Ambien vs Zolpidim

Like others here I googled zolpidem vs ambien, I also wake up at 4am with zolpidem, but didn't with ambien. Sucks that our drug plans force us onto these generics that DO NOT yield the same result.

It is the same as if you buy good alcohol or cheap alcohol. Get it?

Had to switch to generic ambien this week and found I can not fall asleep as fast nor stay asleep. Everyone is trying to make me switch to generic. My Doctor and the Insurance company. This crap does not work so why are they pushing it so hard unless there is a major kick back going on.

I guess I have a different perspective. Started with generic ambien(never have taken real ambien) and sleep like a baby. I researched the best generic and Teva has worked great. I'm now curious about real ambien but won't mess up a good thing

I was Prescribed Ambien CR 12.1/2 mg PLUS 6.1/4 mg each night for about 4 years. Thats a total of 18.3/4 mg. I knew I was addicted and would worry at the end of each cycle that I would run out. If I left the script next to my bed I would sometimes awaken to find that the Ambien Gremlin came in the night and stole most of what was left in the bottles. I started devising elaborate systems to hide this from myself.ie.putting them in an old box of books stored outside in the wood shed..panicing when I could not remember where I hid them as a result from the overuse of the damn drug. My years of Ambien haze..Two months ago, because of state cutbacks at the clinic where I received said meds They could only cover Zolpidem 15mg night. I could feel the differance Immediatly! Not only were there two to three differant generics in each refill, THEY kept me awake..the more I took the more wired I would get..My daughter asked me if something was wrong..I sounded wierd. All the wierdness kept tracking back to these Generics, which was causing my brain to go into kind of a slow death. A week ago today I cold Turkyed the sleeping aid. As of last Monday I was in a Chemical withdrawl Crisis.Manic emergancy! The Doctor who handled my case was on vacation for a week and I would have to ride this out alone. I have had sort of a 60's hallucinogenic experiance for a solid week with a grand total of maybe 16 hours sleep. It doesn't feel as if I'll ever be able to sleep normal again. I think the generic versions of this drug is a total scam and very dangerous! Does anyone know how to contact CNN,ABC CBS,NBC,FOX Air America and warn the masses of this poisonous bio-hazard circulating through the Pharmacies of America?

I have tried the generic Ambien and the Ambien. There is a huge difference. The Ambien is much stronger. I took a generic the night before last and I had to take a whole one to sleep at least 6 hours. I take a half Ambien and get the same results. I have been taking Ambien for 4 years and my opinion is Ambien is much better and they say the generic is equivelent. It is not! rhammond46032@aol.com

You get what you pay for!

I completely agree with everyone's posts that say Zolpidem is 10 times WORSE than Ambien. Ambien was great -- knocked me out within 20 mins and felt great the next day. Completely rested. This Zolpidem stuff sucks! It takes forever to work (if it does at all), it makes me nauseous and irritable, and I feel groggy and lazy all day the next day. I am usually fine with 1/2 tablet of 5mg Ambien but I seem to have to take 1 -1 1/2 pills of Zolpidem to feel anything. And Zolpidem doesn't take the edge off to relax me like Ambien did. I asked my doctor to make my prescription "Brand Name Necessary" and he did it.

I have been on ambien/zoplpidem for about 5 years. I started on ambien, then switched to zolpidem when the generics came out. I have noticed that I am tired throughout the day, and very agitated. The generics do not seem as strong either. I contributed this to a tolerance developing because of the long term use. But, I am switching back to real ambien this week, and I will see if there is a difference for me.

not working for me either. I called my insurance company and told them. I refuse to hang up the phone until I got what I wanted. I pay premiums every week and then you are going to tell me how to spend my insurance. Inusrance reform needs to happen NOW

I have been on a generic Ambien for years 10mg. it used to help get me to sleep, now I have been awake for 48 hours, I watch the clock all through the night...I have tried to read, I get up and will have a glass of dark red wine, nothing helps...all I want to do is go to sleep and can't...what has happen to all of us, its like we all or anyone I speak to takes something for sleep...help

So tired wrote:

I have been taking 20 mg of Ambien for at least 2 years, and it was a lifesaver! I could get more rest in 5-6 hours than in 9 hours previously. Now that I am on the generic, I am lucky to fall asleep at all.I called the doctor and pharmacy and they said there has been no complaints about that. Isn't the generic form always supposed to be the same ingredients? Please give suggestions...I am going to OD on this just to get some sleep!

Generic zolpidems differ by manufacturer. Teva is bad, really lousy.

None of us are crazy. I have taken plenty of generic medication before and had good experiences with them...until I used the generic ambien. Hangover headaches every morning and it doesn't work well or feel as strong as the real thing. The pharmacist suggests it could be that the ACTIVE ingredient may be the same, however the way the drug is delivered to the body with the other ingredients may be different. And generics are allowed a "small" margin of error.

I've taken both Ambien and Zolpidem. Ambien works best. That's a promise from a guy who's taken both for over 5 years.

I have been taking ambien for a year.. got laid off now taking generic as can't afford ambien. I feel like a zombie all day. I will also have to "suck it up" and pay for ambien. this drug is horrible. It took me all day to wake up.. took a 3 hour nap as couldn't function.. Horrible drug.