Lunesta vs. Ambien

tridil2000, MSN, RN · Nov 10, 2005

ER-RN2 said:
Has anyone tried the new sleeping medication Lunesta? How does it compare to Ambien?

i recently tried lunesta. it is horrible. it leaves this nasty taste in your mouth for 24 hours. really grosss! from about 30 minutes after taking it until the next evening it tastes like you have tin foil in your mouth!

Saoudishabiba · Nov 10, 2005

I take Lunesta 3 mg QHS. I love it. I sleep better. I don't have a hung over feeling in the morning. I do have to take it with 25-50mg of Benadryl to keep my legs from jerking all night.

I took Ambien before and it made me feel drunk. :uhoh21:

HappyJaxRN · Nov 10, 2005

Hi there. I take Ambien PRN and don't feel hung over at all. That IS, as long as I get at least 6 hours of sleep. There's a new and improved Ambien on the market. It called, Ambien CR (extended release). I don't need to take anything else for sleep or relaxation. I too have restless leg syndrome and ambien seems to take care of that as well.

Hopalong · Nov 10, 2005

I asked a couple of docs what their experience with them was and all three said that Lunesta seems to be as effective but milder side effects than Ambien. All said bad after taste usually made them prescibe Ambien.My personal favorite is Equate Sleep Aid from your local Wally World - it's not benadryl but Doxylamine Succinate 25 mg. You can find it beside Unisom. It's cheap too.

Finallyat40 · Nov 10, 2005

I've tried both....I prefer Lunesta because I sleep better and don't feel hung over the entire next day, however, the taste in the mouth is an issue....I've decided not to take Ambien any longer simply because it makes me feel like crud!

Jamie

palesarah · Nov 11, 2005

I haven't experienced the bad-taste side effect with lunesta. I've tried Sonata, Ambien, Lunesta and Ambien CR. I definetly feel less hung over the next morning with Lunesta, but generally only sleep for 6-7 hours with it (it's nice to wake up without feeling "drugged" though, even if I don't sleep as long). And I've only had I think 2 nights taking Lunesta where I wasn't able to fall asleep at all. With Ambien, I often have a hung-over feeling in the morning, and it's worse and lasts longer with the new CR version. But the advantage for me with Ambien vs Lunesta is it helps induce sleep a little better- none of these meds make me feel sleepy, but Ambien doe smake me feel a little drunk and that sometimes helps me get to sleep. But I've had plenty of nights taking Ambien where I never fell asleep at all. That sucks. What seems to be working for me now is to alternate ambien and lunesta every couple days or week. There are some nights, thankfully, that I don't have to take anything.

Insomnia sucks.

rehab nurse · Nov 11, 2005

lunesta knocks me out faster, and gives me terrible nightmares.

i prefer ambien, but i only take 5 mg and if for some reason i don't lay down immediately after taking it, i won't fall asleep. i only take maybe one every two weeks, but been using it about a year now, and it doesn't work as well as it used to.

i hope you get some rest and relief from your pain. please don't give up yet.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Nov 12, 2005

How does Lunesta compare with Ambien cost-wise?

BORI-BSNRN, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2005

Hopalong said:
I asked a couple of docs what their experience with them was and all three said that Lunesta seems to be as effective but milder side effects than Ambien. All said bad after taste usually made them prescibe Ambien.My personal favorite is Equate Sleep Aid from your local Wally World - it's not benadryl but Doxylamine Succinate 25 mg. You can find it beside Unisom. It's cheap too.

? That's exactly what i am taking, its the best and without prescription!!

palesarah · Nov 13, 2005

P_RN said:
How does Lunesta compare with Ambien cost-wise?

I checked online and the retail prices for my prescription plan, for a 30-day supply, are:

Ambien 10mg: $27.61

Ambien CR 12.5mg: $46.02

Lunesta 3mg: $48.16

BabyRN2Be · Nov 13, 2005

I know that this is a fairly small group we are discussing and not a large study group, however, I asked my PA what she thought of Lunesta, and so far this particular clinic is very disappointed in Lunesta. It hasn't helped as much as it was tauted. From what she told me is that people have been having trouble staying asleep.

Keep in mind that this is anedoctal information from the field and may not be representative of a larger group.