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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SadDoggie on May 14, 2006, at 9:49:51
Anybody who's taken Lunesta, can you really take it continuously without having it lose it's effect or getting addicted?
Posted by yxibow on May 14, 2006, at 16:38:53
In reply to Lunesta input, posted by SadDoggie on May 14, 2006, at 9:49:51
> Anybody who's taken Lunesta, can you really take it continuously without having it lose it's effect or getting addicted?
Yes -- but I am not benzodiazepine "naive" so I have to take the full 3mg of it (at least). Those who have taken higher doses currently or recently of benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium) will cross-pollenate to an extent and not "feel" the effect as much at its lower dosages.
There are always exceptions, of course... if one gets very easily.. I wouldnt use the word addicted (intense craving for a drug with no purpose) -- habituated (escalation of dose) to benzodiazepines in general and keeps having to up their dose of klonopin, etc --- it might occur in the same way with Lunesta, Ambien/AmbienCR, or Sonata, even though they're not benzodiazepines they do have affect on the same transmitters.
Posted by Phillipa on May 14, 2006, at 22:16:32
In reply to Re: Lunesta input » SadDoggie, posted by yxibow on May 14, 2006, at 16:38:53
Jay why are they still controlled as they are approved for long term use? Love phillipa
Posted by notfred on May 14, 2006, at 22:30:08
In reply to Re: Lunesta input » SadDoggie, posted by yxibow on May 14, 2006, at 16:38:53
> > Anybody who's taken Lunesta, can you really > take it continuously without having it lose it's >effect
Benzos/sleeping meds never loose their effect over time with me.
> or getting addicted?
Dependent, perhaps. Addiction is something totally different.
Posted by yxibow on May 15, 2006, at 5:07:35
In reply to Re: Lunesta input » yxibow, posted by Phillipa on May 14, 2006, at 22:16:32
> Jay why are they still controlled as they are approved for long term use? Love phillipa
Because of our DEA, we could have endless discussions on prescription drugs in the US. But basically they're Schedule IV which means that there is a potential, but low potential for "addiction". These things are decided with backdoor wrangling with the drug companies and the FDA and the DEA, etc, with NDAs and ANDAs (new drug approvals and amended new drug approvals).
Lunesta, Sonata, Ambien, AmbienCR, still carry a potential for those who are genetically capable of being "addicted" to a substance, which I would define as "use of a substance which has no medical purpose at the time of use." The potential is low so just like all the benzodiazepines, they are C-IV and can be renewed up to 6 times I believe.
Lyrica, after much wrangling was tested on a few "normal" people and they felt "euphoria"... so after a threat of C-IV, it was finally decided as C-V, the lowest potential of "addiction" because there really wasn't much potential at all. It is the only C-V drug I know of approval lately.
It's still possible to be both habituated and addicted to a substance at the same time which is the worst of both worlds -- a legitimate medical need for a substance but a genetic tendency towards use of substances with an unfortunate lack of impulse control and the like. I've never felt addiction so I can't really describe it -- about 3/4 of those who smoke for example will probably become addicted. Why some can quit cold turkey and have no effects, I fully believe lies in some genetic tendencies.
Anyhow that's just my 2c
Tidings
-- Jay
Posted by serena11 on May 16, 2006, at 18:18:58
In reply to Lunesta input, posted by SadDoggie on May 14, 2006, at 9:49:51
> Anybody who's taken Lunesta, can you really take it continuously without having it lose it's effect or getting addicted?
I have wondered about that, too. I used to take Ambien, but it clearly messed up my ability to sleep "naturally" and became useless at the same time. I have been taking 3mg of Lunesta since it became available, and I still have to work at falling asleep. It hasn't been any better or worse since I started. After reading about others' experiences with Zoloft, I now wonder if Zoloft has been interfering with my ability to sleep. (Eventually, I will be off this awful Zoloft and maybe find out.) Anyway, I have forgotten what it is like to sleep without being drugged in some way. I'm grateful for Lunesta but wonder if I will find myself struggling with withdrawal from it in the future. At least it's better than Ambien.
This is the end of the thread.
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