Do you have periodic issues getting to sleep? One of the two most prescribed sleep aids, Ambien and Lunesta, may be right for you. There are those who swear by Ambien and those who think Lunesta is the way to go. Each of these sleep aids have side effects, particularly Ambien, but not everyone suffers from them.
Both Ambien and Lunesta are in a family of drugs that are hypnotics. The ingredients in zolpidem tartrate, brand name Ambien, work in unison with a chemical that the body makes naturally called Gaba. Gaba is one of numerous neurotransmitters that controls the way the brains cells communicate with each other. Gaba weakens activity in surrounding brain cells, and when combined with Ambien, they keep specific cells from being active enough to keep someone awake. Lunesta is designed to replicate natural brain chemicals to assist in sleeping. The makers of Lunesta believe that it helps you stay asleep longer than Ambien does.
People who purchase ambien online say it is much more effective than Lunesta. But because it is more effective, this can produce more serious side effects and, unfortunately, the chance of becoming dependent on the sleeping pill. In fact, over one-third of those people who use Ambien in a clinical study became addicted, while only 5 percent of Lunesta users reported dependency.
Both of these drugs are hypnotics and this is the reason that they both can have some significant side effects. Hallucinations are a common side effect of Ambien, but can be avoided by going to bed immediately after dosage. Some people have even reported bouts of binge eating. Ambien has also been known to cause sleep walking with no memory of it the next day. Some people report a hangover feeling in the morning after taking Ambien, more so than with Lunesta. Lunesta’s reported side effects include leaving a metallic taste in the mouth, so prominent that many users have quit taking Lunesta. Lunesta can also bring on panic attacks.
Increasing Ambien dosage is not recommended, as over 20 percent of the individuals prescribed this drug develop an addiction. Far fewer Lunesta users have this problem. These tolerances usually occur in people who use either Ambien or Lunesta on a regular basis.
Ambien comes in two strengths and comes in a cheaper, generic form. Lunesta is not yet available in a generic, but it is available in three different strengths.