I really don't want to sound like I am making excuses for this man but there is proof of behavors like this it is called sexsomnia

Most morning when I wake up, I start looking around for signs of "dear god what did I do now". Seriously to the point of thinking about in a security camera system to record what I do at night. Take something else isn't an option for me. Having only one choice for a sleep med I can tolerate makes it a choice of lesser evils.
So these tales can be very valid, the problem is people whose use them to get out of trouble. Just like pot heads who enjoy getting higher and cry about "medical condition" drawing doubt to the suffers it really helps.
We all know the behavior "Its not my fault because....." Just like "I'm an alcoholic and need help" when pulled for DWI verses the ones who go for help because they have a real issue. You know the ones who are complaint until they finish with court requirements folks.

Sadly the truth about how much it happens is concealed by the pharma company wanting to avoid liability and loss of sales and doctor protecting themselves from medical malpractice suits. Pretty much anyone taking it has had an experience of "sleep _____" while on it. Much like acid users sooner or later have a bad trip. Its a dangerous reality and risk for people who need this medication and one of distrust and doubt when they talk about these side effects. Not to mention asking for different or stronger meds is drug seeking behavior and all that bullsh*t. The drugs don't do that that all to familiar lie we all have heard from doctors.

Since your eyes (How else to navigate around the house or find items) are open and preforming complex motor tasks its more than just a blackout. I've taken a part a computer's case and pulled harddrives out along with altering the operating system beyond just key mashing screwing things up. There is an organized method to its behavior but what it is isn't clear. The medical community isn't supportive about this ether but then again how many pysch drug users are believed about our complaints? We all know these side effects are common knowledge amongst even us crazies with poor observation and insight skills? Even Scientology warns about this.

The question is has this happened before to him. The drug my knock him out consciously but it isn't doing it physically.

This really brings the TWINKIE DEFENSE to my mind. I'm a huge skeptic here.

Nice try, guy.

Vince

It happens. I've seen my roomate behaving very strangely while on ambien and not remembering it the next day. He stopped taking it after several people told him the same.

Any time I have tried ambien I did not fall asleep, instead I hallucinated some pretty wierd stuff. Rainbow fog on the walls, the walls moving, double vision of things closer than 3 ft to my eyes, and the strangest was looking at myself in the mirror and when I moved my arms all of a sudden I had four arms, and then I moved my head and I had two heads. Drinking with the med decreases the hallucinatory effect, taking it without any other meds increases it. It's actually VERY common. And the "trip" is pretty decent for a legal rx med.

I wonder why it's not on the street, then. Sounds like a cool way some people would think of to get fucked up.

This is bad stuff, man, a grave matter, may lead to eternal rest, I am NOT joking. Don't do it!

Ambien is basically a hypnotic benzodiazapine light. It works on the GABA inhibitors in the brain- the same exact area adult beverages go to, and cause memory blackouts as well. Memory loss is not a suprise, if one knows the pharmacology of ambien.

Twice ambien made me wacky. Once I even called a friend and told her I was commiting suicide and next thing I knew it was 8am and I was in the ER. My sister also had adverse effects from it. Needless to say, neither of us take it anymore.

Approximately 4% of 1,959 patients who received zolpidem at all doses (1 to 50 mg) in similar foreign trials discontinued treatment because of an adverse reaction. Reactions most commonly associated with discontinuation from these trials were daytime drowsiness (1.1%), dizziness/vertigo (0.8%), amnesia (0.5%), nausea (0.5%), headache (0.4%), and falls (0.4%).

Data from a clinical study in which selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-treated patients were given zolpidem revealed that four of the seven discontinuations during double-blind treatment with zolpidem (n=95) were associated with impaired concentration, continuing or aggravated depression, and manic reaction; one patient treated with placebo (n =97) was discontinued after an attempted suicide.

WOW, take a look at these!: Adverse event incidence

Central and peripheral nervous system: Frequent: ataxia, confusion, euphoria, headache, insomnia, vertigo. Infrequent: agitation, anxiety, decreased cognition, detached, difficulty concentrating, dysarthria, emotional lability, hallucination, hypoesthesia, illusion, leg cramps, migraine, nervousness, paresthesia, sleeping (after daytime dosing), speech disorder, stupor, tremor. Rare: abnormal gait, abnormal thinking, aggressive reaction, apathy, appetite increased, decreased libido, delusion, dementia, depersonalization, dysphasia, feeling strange, hypokinesia, hypotonia, hysteria, intoxicated feeling, manic reaction, neuralgia, neuritis, neuropathy, neurosis, panic attacks, paresis, personality disorder, somnambulism, suicide attempts, tetany, yawning.

http://www.rxlist.com/ambien-drug.htm

NICE DRUG, no thanks

http://www.rxlist.com/ambien-drug.htm
adverse event on ambien (probably has higher stats if ppl report these to the FDA)

somnambulism -side effect of ambien

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking (also called somnambulism or noctambulism[1]) is a parasomnia or sleep disorder where the sufferer engages in activities that are normally associated with wakefulness while he or she is asleep or in a sleep-like state.

Actually, I was prescribed a drug called Restoril that's a "sister" of Ambien. Apparently, out of three columns of side effects, a FULL column is devoted to the side effect of waking up and doing things without the knowledge of doing them. Sleepwalking without really sleepwalking. It freaked me out.

As of today I got the second phone call in the last 7 months that someone I know has taken their life. First my Brother-in-Law about 7 months ago, and today a Co-Worker and Friend I've known for over 20yrs. The common thread, AMBIEN!!!!!!! If you or anyone you know is taking this drug STOP!!

No, the side-effects of dangerous pharmaceuticals like Ambien, marketed to a credulous public via slickly-produced television ads, aren't funny.

Just the same, where is The Onion when we need it?