Sleeping Pill Nation?

It seems like ads for Lunesta are EVERYWHERE. Not just them, but other sleeping pills as well.
My eyes widen when I see the list the side effects.

Straight from Lunesta's site: http://www.lunesta.com/taking-lunesta/FAQs.html?iid=LHC_FAQs#q16
In clinical studies, the most common side effects people taking LUNESTA had were an unpleasant taste in the mouth, dry mouth, morning drowsiness, dizziness, headache, and symptoms of the common cold.(How does giving yourself a cold HELP YOU SLEEP?)
Possible serious side effects of LUNESTA include:

* Getting out of bed while not being fully awake and doing an activity that you do not know you are doing. (See "What is the most important information I should know about LUNESTA?" in the LUNESTA Medication Guide).

( Actually the FDA announced a safety warning for the entire class of anti-insomnia drugs, based on reports of patients sleep-driving, sleep-eating and sleep-sex while under the influence of these drugs - with no memory of the actions afterward. The FDA also warned of allergic reactions and facial swelling.)

* Abnormal thoughts and behavior. Symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts or actions.
* Memory loss
* Anxiety
* Severe allergic reactions. Symptoms include swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing, and nausea and vomiting. Get emergency medical help if you get these symptoms after taking LUNESTA.

Why risk all these horrible fates and pay for it!

Lunesta also HAS NO IDEA HOW THEIR PRODUCT ACTUALLY WORKS!!!!

On the front page of their site: Start by finding out HOW LUNESTA IS THOUGHT TO WORK.
They don't even know how it actually works. They just think they do.

Here are some more interesting facts:

FDA Requests Label Change for All Sleep Disorder Drug Products

Mar 14, 2007 | www.fda.gov

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested that all manufacturers of sedative-hypnotic drug products, a class of drugs used to induce and/or maintain sleep, strengthen their product labeling to include stronger language concerning potential risks. These risks include severe allergic reactions and complex sleep-related behaviors, which may include sleep-driving. Sleep driving is defined as driving while not fully awake after ingestion of a sedative-hypnotic product, with no memory of the event.

In December 2006, FDA sent letters to manufacturers of products approved for the treatment of sleep disorders requesting that the whole class of drugs revise product labeling to include warnings about the following potential adverse events:

* Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) and angioedema (severe facial swelling), which can occur as early as the first time the product is taken.
* Complex sleep-related behaviors which may include sleep-driving, making phone calls, sexual behavior, and preparing and eating food (while asleep).


Along with the labeling revisions, FDA has requested that each product manufacturer send letters to health care providers to notify them about the new warnings.

Although all sedative-hypnotic products have these risks, there may be differences among products in how often they occur. For this reason, FDA has recommended that the drug manufacturers conduct clinical studies to investigate the frequency with which sleep-driving and other complex behaviors occur in association with individual drug products.

The medications that are the focus of the revised labeling include the following 13 products:

* Ambien/Ambien CR (Sanofi Aventis)
* Butisol Sodium (Medpointe Pharm HLC)
* Carbrital (Parke-Davis)
* Dalmane (Valeant Pharm)
* Doral (Questcor Pharms)
* Halcion (Pharmacia & Upjohn)
* Lunesta (Sepracor)
* Placidyl (Abbott)
* Prosom (Abbott)
* Restoril (Tyco Healthcare)
* Rozerem (Takeda)
* Seconal (Lilly)
* Sonata (King Pharmaceuticals)

Even more than 3 years later, the public is still largely unaware of the harm that these drugs are causing. Why pay to put yourself at risk from all these side effects?

Here's a list of Common Sleeping Pills:

Over the Counter

Available in any pharmacy.

Diphenhydramine

(Sominex, Nytol)

side effects: May cause dry mouth, dizziness and prolonged drowsiness.

Not recommended for nursing mothers. or pregnant women and people who have a history of glaucoma, enlarged prostate or heart problems.

Don't drive or attempt other activities that require alertness while taking this drug.


Doxylamine (Unisom)

side effects: May cause prolonged drowsiness.

May not be suitable for pregnant women, nursing mothers and those with a history of asthma, bronchitis, glaucoma, peptic ulcer or enlarged prostate.



Prescription Medication

Nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic medications

Nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic medications settle the nervous system, helping to induce sleep. Quickly metabolized mostly intended for short-term or infrequent use.



Zolpidem tartrate (Ambien)

side effects: May cause dry mouth, diarrhea, dizziness or prolonged drowsiness. In addition, may cause severe allergic reaction, facial swelling and sleep behaviors such as sleep-driving, eating and unconscious sexual behavior.

May not be safe for people who have a history of depression, liver or kidney disease, or respiratory conditions.

Used mainly to help you fall asleep. Overuse is possible for people experiencing anxiety.



Eszopiclone (Lunesta)

side effects: May cause an unpleasant taste in the mouth, rash, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, depression, swelling, reduced interest in sex or chest pain. Also, may cause severe allergic reaction, facial swelling and sleep behaviors such as sleep-driving, eating, and unconscious sexual behavior.

Unsuitable for pregnant women and people who have a history of drug or alcohol abuse, depression, lung disease or a condition that affects metabolism.

Used mainly to help you stay asleep. May be used for a longer period of time than zolpidem or zaleplon. High-fat meals may slow absorption of the drug and make it less effective. Stopping the drug abruptly may cause withdrawal symptoms.



Zaleplon (Sonata)

side effects: May cause lightheadedness, abdominal pain, dizziness, headache or prolonged drowsiness. In addition, may cause severe allergic reaction, facial swelling and sleep behaviors such as sleep-driving, eating, and unconscious sexual behavior.

Not recommended for people who have severe liver impairment. May not be safe for pregnant women and people who have a history of depression, liver or kidney disease, or respiratory conditions.

May be used to help you fall asleep or stay asleep.



Benzodiazepine hypnotic medications


Benzodiazepines are an older class of sleeping pills. They're more likely than newer types to cause drowsiness or headaches the next morning, and they may become habit forming. Benzodiazepines are available by prescription only.



Triazolam (Halcion)



side effects: May cause lightheadedness, dizziness, prolonged drowsiness or euphoria. Episodes of amnesia have been reported. Rarely, may cause liver failure. In addition, may cause severe allergic reaction, facial swelling and sleep behaviors such as sleep-driving and eating.

Not recommended for pregnant women. May not be safe for breast-feeding mothers and people who have a history of drug abuse, depression or respiratory conditions.

Used mainly to help you fall asleep. May interact with grapefruit juice, alcohol and many other medications. Drug must be stopped gradually.



Estazolam (Prosom)

side effects: May cause weakness, coordination problems, dizziness or prolonged drowsiness. In addition, may cause severe allergic reaction, facial swelling and sleep behaviors such as sleep-driving and eating.

Not recommended for pregnant women. May not be safe for breast-feeding mothers and elderly adults.

Used mainly to help you stay asleep. May interact with many other medications.



Temazepam (Restoril)

side effects: May cause low blood pressure, diarrhea, nausea, dizziness, headache, prolonged drowsiness or blurred vision. In addition, may cause severe allergic reaction, facial swelling and sleep behaviors such as sleep-driving and eating.

Not recommended for pregnant women. May not be safe for breast-feeding mothers, elderly people and people who have a history of lung disease or severe depression.

Used mainly to help you stay asleep. May interact with alcohol and many other medications.