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Safe Use of AMBIEN CR

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Sleep well. Learn how to use AMBIEN CR safely.

AMBIEN CR can help you get to sleep fast and stay asleep so you wake up less frequently and fall back to sleep faster.* It can provide the sleep you want at night without leaving you sleepy in the morning. You can be confident in your decision to use AMBIEN CR for as long as your healthcare professional prescribes.

AMBIEN CR is non-narcotic, and can be taken for as long a time period as your healthcare professional recommends. However, like most sleep medicines it has some risk of dependency. Here are some important things to know about using AMBIEN CR:

  • AMBIEN CR is a prescription medicine and should be used ONLY as directed by your healthcare professional. Follow your healthcare professional's instructions about how to take, when to take, and how long to take AMBIEN CR. AMBIEN CR tablets should not be divided, crushed, or chewed, and must be swallowed whole.
  • Never use AMBIEN CR or any other sleep aid medicine for longer than directed by your healthcare professional.
  • If you notice any unusual and/or disturbing thoughts or behavior during treatment with AMBIEN CR or any other sleep aid medicine, contact your healthcare professional.
  • Tell your healthcare professional about any medicines you may be taking, including medicines you may buy without a prescription. You should also tell your healthcare professional if you drink alcohol. DO NOT use alcohol while taking AMBIEN CR or any other sleep aid medicine.
  • Do not take AMBIEN CR unless you are able to get a full night's sleep before you must be active again. For example, AMBIEN CR should not be taken on an overnight airplane flight of less than 7 to 8 hours since " traveler's amnesia" may occur.
  • Do not increase the prescribed dose of AMBIEN CR or any other sleep aid medicine unless instructed by your healthcare professional.
  • When you first start taking AMBIEN CR or any other sleep medicine, until you know whether the medicine will still have some carryover effect in you the next day, use extreme care while doing anything that requires complete alertness, such as driving a car, operating machinery, or piloting an aircraft.
  • Be aware that you may have more sleeping problems the first night after you stop taking AMBIEN CR as with other sleep aid medicines.
  • Be sure to tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant, if you are planning to become pregnant, or if you become pregnant while taking AMBIEN CR or any other sleep aid medicine.
  • As with all prescription medicines, never share AMBIEN CR or any other sleep medicine with anyone else. Always store AMBIEN CR or any other sleep aid medicine in the original container it came in and store it out of reach of children.
  • AMBIEN CR works very quickly. You should only take AMBIEN CR right before going to bed and are ready to go to sleep.

When to Consult with Your healthcare professional

You may experience a few side effects while taking your sleep aid medicine. Some may go away once your body adjusts to the medicine. Check with your healthcare professional if you experience any side effects. For more information on the proper way to take AMBIEN CR, see additional Prescribing Information.

*Proven effective for up to 7 hours in clinical studies.

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† Maximum benefit is $20 off, on up to 5 prescriptions, depending on your out-of-pocket costs. Not valid for patients participating in Medicare, Medicaid, government (public insurance) programs, or any private payor in the state of Massachusetts and where prohibited by law.
‡ See terms and conditions on offer material.

AMBIEN CR is indicated to help you fall asleep and/or stay asleep.

AMBIEN is indicated for short-term treatment to help you fall asleep.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR are treatment options you and your doctor can consider along with lifestyle changes. When taking either of them, don’t drive or operate machinery. Plan to devote 7 to 8 hours to sleep before being active. Sleepwalking, and eating or driving while not fully awake, with memory loss for the event, as well as abnormal behaviors such as being more outgoing or aggressive than normal, confusion, agitation, and hallucinations may occur. Don’t take it with alcohol as it may increase these behaviors. In patients with depression, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide may occur. If you experience any of these behaviors contact your doctor immediately. Allergic reactions such as shortness of breath, swelling of your tongue or throat, may occur and in rare cases may be fatal. If you have an allergic reaction while using AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR, contact your doctor immediately. Side effects of AMBIEN CR may include next-day drowsiness, dizziness and headache. There is a low occurrence of side effects associated with the short-term use of AMBIEN. The most commonly observed side effects in controlled clinical trials were drowsiness, dizziness, and diarrhea. AMBIEN is taken for 7 to 10 days –or longer as advised by your provider. AMBIEN CR can be taken as long as your doctor recommends. AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR have some risk of dependency. They are non-narcotic.

Please refer to the AMBIEN CR full prescribing information and medication guide.
Please refer to the AMBIEN full prescribing information and medication guide.

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