HAS ANYONE TAKEN LUNESTA FOR SLEEP ?

bluetocker · Post by **bluetocker** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:09 pm

I am looking for feedback on lunesta for sleep. I have been on APAP for 11days sleep apnea free. My problem is I am still waking up 2-3 times a night ? My doctor wants to give me lunesta ? I looked at side effects does not look to good ! I just want to elimate waking up 2-3 times nightly.

Please Advise..
Bluetocker

roster · Post by **roster** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:21 pm

My advice would be give it some more time drug-free. You are probably like many of us and went a long time with apnea before you were properly diagnosed and treated. Your mind and body have some ingrained poor sleep habits. If your therapy is effective and you are confident about the process (you seem to be), then a full good night's sleep may come with time.

My experience with sleep medications is that they all have terrible side effects. See also Consumer Reports on sleep medication from last fall. Most libraries will have the full article.

rosiefrosie · Post by **rosiefrosie** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:23 pm

I have used and continue to use Lunesta once in a while. It has helped to keep me sleeping most of the night. I find even if I wake up, I am able to get back to sleep without problems. What also works for me is Sonata. I have no problems falling to sleep, it's staying that way that is a problem. Sonata is fast acting and out of your system in 4 hours. I can take this at 2 in the morning and be up at 6 without the groggy feelings.

Rosie

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:50 pm

Is Sonata by prescription only? I have taken Lunesta and it worked great. I did have the really awful bitter taste though like some people do and it is very expensive and I don't have insurance so I can't get it any more. I take one Benadryl tablet and it works pretty good and has the added benefit of keeping my nose unstuffed. I just can't make it without something. I usually only wake up once a night for a bathroom break and then I go right back to sleep. I liked the knockout effect of Lunesta and I didn't have a hangover the next day either.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:39 pm

Isn't Lunesta supposed to make you taste sour milk? Yuck. I took Ambien a few times and it knocked me out but I woke up within a few hours, this was in pre-cpap days. I do occasionally take a Benadryl for headaches: works better than anything, even expensive migraine drugs, and helps me sleep. But you can habituate to it, so every night is probably not so good. I am with the poster who said try toughing it out a bit longer. I am slowly sleeping more and waking less since I started CPAP.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:28 am

Sonata is Rx.

I used it for a night or two once every few months and it did wonders for me.

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 7:44 am

I did have the really awful bitter taste though like some people do

Good sleep drug, but everything tasted terrible for 24 hours after. I switched
to Tylenol PM, two nights per week.

MikeRobert · Post by **MikeRobert** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:35 am

Bluetocker,
I have used Lunesta on/off for about a year. I have used it with and without cpap, and found no difference in the way I felt in the morning, and usually slept thru the night. After using it every day since August, I decided in January that it was time to quit, but weening off was not pleasant, irregardless of what the ads for it claim.
I am now on Bipap, 8 nights, and have woken every night, always at the 2 to 3 hrs in, and then several more times after.
For me Lunesta had seemed to suppress my apnea, but I didn't like the idea of long term use.
So be careful, and try not to use it for more than a week or two, at one time.
I am hoping that I can settle into a better routine with this bipap, drug free.
Good Luck

dv · Post by dv » Fri Feb 23, 2007 10:48 am

Been on xpap for 16 months now and finally gave in to using a sleep aid to get through the waking up issues a few months ago. Not every night, but those nights I when it will be crucial that I'm really "on" the next day and really can't afford a less than perfect night...or when I have had a few bad nights in a row and just need a good restful night to recharge. Lunesta is the best thing since sliced bread for me. I use it 4 to 5 times a month or so. My pulmonary/OSA doc didn't give it to me, he really didn't want to talk about sleep aids. The doctor that does my annual at a health assessment clinic (supplied by my employer) said I should not hesitate to use it and prescribed the smallest dose (1 mg). My GP agreed. I don't have the after taste, I sleep great with it. I allow 7 hours or so and have no issues. Love it!

HAS ANYONE TAKEN LUNESTA FOR SLEEP ?

HAS ANYONE TAKEN LUNESTA FOR SLEEP ?

lunesta helps me with limited use