Zaleplon is a medicine, used to treat insomnias (in short periods). It is a sedative drug, sometimes they call it hypnotic. Zaleplon influences chemical centers in a brain, which can cause sleeplessness.

Zaleplon relaxes your body and mind and helps you to be asleep for a longer time. Of course there can be other diseases to treat with Zaleplon.

How to use

This drug was developed to be used orally. You have to take it before you go to bed. Or if you are already in a bed trying to sleep but have no luck, you take Zaleplon. Usually a doctor or a pharmacist prescribes you the way you have to use Zaleplon.

If for supper you’ve had rather fat meal, you are not recommended taking the drug. You can’t also accompany the drug with that kind of food.

To reduce possible side effects during the daytime (active time) you have to take a pill just before the bedtime. When you know exactly you’ll definitely sleep for four or more hours.

If a doctor didn’t mention using the drug for more than 10 days, you shouldn’t take Zaleplon for that long. In the case you have insomnia after having taken the drug, you ask for information from a doctor.

If you change the schedule or the dose yourself, you won’t avoid habit-forming effect of Zaleplon. In that case you won’t be able to cure your sleeplessness with Zaleplon no more. If you prolonged the treatment period, you can’t stop taking medicine abruptly. You have to finish treatment period calmly, constantly reducing the drug amount.

Side effects

As every drug, Zaleplon can cause some unpleasant unwanted effects. Some of them are just unpleasant, for example headache, drowsiness, nausea or stomach upset. Report your doctor, ask him for advice.

But if some serious effects, like dizziness, weakness, loss of coordination, muscle joint pain, mental/mood changes, persistent trouble sleeping, memory problems, loss of appetite, tingling of the hands or feet, rash, itching, tremors, eye/ear problems, you have to not only inform a doctor, but visit a hospital immediately. Those side effects aren’t dangerous for your life but they can cause some unpleasant consequences.

Fast/slow/irregular pulse, chest pain, trouble breathing, blood in the stool, unusual thirst, change in amount of urine are included to another group of serious side effects. Those events occur not very often, but the duration can be rather problematic.

Precautions

Zaleplon is a strong drug and has to be taken very carefully. Its activity may affect some of your body processes. That’s why warn your doctor if you’re allergic to any chemical elements included in Zaleplon. If you are an aspirin/tartrazine allergic patient, inform a pharmacist too.

Liver disease, lung/breathing problems, mental/mood problems (e.g., depression), alcohol use or drug dependence are those conditions when you are not recommended to be treated with Zaleplon.

Alcohol use during the treatment can cause dizziness and drowsiness. Moreover this medicine can cause some loss of attention and quick reaction.

For future mothers, all advantages and disadvantages should be explained by pharmasist. Zalepod passes to a child when it is breast fed.

You can’t advise this medicine to anyone if you aren’t a doctor or a pharmacist.

Keep the drug in a dry (between 68 and 77 degrees F (20 to 25 degrees C)) and dark place. Children shouldn’t reach the drug.

Overdose

Drowsiness; confusion; sluggishness; loss of coordination; slow, shallow breathing; and loss of consciousness are sometimes the symptoms of the overdose. If that happened to you, think over the recent way of taking Zalepod. If you suspect the overdose – report you doctor and call the emergency room immediately.