PREFER THE BRAND? LEARN HOW TO GET AMBIEN OR AMBIEN CR
Along with your doctor, you’ve decided that branded AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR is the right choice for your insomnia. So, it’s important that you ask your healthcare provider to write Dispense As Written (DAW)—or your state’s approved language—on your prescription. Learn more about:
- What your AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR should look like.
- The conversation to have with your doctor.
- The proper steps to take at the pharmacy for your initial fill and subsequent refills.
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A CLOSER LOOK AT AMBIEN BRAND
If your doctor prescribes brand name AMBIEN to help you fall asleep, your prescription should be filled with the AMBIEN brand. Whether you’re prescribed a 5 mg or 10 mg dose, always look for the embossed letters “AMB” on your oval pill. Check out the AMBIEN pill images to help make sure you have the AMBIEN brand.
A CLOSER LOOK AT AMBIEN CR BRAND
AMBIEN CR is a medication that helps you fall asleep—and stay asleep. So when that’s what your doctor prescribes, that’s what you should get. Whether you’re prescribed a 6.25 mg or 12.5 mg dose, always look for the embossed “A~” on your round pill. Check out the AMBIEN CR pill images to help make sure you have the AMBIEN CR brand.
LET YOUR DOCTOR KNOW YOU PREFER THE AMBIEN OR AMBIEN CR BRAND
YOUR DOCTOR VISIT CHECKLIST
You can do this! One of the biggest, most important reminders is to be an advocate for yourself. If you prefer the brand, when talking to your doctor, make sure you specifically ask for brand name AMBIEN, prescribed to be Dispense As Written (DAW)—or your state’s approved language—on your prescription.
Follow these pointers when you visit your doctor:
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BEFORE YOU GO
AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR serve a different purpose. It is important that you talk with your doctor to figure out which formulation is right for you.
- AMBIEN is a sleep aid that helps you fall asleep each night.
- AMBIEN CR has a dual purpose. It helps you fall asleep and also helps you stay asleep each night.
LEARN WHAT THE PILL AND BOTTLE LOOK LIKE
- Know how to identify brand name AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR when you pick your prescription up from the pharmacy.
WHEN YOU GET THERE, DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF DISPENSE AS WRITTEN
To make sure you get a prescription for the AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR brand, it is important to ask your healthcare provider to write specific language on every one of your prescriptions—including refills—such as:
- Dispense As Written (DAW)
- Do Not Substitute
- No Substitution
- Brand Medically Necessary
- Brand Necessary
WHAT SHOULD I TELL MY HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE TAKING AMBIEN OR AMBIEN CR?
AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR, may not be right for you. Before starting AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR, tell your healthcare provider about all of your health conditions, including if you:
- Have a history of depression, mental illness, or suicidal thoughts
- Have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction
- Have kidney or liver disease
- Have a lung disease or breathing problems
- Are pregnant, planning to become pregnant. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risk to your unborn baby if you take AMBIEN.
- Using AMBIEN in the last trimester of pregnancy may cause breathing difficulties or excess sleepiness in your newborn. Monitor for signs of sleepiness (more than usual), trouble breathing, or limpness in the newborn if AMBIEN is taken late in pregnancy.
- Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. AMBIEN passes into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby while you take AMBIEN.
Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.
HEADS UP
If "Dispense As Written" (DAW), or your state’s legal language, isn’t included on your prescription, you may get the generic medication zolpidem tartrate without your knowledge or your doctor’s permission.
BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE STORE
YOUR PHARMACY CHECKLIST
Now that your doctor has prescribed the AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR brand, make sure that’s what the pharmacy gives you.
Follow these tips whenever you get your prescription filled:
ASK FOR BRAND NAME AMBIEN OR AMBIEN CR IF THAT IS WHAT YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR HAVE AGREED ON
Call ahead to the pharmacy to make sure the prescription is branded AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR and not a generic. Whether you’re at the pharmacy or ordering via mail-order service, make sure you specify you want the brand name AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR your doctor prescribed.
GET YOUR DOCTOR’S ORDERS NOTED
If you are prescribed brand name AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR, make sure the pharmacist or mail-order service notes this. It will help make sure you are given the correct medication each time.
CHECK THE BOTTLE
Your prescription’s label should clearly say "AMBIEN" or "AMBIEN CR."
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT DOSAGE STRENGTH
If it doesn’t have the proper dosage on the bottle, it isn’t your prescription.
CHECK YOUR PILL FOR THE PROPER MARKINGS AT THE PHARMACY
Generics may come in the same color and shape as brand name AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR, so make sure your pill has the proper markings.
- If you’re prescribed AMBIEN, be sure the pill is oval and says "AMB."
- If you’re prescribed AMBIEN CR, be sure the pill is round and says "A~."
ALERT YOUR PHARMACIST IF IT ISN’T BRANDED AMBIEN OR AMBIEN CR
Make sure your pharmacist refills your prescription with the AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR brand you were prescribed.
COVERAGE FINDER
Your insurance may cover brand name AMBIEN. Call your insurance company to see if AMBIEN is covered.
AMBIEN CR
Learn how AMBIEN CR is formulated not only to help you fall asleep, but stay asleep.
What is AMBIEN® (zolpidem tartrate) or AMBIEN CR® (zolpidem tartrate)
AMBIEN is a prescription sleep medicine for the short-term treatment of adults who have trouble falling asleep (insomnia).
AMBIEN CR is a prescription medicine for treatment of adults with trouble falling asleep and/or waking up often during the night.
It is not known if AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR are safe and effective in children under the age of 18 years. AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR are not recommended in children under the age of 18 years.
Important Safety Information
Important Safety Information
AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR may cause serious side effects including complex sleep behaviors. After taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR you may get up out of bed while not being fully awake and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. The next morning, you may not remember that you did anything during the night. These activities may happen with AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR whether or not you drink alcohol or take other medicines that make you sleepy. Some of these complex sleep behaviors have caused serious injury and death. People taking AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR have reported:
- sleep-walking
- sleep-driving
- making and eating food
- talking on the phone
- having sex
Stop taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR and tell your doctor right away if you find out that you have done any of these activities after taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
Do not take AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR if you:
- have had complex sleep behaviors that happened after taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR in the past.
- are allergic to zolpidem or any of the ingredients in AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR are federally controlled substances (C-IV) because they can be abused or cause dependence. Keep AMBIEN in a safe place to protect it from theft. Never give your AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR to anyone else because it may cause death or harm them. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
Before taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have a history of depression, mental illness, or suicidal thoughts or actions
- have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction
- have kidney or liver disease
- have a lung disease or breathing problems
- have sleep apnea
- have myasthenia gravis
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
- Tell your doctor if you become pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
- Babies born to mothers who take AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR during the third trimester of pregnancy may have symptoms of breathing problems and sedation (such as sleepiness or low muscle tone).
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR passes into your breast milk and may harm your baby
Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
AMBIEN and other medicines can interact with each other causing serious side effects. AMBIEN may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how AMBIEN works.
Especially tell your healthcare provider if you:
- take benzodiazepines
- take opioids as it may increase the risk of breathing problems (respiratory depression)
- take tricyclic antidepressants
- take other medicines that can make you sleepy or affect your breathing (including other zolpidem medicines)
- drink alcohol
AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR may cause serious side effects, including:
- AMBIEN can make you sleepy or dizzy and can slow your thinking and motor skills. Next-day sleepiness is common with AMBIEN CR, but can be serious. Because AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR can make you sleepy or dizzy you are at a higher risk for falls.
- Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR affect you.
- Do not drink alcohol or take opioids or other medicines that may make you sleepy or dizzy while taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR without first talking to your healthcare provider. When taken with alcohol or other medicines that cause sleepiness or dizziness, AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR may make your sleepiness or dizziness much worse.
- Severe allergic reactions. Symptoms include swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing, and nausea and vomiting. Get emergency medical help right away if you develop any of these symptoms during treatment with AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
- Abnormal thoughts and behavior. For AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR, symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion (delirium), acting strangely, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts or actions.
- Risk of suicide and worsening of depression. Worsening of depression, including suicidal thoughts and actions can happen during treatment with medicines like AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any thoughts of suicide, dying, or worsening depression during treatment with AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR.
- Breathing problems. Call your healthcare provider or get emergency medical help right away if you develop breathing problems during treatment with AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
- Problems with your nervous system caused by severe liver disease (hepatic encephalopathy).
- Withdrawal symptoms. You may have withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms can be serious and include stomach and muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, shakiness, seizures, and confusion (delirium). Talk to your healthcare provider about slowly stopping AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
The most common side effects of AMBIEN include drowsiness, dizziness, diarrhea, grogginess or feeling as if you have been drugged.
The most common side effects of AMBIEN CR include headache and dizziness.
Take AMBIEN CR tablets whole. Do not break, crush, dissolve or chew AMBIEN CR tablets before swallowing.
Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem.
If you take too much AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR or overdose, get emergency treatment.
Click here for full Prescribing Information including boxed WARNING and Medication Guide for AMBIEN.
Click here for full Prescribing Information including boxed WARNING and Medication Guide for AMBIEN CR.
Important Safety Information
AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR may cause serious side effects including complex sleep behaviors. After taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR you may get up out of bed while not being fully awake and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. The next morning, you may not remember that you did anything during the night. These activities may happen with AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR whether or not you drink alcohol or take other medicines that make you sleepy. Some of these complex sleep behaviors have caused serious injury and death. People taking AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR have reported:
- sleep-walking
- sleep-driving
- making and eating food
- talking on the phone
- having sex
Stop taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR and tell your doctor right away if you find out that you have done any of these activities after taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
Do not take AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR if you:
- have had complex sleep behaviors that happened after taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR in the past.
- are allergic to zolpidem or any of the ingredients in AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR are federally controlled substances (C-IV) because they can be abused or cause dependence. Keep AMBIEN in a safe place to protect it from theft. Never give your AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR to anyone else because it may cause death or harm them. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
Before taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have a history of depression, mental illness, or suicidal thoughts or actions
- have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction
- have kidney or liver disease
- have a lung disease or breathing problems
- have sleep apnea
- have myasthenia gravis
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
- Tell your doctor if you become pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
- Babies born to mothers who take AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR during the third trimester of pregnancy may have symptoms of breathing problems and sedation (such as sleepiness or low muscle tone).
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR passes into your breast milk and may harm your baby
Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
AMBIEN and other medicines can interact with each other causing serious side effects. AMBIEN may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how AMBIEN works.
Especially tell your healthcare provider if you:
- take benzodiazepines
- take opioids as it may increase the risk of breathing problems (respiratory depression)
- take tricyclic antidepressants
- take other medicines that can make you sleepy or affect your breathing (including other zolpidem medicines)
- drink alcohol
AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR may cause serious side effects, including:
- AMBIEN can make you sleepy or dizzy and can slow your thinking and motor skills. Next-day sleepiness is common with AMBIEN CR, but can be serious. Because AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR can make you sleepy or dizzy you are at a higher risk for falls.
- Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR affect you.
- Do not drink alcohol or take opioids or other medicines that may make you sleepy or dizzy while taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR without first talking to your healthcare provider. When taken with alcohol or other medicines that cause sleepiness or dizziness, AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR may make your sleepiness or dizziness much worse.
- Severe allergic reactions. Symptoms include swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing, and nausea and vomiting. Get emergency medical help right away if you develop any of these symptoms during treatment with AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
- Abnormal thoughts and behavior. For AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR, symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion (delirium), acting strangely, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts or actions.
- Risk of suicide and worsening of depression. Worsening of depression, including suicidal thoughts and actions can happen during treatment with medicines like AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any thoughts of suicide, dying, or worsening depression during treatment with AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR.
- Breathing problems. Call your healthcare provider or get emergency medical help right away if you develop breathing problems during treatment with AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR.
- Problems with your nervous system caused by severe liver disease (hepatic encephalopathy).
- Withdrawal symptoms. You may have withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms can be serious and include stomach and muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, shakiness, seizures, and confusion (delirium). Talk to your healthcare provider about slowly stopping AMBIEN and AMBIEN CR to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
The most common side effects of AMBIEN include drowsiness, dizziness, diarrhea, grogginess or feeling as if you have been drugged.
The most common side effects of AMBIEN CR include headache and dizziness.
Take AMBIEN CR tablets whole. Do not break, crush, dissolve or chew AMBIEN CR tablets before swallowing.
Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem.
If you take too much AMBIEN or AMBIEN CR or overdose, get emergency treatment.
Click here for full Prescribing Information including boxed WARNING and Medication Guide for AMBIEN.
Click here for full Prescribing Information including boxed WARNING and Medication Guide for AMBIEN CR.