Sorry
Azzure thought your previous post was perfect!

cassius,
for some of us that negates the desired effect of the medication. I do NOT want to be alert if somethings happens. I want to be asleep as much as possible. For me and others like me its the THOUGT of something happening that makes the experience so difficult. I usually take Ativan for flying but will probably take Lunesta for our transatlantic flight.

The question of whether or not one wants to be fully alert (or at least potentially fully alert) throughout a flight is an excellent one. I do take Ambien (and posted upthread on my experience) but make a point of never taking it until we're airborne and in fact have reached cruising altitude, as the chances of something happening that requires my actually "doing" something drop drastically at that point.

I get your point Millie - there are probably two reasons why people take sedatives on board a plane, to relieve anxiety or to get some sleep.
However it's a fact that someone who is fully alert and not under the influence of alcohol or sedatives will have a much better chance of getting out of a crash on takeoff or landing, alive.
I'm sorry if this comes across as insensitive - I am very lucky that I have never had a problem with flying and can only imagine just how difficult it could be for someone with a genuine phobia.

Ambien is not addictive, I should know. I've been taking them every day for 25 years, and I'm not hooked.

I do not believe that the "fully alert" people have any better chance of surviving.

suze, my thoughts exactly. And honestly, I have never been so knocked out by Ambien that I couldn't wake up pretty quickly if I had too...and I think the horrific possibility of the plane crashing would certainly be scary enough to snap me out of any drug-induced sleep in no time.

Tracy

As others have mentioned, Ambien affectes people differently. I've been taking it on and off for years and the only time I really sleep well is when I take it, but I believe it causes memory loss and is addictive (at least for me--I was getting horrible leg cramps when I stopped taking it).

However, I take it on the plane to Europe and sleep well (I also use no jet lag, which helps) and if I need to get up early and be alert, I take it. I try not to take it more than twice a week,(5 mm) but I do think there are some concerns and dangers people should beware of.

I am a pharmacist and take it during the weeks I work and not on the ones I don't. I would take it at home first before trying for first time. You also need to make sue you will have at least 7 to 8 hours sleep. It puts me out in about 15 minutes and I wake up fine. However the Ambien Cr gives a groggy hangover.