Zolpidem tartrate what is it used for

For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects. Below is a list of medications that can interact with zolpidem. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with zolpidem. Before taking zolpidem, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Taking zolpidem with certain medications raises your risk for side effects. This is because zolpidem and these other medications can cause the same side effects. As a result, these side effects can be increased. Examples of these drugs include:. Taking zolpidem with certain medications raises your risk for side effects from zolpidem. This is because the amount of zolpidem in your body may be increased.

When zolpidem is used with certain drugs, it may not work as well to treat your condition. This is because the amount of zolpidem in your body may be decreased. The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs.

The liver of an older adult may not work as well as it used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, more of a drug stays in your body for a longer time.

This raises your risk for side effects. Your doctor may start you on a lowered dosage or a different treatment schedule. This can help keep levels of this drug from building up too much in your body.

This may cause trouble driving. This drug may cause changes in behavior, such as increased agitation. You may act differently. Symptoms can include muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, flushing reddening and warming of your skin , and emotional changes.

These can include feelings of nervousness, panic attacks, and uncontrollable crying. If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room.

Taking it again could be fatal cause death. Eating food with zolpidem may make the drug take longer to work. You should take this drug on an empty stomach. Drinking alcohol can increase your risk for sedation and drowsiness from zolpidem. If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor. You may need to be monitored more closely for side effects. For people with depression: This drug may make your symptoms of depression worse.

Ask your doctor if this drug is safe for you. For people with myasthenia gravis: This drug may slow your breathing or make it shallow. This can decrease the amount of oxygen in your blood. If you have myasthenia gravis, you may already have lower oxygen levels.

For people with sleep apnea: This drug may slow your breathing or make it shallow. If you have sleep apnea, you may already have lower oxygen levels. For people with liver disease: If you have liver problems or a history of liver disease, you may not be able to process this drug well.

This may increase the levels of the drug in your body and cause more side effects. It may also cause a serious condition called hepatic encephalopathy. With this condition, the poor function of your liver causes problems with the way your brain works. Symptoms can include being confused, forgetting things, and slurring your speech. If you have severe liver damage, you should not use zolpidem. Research in animals has shown negative effects to the fetus when the mother takes zolpidem.

Studies have shown that when mothers take this drug late in their third trimester, their newborns can have slowed breathing and excessive sleepiness. Your doctor will monitor your newborn closely if exposure to zolpidem occurred during your pregnancy. This drug should only be used if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk.

And call your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this drug. For women who are breastfeeding: Zolpidem may pass into breast milk and cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk with your doctor about breastfeeding your child.

You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication. For seniors: The liver of an older adult may not work as well as it used to. This raises your risk for side effects, such as sedation and decreased alertness. You may also be more sensitive to these effects. Zolpidem oral tablet is used for short-term treatment. Withdrawal symptoms can include muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, flushing reddening and warming of your skin , and emotional changes.

These can include nervousness, panic attacks, or uncontrollable crying. Never stop taking this drug without talking to your doctor. If you take too much: You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body. Symptoms of an overdose of this drug can include:. But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. How to tell if the drug is working: You should have an easier time falling asleep and staying asleep. A prescription for this medication is refillable.

Since zolpidem is a Schedule IV controlled substance, your doctor may refill this medication up to five times in 6 months. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. You and your doctor should monitor certain health issues during your treatment. This can help make sure you stay safe while you take this drug. These issues include:. Not every pharmacy stocks this drug. When filling your prescription, be sure to call ahead to make sure your pharmacy carries it.

Many insurance companies require a prior authorization for this drug. This means your doctor may need to get approval from your insurance company before your insurance company will pay for the prescription. There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some medicines and zolpidem can interfere with each other and increase your chance of having side effects. Certain medicines may increase the drowsy sedating effects of zolpidem. For safety, tell a doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.

Zolpidem helps improve your sleep by boosting a chemical in your brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid GABA. GABA blocks some of the neurotransmitters that send messages in the brain.

This has a calming effect on the brain, which helps you get to sleep. Zolpidem will make you feel sleepy drowsy. It affects people in different ways and some people may feel sleepier than others.

When you first start taking this medicine, you may feel sleepy during the daytime for the first few days. Be aware that this can affect you being able to carry out everyday tasks. Some people have reported doing things like sleepwalking , making food and making phone calls while they're asleep after taking zolpidem. They do not remember when they wake up. This is more likely to happen if you take zolpidem with alcohol, or medicines for mental health problems like depression or anxiety.

This is because your body gets used to this medicine quickly. After taking it for a few weeks, it's unlikely to have the same effect. Your body can also become dependent on it. If you still have problems sleeping after you finish your course of zolpidem, try the lifestyle changes recommended below.

They can help you come off your medicine gradually if you have been taking it for a long time, or if you're worried about becoming dependent on it. Zolpidem should only be used short term usually up to 4 weeks for sleep problems. This is because your body can become dependent on it. See a doctor if you feel you need to take it for longer than 4 weeks.

They will be able to discuss your sleep problems and recommend other things that may help. If you have been taking zolpidem for longer than 4 weeks, do not stop taking this medicine suddenly. You may get withdrawal symptoms. Your insomnia can come back and it may be worse than before. You may also feel anxious, restless and have mood changes.

You may become very sensitive to light, noise and being touched. Speak to the doctor first about coming off zolpidem. They may recommend reducing your dose of zolpidem slowly, over a few days or weeks. This will help prevent withdrawal symptoms if you've been taking it for more than 4 weeks.

If zolpidem makes you sleepy, dizzy or clumsy, gives you blurred vision or you cannot concentrate or make decisions, do not drive a car, ride a bike or operate machinery. This may be more likely when you first start taking zolpidem, but could happen at any time — for example, when starting another medicine. It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive. If you're in any doubt, do not drive. UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.

Talk to a doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking zolpidem. There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking zolpidem will reduce fertility in either men or women.

But speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you and your partner are trying for a baby. Your doctor may review your treatment. Zolpidem does not affect how contraception works, including the combined pill and emergency contraception. Do not have drinks that contain caffeine while you're on zolpidem. These include coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks and hot chocolate.

Alcohol and zolpidem together can make you sleep very deeply, so you do not breathe properly and can have difficulty waking up. If this happens to you, do not do any activities that require you to be fully alert, such as driving, cycling, or using tools or machinery.

Using cannabis with zolpidem will make its sleep-inducing sedative effects worse. You could go into a very deep sleep, where you have difficulty waking up. Using heroin or methadone with zolpidem may also increase the sedative effects of both drugs.

Again, you could go into a very deep sleep and have difficulty waking up. There are a number of things you can do to help yourself beat insomnia :. Page last reviewed: 15 November Next review due: 15 November Zolpidem On this page About zolpidem Key facts Who can and can't take zolpidem How and when to take it Side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions. About zolpidem Zolpidem is a sleeping pill.

Zolpidem comes as tablets. It's only available on prescription. Zolpidem takes around 1 hour to work. You'll usually take it for just a few weeks up to 4 weeks. Common side effects are a metallic taste in your mouth or a dry mouth, and feeling sleepy in the daytime. Do not drink alcohol or caffeine while you're on zolpidem. Zolpidem is also called by the brand name Stilnoct. Zolpidem can be taken by most adults aged 18 and over.

To make sure zolpidem is safe for you, tell a doctor if you: have had an allergic reaction to zolpidem or any other medicines in the past have liver or kidney problems have myasthenia gravis , an illness that causes muscle weakness have breathing problems or sleep apnoea where you stop breathing for short periods while sleeping have ever had mental health problems have ever had issues with alcohol or drugs are trying to get pregnant, already pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Zolpidem tablets come in 2 different strengths — 5mg and 10mg. Important Do not take more than your prescribed dose. What if I forget to take it? Never take 2 doses at the same time.

Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one. What if I take too much? Urgent advice: Contact for advice now if:. Go to Common side effects A common side effect is a bitter or metallic taste in your mouth or a dry mouth. Serious side effects Some people can get serious side effects with zolpidem. Stop taking zolpidem and call a doctor as soon as possible if you: develop memory loss amnesia see or hear things that are not real hallucinations fall over — particularly if you are over the age of 65 think things that are not true — these are called delusions feel low or sad — this could be a sign of depression Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to zolpidem.

Information: You can report any suspected side effect to the UK safety scheme.