Ambien / Zolpidem - Chest pain

[john72]

Hi,

I've been using Ambien/Zolpidem for a few years now on and off, as needed for severe insomnia.

In this time, I've seen a cardiologist and had tests etc for chest pains.

I've only just noticed a strong correlation between my ambien/zolpidem use, and my chest pains.

When I start to use 10 - 20mg a night regularly (after two / three days) I start to have chest pains exactly where my heart is.

The occasional time I have taken more (usually by mistake, waking up to lots of missing pills not knowing what you done) I have much more pronounced chest pain that day (it can be both a strong pressure like someone heavy is on top of you, as well as stabbing pains)

I can't see any info regarding this and ambien, but it doesn't seem like this can be a coincidence anymore.

Does anyone have any info on why this could be happening?

 

[debaser]

Hi. It could be. But I'm not sure it's not psychosomatic here

 

[john72]

Oh of course I am not looking for medicial info, more .. a general question if anyone else has had this happen.

 

[debaser]

I've had this exactly happen with weed at the beginnings.

 

[BabyGurl3171]

I take Ambien nightly for 2-3 months now and never had chest pains. Could you be sensitive to it, on the brink of being allergic? Just a thought.

 

[realxsalo]

I have been using and abusing zolpidem for more than 1 year, and also I have experienced a lot of side effects, include chets pains, dyspnoea and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. I also noted that the 12.5 zolpidem tartrate formula cause worse chest pains that the normal zolpidem.

 

[DoublePlay]

I am glad to see what you have posted. I have just spent 11 hours with the cardiologist and at the emergency room due to severe chest pressure, sometimes radiating up my neck to my jaw, and down my arm... classic heart attack symptoms. I had been taking Ambien/Zolpidem for the two nights prior. Since this has happened twice before, i am now convinced that it was the Ambien/Zolpidem caused the frightful symptons, although each doctor I mentioned this to has just looked at me and said that it was not really possible. Fortunately, after the enzyme blood work and a CT-scan, it has been determined that I did not have a heart attack, but I will never chance on that again... certainly not worth a good night's sleep

 

[RobotRipping]

maybe rebound anxiety? I'm not sure how it is with zolpidem but after a while in between doses you can start having something called inter-dose withdrawals. The symptoms you list are classic anxiety symptoms (feels like a heart attack).

 

[Cane2theLeft]

A lot of times when people haven't experienced severe acid reflux before, they think it's something cardiological. Lots of people assume that acid reflux pain can't be THAT bad but ER's see people thinking they are having a heart attack often simply due to acid reflux.

Zolpidem relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter allowing stomach acid to flood up burning the esophagus causing chest pain/tightness. Smoking, stimulant use, diet and other factors can contribute as well. You may be skeptical that acid reflux could cause something that feels that bad but when I first experienced it I thought i was having a heart attack or something. Bad acid reflux is often compared to squirting lemon juice in your eye so if you don't believe it can be that bad, grab a lemon and test it out

Also, it's pretty easy to get a good OTC antacid and test the theory. The best drug available OTC is omeprazole (prilosec or generic equivalent). You should take that as recommended prior to consuming the zolpidem and see if the problem continues. If you have this pain other times as well, it'd be a good idea to take it regularly to see if it helps.

PPI's like omeprazole stop your stomach from producing excess acid.

 

[shreddedlettuce]

The best drug available OTC is omeprazole (prilosec or generic equivalent). You should take that as recommended prior to consuming the zolpidem and see if the problem continues. If you have this pain other times as well, it'd be a good idea to take it regularly to see if it helps.

^^ Very sound advice.

I experienced chest pains when I was lying down to sleep (I am using 7.5mg Zopiclone a night), so when I saw my doctor again I mentioned this to him and he prescribed omeprazole 20mg in the morning.
From the first time I took omeprazole until now (about two months), I haven't had any more chest pains as well as no more heartburn.

Cane2theLeft got in before me (almost word for word lol).

Give it a try OP.

 

[Rayaan]

Hello, just want to share my own experience with zolpidem use which I started 5 yrs ago for insomnia and within a month got hooked on to it and seemed to work well everynight and basically I had been using doses between 5 to 10 mg everynight for last 5 yrs. Lately i had experienced tolerance to this drug and it onlg gave me 2 to 3 hrs max sleep. The worst symptoms, i have with ambien use have always been stabbibg chest pains and palpitations. I m 38 yr old and i had visited cardioligist quite a number of times wigh documented tachycardia on ECG aswell. This drug may seem to work well as long as if gives that initial kick of gopd sleep, but please be aware of the adverse effects and sooner or later it stops working.