McCain's Use Of Ambien: Is It A Problem?

McCain's Ambien Use: a Security Threat?

In a presidential race marked by references to preparedness in the face of the 3 a.m. call, the revelation that presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain has taken the sleeping pill Ambien during his travels raises concerns that the rare side effects of the medication could impair his judgment.

"Taking more than the recommended dosage of Ambien or combining it with other sedative-hypnotics — for example, alcohol — may result in amnesia, fugue states and sleep walking," said Dr. Peter A. Fotinakes, medical director of the St. Joseph Sleep Disorders Center in Orange, Calif. "Used appropriately, Ambien is a relatively safe medication."

Though rare, such side effects associated with Ambien have made headlines.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/Politics/story?id=4919842&page=1

it shouldn't be a problem for a republican president.

The president's warmongering remarks on the Iranian threat suggest he is psychotic. Really.

George W. Bush and Dick Cheney shouldn't be treated like criminals who deserve punishment. They should be treated like psychotics who need treatment.

Because they've clearly gone mad. Exhibit A: We're in the middle of a disastrous war in Iraq, the military and political situation in Afghanistan is steadily worsening, and the administration's interrogation and detention tactics have inflamed anti-Americanism and fueled extremist movements around the globe. Sane people, confronting such a situation, do their best to tamp down tensions, rebuild shattered alliances, find common ground with hostile parties and give our military a little breathing space. But crazy people? They look around and decide it's a great time to start another war.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-brooks24oct25,0,7749742.column


Can't they be regarded as BOTH criminal and psychotic?

Side effects at any dose may include:

Anterograde amnesia
Hallucinations, through all physical senses, of varying intensity
Delusions
Altered thought patterns
Ataxia or poor motor coordination, difficulty maintaining balance<30>
Euphoria and/or dysphoria
Increased appetite
Decreased libido
Amnesia
Impaired judgment and reasoning
Uninhibited extroversion in social or interpersonal settings
Increased impulsivity

Just what we need in a president.
:sarcasm:

Moreover, the NY Times reports how Ambien can cause sleep-walking and a near zombie-like state:

With a tendency to stare zombie-like and run into stationary objects, a new species of impaired motorist is hitting the roads: the Ambien driver.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/08/business/08ambien.html

That's already evident from his stance on Iraq and Iran.

Recall McCain's rendition of the Beach Boys ... "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran"

All the chickenhawk leadership of the republicon homelanders eat that chemical crapola...

I hear that place is fraught with hazards...

happened to him....

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/04/politics/main1590041.shtml

So he has trouble sleeping.

Big deal.

Millions of people have that exact same condition and Ambien helps them.

If the red phone rings at 3 am ...

;-)

What's your point?

Do you?

But hey what could go wrong?

:scared:

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=19908&name=AMBIEN

Did they make his dosage public?

The rest are just symptoms of the problem.

At best, if the Commander in Chief is dependent upon sleeping pills it means there is no on in charge at night. When I was practicing medicine, I never took anything sedating at bedtime, because I had to be able to answer emergency phone calls and rush to the hospital at any hour.

Same for the president. McCain can not be doped up.

Fotinakes added that sleeping pills and other sedatives have been proven to be more potent in the elderly.

In light of this, he said, "It may not be the best idea for the commander-in-chief to be under the influence when he or she may have to make a snap decision regarding national security in the middle of the night; Hillary's so-called telephone call at 3:00 a.m."

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/Politics/Story?id=4919842&page=2

:scared:

what do we have to worry about?

I'm just sayin', he has far bigger problems than taking Ambien. I'd be a lot more worried about his cancer history and his mental health records still not being released than him taking Ambien.