source: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/he...ilnox-and-ambien/story-fneuz9ev-1226838342232
OLYMPIAN Grant Hackett’s early morning antics at a Melbourne hotel are typical of people who have taken the notorious Stilnox sleeping pills.
Hackett was photographed at the Crown Casino hotel on Saturday night while looking for his lost son, wearing a singlet for pants and apparently incoherent.
According to his coach, Hackett has now flown to the US for Stilnox rehab, but the former swimmer told reporters he was there for a relaxing break.
He has previously admitted having a serious problem with the drug towards the end of his swimming career, calling it “evil”.
The prescription drug zolpidem, sold as Stilnox in Australia or Ambien in the US, is a sedative-hypnotic drug for people suffering from insomnia but has been constantly linked to bizarre behaviour and deaths.
The drug was discovered in Heath Ledger’s apartment after his death from an accidental overdose, it has been used as a party drug by NRL football players and in a disturbing bonding session between Olympic swimmers.
The manufacturer of the drug, Sanofi-Aventis, was taken to court in 2007 by “Ambien Zombies”, who complained of sleep-eating and sleep-driving under the drugs’ influence. The company was ordered to revise its warnings to alert users of the potential dangers of the drug.
The medication guide for the drug outlines the “less common adverse” side effects as: “Unexpected changes in behaviour. These have included rage reactions, confusion and other forms of unwanted behaviour. Sleep walking, driving motor vehicles and other unusual, and on some occasions dangerous, behaviours while apparently asleep.
“These have also included preparing and eating food, making phone calls or having sexual intercourse. People experiencing these effects have had no memory of the events.
“Alcohol can increase the risk of sleep walking and other related behaviours. These side effects can also occur without the presence of alcohol.”
Although the drug helps users fall asleep, it does not keep them asleep — which can cause users to engage in strange activities while in a semi-awake state.
Users of zolpidem reported feeling seriously impaired and sometimes had hallucinogenic side effects within 30 minutes of taking the drug.
Short version:
OLYMPIAN Grant Hackett’s early morning antics at a Melbourne hotel are typical of people who have taken the notorious Stilnox sleeping pills.
Hackett was photographed at the Crown Casino hotel on Saturday night while looking for his lost son, wearing a singlet for pants and apparently incoherent.
OLYMPIAN Grant Hackett’s early morning antics at a Melbourne hotel are typical of people who have taken the notorious Stilnox sleeping pills.
Hackett was photographed at the Crown Casino hotel on Saturday night while looking for his lost son, wearing a singlet for pants and apparently incoherent.
According to his coach, Hackett has now flown to the US for Stilnox rehab, but the former swimmer told reporters he was there for a relaxing break.
He has previously admitted having a serious problem with the drug towards the end of his swimming career, calling it “evil”.
The prescription drug zolpidem, sold as Stilnox in Australia or Ambien in the US, is a sedative-hypnotic drug for people suffering from insomnia but has been constantly linked to bizarre behaviour and deaths.
The drug was discovered in Heath Ledger’s apartment after his death from an accidental overdose, it has been used as a party drug by NRL football players and in a disturbing bonding session between Olympic swimmers.
The manufacturer of the drug, Sanofi-Aventis, was taken to court in 2007 by “Ambien Zombies”, who complained of sleep-eating and sleep-driving under the drugs’ influence. The company was ordered to revise its warnings to alert users of the potential dangers of the drug.
The medication guide for the drug outlines the “less common adverse” side effects as: “Unexpected changes in behaviour. These have included rage reactions, confusion and other forms of unwanted behaviour. Sleep walking, driving motor vehicles and other unusual, and on some occasions dangerous, behaviours while apparently asleep.
“These have also included preparing and eating food, making phone calls or having sexual intercourse. People experiencing these effects have had no memory of the events.
“Alcohol can increase the risk of sleep walking and other related behaviours. These side effects can also occur without the presence of alcohol.”
Although the drug helps users fall asleep, it does not keep them asleep — which can cause users to engage in strange activities while in a semi-awake state.
Users of zolpidem reported feeling seriously impaired and sometimes had hallucinogenic side effects within 30 minutes of taking the drug.
Short version:
OLYMPIAN Grant Hackett’s early morning antics at a Melbourne hotel are typical of people who have taken the notorious Stilnox sleeping pills.
Hackett was photographed at the Crown Casino hotel on Saturday night while looking for his lost son, wearing a singlet for pants and apparently incoherent.
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