Lunesta for Insomnia User Reviews (Page 2)

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2020

"I am a senior, so I paid one hundred dollars for a one-month supply of Lunesta, the doctor gave me 1 mg. The first night, I was awake all night. Waited a couple of days, tried again, and I was awake all night again. I used 3 mg of melatonin with Gabapentin that Schiff used to make, Costco sold it, but they no longer make it. It worked really well for me for several years. I recently had a widowmaker heart attack and need sleep. I am out of options despite a rigid sleep schedule. My mother, brother, and son have the same issues. Help."

• Dsq...
• December 2, 2016

"I started having terrible sleeping issues due to some life events. I saw the commercials on TV about it and talked to my doctor about it. Plus, I read it didn't have the crazy side effects of other sleeping pills. It came across as perhaps a lighter sleeping pill. I got a prescription for 3 mg, and the first night I took it, about 5 minutes later, I got this terrible taste in my mouth, very bitter. For the ladies, I'd describe it as having fingernail polish on and biting your nail, that taste. I grabbed some spearmint candy I had and sucked on one of those, and that helped so much! By the time I finished the 2nd one, I was almost out of it and completely asleep. I did that for a week, but now I don't even taste it anymore. Been using for 3 years now!"

• ins...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 13, 2013

"Lunesta is a wonderful medication; I have used it daily since 2006. It works just as well today as when I started. I fall asleep quickly and sleep the entire night. Waking up is no problem. The taste in the early mornings is there, but I don't mind since this drug works so well. For those whom insurance doesn't cover, go to the Lunesta website for a coupon."

• Its...
• December 4, 2012

"I have taken Lunesta 3 mg for about 5 years now. Never have I had bad dreams or any instances of sleepwalking, etc. I take it, and about 45 minutes later, I am fast asleep until my alarm clock goes off. Prior to finding Lunesta, I had insomnia for years, and I cannot tell you how much of a lifesaver this medicine has been! I tried Ambien, but it did not work for me at all. I also tried Sonata, but I would wake up a few hours after going to sleep. I've had no problems with tolerance, either. The only 'bad' thing is the crappy taste in one's mouth, but I discovered that brushing my tongue when I brush my teeth before going to bed gets rid of 90% of it, along with using Biotene mouthwash (the dry mouth brand). Hooray! My insurance will now cover it, too!"

• Lad...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 18, 2019

"Been on 2 mg Lunesta on and off for 3 yrs, and it’s mostly effective. Once in a while it does nothing, but as long as I take it on an empty stomach it works well. Before and during my period is when it’s less effective. Had insomnia for 15 yrs, and finally at 37 years old, drs will treat me with real sleep meds (not crappy Unisom or trazodone). Ambien is scary-put me in a hypnotic-awake state! Ambien CR was my fave, but Lunesta generic is cheaper. No probs with metallic taste, idk what people are talking about. Just take it at least 3 hrs after dinner, get into bed with complete darkness, and maybe some sleep podcasts, and you’ll be in dreamland soon..."

• Fli...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 7, 2018

"I was on Lunesta for occasional insomnia, and it worked fairly well for my insomnia when I took it on an empty stomach (minimum a few hours after dinner). That being said, it is very addictive. I’ve never had issues with substance dependence, but after taking it for several days, I got severe rebound insomnia. It also is very tolerance-prone. Withdrawing from it was horrible and lasted for over a week, with a constant migraine-level headache, chills, nausea, diarrhea, shooting nerve pains, tremors, and absolutely terrible insomnia. So my advice, if you use it for insomnia, then set a limit for yourself. It’s a godsend for occasional insomnia, but don’t take it for more than three nights in a row and make sure to wait a few days after using it to reduce rebound and tolerance effects. It really is a good drug for insomnia, but treat it with the caution and respect it deserves because the dependence and withdrawal are horrible."

• Dbe...
• May 25, 2017

"First had anxiety, so agreed with doc to take Lexapro daily in the morning. It worked wonders. But then I realized I was still not sleeping well. Back to doc, who suggested Lunesta 3 mg. Have taken this combo since 2006 and can honestly say the two meds have saved my life. Have had to add Wellbutrin in the AM with Lexapro, but am a fan for life. FYI: have been able to wean Lunesta down to 1.5 mg at times; and am hopeful that eventually I can give it up entirely. I have stayed at 1.5 mg dose for maybe 4 months at a time. But then life events tend to make me need the 3 mg again. Bottom line, I am lucky that these three meds work for me. I wish everyone out there to find the right recipe for sleep and peace."

• luk...
• April 6, 2012

"I have insomnia worse than most people. I'm 21, I compete in bodybuilding, and I'm in great shape. I never get tired. If I get 3 hours of sleep a night, I can still function fine the next day. But it shot me into horrible anxiety and depression from lack of sleep. I've tried all the sleeping medicines. There's no doubt Ambien will knock you out, but I always wake up 4 hours later. I just started taking Lunesta because I was so desperate to get sleep. Lunesta, the first night, helped me sleep 8 hours. The second night, 'last night,' it took about an hour to come into effect, but I definitely slept 9 hours. No bad taste. I feel amazing. It definitely works all night. If you need a full night's sleep, please try it."

• Ern...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 26, 2023

"I thought Lunesta was the greatest gift. It gave me the most consistent sleep of my life. I even loved the metallic taste because I knew the drug was 'in my system.' I could fall asleep within 5-30 minutes with Lunesta. The only problem was that I developed massively cathartic, suicidal meltdowns. I kid you not, after around two weeks on Lunesta, on January 31st, I broke down in my room in a way that is hard to describe. I felt like my life was in ruins, the back of my head swelled, the future was awful (dreadful), and I became restless and unable to relax. I had to take powerful tranquilizers to go to bed and end these meltdowns. For some time I wasn't sure what caused the meltdowns. I had a few more. But after a few more attempts using Lunesta, I traced the meltdowns to Lunesta usage. The listed side effect of suicidal ideation is not incorrect. As a person who has never really been suicidal before, it happened to me."

• Jud...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 26, 2013

"The only problem, besides the aftertaste, is that I find I need to go to bed within 10 minutes of taking the medicine, or the sleepy effect just doesn't happen, and I'm left tossing and turning the rest of the night."

• Pet...
• January 29, 2020

"I have severe clinical depression and stupidly went off my Prozac for about four months. Then, one day, I totally crashed and was crying all the time and didn't sleep for four days. I had been given trazodone for anxiety/sleep, which did nothing. I went to my psychiatrist, and he gave me 3 mg of Lunesta. I took it the first night, no sleep at all. I was so desperate for sleep that the next night I took two. Had a solid and restoring 10 hours of sleep. I don't experience any metallic taste. I see they are trying to reduce the actual dosage from 3 to 1, but that is only because it makes you feel impaired the next day. I work at home and don't drive much, so for me, that isn't an issue. I have used Ambien in the past, but it gets so much bad press that I stopped taking it. All I can say is thank you to the makers of Lunesta and Prozac. I am also on Wellbutrin, so thanks to them as well."

• e-t...
• August 11, 2016

"Three nights in a row, with no benefit whatsoever. It's as if I'd taken a placebo-laid in bed for over two hours with no drowsiness at all. By the third night, I was angry and anxiety-filled (not sure if it was a side effect or if I was just fed up with trying something that didn't work)."

• Car...
• May 25, 2019

"This pill is the best ever to help sleep, not a druggy feeling, no tired feeling when you wake up. I am 64 years old and I have been looking for a pill for many years that doesn’t leave me tired or give me anxiety effects."

• FXA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 17, 2020

"Tonight was my first time using Lunesta, so I had great hopes. I was on Ambien for many years, so it started becoming harder and harder to fall asleep. I took Lunesta at 10:49, woke up at 12:49, with this awful taste in my mouth. I thought I may have laid down too fast, trying to get off to dreamland, yet here I sit typing this review while my husband snores away. Sighs."

• Red...
• February 23, 2016

"I've been taking Lunesta for 2 years, and I love it. Does exactly what it's supposed to: 6 hours of restful sleep, no hangovers. Like some people say, it has a horrible taste if it stays in your mouth. Pop it in the back of your throat and swallow. It's a very small pill."

• tra...
• July 5, 2009

"I've taken Lunesta for a year, and as a night shift nurse, I'm able to take 3 mg and sleep solidly for 5-6 hours while the sun is shining outside. When I wake, I'm ready and refreshed for another 12-hour overnight shift. The funny taste goes away after a while and is worth the benefit of a good sleep. I recommend taking it on a relatively empty stomach, then jumping in the sack in a cool room and closing your eyes, trying to calm your breathing, then let the sleep come to you. A good pair of comfortable earplugs may help too."

• dua...
• January 30, 2008

"I tried Lunesta last year and couldn't stand the taste. I went back to Ambien, gained weight due to night eating episodes, and decided to try Lunesta again. I've discovered that if you take Lunesta with about 4 oz of orange juice, then sit up for a half hour to let the pill dissolve and the juice digest, there is no nasty taste the following morning. I have hopes for it. I haven't had a nighttime eating episode yet."

• Anonymous
• March 30, 2008

"I have been taking this medication for about a year. It puts me to sleep every night about 15 minutes after I have taken it. I do have dreams, which I hadn't had in years, they are not bad nightmares, just dreams about my stresses of life. I feel so much better now that I take it. I wake up feeling great and ready to jump into my workout programs and life. Before Lunesta, I was tired, grouchy, and hard to get along with. Now that I am catching up on my lost sleep from many years, I feel wonderful!"

• Jec...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 18, 2016

"My experience with Lunesta was a bit difficult. The brand name (which I never believed was any different than generic) worked WONDERS for me for years! But after insurance, it was $50 per month. You get this lovely (awful) metallic taste in your mouth right before it kicks in, and it stays - so the trick is to brush your teeth AND tongue, drink OJ, it'll pass. Then the generic came out (YAY CHEAPER), and ALL I got was the metallic taste. No sleep. If you need sleep and have the $, go brand name and enjoy your slumber! 2mg was the perfect dose for me as 3mg made me a bit drowsy."

• Mik...
• March 18, 2016

"I've been on Ambien CR (Zolpidem XR) for years. It always worked. Until it didn't. I have insomnia because of fibromyalgia and a bad back, which wakes me every time I turn over. But it loses its efficacy after 6-7 months. Doctor switched me to Lunesta, and it did nothing. It was as if I took a placebo. Went back to the Zolpidem XR, but I'm now back to having built up a tolerance again. Doc put me on Temazepam, but it's like nothing too. It stinks not being able to sleep or stay asleep."

• 20D...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2016

"When I started Lunesta, I was shocked by the price. 300-500 dollars for 30 generic pills??? I don't have insurance, btw. Then, my sister (who has 2 handicapped children and knows all the ins and outs of the medical industry) told me about a website that literally takes 4 minutes to sign up, qualify, and show you where to get your Lunesta at the biggest pharmacies in the country. I got my renewed today...the cost: $19.91"

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2016

"I took 2 mg for 7 weeks. At first, the aftertaste was the only adverse side effect, although in retrospect, within a couple of weeks, I started having a dry cough. By the end of the 1st month, I thought I had either a cold or an allergic reaction to something. Went to my doctor, and the possible side effects of the was not even brought up. I am coughing a lot and bringing up clear mucus. I often felt like my throat is closing up, and it reminded me of strep with how sore my throat was. Last night, completely frustrated, I googled sore throat, cough, and Lunesta and found many other people had similar symptoms. At first, Lunesta worked fine, but gradually I slept less, and the side effects were (are) horrible. I'm wide awake tonight!"

• pal...
• March 1, 2009

"I have used Lunesta for five years now, and I am so glad. I have been a chronic insomniac for the entire time due to anxiety and depression from my husband's long illness and death (PTSD), and Post Menopausal Syndrome that hit the same time my husband died. Just ghastly. Most physical and mental symptoms are gone now, but I still cannot sleep or rest without this pill, and I have tried and still do practice all the recommended actions (like a cool room; don't eat after five in the afternoon, etc.). If your stomach is even half full at bedtime, it does not work nearly as well. I do not experience any adverse physical or mental symptoms, including any bad taste using this medication. Getting enough rest is so important to me."

• Lau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 26, 2019

"I took the generic form of Lunesta-eszopiclone-as the Lunesta brand is so expensive that you could pay your entire rent with only two bottles. The generic stuff works okay, but it leaves the most annoying, awful metallic taste in your mouth for the entire duration, the moment it hits your bloodstream."

• kla...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 30, 2021

"I've been using 3 mg of Lunesta long-term... 8 to 10 years. I'm currently 70 years old, and yes, in the beginning, the taste was bitter. However, after a year or so... I don't even notice it. For me, usually, I can fall asleep within 1/2 an hour, however, I'll always wake up 2-3 hours later and can never get back to sleep. I'll take my Lunesta then, and about 90% of the time, it works within 30 minutes, allowing me to fall back asleep. Usually... it will give me an additional 3-4 hours of sleep with no ill effects the next day. Nights that it didn't work, I would double up, and that would normally do the trick. Having been on it for such a long time, I'd be lost without it."