anyone here use Ambien?
 

My Aeromedical Dr. just gave me a subscription, and I'm looking forward to trying it out. He said the FAA now allows the use on as short as 12 hour layovers, but I've been trying to confirm this. Thanks.

If that's true it's going to make backside of the clock Pacific flying a lot more tolerable. Better living through chemistry - gotta love it.

Military hands them out like candy to the soliders riding in the back.

Thanks guys. The stuff really works, and apparently the military brothers think so too.

I would look at the side affects it has on a person. It made my ex-wife lethargic. She just sat on the couch and did the head bob thing as if you were drifting off to sleep. She would get amnesia and although at the time I did not care for her being on this.. Now would be a good time for her to be on it for me.. lol
Here is a link to a bunch of links for side effects:
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/htsearch.c...x=9&go_key.y=9

Tried to buy some in Mexico the other day without a prescription. They had never heard of it.

i have consistantly found that my wife remembers nothing from the time she takes an ambien and the time she falls asleep.

some major memory gaps. that stuff is--not good.

I've used Ambien frequently on international pleasure>
 

trips and occasionally @ home with never a problem. IMHO it's a great sedative. I've had little or no drug hangover. For those of you looking for it im Mexico it's called "Stillnox" there and requires a Mexican RX. If you're trying to get it out of the US use the generic label and the pharmacist can look it up.

Blackouts
 

My father used to take Ambien. He said that if you dont fall a sleep right after you take it, he would blackout. It sounds like if your really drunk and you blackout, your body keeps going but you dont remember anything. I have heard this from a few other people too. I have also heard that it is habit forming and hard to get off of the stuff. If you take it, be careful and dont abuse it.

I love the thing for those legs crossing the pond (as pax of course). We get them for missions that we don't have time to adjust for like 2AM shows. My wife was on it for a couple of weeks and I called it her truth syrum. She used to just answer any question I asked her.

My rule of thumb on new meds, is 1) if my AME gave it to me and said it's ok, then it's ok, but then I have one of the best AME's in the country, 2) I try it while not flying and see how it affects me over a weeks period and if there are no undesirable affects, it's golden.

Hope this helps.


Safe flying

I don't think the Federal Air Surgeon would allow this one. Toio much potential for anmesia and slowed thought processes.

Excuse me, I am a passenger and I have actually called airlines to verify if pilots are allowed to take ambien. My daughter and I were nearly killed by a driver coming down the wrong lane on ambien. I really don't think pilots should take this dangerous drug. Now I won't feel safe flying after reading this forum.
I will tell everyone who is buying an airline ticket to read these posts and to be aware that their pilot might have taken an ambien. I am in shock that pilots are so irresponsible knowing the side effects of the dangerous drug.

Then, tell them about the schedules that airline pilots fly, and how they're expecting to be alert during them even though they might have to rest at opposite times every other day for twelve consecutive days .

If you think thats scary you should love the fact that lots of us are routinely flying on 3 hours of sleep due to scheduling loopholes :) I wouldent let my family fly in the back of my plane when im that unslept, but that 60 dollar ticket your buying to fort lauderdale should make up for it.

http://www.aopa.org/members/database...l/druglist.cfm

Acording to these guys it's not allowed. I had an older list saved on my computer that listed it as approved but the most recent update lists it as not allowed.

I used it in the desert courtesy of Uncle Sam...no side effects, works like a champ in 5-10mg doses.

That stuff has some weird side effects, just like all of the ones you guys have mentioned earlier. My mom takes it every night and says she is not addictive but she sure seems like it. They say it is not addictive but it seems like it is easy to become relient upon it.