Lunesta is a relatively new sleeping medication. It has been approved by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) to treat insomnia for the long term.

Many people have submitted positive testimony in regards to the quality of the Lunesta and its effectiveness in treating insomnia. There are a few things that everyone should be aware of prior to taking the prescription drug Lunesta.

It is not possible to find a prescription drug that is without side effects and Lunesta is no different. There are various side effects that can occur while taking Lunesta. One good point that can be made about the sleeping aide is that Lunesta does not have a very long list of side effects like the lists can be found on other prescription drugs. Nevertheless, it is important that you be aware of all side effects that can occur so you will know when or if they do occur and can relate these side effects to your physician.

Some side effects that do occur with Lunesta can be aggravated by the use of alcohol and be intensified in strength. Therefore, as with most medication, it is wise to avoid the use of alcohol.

Lunesta has some side effects that are similar to most prescription medication such as dizziness, drowsiness, coordination difficulties or lightheadedness. Some other side effects can include memory problems such as amnesia.

Some people find that they are having difficulties in remembering things if they do not get an adequate amount of sleep. It is important that you only take Lunesta if you can devote at least eight hours to sleeping at night.

Lunesta does have some instances of physical dependency on the drug. Because it is a prescription drug used for the long term, the body can become dependent on Lunesta to sleep.

It is important to understand that the drug itself is not highly addictive, it is just the matter of your body becoming used to Lunesta. You may experience some withdrawal symptoms if you choose to stop your treatment all of the sudden. Some of these symptoms could include vomiting, stomach cramps, sweating, muscle cramps, jitteriness and in extremely rare cases, you could experience seizures.

Lunesta may also cause some personality changes. Thinking processes and behavior are altered with the personality changes. Sleeping aids in general have been known to cause personality changes in people using these prescriptions. To date, none have been documented with Lunesta.

Some things to look for include confusion, aggressiveness or unusually outgoing, strange behavior, aggravation, depression, hallucinations or thoughts of suicide. It is important that you consult your physician right away if you experience any one of these side effects.

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Copyright © 2006, Heather Colman. Find more resources about a Lunesta at lunesta-notes.info.