Waste basket symptoms and conditions

Started taking Ambien CR about 2 1/2 months ago- started at 6.25 mg, then increase to 12.5 (double the dose). I have always had thick luxurious hair and within the past 3 weeks have noticed significant hair loss, almost as if I was on Chemo. The first day I noticed I was in the shower washing my hair and I heard someone screaming, only to realize that the screams were coming from me. My hair was falling out in pelts! Thick plugs of hair were all over my tub, so much so you could have made a wig from it. Now my hair has thinned so much and continues to fill my bathroom waste basket and brushes, that I have been looking into wigs! I am a 45 yr old female and have never had this happen. My MD says it could be stress related, I told him it must be now because there isn't a morning that goes by that this isn't stressing me out and is putting me in tears constantly. Has anyone ever had this side effect before?
DRC

I was prescribed Avelox on December 21, 2005 for an ear/sinus infection that would not go away despite taking other antibiotics. I took the Avelox about 9:30pm that night and 20 minutes after taking the first pill the stomach cramps started and I rushed to the bathroom, while on the toilet I started vomiting in the waste basket, then I felt (the only way to describe it is a burning) in the middle of me body and it seemed to start to spread outward. In a few minutes I was drenched in sweat (my hair was dripping wet) and I started to tremble. I made it out of the bathroom and yelled to my husband that we needed to go to the ER. By this time I was starting to have trouble breathing - my throat didn't close or anything - the feeling was in my chest, felt like my lungs wouldn't expand and I was gasping for breath. Instead of calling the Ambulance my husband drove me to the ER which is less than 10 minutes from the house. When I got to the ER all I was able to say was Antibiotic Allergy and they started giving me shots. I lost consciousness (sp?) and when I woke up some 30 minutes later I was having convulsions. The ER Doctor said I was going to be all right but I was a very lucky girl - couple more minutes and I would have died. The gave me massive doses of epinephrene and steriods to conteract the Avelox. They wanted to hospitalize me but it was 4 days before Xmas so I pleaded with them to let me go home so that Christmas wouldn't be ruined for my 3 small children. Almost was a disasterous Xmas, thanks to Avelox. Later learned that Avelox has a high incidence rate of allergic reactions --- Anaphylatic Shock -- So people beware READ the information carefully before taking any medication.