I took Ambien for 2 years. I had all of the common side effects:...

I took Ambien for 2 years. I had all of the common side effects: hallucinations, memory problems, loopiness, nightmares, etc. However, I eventually started smelling smoke all of the time. Since Ambien was the only drug I was on, I stopped taking it. After a couple of weeks, the smoke smell faded. Life went on as usual, and I became pregnant and gave birth to a beautiful boy. That night I couldn't fall asleep even though I was exhausted. I tossed and turned all night, and the nurse started showing concern for me. She asked if I wanted to try a sleeping pill, and contacted my doctor. They ended up giving me an Ambien that night, and that night, the smoke smell returned for a few days. Fast forward several months after giving up Ambien completely. I developed a nasty head cold that gave my sinuses a pounding. That was when the smell returned. I began to piece things together, and went to the doctor. I asked him if he thought the Ambien damaged my sense of smell and if sinus conditions like congestion, allergies, and sickness exacerbated the problem. He did first check me for a brain tumor, but agreed with my assessment. He has seen thing like this happen to people, although not specifically with Ambien since it was a newer drug. He thinks a combination of the drug and sinus problems permanently damaged my olfactory nerves. He told me to try Flonase, and within a week of smelling smoke, it goes away. seven years later, the smoke smell still comes and goes, but actually cues me to what is going on in my sinuses at the time. I know when my sinuses are congested or irritated, and I take Flonase for relief within a few days to a week. Not saying everyone will have this problem, but it is something to be aware of...