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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 7 to 31 of 71. Go back in thread:
Posted by ZenTen on April 10, 2005, at 16:48:36
In reply to Lunesta, Has Anyone Tried It?, posted by Phillipa on April 10, 2005, at 13:06:33
I have been on it 3 nights! I did pay quite a high copay for it. I was more than willing to pay this, just to give it a try, though! I basically was on it 2 days after it was finally approved. I bought my 3mgs tablets at Walgreens. It costs about same as Ambien, at around $4.00 a pill!
Unfortunatly, I had VERY high hopes and was very very disappointed with it. I was sure it was going to be great. It DOES have a cross-tolerance with Ambien. I've been on 15-20mgs of Ambien a night for almost 2 years straight and basically it doesnt do anything unless, I take that with Restoril 30mgs--it used to be a miracle sleep-aide for me...so dont get me wrong, I love Ambien.
The 3mgs of Luneta for me, was like taking 25 mgs of Benadryl. The only side-effects it has is a really horrible after taste in my throat... which in itself is no issue to me. (Make sure you wash it down with lots of juice or other flavored beverage and make sure the pill goes right down, dont let it sit in your mouth for even a moment--I learned this the hard way). Now that I think of it, the other side effect it has, was it made me urinate A LOT througout the night...Interuptting my sleep. I am almost certain this was the Lunesta and not my fluid intake or other meds, because Lunesta was the only new thing I added to my bedtime regime.
I plan on giving it a full trial but obviously it doesn't appear like it will suddenly start working. :-(
I get the impression that anyone who has not been on Ambien or Sonata for too long--or isn't currently on it, will find it to be a superb sleep aid. I think its action at the Benzo 1 receptors is very similar to Ambien and my receptors, I suppose, have adapted to this mechanism.
I can't see why it would have any more antidepressant efficacy than any other sleep aides on the market. It's profile is similar to other newer marketed sleep aids, with the exception that Lunesta, has a big incentive to claim it has AD efficy--and that is profit! (I don't mean to sound cynical.)
Personally, I find Ambien, in a high dose more relaxing than Lunesta. I am sure others will have differing opinions of it.
Posted by Spriggy on April 10, 2005, at 16:57:12
In reply to Re: Lunesta, Has Anyone Tried It?, posted by ZenTen on April 10, 2005, at 16:48:36
Well since hubby says " no more seroquel" and I'm almost out of Restoril, maybe I could ask for this.
We shall see how it goes.
Thanks for the updates.
Posted by jerrympls on April 11, 2005, at 18:25:00
In reply to Re: Lunesta, Has Anyone Tried It?, posted by ZenTen on April 10, 2005, at 16:48:36
I was wondering if there would be a strong cross-tolerance since it's very close to Ambien. Ambien used to be a mirqacle sleep aid for me as well. I still get an effect from Ambien - but it's not enough to put me to sleep - or keep me asleep. Maybe I'll react differently and this will work? We'll see. Right now I'm on 15mg of Remeron and while it does help me get to sleep - I have terrible dreams and it doesn't keep me asleep throughout the night. ugh!
Posted by fachad on April 12, 2005, at 1:02:03
In reply to Re: Lunesta, Has Anyone Tried It?, posted by ZenTen on April 10, 2005, at 16:48:36
> Unfortunatly, I had VERY high hopes and was very very disappointed with it. I was sure it was going to be great. It DOES have a cross-tolerance with Ambien. I've been on 15-20mgs of Ambien a night for almost 2 years straight and basically it doesnt do anything unless, I take that with Restoril 30mgs--it used to be a miracle sleep-aide for me...so dont get me wrong, I love Ambien.
I thought the max dose of Ambien was 10mg per night. I'm sure that's the offical dose limit.
My insurance co-pay is high for Ambien $50/month, but they will not cover more than 30 10mg tablets per month because that is the maximum approved dose.
Does your insurance cover the 15-20 mg/Ambien per night or do you self pay for it?
Posted by ZenTen on April 12, 2005, at 8:44:57
In reply to 15-20 mg of Ambien per night? Does insurance cover, posted by fachad on April 12, 2005, at 1:02:03
> > Unfortunatly, I had VERY high hopes and was very very disappointed with it. I was sure it was going to be great. It DOES have a cross-tolerance with Ambien. I've been on 15-20mgs of Ambien a night for almost 2 years straight and basically it doesnt do anything unless, I take that with Restoril 30mgs--it used to be a miracle sleep-aide for me...so dont get me wrong, I love Ambien.
> >>>>>
As to your question, yes its the FDA max dose is 10mgs. But 10mgs is not such a high dose long-term, its about equivalent too 5-10mgs of Valium for every 10 of Ambien--so, I have read at least.
Yes, it is expensive, my insurance covers the first #32 10mgs pills and I pay for the rest (if I feel like it) out of pocket.There is no law (In the U.S., that I know of) stating a doctor can't exceed labelled dosing limits! If that were the case, Effexor XR would never be RX'd over 225mgs a day. It's all about what the doctor has experience with, as far as doses and the liability they wish to assume.
I have been on Lunesta over 4 nights here and can honestly say, at least for me, I don't plan on getting it again. There are far better Benzo's for sleep that at least when they dont work to fall asleep, they make you relaxed. Luneta doesn't appear to have any noticeable anxiolitic effects. I suppose this is also individual.
I tend to think
> I thought the max dose of Ambien was 10mg per night. I'm sure that's the offical dose limit.
>
> My insurance co-pay is high for Ambien $50/month, but they will not cover more than 30 10mg tablets per month because that is the maximum approved dose.
>
> Does your insurance cover the 15-20 mg/Ambien per night or do you self pay for it?
Posted by fachad on April 13, 2005, at 1:03:39
In reply to Re: 15-20 mg of Ambien per night? Does insurance cover, posted by ZenTen on April 12, 2005, at 8:44:57
Interesting. Benzos do not rapidly induce sleep for me like Ambien does. I sleep longer if I take Benzos but the sleep does not come any easier or any sooner. I don't need any anxiolytic effect, but I do need a powerful sleep induction effect.
Do you think Lunestra has equal or greater sleep inducing effect as Ambien?
Is the 3mg dose of Lunestra greater or equal to the 10 mg dose of Ambien?
I realize these questions are subjective and response is individualized, but for me if 3 mg of Lunestra is equally potent as 10 mg of Ambien, but lasts longer, it would be worth it.
If it is more potent and lasts longer, it would be a boon.
Posted by jerrympls on April 13, 2005, at 1:47:49
In reply to Re: 15-20 mg of Ambien per night? Does insurance cover, posted by fachad on April 13, 2005, at 1:03:39
> Interesting. Benzos do not rapidly induce sleep for me like Ambien does. I sleep longer if I take Benzos but the sleep does not come any easier or any sooner. I don't need any anxiolytic effect, but I do need a powerful sleep induction effect.
>
> Do you think Lunestra has equal or greater sleep inducing effect as Ambien?
>
> Is the 3mg dose of Lunestra greater or equal to the 10 mg dose of Ambien?
>
> I realize these questions are subjective and response is individualized, but for me if 3 mg of Lunestra is equally potent as 10 mg of Ambien, but lasts longer, it would be worth it.
>
> If it is more potent and lasts longer, it would be a boon.Very good questions - same I was meaning to ask.
??
Posted by musil on April 17, 2005, at 21:08:14
In reply to Re: 15-20 mg of Ambien per night? Does insurance cover, posted by jerrympls on April 13, 2005, at 1:47:49
I have been trying 2Mg Lunesta for the past 6 nights after about 18 months on 10mg Ambien, which ALWAYS seemed to work for me to relax, get me to sleep and keep me asleep from 9:30PM to at least until 12:30AM especially when combined with nightly 10mg diazepam. The early waking is worsened when I am in a major depressive state, so that I might wake up after 2.5 hours when depressed.
My doc asked me to switch directly over from Ambien to Lunesta as he said he "did not want me on more than one sedative at any time" apparently forgetting the 20mg diazepam daily. Regarding Lunesta with 10mg diazepam before bed at 9:30PM, I found the sleep to be much less relaxed and full of inescapable dreams, almost like I had forgotten to take my Ambien and very much like my sleep profile without medication at all.
I concur that there must be some cross tolerance /if not interference/ at the benzo sites hit by Ambien, and that Lunesta will probably be great for those who have never taken Ambien. But for those who are expecting that relaxed feeling before nodding off, Lunesta didn't replace Ambien for me 1 to 1 at all -- in fact, I might suggest that I suffered from Ambien discontinuance...I don't think an even swap is fair to most folks who have been long term successful Ambien patients.
Your p-doc should know from these experiences that it's not an even exchange and that if anything Lunesta should be ADDED to the regimen if it's so harmless and even a little helpful.OK with you, all you benzophobes? We just want to sleep, is all. I've been to two funerals of friends who died from lack of sleep. Addict shmaddict -- hold your breath for a while and see what you're really addicted to. (sorry, cranky from lack of sleep...)
My sleep profile without medication is simply not to sleep -- except of course, when driving, or trying to work, or eat, or romantic moments. Yawn.
Posted by Phillipa on April 17, 2005, at 21:20:42
In reply to Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap, posted by musil on April 17, 2005, at 21:08:14
I sleep with l0mg of valium. Do you think lunesta would help me to sleep without waking during the night. I've been having bad dreams also, but I've also just had surgery [cosmetic] with complications. Thanks, Phillipa
Posted by musil on April 18, 2005, at 4:51:23
In reply to Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap » musil, posted by Phillipa on April 17, 2005, at 21:20:42
NO. Maybe. As long as Lunesta isn't a substitute for an existing med like Ambien or triazolem (Halcyon). If you are taking Ambien, I do NOT recommend replacing your Ambien with Lunesta, nor do I recommend combining Ambien with Lunesta. Perhaps this is a personal and one-time experience, but I could only think of thalidomide when I finally came out of the dream state I relate below. Forgive the graphic nature of the state description below, but it's important for you to know that I have never been diagnosed with a psychosis or schizophrenia, /merely/ severe chronic depression with early waking, coupled with chronic pain. I have never had an experience like this and my first thought was to relate it to fellow anonymous PsychoBabblers in warning of some sort. I don't know what it means or the psychopharmacologic significance of this one sample, but please be warned if you are thinking about replacing Ambien with Lunesta.
I have just had the most disconcerting night I have ever had on 10mg diazepam (valium) and 2mg Lunesta, the Lunesta in place of 10mg Ambien.
Nightmares unceasing of the cataclysmic and inescapable kind. I took diazepam and Lunesta at 9:30PM. By 10:30PM I was in a nightmare state that I couldn't shake until 1:20AM, an eternal state that hardly resembled sleep and was full of the most personally disturbing imagery. I could not "awaken" though my wife tried to shake me awake.I would have rather stayed up all night. I am close to psychotic at the moment and have just taken 10mg diazepam and .25mg triazolem and an Alieve plus my usual 10mg Lexapro, hoping to chill from this very disabling experience. I was stumbling around the house and outside like a very disturbed schizophrenic after I "awoke" and I could not coordinate my body. I was unable to escape from the partial-dream state while in my nightmares, which roiled and foamed from my past to include multiple world catastrophes announced from the mouth of our current president on a huge TV with a closely packed crowd of people I craved to be part of but could not be part of; I was the observer -- I ran and struggled through a mob of US celebrities who were in an orgy of violence as our American way of life came to a complete and violent shuddering conclusion, over and over again. I followed a black man (I am white, no racism felt or intended, just out of character as I live in a rural place where there is no diversity -- where did I pull him from? I loved him and he showed me how the world really worked...and horrified me with his kindness). I took him to be my personal God as he led me through a governmental institution where everyone there participated in the necessities of life in a multi-level building with ceilings only 4' high. I followed my God through the making of a simple plastic cup to visit a friend in a 4' high apartment who was a war veteran, and watched videos of this veteran as he survived plane crash after plane crash, I followed him down as he fell and expected to die leaving his children without a father, only he was sent up again and again to crash repeatedly until he became too old to crash any more, and I followed my black God and this "hero" into a moiling mass of people watching a huge screen, a webcam of a deranged person cleaning his 4' bathroom after which this person on the cam then moved into his kitchen to eat but he was slathered with some sort of white-red cream like a new-born baby, and he took his hands and spread it over the screen until the crowd watching screamed in horror and pleasure and began to chant a complicated ritualistic scream of horror. My eyes were open as my wife tried to wake me, but I would not awaken -- I was moaning and screaming.
I have purple circles under my eyes and it is now the time of this post. I can feel the benzos trying to stem the panic and bile that I feel as I am not sure that I have really escaped the dream state, though the cigarette smoke is acrid and I should not have smoked.
Man, watch out and don't mess with what's working for the Latest Thing to come out of the pharmacologist -- there hasn't been a sincerely new drug of any true worth in many years, just patents and modifications and isomers of old tried and true medications. Just be careful, all of you -- in my current state, you'd be calling in sick right now if you had a job. Which I don't, and I'm glad of that at least for today.
> I sleep with l0mg of valium. Do you think lunesta would help me to sleep without waking during the night. I've been having bad dreams also, but I've also just had surgery [cosmetic] with complications. Thanks, Phillipa
Posted by Dkscully on April 21, 2005, at 0:00:38
In reply to Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap, posted by musil on April 18, 2005, at 4:51:23
I just wanted to chime in with my (short so far) Lunesta experience.
I'm about to begin my third night taking Lunesta, and so far, so good. I'd been taking Ambien for about 3 months (I was up to 20 mg per night because nothing else was really working for me) and though it knocked me out, I would wake up waaaay too early. It's strange, with Lunesta (3 mg), i don't fall asleep as fast, and I wake up a number of times throughout the night, but I still FEEL much better than I did throughout the day on Ambien. I never thought it was making me feel tired or down or anything, but I guess maybe it was.... I'm still hoping the Lunesta might be even better when I get over the rebound insomnia from stopping the Ambien, but we will see. At any rate, so far so good for me!
Posted by Phillipa on April 21, 2005, at 0:05:37
In reply to Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap, posted by Dkscully on April 21, 2005, at 0:00:38
That's great! And so encouraging to us who are thinking of trying it. Please all of you don't quit posting your responses to this hopefully great new medication! Sleep well. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by jerrympls on April 21, 2005, at 1:11:03
In reply to Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap, posted by musil on April 18, 2005, at 4:51:23
> NO. Maybe. As long as Lunesta isn't a substitute for an existing med like Ambien or triazolem (Halcyon). If you are taking Ambien, I do NOT recommend replacing your Ambien with Lunesta, nor do I recommend combining Ambien with Lunesta. Perhaps this is a personal and one-time experience, but I could only think of thalidomide when I finally came out of the dream state I relate below.
Sorry to hear of your experience - and I do empathize. However, this is not the case for every as you stated - this is your personal experience. Ambien swap to Lunesta is safe and can be an excellent alternative. From reading your post - you certainly didn't have an easy transition. However, I find it odd that after taking the Lunesta you eventually woek up and took valium and halcion = potentially dangerous combination. I wouldn't think the addition of those meds while on a sedative like Lunesta would help in your dream-like state. One fact to note is that caffeine removes benzoz from their post synaptic state - basically reversing the effects. (just an FYI)
Again, from reading your post - it seems more likely - in MY opinion that the odd dream state were most likely a result from use of valium and halcion (valium has a very long half life) along with "ambien discontinuation." Let's hope it's a one-time occurrence.
I'm all for use of benzos and they used to get me right to sleep - but tolerance over the years has lessened that. I still take 4mg of Klonopin a day - even on top of Lunesta.
I too notice some odd dreaming with Lunesta- but nothing to the extreme you went through. In contrast, I find it easy to wake up to go to the bathroom, etc. if I need to in the middle of the night.
I've used Ambien 20mg since it first came out years ago. Of course I haven't been on it EVERYDAY since - but it's always been the sleep med my docs come back to due to my chronic insomnia. I had no problems switching from Ambien 20mg to Lunesta 3mg.
Well, I hope that you are better and that you find a peaceful sleep.
Jerry :-)
Posted by fachad on April 21, 2005, at 1:11:18
In reply to Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap » Dkscully, posted by Phillipa on April 21, 2005, at 0:05:37
My pdoc only had two of the 3mg and two of the 2mg samples left so that's what I got.
I took a 2mg last night and I went to bed 90min later and fell asleep with no trouble. I did not wake up, but I did have lots of dreams.
Tonight I took a 3mg tablet.
I'm interested to see what people find as far as:
- time to onset (Ambien was REALLY FAST)
- duration of action (Ambien wore off in 4 hrs and left me awake at 2 AM)
- subjective quality (Ambien just put me out, lorazapam made me fell dull and sullen)
- sleep quality
- other weird side effects (bad taste, headaches, itchiness, or ??)
Hope others post their experiences with this promising new sleep med.
Posted by jerrympls on April 21, 2005, at 1:12:55
In reply to Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap » musil, posted by Phillipa on April 17, 2005, at 21:20:42
> I sleep with l0mg of valium. Do you think lunesta would help me to sleep without waking during the night. I've been having bad dreams also, but I've also just had surgery [cosmetic] with complications. Thanks, Phillipa
I think Lunesta is worth a try. I'd talk to your doctor about the combination of valium and Lunesta. Perhaps you mean to stop the valium and start Lunesta? If Valium is not helping, talk to your doctor about it.
Posted by jerrympls on April 21, 2005, at 1:18:12
In reply to Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap, posted by musil on April 17, 2005, at 21:08:14
> I have been trying 2Mg Lunesta for the past 6 nights after about 18 months on 10mg Ambien, which ALWAYS seemed to work for me to relax, get me to sleep and keep me asleep from 9:30PM to at least until 12:30AM especially when combined with nightly 10mg diazepam. The early waking is worsened when I am in a major depressive state, so that I might wake up after 2.5 hours when depressed.
>
> My doc asked me to switch directly over from Ambien to Lunesta as he said he "did not want me on more than one sedative at any time" apparently forgetting the 20mg diazepam daily. Regarding Lunesta with 10mg diazepam before bed at 9:30PM, I found the sleep to be much less relaxed and full of inescapable dreams, almost like I had forgotten to take my Ambien and very much like my sleep profile without medication at all.
>
> I concur that there must be some cross tolerance /if not interference/ at the benzo sites hit by Ambien, and that Lunesta will probably be great for those who have never taken Ambien. But for those who are expecting that relaxed feeling before nodding off, Lunesta didn't replace Ambien for me 1 to 1 at all -- in fact, I might suggest that I suffered from Ambien discontinuance...I don't think an even swap is fair to most folks who have been long term successful Ambien patients.
> Your p-doc should know from these experiences that it's not an even exchange and that if anything Lunesta should be ADDED to the regimen if it's so harmless and even a little helpful.
>
> OK with you, all you benzophobes? We just want to sleep, is all. I've been to two funerals of friends who died from lack of sleep. Addict shmaddict -- hold your breath for a while and see what you're really addicted to. (sorry, cranky from lack of sleep...)
>
> My sleep profile without medication is simply not to sleep -- except of course, when driving, or trying to work, or eat, or romantic moments. Yawn.I agree that Lunesta doesn't "feel" like Ambien - ie: the relaxed state - however I do feel a more normal sleepiness on Lunesta. It certainly helps more with racing throughts than Ambien at 20mg (which I've been on and off for years). Ambien always "worked like a dream" but eventually tolerance developed.
So yeah - this isn't a feel-good-before-you-go-to-sleep med like Ambien - but it still works very well - for me - and as long as I can get to sleep and stay asleep without hangover in the morning - I'm ok.
Posted by jerrympls on April 21, 2005, at 1:25:28
In reply to 2nd night of Lunestra, posted by fachad on April 21, 2005, at 1:11:18
> My pdoc only had two of the 3mg and two of the 2mg samples left so that's what I got.
>
> I took a 2mg last night and I went to bed 90min later and fell asleep with no trouble. I did not wake up, but I did have lots of dreams.
>
> Tonight I took a 3mg tablet.
>
> I'm interested to see what people find as far as:
>
> - time to onset (Ambien was REALLY FAST)When Ambien worked really well for me - it got me to sleep very fast whereas Lunesta 3mg takes an hour or so
>
> - duration of action (Ambien wore off in 4 hrs and left me awake at 2 AM)Duration is MUCH longer = better than Ambien.
>
> - subjective quality (Ambien just put me out, lorazapam made me fell dull and sullen)Ambien gave me a more relaxed "falling asleep" whereas Lunesta seems to just make me somewhat "normally" tired (yawn, etc). I don't feel knocked out - but it seems to put me in a deeper sleep than Ambien.
Also - I have NONE of the amnesia effects that Ambien has been known to cause.
>
> - sleep qualityStill deciding on the sleep quality. I generally think it's very good overall - but I may have sleep apnea (I have a sleep study later this month) so that may be interfering.
>
> - other weird side effects (bad taste, headaches, itchiness, or ??)No bad taste as some others have reported. I did have a headache for the first 3 days of taking it - nothing really bad - but annoying. No other side effects.
>
> Hope others post their experiences with this promising new sleep med.
Great post! I hope others respond as well.Jerry
Posted by musil on April 21, 2005, at 6:58:45
In reply to Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, not a clean swap » musil, posted by jerrympls on April 21, 2005, at 1:11:03
I took the valium as prescribed and the halcyon as prescribed. What am I missing regarding the dangers of taking both together? I have been Rx'ed 10mg diazepam 2X daily (AM & PM) plus Ambien plus Halcyon if early wakeup around 2AM. The idea is that triazolem is short lived enough to take at 2AM so that there is no extreme hangover in the AM.
The Lunesta was intended to replace the Ambien and hopefully relieve the early waking so that Halcyon wasn't necessary for early waking.
What is my pdoc missing besides the benefit of youth and 3 feet of colon?
Posted by vivi on April 21, 2005, at 18:10:23
In reply to Valium + Halcyon dangerous? Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, posted by musil on April 21, 2005, at 6:58:45
> I took the valium as prescribed and the halcyon as prescribed. What am I missing regarding the dangers of taking both together? I have been Rx'ed 10mg diazepam 2X daily (AM & PM) plus Ambien plus Halcyon if early wakeup around 2AM. The idea is that triazolem is short lived enough to take at 2AM so that there is no extreme hangover in the AM.
>
> The Lunesta was intended to replace the Ambien and hopefully relieve the early waking so that Halcyon wasn't necessary for early waking.
>
> What is my pdoc missing besides the benefit of youth and 3 feet of colon?Is Halcyon used for sleep? I have never heard about it.
Posted by musil on April 21, 2005, at 18:34:22
In reply to Re: Valium + Halcyon dangerous? Re: Lunesta v. Ambien, posted by vivi on April 21, 2005, at 18:10:23
>
> Is Halcyon used for sleep? I have never heard about it.
>
>
http://www.parpharm.com/downloads/triazolam_po.pdf
Triazolam is a hypnotic with a short mean plasma half-life reported to be in the range of 1.5 to 5.5
hours. In normal subjects treated for seven days with four times the recommended dosage, there was
no evidence of altered systemic bioavailability, rate of elimination, or accumulation. Peak plasma levels
are reached within 2 hours following oral administration. Following recommended doses of triazolam,
triazolam peak plasma levels in the range of 1 to 6 ng/mL are seen. The plasma levels
achieved are proportional to the dose given.
Triazolam and its metabolites, principally as conjugated glucuronides which are presumably inactive,
are excreted primarily in the urine. Only small amounts of unmetabolized triazolam appear in the
urine. The two primary metabolites accounted for 79.9% of urinary excretion. Urinary excretion appeared
to be biphasic in its time course.
.....In sleep laboratory studies, triazolam significantly decreased sleep latency, increased the duration of
sleep and decreased the number of nocturnal awakenings. After two weeks of consecutive nightly
administration, the drug’s effect on total wake time is decreased, and the values recorded in the last
third of the night approach baseline levels. On the first and/or second night after drug discontinuance
(first or second post-drug night), total time asleep, percentage of time spent sleeping, and rapidity of
falling asleep frequently were significantly less than on baseline (predrug) nights. This effect is often called “rebound” insomnia.
Posted by lois on April 21, 2005, at 20:36:12
In reply to Lunesta, Has Anyone Tried It?, posted by Phillipa on April 10, 2005, at 13:06:33
I took 2 mgs for a week and so-so. Now on 3mgs,and a little better. Headache during the day.
Has anyone tried 4mgs? I know it's not suggested, just wondering.
Lois
Posted by betternow on April 22, 2005, at 22:54:26
In reply to Re: Lunesta, Has Anyone Tried It?, posted by lois on April 21, 2005, at 20:36:12
I took 4mg about 3 hrs ago. I'm still here, awake. This is my fourth night of no sllep on 4mgs. Tomorrow I will goto 6mgs. The science behind this drug is too good for this drug to respond so poorly at indicated dosages. My guess is that Sepracor studied the drug on relatively healthy participants, not us. Us being this little population of folks who just can't seem to feel right. I think we need higher doses of everything.
But I could be wrong about all that. This could just be one of the many new products that get FDA approval and are worthless.I wll give an update on my 6mg adventure. If no efficacy I will the try 8mg. If that works, then my pdoc will need to prescribe 120 tabs/month. I guarentee no coverage at that dose point.
Bottom line: We can dose adjust and experiment all day long. But at the end of the day, this is just not a good product. Ambien, which will be generic soon, blows it away.
Posted by fachad on April 23, 2005, at 0:05:22
In reply to Re: Lunesta, Has Anyone Tried It? » lois, posted by betternow on April 22, 2005, at 22:54:26
Ambien is going to be generic soon? How soon? Have they filed all manner of legal BS to preserve the patent protection?
Is there a date for patent expiration? Have any generic manufactureres applied?
I agree that Ambien seems to be a better product than Lunesta. My insurance will not cover more than 30 3mg tablets a month (they will not cover more than 30 10 mg Ambien per month) and either med carries a $50/month copay.
If Ambien goes generic, the copay will drop to $10/month and in some cases they will cover more than the prescribing limit if the med is generic.
Posted by fachad on April 23, 2005, at 2:30:00
In reply to Ambien generic soon? I agree Ambien is better, posted by fachad on April 23, 2005, at 0:05:22
Now unless they have their lawyers do the patent protecting dance, that means we will see generic Ambien in about April of 2007 - still two years away.
Posted by ed_uk on April 23, 2005, at 12:41:23
In reply to Ambien Patent Expires Oct 21, 2006, posted by fachad on April 23, 2005, at 2:30:00
Hi,
>Generic Ambien (zolpidem).........
In the UK we've had a generic zolpidem for a while now.
Regards,
Ed.
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