Is Lunesta Safe ?

USES: treatment of insomnia in adults

Generic Name: Eszopiclone (es-zoe-PIK-lone)
Brand Name: Lunesta

Lunesta is used for:

Treating sleeping problems with symptoms such as difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep during the night, and or waking up too early in the morning.

Lunesta is a hypnotic or "sleep medicine." It works by helping to increase certain natural chemicals in acting on certain parts of the brain that cause to help you sleep better.

Side Effects of Lunesta

Possible side effects of Lunesta :

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

• Anxiety;
• decrease in sexual desire;
• difficulty with coordination;
• dizziness;
• drowsiness;
• dry mouth;
• headache;
• indigestion;
• lightheadedness;
• nausea;
• nervousness;
• unpleasant taste;
• vomiting.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

• Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue);
• aggressive behavior;
• breast growth;
• chest pain;
• confusion;
• depression;
• hallucinations;
• memory problems (such as amnesia);
• painful menstrual periods;
• seizures;
• severe mood swings;
• suicidal thoughts;
• swelling of hands or feet;
• symptoms of infection (eg, fever, sore throat, and sinus or chest congestion);
• unusual or disturbing thoughts.

Who Should Not Take Lunesta

Do NOT use Lunesta if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Lunesta

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Interactions with Lunesta

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Lunesta . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Lorazepam or rifampicin because they may decrease Lunesta's effectiveness
• Certain antibiotics (eg, clarithromycin, troleandomycin), antifungal medicines (eg, ketoconazole, itraconazole), medicines for HIV infection (eg, nelfinavir, ritonavir), nefazodone, or olanzapine because they may increase the risk of Lunesta's side effects
• Antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline), antihistamines (eg, diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine), medicine for mental or mood disorders (eg, thioridazine, haloperidol), or medicines for seizures (eg, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital) because the risk of their side effects, including drowsiness and incoordination, may be increased by Lunesta