Hi- The side effects of Ambien are numerous. Particularly if you are taking it without a doctor's supervision...and if you have certain undiagnosed underlying disorders, taking Ambien could do some real damage. And it can also produce really awful withdrawal symptoms if you get "hooked".

Okay..Hold onto your hat for....Side effects and adverse reactions:

Increasedsweating, pallor, postural hypotension, altered saliva, flushing, glaucoma, hypotension, impotence, syncope (that's fainting), asthenia (means weakness), edema, falling, fever, malaise, allergy aggravated, anaphylactic shock, face edema, hot flashes, pain, restless legs, rigors, (meaning chills),tolerance increased, weight decrease.

Cerebrovascular disorder, hypertension, tachycardia (fast heart rate), Arrhythmia( that's palpitations or irregular heartbeat), arteritis, circulatory failure, extrasystoles, hypertension aggravated if you already have it, myocardial infarction ( i.e.HEART ATTACK), phlebitis, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary edema, varicose veins, ventricular tachycardia.

Ataxia, (that's loss of balance) confusion, euphoria, insomnia, vertigo, agitation, decreased cognition, detached, difficulty concentrating, dysarthria, emotional lability, hallucination, hypoesthesia, migraine, paresthesia (pins and needles and tingling sensations), sleeping (after daytime dosing), stupor, tremor, abnormal thinking,aggressiveness, appetite increased, decreased libido (i.e. loss of sex drive), delusion, dementia, depersonalization, dysphasia, hysteria, intoxicated feeling, leg cramps, manic reaction, neuralgia, neuritis, neuropathy, neurosis, panic attacks, paresis, personality disorder, somnambulism, suicide attempts, tetany, yawning.
Constipation, dysphagia, flatulence, gastroenteritis, hiccup, gastritis, hemorrhoids, intestinal obstruction, rectal hemorrhage, tooth decay, anemia, and other blood disorders.

It can also screw up your immune system.

And yes, it can damage the liver and cause abnormal liver function.

Also it has been known to cause bronchitis, coughing, and shortness of breath.
Also acne, and many skin reactions too numerous to list here!

Also double vision, weird taste in mouth or food tastes "different", tinnitus (noises or ringing in the ears).
Can also cause urinary, bladder or kidney disorders.

This is NOT a drug to take casually! Please tell your friend that if he is having trouble sleeping, he really should see a doctor who may indeed prescribe Ambien for him but at least he won't be "popping" them at random which can really ultimately make his sleeping patterns much worse.

Good luck...Print this out for him ...maybe when he sees all the possible side effects (many of which may end up being permanent), Melatonin might start to look pretty good to him!

Also, "popping" Percocet is very dangerous. It has a high potential for abuse and can become addictive..There are better meds for heachache and if he's getting headaches frequently he should get help from a doc.
zuzu xx