but it wouldn't have made any sense. Ambien is for people who have trouble sleeping. Why would he take an insomnia drug on his big night to debate? Ambien can make you irrational and unaware of what you're doing. I had a horrible experience with it. Almost got myself shot. Biden wasn't himself, but I'm not sure it was Ambien that messed him up that night.

I am not big on CT's, but some true stories about Putin can't be chuckled away.

He's a chem-bio weapon afficionado.

I don't know if his reach is that far, though. Something happened to Biden that night. That look he had at the end of the debate was what wrecked him. He looked demented. I think that's why Adam Schiff and the others talked him into dropping out.

Let's just say that's something pretty valuable in a president.

How much better would things be now if he were still President? I thought we might not survive another Trump term, but people are standing up and speaking out. It's not over yet, but my belief is that we will pull out of this quicksand by the skin of our teeth.

One or more live there.

Funny the magats are questioning PA.

All sorts of conspiracy theories existed.

It can cause memory issues however even if taken at night. Kinda like Benadryl can.

Every once in a while I'll still take a Benadryl to help me sleep. You're only supposed to be on Ambien temporarily, but I was on it for about 6 or 7 years. It might still be okay for temporary insomnia, but I don't think it's good to take it for more than a few weeks.

It's not the best med for producing quality sleep.
I took it for a short time.

It kinda reminded me of taking alcohol to sleep. Yeah, you will sleep, but you won't feel like you did the next day. It did remind me a bit of Benadryl, which can cause brain fog the next day too. See my post just below this one, where I describe my wedding day..LOL I took Benadryl the night before. Got married around 2 pm....

What was weird, was that I had taken Benadryl previously and knew it wasn't very good, but it was better than nothing. It had never quite had the effect that it had on my wedding day, however...It was weird...

I think it was a combo of nerves and Benadryl because it had never done that to me before. (Chronic insomnia here) Slight brain fog previously, but this was crazy.

But I was sorta out of it! I had a really hard time getting ready and needed everyone do this and that for me. "Where's my hair brush?" (When my hair brush was right in front of me) It was so weird. Fortunately, I got through the service OK.

At the reception, I couldn't remember guests names, from one minutes to the other...("This is my Aunt Bessy"....five seconds later, I couldn't remember who I was talking to) Then I would walk the wrong direction... I felt very overwhelmed...Although receptions are overwhelming, it was beyond that....It was really weird...I felt like I was in a haze....

I was a nurse at the time, working the evening shift. The Bendaryl "brain fog" had never lasted beyond morning. But on my wedding day, it lasted all day...

I don't see the American people the same way anymore either.

Don’t recall hearing anything like that.

Ill advised before a public event.

I could be remembering wrong about taking it just before the debate. Maybe I tied them together in my mind but got the details mixed up.

Thanks.

accidents don't happen.

It was a lie to save face.

I know because I saw the debate and needed an Ambien after.

The debate was just what it was on its face. I'll leave it at that.

Is it possible that it takes a couple hours?

It kicks in within 15 minutes on an empty stomach. On a full stomach, much slower and less intense.

Ambien is really amazing in how quickly it gets to the brain and how effective it is at putting you to a nice clean sleep. When I started on it, I didn't need an alarm - I'd wake up for work 8 hours later on the dot.

Now, after years of it, it isn't as consistently effective. Still, massively cleaner and more therapeutic than melatonin, benedryl, herbals, etc.

Actually, it kicks in so fast that people "forget" to go to sleep and end up doing weird (or fun) stuff with their inhibitions lowered. There is no way President Biden was on ambien before the debate. He would've been more aggressive I suspect.

He could have been given the pills on flights to keep his sleep on schedule, but I don't think that is what happened.

Big caveat -- everyone's brain chemistry is different, so Biden may be affected more strongly or for a greater duration. This is fairly typical in older adults.

But from my experience, I don't think ambien is to blame.

He was hunkered down at home with Covid for 10 days.

Kick in for a while.

Still I wonder if the jet lag/Ambien he was taking in the days before, made any memory problems he was having worse.

He doesn't deserve being remembered for that alone. I would resoundingly choose him over what we have now, memory problems and all. Especially since his judgement seemed unaffected.

When you are getting to that age, those kinds of drugs can hit you really hard.

I love Joe Biden, I voted for him every time his name has appeared on my ballot in one form or another (VP candidate, Presidential candidate, etc). He should've stepped out of the campaign much earlier but it is what it is.

What bothers me if people who act like that Trump isn't farther gone upstairs. He has been kinda gone his whole life but its been really bad going all the way back to when he first started running in 2016, really. Just because Trump has the ability to be loud while he is talking in circles about absolutely fucking nothing, some people acted like that made him more competent than Joe, who even at his most mumbling, stuttering and aged worst, did and always will, state more facts and wisdom than Trump would ever be capable of if he lived 10 lifetimes.

Trump says and does worse damn near every day now and he doesn't have anywhere close to the competent administration that Biden did.

Heckuva job, America!

And way, way overreacting to Bidens bad performance. Trump was a grievance filled fantasy spewing lying angry vengeful menace who had little grasp on reality. Meanwhile, Biden came off as old....

America got exactly what they vote for. Plus, old. Congrats

Romney was declared the winner. Obama wasn't his usual "sharp self". It was due to debate prep.

Obama was an excellent debater and great at speeches and was probably a bit over confident going into his debate. He hemmed and haw a bit. He buckled down on debate prep before the next debate and won.

Biden was not a good debater and it seems like his prepping told him to give "long answers". (Detailed policy issues) Combined with his usual self, jet lag, his opponent, they should have just told him, "Talk loud and give short answers".

Prior to the debate, Biden was having difficulty with his voice projecting. I had seen it numerous times and was worried. Biden's mic wasn't high enough at the debate. You put all those factors together and it can quickly become a disaster.

I don’t take it often but it is an excellent cocaine substitute. It gives you long lasting energy and laser focus. Ambien would have the exact opposite effect.