Eszopiclone and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• DAW...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 28, 2020

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "When I take Lunesta, it makes me sleepy and I am able to fall asleep pretty fast. However, I wake up about 2 hours later and then pretty much every hour on the hour after that. I feel like I'm in and out of it the rest of the night and can't tell when I'm really asleep or awake except when I roll over and look at the clock every hour or so and wonder if I will ever get any sleep. I feel exhausted all of the time..."

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

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "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."

• Kat...
• November 28, 2015

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I originally was prescribed 2 mg, which stopped working after a few weeks. I then was upped to 3 mg, which worked like a charm, but then after a month or so, again stopped working. And if my sleep was interrupted, it caused me to feel drunk. I still take this, but I take it now at a pill and a half. It's frustrating that tolerance builds up so quickly, but otherwise it works well if you follow exactly how to take it."

• nos...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 7, 2017

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I have C-PTSD, bipolar 2, and BPD. I have super intense nightmares/dreams and wake up 700 times a night and have difficulty falling asleep. I'm immune to Ambien, reacted awfully to Rimeron, Trazodone, and Melatonin did nothing. Prescribed Seroquel 100 mg/night for sleep. Worked for 2 months but left me feeling groggy in the mornings, difficulty waking up, lots of weight gain, and sugar cravings. Yuck. Saw psych yesterday and switched from Seroquel to Lunesta 3 mg. I was kind of worried because of the horrible reviews but first night, no weird taste, remember everything that happened last night, fell asleep within an hour, slept great! Woke up on time, not groggy, fully rested!!"

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 30, 2021

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "Worked okay for insomnia, but I remained insanely sleepy the next day, to the point I could barely function. Also, my depression started getting worse, and I had unexplainable diarrhea. I didn't put two and two together until I started reading up on side effects. These symptoms all went away almost immediately after I discontinued. Be very cautious if you have problems with major depression."

• Sle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 20, 2019

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I took 2.5 mg of Lunesta the other night. I felt drowsy initially, but when I went to try and fall asleep, I couldn't. I laid in bed, exhausted and unable to sleep no matter how hard I tried. I took it again the second night, and I may have caught an hour or two of sleep. I'm honestly not sure. I know they say to give it a week or two to kick in, but my sleep is worse than it was before. It's going to be a long and exhausting few weeks."

• Anonymous
• April 22, 2010

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I have had the best sleep with Lunesta since menopause. Ambien made me feel groggy and irritated. I did not even sleep all the way through the night. I'd take it and wonder some nights if I was even going to fall asleep. With Lunesta, I've been taking one about every 3 nights to fall asleep and stay asleep. If I get up to go to the bathroom, I can fall right back to sleep! Amazing. I have a new insurance company, and they want me to try Ambien again and Sonata! There is no way that I want to go trying other medicines when this one works for me. I think I'll buy it myself."

• hte...
• July 20, 2010

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I've been using Lunesta for almost a week now, and it's wonderful! It puts me to sleep relatively quickly (20 minutes as opposed to the several hours it usually takes). It keeps me asleep 8 hours, sometimes longer if I don't have to work in the morning. There is a bit of a 'nasty' taste in the mouth in the morning, but it isn't that bad and goes away after breakfast and teeth brushing. Also, the first few days I was a little drowsy still after waking up, probably because the medicine was still in effect and my body wasn't used to so much sleep at once. Now I wake up energized, and I would definitely recommend this medicine to others! A little pricey though."

• Dal...
• October 15, 2017

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "Genuinely hate this medicine! The side effects of dry mouth and a terrible taste (even though pills are coated) make it impossible not to drink extra water. Drinking extra water caused me to wake to pee in the middle of the night every night. One night I was so groggy and out of it - feeling really drugged - I fell and hit my head, shoulder, and elbow. In the week I took Lunesta, I never got more than 4-5 hours of sleep and each night had to use the bathroom. My sleep tracker showed little REM. Dry mouth was constant day and night. I never woke refreshed once and always felt like I had a residual “hangover” of a drugged feeling in the AM. I took Lunesta because Ambien seemed to stop working for me. I took it years ago and couldn’t remember why I disliked it."

• Dal...
• October 15, 2017

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "Genuinely hate this medicine! The side effects of dry mouth and a terrible taste (even though pills are coated) make it impossible not to drink extra water. Drinking extra water caused me to wake to pee in the middle of the night every night. One night I was so groggy and out of it - feeling really drugged - I fell and hit my head, shoulder, and elbow. In the week I took Lunesta, I never got more than 4-5 hours of sleep and each night had to use the bathroom. My sleep tracker showed little REM. Dry mouth was constant day and night. I never woke refreshed once and always felt like I had a residual “hangover” of a drugged feeling in the AM. I took Lunesta because Ambien seemed to stop working for me. I took it years ago and couldn’t remember why I disliked it."

• Jon...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 2, 2023

Eszopiclone "This saved my life. After a bad bout of COVID turned long COVID activated autoimmune disease in me, one side effect was sleep apnea overnight. I'm an in-shape, fairly skinny guy. Every time I'd doze off, I would gasp awake like I would shock myself awake. Almost like something scared me. After months of symptoms and no help from doctors, I felt like I was dying. Before being prescribed steroids, I hadn't realized that my soft palate not only had swelling issues but would close easily suddenly (I'm a back sleeper by nature). I never slept and looked like I aged 10 years in months. In my town, specialists are 6-month plus referrals, but I lucked out, finally, one of my doctors prescribed Lunesta. Game changer. Lunesta lowers your sensation waking triggers or 'respiratory arousal threshold' and evidently is an effective treatment for some forms of sleep apnea. Thanks to Lunesta, I got my life back, and 2 mg about an hour before bed gets me a solid 8 hours. I do get groggy in the AM, but it wears off."

• I...
• January 4, 2020

For Insomnia "Bottom line: If you use Lunesta, pay for the brand. If you can’t, then look for another alternative, as this will be a frustrating process that will not help you sleep. I’ve noticed a significant problem with generic Lunesta. I had no problems with the brand. This is in no way “identical” to the brand. Even the metallic taste is different. Effectiveness: I would normally take 1 mg - 2 mg of Lunesta, and that is effective in getting me to sleep. I’ve had sleeping issues for a variety of reasons, including hormonal and anxiety, so I would use Lunesta for 1-3 nights to get my sleeping pattern back on track. I take it 1-3 nights a week max. Lately, it hasn’t been working, so last night, after many nights of no sleep, I took 4 mg. I’ve never taken that much. It made me feel drowsy but did NOT put me to sleep or keep me asleep. Not to mention the night eating I’ve been experiencing. It’s time to find something else."

• Anonymous
• July 20, 2009

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I used this medicine to help me fall asleep. While it did work and I fell right asleep, the next day I felt groggy and had a metallic taste in my mouth, accompanied by ringing in my ears. The side effects far outweighed the benefits of this medicine for me."

• Ktb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 12, 2017

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I took 3 mg my first night. I was so groggy, I don't remember anything from about two hours before bed, and I had the WORST TIME waking up this AM. I was so groggy and cranky and again can barely remember anything until I started finally getting up and around. This is super strong, I took 3 mg, but for someone who goes days without sleeping, I'll take these side effects over no sleep any day. I am taking the generic. At least give it a try. I have to for insurance purposes, and I'm pretty glad I did. My doctor says the grogginess will fade after a while."

• Lmm...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 17, 2022

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I used Lunesta for approximately one year. Coming from someone who tried all lesser 'evils' (melatonin (and other natural crap), hydroxyzine, trazodone, diphenhydramine, SSRIs, benzodiazepines, meditation, improved sleep hygiene), Lunesta was a godsend. I've had insomnia since I was a teenager, and as a 30-year-old adult, a medical professional, I was sick of insomnia ruling and ruining my body and mind. It worked great for a year, with three complaints: 1) the metallic taste is second to licking a battery, 2) I got daytime grogginess I accounted to mental health but was actually this drug, 3) I became tolerant to it after one year with STRICT normal use. Went from 2mg to 3mg to it only worked with 4mg+/dose. I had to switch to something else because that's unacceptable. I've been on 10mg Ambien for a little over a year, and it works as good, if not better, without taste issues, daytime fog, or any tolerance so far. Only complaint-- rarely it makes me feel a bit 'high.'"

• Emm...
• September 16, 2017

For Insomnia "Lunesta vs. generic. I have taken Lunesta for several years. My mind refuses to turn off at night, and I typically would only sleep three hours or so. Lunesta worked great! I fell asleep fairly soon after I took it, then woke up at 6 am without drowsiness. This generic, however, does absolutely nothing! My mind races all night long. I spoke with a pharmacist about this being a placebo. He said that all generic companies are reputable. Insurance will not cover Lunesta without a reason. Fortunately, now I have one. This drug (RDY eszopiclone) should be analyzed by the FDA."

• chi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 6, 2019

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "In 2013, my PCP prescribed this for me for insomnia. At that time, I would fall asleep quickly by 10-11:00 pm but awaken by 3-4:00 am & could not go back to sleep. The first night I took this med, I slept quite well. I opened my eyes and the bedroom was upside down. I was so scared. I rubbed my eyes, and the room went right side up, allowing me to go to the bathroom. As I sit on the toilet, with my eyes closed, then open them up, the bathroom went upside down. I was freaking out. I repeated the eye rubbing process, and everything went normal again. I was groggy the whole day & night. I was prescribed 5 mg. The next evening, I cut the pill in half, and I was fine the next morning, but the grogginess continued. I couldn’t even drive my car for 2-3 days. I continue to have sleep problems of a different nature but am fearful to try it again. Melatonin 3, 5, 7 mg works for 1-2 days, then it’s no longer effective."

• Ora...
• August 29, 2017

For Insomnia "I have had insomnia, sometimes quite severe (couldn't sleep for 3-4 days, which is severe) and had been successfully taking 10 mg of Ambien for the past 5 years, along with melatonin 5 mg. Then it stopped working. I'd wake up after 2 hours of non-restful sleep. My doctor and I decided taking a vacation from Ambien might be helpful. I had tried Lunesta first, before Ambien, years ago... and dreaded the awful taste. But hey, I have to sleep. The first weeks surprised me. I didn't get dazed or feel weird before falling asleep, like with Ambien. I just slept. The downside is I wake achy and stay groggy, sleeping longer than I planned... so it is hard to get 'up and at it.' I'll take the sleep, though. Adding melatonin helped."

• EMo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 18, 2021

For Insomnia "Been on this on and off for many years now at 3.5 mg. I don't find it addictive as I've come off no bother and stayed off for years at a time sometimes. So my doctor is okay with prescribing them, knowing I won't abuse them. On many occasions when my anxiety was extremely bad, my sleeping has been severely affected, which only had the knock-on effect of making my anxiety even worse. These have been a godsend many times. If I have not been on them or had a very bad period with anxiety, I can go back on them, and after a few nights, I'm so much better and get into a better sleeping routine, which helps my mood greatly. I still wake up in the night sometimes with them, but they help me fall asleep quicker and make me quite relaxed going to sleep, so I am not tossing and turning. At the very beginning, I was a little groggy in the daytime, but I have none of that now. They work well but don't put you in a coma almost like some sleeping aids do!"

• Hea...
• November 30, 2017

Eszopiclone for Insomnia "I have been dealing with major insomnia for the past 2 months. After trying other sleep meds (which didn't work), I was prescribed 1 mg of Lunesta before bed. It took about an hour to put me to sleep. I got about 5 disturbed hours of sleep. I tossed and turned all night and woke up feeling like I'd had 1 hour of sleep. Then the bad part came: the morning. I woke up super drowsy, had intense anxiety, OCD, tremors, chest and nasal congestion, stomach upset, and shortness of breath. I was also super emotional and cried uncontrollably all day. These symptoms lasted all day. All that for basically no sleep on this pill?! Needless to say, I will never take this pill again! The side effects are worse than anything I've experienced!"

• nuk...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 22, 2019

For Insomnia "Eszopiclone was fantastic and works wonders for my summertime insomnia from bipolar 2. Tried Ambien, but it did not make me tired and just made me crazy and do stupid things. Lunesta works the way I want it to work, and it's great as long as the directions are followed. Take it a long time after dinner, as it has problems with fats in foods. I have found a light snack is okay and will not affect it or not so much. It works differently, instead of making you drowsy and drugged, it relaxes you immensely. Once this feel starts to appear, go lay down, close your eyes, and just do some simple breathing techniques to aid the relaxation, a boom great night's sleep. The only grogginess I ever had is from being on too high a dose, so I asked for the step down. The taste is my only con, but in the morning, I found orange juice or other fairly strong citrus fruits to cover the taste until it goes away, which for me is 3-4 hours after waking. It's a small price to pay to keep me to sleep and keep me there to avoid manic episodes."

• kfh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 16, 2018

For Insomnia "I take 3 mg for insomnia, and it works fairly well. I am usually able to get to sleep about 45 minutes after taking it, and I don't feel groggy in the morning if I get more than six hours of sleep. My only complaint is that, like other Z-drugs, tolerance develops VERY quickly (3 days for me), and once the tolerance is there, the only way to get rid of it is to stop taking it, which brings back the insomnia I have. Although, once I haven't taken it for two or three days, I am able to take it again, and it will work fairly well, although sometimes I need to take two to get a good effect from it. It is a bit less effective at getting to sleep than Ambien, in my opinion, but it is more effective by far at helping me stay asleep. I had some major dependence issues with Ambien, and I don't find eszopiclone nearly as addictive or habit-forming."

• lot...
• June 11, 2021

Eszopiclone 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."

• Ins...
• December 31, 2015

For Insomnia "This does nothing for me. Nothing. I could take 4 pills and feel nothing, while usually 1-2 pills of Ambien work well. I do have to take a 5-day break with Zolpidem because the tolerance builds, but I find it relatively easy to give it a break without any side effects except from sleeping later. I don't like benzos for sleep. A low dose does not make me fall asleep, and a high dose makes me groggy the next day. Trazodone types don't make me sleep, I feel lethargic and hungry/depressed. I can't sleep the normal 11pm-7am, and I always wake up after 4 hours of sleep or then fall back asleep after 30 mins or more. It's so annoying. Zolpidem is the only one that works for me, save I take some breaks from it. Also, the bitter taste is SO real."

• Mic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 10, 2017

For Insomnia "Ever since I was a child, I had sleeping issues. It would either take me all night to go to sleep and wake up in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep. This med is awesome because if I wake up in the middle of the night and I still have 3 hours to sleep, I can take it without having to worry about being drowsy or discombobulated."