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Lunesta Drug Center

Lunesta (eszopiclone) is sedative drug, also called a hypnotic, used to treat insomnia. Lunesta is not available in generic form and should be taken with a full glass of water. Avoid taking Lunesta within 1 hour after eating a high-fat or heavy meal. The high-fat or heavy meal will make it harder for your body to absorb the medication. Stop using Lunesta and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects: aggression, agitation, changes in behavior, thoughts of hurting yourself, or hallucinations (hearing or seeing things). Less serious side effects may include day-time drowsiness, dizziness, "hangover" feeling, problems with memory or concentration, anxiety, depression, nervous feeling, headache, nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, constipation, dry mouth, unusual or unpleasant taste in your mouth, or mild skin rash. This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur.

Drug interactions and warnings include: do not drink alcohol while you are taking Lunesta. It can increase some of the side effects, including drowsiness. Do not take other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold medicine, pain medication, muscle relaxants, and medicine for depression or anxiety). Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs: rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane); ketoconazole (Nizoral); or antidepressants, narcotic pain medications, muscle relaxers, seizure medications, or anti-anxiety medications. This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Lunesta. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of Lunesta in pregnant women. Lunesta should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. It is not known whether Lunesta is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when Lunesta is administered to a nursing woman. A doctor should be consulted both before becoming pregnant and before nursing while taking Lunesta. This medication may cause withdrawal reactions, especially if it has been used regularly for a long time or in high doses. In such cases, withdrawal symptoms (such as anxiety, abdominal cramps, vomiting, sweating, or shakiness) may occur if you suddenly stop using this medication. To prevent withdrawal reactions, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details, and report any withdrawal reactions immediately.

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