Lunesta vs. Belsomra

• Are Lunesta and Belsomra the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Lunesta?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Belsomra?
• What Is Lunesta?
• What Is Belsomra?
• What Drugs Interact with Lunesta?
• What Drugs Interact with Belsomra?
• How Should Lunesta Be Taken?
• How Should Belsomra Be Taken?

Lunesta (eszopiclone) and Belsomra (suvorexant) are sedative hypnotics used to treat insomnia.

Side effects of Lunesta and Belsomra that are similar include dizziness, daytime drowsiness, or headache.

Side effects of Lunesta that are different from Belsomra include "hangover" feeling, problems with memory or concentration, anxiety, depression, nervous feeling, nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, constipation, dry mouth, unusual or unpleasant taste in your mouth, or mild skin rash.

Side effects of Belsomra that are different from Lunesta include sleepiness, abnormal dreams, diarrhea, dry mouth, cough, and upper respiratory tract infection.

Both Lunesta and Belsomra may interact with alcohol and seizure medications.

Lunesta may also interact with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (sleeping pills, narcotics, prescription cough medicines, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety or depression).

Belsomra may also interact with azole antifungals, antibiotics, nefazodone, antiretrovirals, conivaptan, aprepitant, diltiazem, grapefruit juice, imatinib, verapamil, rifampin, and digoxin.

Do not stop using Lunesta suddenly after taking it over several days in a row, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Common side effects of Lunesta include:

• dizziness,
• tiredness,
• daytime drowsiness (or during hours when you are not normally sleeping),
• loss of coordination,
• headache,
• depression,
• memory problems,
• numbness or tingly feeling,
• nervousness,
• excitability,
• irritability,
• changes in menstrual periods,
• itching,
• increased or decreased interest in sex, or
• blurred vision.

Tell your doctor if you have serious side effects of Lunesta including:

• memory loss, or
• mental/mood/behavior changes (such as new or worsening depression, abnormal thoughts, thoughts of suicide, hallucinations, confusion, agitation, aggressive behavior, or anxiety).

Rarely, after taking Lunesta, people have gotten out of bed and driven vehicles while not fully awake ("sleep-driving"). People have also sleepwalked, prepared/eaten food, made phone calls, or had sex while not fully awake. Often, these people do not remember these events. This problem can be dangerous to you or to others. If you find out that you have done any of these activities after taking Lunesta, tell your doctor right away.

Common side effects of Belsomra include:

• headache,
• sleepiness,
• next day drowsiness,
• dizziness,
• abnormal dreams,
• diarrhea,
• dry mouth,
• cough, and
• upper respiratory tract infection

Belsomra may cause serious side effects that you may not know are happening to you, including “sleep-walking” or doing other activities when you are asleep like eating, talking, having sex, or driving a car. Call your doctor right away if you find out you have done any of these activities after taking Belsomra.

Lunesta (eszopiclone) is a sedative hypnotic used to treat insomnia.

Belsomra (suvorexant) is a selective antagonist for orexin receptors OX1R and OX2R used to treat insomnia characterized by difficulties with sleep onset and/or sleep maintenance.

Lunesta may interact with alcohol, other medicines that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (such as cold medicines, pain medications, muscle relaxants, and medicines for depression, anxiety, or seizures), ketoconazole, rifampin, or antidepressants.

Belsomra may interact with alcohol, azole antifungals, antibiotics, nefazodone, antiretrovirals, conivaptan, aprepitant, diltiazem, grapefruit juice, imatinib, verapamil, rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, and digoxin. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. During pregnancy, Belsomra should be taken only if prescribed. This drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding. Withdrawal symptoms may occur if you suddenly stop taking this medication.

Belsomra may also interact with primaquine, thabendazole, antibiotics, or heart rhythm medications.

The recommended starting dose of Lunesta is 1 mg, taken with a full glass of water. Avoid taking Lunesta within 1 hour after eating a high-fat or heavy meal, because this will make it harder for your body to absorb the medication.

The recommended dose for Belsomra is 10 mg, taken no more than once per night and within 30 minutes of going to bed, with at least 7 hours remaining before the planned time of awakening.