned the first night but my belly was not great but not worse in the a.m. Day 2 i fell asleep around 2:45 up by 6 but total improvement of all stomach symptoms. by the third night after 5 years i fell asleep at 12 and up at 7. each night seems to get easier. So if u want to stop u can just make sure it is when u have 2 consecutive days off.

I have had acid reflux for about 6 years and ambien for about the same amount of time. I never put two and two together until about two or three months ago when I decided to come off ambien altogether and sleep naturally. I have been taking yoga which relaxes me and helps me sleep. I started weaning myself off ambien slowly, and had a little bit of a pill every other day. Until I stopped altogether about three weeks ago. I did have a 1/4 of an ambien one or two nights that I couldn't sleep and bingo! got reflux the next day both days.

Then I started thinking that maybe ambien was the culprit. When I decided to research online, I found this website. Thank you, ex fellow acid reflux sufferers! I feel my suspicions are confirmed by reading all your experiences.
(by the way, I also discovered online - no doctor ever told me in 6 years - that proton inhibitors interfere with calcium absorption, so your bones are at risk!)