Lunesta (Generic)

Lunesta (Generic) (eszopiclone) is in a class of drugs called sedative/hypnotics or sleep medications. Lunesta affects chemicals in your brain that may affect sleep.

Indications and usage

LUNESTA is indicated for the treatment of insomnia. In controlled outpatient and sleep laboratory studies, LUNESTA administered at bedtime decreased sleep latency and improved sleep maintenance.
The clinical trials performed in support of efficacy were up to 6 months in duration. The final formal assessments of sleep latency and maintenance were performed at 4 weeks in the 6-week study, at the end of both 2-week studies and at the end of the 6-month study.

Side Effects

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking Lunesta and seek emergency medical attention: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, face, or tongue; hives). Contact your doctor if you experience: daytime drowsiness, dizziness, or clumsiness; more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal; confusion; strange behavior; memory loss problems; agitation; worsening of depression; hallucinations; or new feelings of depression.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as headache and unpleasant taste. If these become bothersome, contact your doctor. A problem that may occur when sleep medicines are stopped is known as "rebound insomnia." This means that a person may have more trouble sleeping the first few nights after the medicine is stopped than before starting the medicine. If you should experience rebound insomnia, do not get discouraged. This problem usually goes away on its own after 1 or 2 nights. Lunesta may be habit forming. Stopping this medication suddenly can cause withdrawal effects if you have taken it continuously for several weeks. Talk to your doctor about the safe use of this medication. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Some Lunesta Precautions and Warnings

Lunesta is considered a pregnancy Category C medicine. This means that Lunesta may not be safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking Lunesta if you are pregnant

It is not known if Lunesta passes through breast milk. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start breastfeeding, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about this.

Lunesta is considered a sedative-hypnotic type of medication. If you notice any changes in your behavior (such as anything unusual or disturbing) while taking Lunesta or other sleep medicines, notify your healthcare provider immediately. As with most sedatives or hypnotics, withdrawal symptoms are possible with Lunesta if it is stopped suddenly

Drug Interactions

Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you: have liver disease; has asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, or another respiratory disease; or are depressed or have suicidal thoughts. You may not be able to take Lunesta, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Lunesta may cause memory loss or "amnesia" where a person may not remember what has happened for several hours after taking the medication.

Since Lunesta is typically taken just prior to falling asleep for the night, this is generally not a problem. However, this could be a problem if Lunesta is taken while traveling, such as during an airplane flight, and the person wakes up before the effects of the medication are gone. Lunesta should only be taken if you are able to get a full night's sleep (8 or more hours) before you must be active again. Be aware that you may have more sleeping problems the first night or two after you stop taking Lunesta.

Lunesta is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is unknown whether Lunesta will harm an unborn baby. Do not take Lunesta without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant. Lunesta passes into breast milk and may affect a nursing baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. If you are over 65 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from Lunesta. You may require a lower dose of this medication.

Adults 18 years and older

The usual starting dose is 2 milligrams taken immediately before bedtime. If you have trouble staying asleep, the doctor may increase your dosage. If you have severe liver disease, the usual starting dose is 1 milligrams, not to exceed 2 milligrams in one night.
If you are 65 years or older and have trouble falling asleep, the usual starting dose is 1 mg taken immediately before bedtime. Your doctor may increase the dose to 2 mg if you cannot stay asleep.