Lunesta and Bad Taste: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Hda...
• October 17, 2017

For Insomnia "Recently, I got married, and my insurance changed. The new insurance would not pay for the sleeping medicine I have been on for the last two years. They said I had to try Lunesta, Ambien, or one other before they would approve it. Last night made one full week that I was on Lunesta. Here are the reasons why I HATE it: 1. My mouth gets dry. 2. In the morning, my mouth tastes like I've been drinking spoiled milk. 3. I am so very depressed, I take antidepressants already. 4. I am so exhausted I do not feel like I can function. 5. I do not stay asleep. 6. I feel like the entire world could implode around me, and I still would not care. This medicine is by far the worst thing I've ever been on. I wouldn't even recommend this medication to anyone!!!"

• Shu...
• June 20, 2009

For Insomnia "This medicine worked fine for me to help me get to sleep and stay asleep, but it gave me a terrible taste in my mouth, made everything taste like soap. Maybe useful if you're really trying to lose weight, and nothing else helps. Food tasting like soap definitely makes it hard to enjoy eating."

• leo...
• September 26, 2010

For Insomnia "It was a pretty good sleep aid overall. I did not build a tolerance, but decided to stop using it because it left a bad taste in my mouth. As soon as the bitter taste kicked in, I could easily fall asleep. I could get a full 8 hours of good sleep on it, too bad the taste lasted until noon the next day, and nothing could get the taste away."

• leo...
• September 26, 2010

For Insomnia "It was a pretty good sleep aid overall. I did not build a tolerance, but decided to stop using it because it left a bad taste in my mouth. As soon as the bitter taste kicked in, I could easily fall asleep. I could get a full 8 hours of good sleep on it, too bad the taste lasted until noon the next day, and nothing could get the taste away."

• lil...
• July 8, 2009

For Insomnia "I started using Lunesta over 2 years ago after trying Restoril for several months, which would put me to sleep, but then I'd wake up at 2 or 3 am and not get back to sleep until dawn. My doctor prescribed Ambien, but that made me have heart palpitations, so she switched me to Lunesta. The only side effect I've had is the 'yucky taste' in my mouth...brushing your tongue and the roof of your mouth upon awakening takes care of that. The cost is high, as others have mentioned, but after years of not getting a good night's sleep, it's well worth it to me."

• Mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2017

For Insomnia "Bad taste in my mouth and noticed it immediately-like I'm sucking on quarters. My smoking does not help this taste, lol. Um, first day, took it because I haven't slept since Seroquel, which is the only thing that has worked for me. And because they don't have it on formulary in some parts of the states, which sucks for me-and took it three hours ago and look at me blogging about it."

• Res...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 24, 2020

For Insomnia "After taking Ambien 10 mg for a few months, I liked the way it helped me fall asleep, but not stay asleep. Dr. switched me to Lunesta 2 mg. Didn't fall asleep right away. Had the worst taste going down and also when I awakened 3 hrs later. I had the weirdest dreams (off/on sleep) and my mind was racing 90 mph. I prefer the 4 good hours of sleep with Ambien than interrupted sleep and restless 'zoning out' throughout the night."

• ins...
• September 1, 2009

For Insomnia "I have not had a good night's sleep for over a year. Woken up several times a night. I have been miserable due to lack of sleep. It is really starting to show on my face - deep dark under-eye circles. Yesterday, my doctor prescribed Lunesta. I slept so well last night. Only woke up twice, but went right back to sleep. I do not feel any grogginess. There is a 'yucky' taste side effect. But, I will take yucky taste any day for a good night's sleep. I am really excited to get a good night's sleep again tonight. Hope it works the same again."

• Err...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 31, 2018

For Insomnia "For reference, my type of insomnia is sleep maintenance - I can fall asleep, but I can't stay asleep. I was prescribed Lunesta after 1 year with Trazodone. I was on 100 mg of Trazodone, but it was starting to become less effective, so I decided to try something else and maybe give myself a break. My doctor said that Lunesta is supposed to be better for sleep maintenance insomnia than Ambien. I had been off Trazodone for 5 nights before I took Lunesta. I was prescribed 3 mg of Lunesta; for the first night, it worked okay. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th night, I had a hard time falling asleep, and then I woke up at about 4-4:30 AM and couldn't go back to sleep. The 5th night, I woke up at 2:30 AM and couldn't fall back asleep. The 6th night I woke up at 2 AM and couldn't fall back asleep. The 7th night, I was awake almost the whole night. Additional note: I do notice the weird taste in my mouth the next day while on this medication. The taste is amplified by drinking water."

• Sie...
• February 3, 2021

For Insomnia "Transitioned from being on Ambien 10 mg for roughly two years to Lunesta 3 mg. I get a nasty taste in my mouth once taken, and it doesn’t get me to sleep quickly at all; however, I do stay asleep for a while once I do finally fall asleep."

• Rai...
• October 16, 2017

For Insomnia "I was prescribed Lunesta a few years ago and took it for about 2 months, hated it and got off of it. Last night I was desperate to sleep, and I couldn't remember why I hated it, so I took another one. First of all, this was 17 hrs ago and my mouth still tastes like I sucked the coating off a bunch of ibuprofen. It makes it really hard to drink water because it exaggerates the taste. Secondly, it makes me feel hungover and oppressively tired all day. Third, it lets me sleep only 6 or 7 hours despite feeling like I could sleep all day when I wake up. Is it the worst? No. It does work to that extent but the side effects are, if not medically serious, pretty annoying and uncomfortable."

• She...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2022

For Insomnia "I was recently given a script for this sleeping medicine. I take it and don’t fall asleep for two hours. It leaves a terrible taste in my mouth. It also won’t allow me to go back to sleep if I wake up five hours later. Not pleased with this one bit."

• Cra...
• March 22, 2018

For Insomnia "This is the second time I tried Lunesta. Once years ago. I couldn't remember if it helped or not, I did remember the bad taste. This time I was very hesitant to try it again. Wish I would have listened to my instincts!!! Within 10 minutes of taking it, I could taste the bitter metal grossness, even when I would breathe! I wanted to vomit. I'll go back to Ambien."

• Anonymous
• January 1, 2011

For Insomnia "I tried a free sample of Lunesta for my insomnia for a few days. I felt a lingering bad taste in my mouth. I quit taking it. It was worse than Ambien CR's side effects, which made me anxious and irritable the next morning. I tried Silenor, and I am still taking it. Its side effect is very mild. I just drink Coke to concentrate on my work the next day."

• Bra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2021

For Insomnia "Was prescribed for insomnia. Followed the directions, was on a 6-hour empty stomach, took one 3 mg before bed. I did not fall asleep at all or even get tired. All I got was a horrible bitter taste in my mouth."

• Anonymous
• June 1, 2011

For Insomnia "While effective, the aftertaste it leaves is almost intolerable. It tastes like sewage. Compared to some other less expensive, more pleasant tasting and effective alternatives, there are better choices for me, Halcion in particular."

• lot...
• June 11, 2021

For Insomnia "I decided to give Lunesta a try after Ambien stopped working. The first night, I took the whole 3 mg pill. BLECH!!! I woke up many times throughout the night with a HORRIBLE bitter, metallic taste and dry mouth. I learned that the bitter taste is not the taste of the pill itself but related to the levels of Lunesta in your blood serum. That is to say, it is not bitterness from the pill touching your mouth, it is being excreted into your saliva during the metabolization process. The next night, I split the pill and took half. Still had some bitterness in my mouth, but NOTHING like it was the first night. I also drank it with a glass of orange juice, as it was suggested elsewhere. Sleepwise, Lunesta does some weird things: crazy dreams and seemingly fractured sleep. I also wake up very groggy."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 8, 2025

For Insomnia "This is the third drug prescribed for insomnia. I am a 73-year-old female, with insomnia for at least 30 years. I take 2 mg nightly. I am in relatively good health. This is the only medication I take on a daily basis. I have been using Lunesta for approximately 3 months. It has helped me to fall asleep quickly (within 30-60 minutes), but I rarely sleep more than six hours per night. It does seem to make me feel calmer. Side effects which persist: constant headache, foods having an odd taste, loss of appetite, leg cramps. Only recently, I feel tired and exhausted all the time, often staying in bed for long periods; some depression, and within the past few weeks, serious muscle and joint pain in hands and legs. While I have tolerated Lunesta better than other meds prescribed, I am now getting discouraged with a new set of side effects. This is something to be discussed with my doctor. Is only getting 6 hours of sleep worth the side effects when I was sleeping the same number of hours using an OTC med?"

• Wid...
• November 6, 2017

For Insomnia "After heart surgery in 2014, I went from having normal sleep to insomnia and vivid dreams. After 10 months, I have been taking medications and dietary supplements. I have recently tried Lunesta, and I have found that I only get 2-3 hours of sleep on Lunesta, and I do have that taste in my mouth when I went to a doctor. We have been trying different medications the next day. Ambien works great, but it is a wicked medication to take for very long. You build up a tolerance to it, and the withdrawals, for me, are 2 nights without any sleep. My doctor and I are still working on a treatment and a cure. Medical marijuana is out of the question for me but has been recommended by my Colorado relatives, but I'm not going there."

• Lee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2020

For Insomnia "3 mg. Wide awake. The pharmacist warned me to be sure to be in bed when I took it. I was. 40 minutes later, I got up to do other things. Other than the awful taste in my mouth, I felt nothing."

• apr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 8, 2015

For Insomnia "I needed this to travel. In the past, Ambien and Sonata did not work for me. Now I can look forward to my trips. Will take the bitter taste anytime, for a good night's sleep."

• Jes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 27, 2019

For Insomnia "Took for chronic insomnia. Miracle drug day one, next day maxed out with no relief, next day after that a tiny relief, etc. Very inconsistent relief and didn't like the bitter taste the next day."

• Cat...
• February 29, 2012

For Insomnia "Didn't make me tired at all. About 20 min after taking it, the horrible taste kicked in. Water doesn't even taste good. It's awful."

• Kbo...
• October 21, 2009

For Insomnia "Worked great with sleep, but the awful taste in my mouth never went away!"

• eea...
• July 25, 2021

For Insomnia "Literally made my insomnia worse. I feel dizzy, yet overly stimulated and with a nasty taste in my mouth. Ugh."