Many people mix zolpidem or other sleep aid medications with other drugs or alcohol. Some people do this intentionally to increase or change the effects of the drugs involved. No matter why you take other drugs, mixing substances is dangerous. The Drug Abuse Warning Network found that about 50 percent of patients who sought emergency treatment related to zolpidem use also had additional drugs in their systems.
These drugs included prescription pain relievers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications. Mixing zolpidem with other substances that suppress the activity of the brain and nerves can slow down your vital functions to a dangerous rate. Even when taken by itself, zolpidem has serious negative side effects on mental and physical functioning. Like Ambien, alcohol is a depressant that can make you feel sleepy, uncoordinated, confused and disoriented.
Alcohol and zolpidem cause severe physical and cognitive impairment. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases.
If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you.
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:.
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered.
If too much is taken, it may become habit-forming causing mental or physical dependence. This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. Take zolpidem just before going to bed, when you are ready to go to sleep or when you are having trouble falling asleep. This medicine works very quickly to put you to sleep.
Do not take this medicine when your schedule does not permit you to get a full night's sleep 7 to 8 hours. If you must wake up before this, you may continue to feel drowsy and may experience memory problems, because the effects of the medicine have not had time to wear off. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients.
Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. Some examples of Schedule IV drugs are:. Schedule V drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with lower potential for abuse than Schedule IV and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics. Schedule V drugs are generally used for antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic purposes.
Some examples of Schedule V drugs are:. Alphabetical listing of Controlled Substances. Skip to main content Official websites use. Schedule I Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
While caregivers must be aware of the side effects that gabapentin may produce in patients, they must also be mindful of interactions with other medications. My mother-in-law recently went to the emergency room with a low heart rate and heavy breathing.
After an overnight stay and a few tests, the doctors prescribed heart medications. She is currently home recovering but will return to the hospital for more tests. Upon speaking with my mother-in-law after her release from the hospital, she let me know of her concerns about her newly prescribed medications interacting with gabapentin.
It was a valid concern. These side effects include dizziness, trouble concentrating, drowsiness, and confusion. Gabapentin users should avoid any activities requiring mental alertness such as driving and operating heavy machinery when also using Ambien. Hydrocodone is a pain-relieving drug that has a moderate reaction when combined with gabapentin.
Caregivers must monitor the central nervous systems and respiratory systems of patients prescribed gabapentin and oxycodone. Patients must avoid activities involving mental focus, such as driving and operating heavy machinery. Caregivers must be cautious when administering dosages of oxycodone to patients already taking gabapentin and should also monitor their patients for respiratory depression.
Caregivers with patients taking gabapentin must be extremely cautious about Suboxone buprenorphine and naloxone. The painkiller is a potent analgesic that is longer lasting than morphine. It reacts with gabapentin in a potentially lethal way, leading to central nervous system depression. Other serious interaction effects may include respiratory distress, coma, and death.
Patients using gabapentin must also be careful when drinking alcohol. Many medications have potentially serious side effects, especially when combined with other treatments. It is important for caregivers to be aware of these interactions.
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