Since I read the widespread support for Ambien on this board, I felt compelled to post this message. I decided to try Ambien for our upcoming flight to Italy. Luckily, I gave it a test run and unluckily, experienced the "less common" side effects --hallucinatory dreams, abdominal cramping and pain, light-headedness, and diarreha. And this all lasted several days. I just wanted to warn those who are considering taking it for your trip -- make sure you try it well in advance. I'm probably one in a thousand or more who experienced these side effects, but it is worth noting that this drug DOES have side effects and could cause you to be needlessly sick for several days of your vacation. I personally will opt to deal with jet lag naturally.

Angela - Sorry to hear about your side effects....but if you combine how bad you felt after taking it,,,with how very little it did for me AT ALL! you get quite a combo.<BR>On a recent trip to Europe, I took the prescribed dose, and it just wasn't even worth the money....I think it was $25 for 7 pills.<BR>Next time I'll just settle for a short nap on the plane, and maybe an afternoon nap upon arrival...<BR>Best wishes.

I agree Angela. Last year I had a mystery infection that was treated with prednisone. The steroid messed up my sleep patterns, and days turned to nights. One physician prescribed Ambien. When I filled the prescription, my pharmacist asked me if I knew about the side effects. She explained that after a few doses, the sleep it induced was not beneficial. <BR><BR>A friend, who is also an MD, suggested minimal doses of amytriptilene. One tablet did not work much, and 3 left me groggy when I woke up. <BR>I talked with another physician who suggested trying melatonin to work my way back to normal patterns after I quit the prednisone. <BR>The discomfort of sitting in tourist class on a long flight is major, and I can understand why someone would want to be forced into a sleep like state.<BR>So the temptation is great to try something, anything to reduce the misery of a coach class flight.<BR>I tried benadryl once and I think it wired me rather than making me drowsy.<BR><BR>

Angela:<BR><BR>Sorry that Ambien didn't work for you and everyone should do a trail run to see how the pill affects them.<BR><BR>My story is 180 degrees from yours. A 5mg Ambien when we get on the plane allows me to get 5 hours of sleep and has changed our outlook on "that first day" in Europe. We now make a somewhat normal day of sightseeing on our arrival day. Ambien did away with our jet lag.

My experience (and my husband's as well) is more like Jack's: much more sleep than I usually get on planes, better regulation of sleep for the first couple of days after the flight (both while in Europe and after returing home). No side effects at all, and I tend to be the poster child for side effects. <BR><BR>Angela's experience points out the importance of a trial run.

I think that jetlag is a myth. Why don't you just add an extra day to your vacation and use the first day as a recovery day from the transatlantic flight? It's gotta be better that popping pills!!

Everyone reacts differently to just about everything. That's why all the commercials say "consult your doctor." <BR><BR>In my opinion though, flying to Europe from the US is mostly a matter of simply getting little or no sleep, as opposed to "jet lag" which I think is more about disturbed biorhythms and sleep patterns. When I arrive in Europe tired, it's because I was up most if not all of the night flight. I've tried Ambien,Tylenol PM,and melatonin, and none helped me much, although the PM product works for me at home--adrenalin flowing due to the trip excitement may counteract it on the plane. The first time I tried Ambien at home, it actually gave me the amnesia side effect that is rare but is in the literature--I made phone calls before going to bed that I had no recollection of the next day.<BR><BR>I have found that Benadryl works wonders in helping me sleep at least for a couple of hours, but it is also very drying so I double up on my water drinking.<BR><BR>Anyway, I've resigned myself on my first day to just eating an early dinner and going to bed fairly early. I'm usually fine the next day after 8-9 hours of sleep and raring to go.<BR><BR>I experience more lasting jet lag on my trip home, and it usually hits the day after I arrive home and lasts for a couple of days. That one I think is the body readjusting to the home schedule.<BR>