FDA approves new type of sleep drug, Belsomra

[geraldt52]

[QUOTE="heapsreal, post: 565578, member: 187"
...These reviews dont look promising and the patients are chronic insomniacs that have tried everything. Might be different for a newb with sleep problems but for chronic insomnia its not good...
QUOTE]

I don't know that those reviews mean much, given that the negatives are from people who have admittedly been taking Ambien or Lunesta on a continuous basis, and then they simply stopped one night and took Belsomra instead and expected to sleep. Nothing in my experience of about 20 years fighting insomnia would have me believe that would have any chance of working. At a minimum I would think you would need to be clean of all other sleep meds for a week to give the Belsomra a meaningful trial...the rebound reaction from not taking the Ambien or Lunesta, after taking it continuously, seems almost certain to overwhelm the action of the Belsomra.

Given my history I'm not that hopeful that Belsomra will work for me, but I'm definitely going to take advantage of the free trial...if I can find a pharmacy that is participating. It'll be interesting to see if a drug plan will cover it if you've exhausted everything else.

 

[August59]

I would think that having a 7 - 10 day period of titrating down zolpidem while titrating up Belsomra would work better.

Since this was not tested though it could present some side effects since they both have a completely different mode action.

I would try Belsomra, but not at its current price!

My insurance will not even pay for the 12.5mg time released zolpidem (but I never was able to sleep more than 5 hours with it)!

Over a 4 - 5 month period I accumulated a few extra 10mg zolpidiem. I could take 10mg and sleep for about 4 hours and when I woke up take another 5mg and get another 2 - 3 hours of sleep. This had a very positive effect on how I felt upon waking. Whether or not this effect could be sustained or not is the question!

If my insurance would cover sublingual zolpidem (Intermezzo) it would be worth a try since 10mg zolpidem only last 4 hours. Even if only the 1.75mg Intermezzo was prescribed in conjunction with the 10mg (or even 5mg) zolpidiem would make it worth trying.

 

[Soundthealarm21]

http://i.imgur.com/aQt75sw.jpg?1

@minkeygirl Lol I hear ya!!

 

[minkeygirl]

Yours is much neater. And no layers of dust.

 

[Soundthealarm21]

@minkeygirl

Yeah it's neater because I got rid of a bunch of stuff I wasn't using. Used to have A LOT more stuff on the nightstand. I just keep it to what I actually take now and don't let it get cluttered. Still got other stuff in the bathroom.

Lol just noticed you have two phones on your nightstand! Do you like to call yourself?

 

[minkeygirl]

I just leave everything there to remind me what I have. If I get up I'm done for

Haha! The phone charging base is there so I take a new charged one into the LR in the morning. And I never talk in the phone Because it's too tiring ! I need a landline because I fax.

 

[geraldt52]

Anybody have any more up to date experience with Belsomra?

 

[catly]

I'm curious to know if anyone has tried it too. My prescription expired, I never got it filled because of the cost , but I might ask for another one when I see my MESFS specialist and see if I can get the 1 month free sample.

 

[Sushi]

My prescription expired, I never got it filled because of the cost , but I might ask for another one when I see my MESFS specialist and see if I can get the 1 month free sample.

How much is it? And did your insurance cover any of the cost?

 

[catly]

How much is it? And did your insurance cover any of the cost?

When I learned it was approved my prescription plan said it was covered with my $10.00 copay, by the time I got a prescription, which was within 1 month, they changed their information to say it's not covered. A months supply if you take it every day is about $90.00.

I get my zolpedem for around $2.00 for 30 days and it still works well for me. I'm just intrigued by the advertised mechanism of action of Belsomra. But I probably shouldn't mess with something that's working.

If anyone else tries it out I'd love to hear about their experience.

 

[soxfan]

I didn't try it but my husband got the free trial plus a 30 day refill....He is on Lunesta or Ambien because he works nights and sleeps days and would be unable to sleep without a sleep med. Anyway he took the Belsomra and said it didn't do anything at all.. But after reading these posts I am thinking that it is because he currently takes the others.

I am going to let him know and maybe he could try it a few nights in a row. I am actually thinking about giving them a try since he has a 30 day supply. I currently take Klonopin but it really isn't working well anymore....Will let you know if I get the courage to take one as I had a HORRIBLE 6 years on Lunesta....hardly slept and would wake up feeling dreadful....

 

[Soundthealarm21]

I didn't try it but my husband got the free trial plus a 30 day refill....He is on Lunesta or Ambien because he works nights and sleeps days and would be unable to sleep without a sleep med. Anyway he took the Belsomra and said it didn't do anything at all.. But after reading these posts I am thinking that it is because he currently takes the others.

I am going to let him know and maybe he could try it a few nights in a row. I am actually thinking about giving them a try since he has a 30 day supply. I currently take Klonopin but it really isn't working well anymore....Will let you know if I get the courage to take one as I had a HORRIBLE 6 years on Lunesta....hardly slept and would wake up feeling dreadful....

Just be careful about mixing meds

 

[geraldt52]

I didn't try it but my husband got the free trial plus a 30 day refill....He is on Lunesta or Ambien because he works nights and sleeps days and would be unable to sleep without a sleep med. Anyway he took the Belsomra and said it didn't do anything at all.. But after reading these posts I am thinking that it is because he currently takes the others.

I'm not surprised that "it didn't do anything", soxfan, if your husband has been taking Lunesta or Ambien continuously...the withdrawal from either of those medications is just going to overwhelm the mechanism that Belsomra is supposed to work by.

I think that the best chance for Belsomra to work would be to be completely clean of any other Rx sleep meds for a week, and then try the Belsomra for several days in a row...and I do realize that would likely mean at least several sleepless nights for your husband. Alternatively, you could try what August59 suggested earlier and taper off the Lunesta/Ambien while at the same time ramping up the Belsomra...you might want to consult a doctor before taking that approach though since I have no idea what the interactions might be.

Do let us know what happens if your husband tries one of those approaches.

 

[soxfan]

On the weeks he isn't working he doesn't take sleep meds at all....for some reason when he goes to bed at night he is able to sleep without them. I mentioned this thread and what the posts were saying and on his next week off he is going to try the Belsomra at the end of the week after he has been off Lunesta/Ambien for 5 nights.

I haven't had the courage to try it yet as I am so afraid I will lay awake all night and then feel so horrible the next day. That is what was happening with Lunesta towards the last year of me taking it and I really went through a year of Hell not knowing why I was feeling so bad.

I think at some point I will try one....maybe this week when I don't have much going on and I can just waste a day if needed. I won't add anything to it even if I don't sleep...done that too many times with very bad results! Thanks all....

 

[Mjmouser]

When I learned it was approved my prescription plan said it was covered with my $10.00 copay, by the time I got a prescription, which was within 1 month, they changed their information to say it's not covered. A months supply if you take it every day is about $90.00.

I get my zolpedem for around $2.00 for 30 days and it still works well for me. I'm just intrigued by the advertised mechanism of action of Belsomra. But I probably shouldn't mess with something that's working.

If anyone else tries it out I'd love to hear about their experience.

My Medicare Part D (Cigna) did the same thing---it was covered but before I got the prescription, it wasn't covered. Cost is $300/mo.....UGH

 

[cb2]

i went to a new dr yesterday and he gave me some samples of Belsomra to try. he said i can do some overlap with my other meds, either lunesta or ambain and take a low dose (10mg) of the belsomra.. i was excited at first, untill i read side effects- seem like same with the others..memory loss.. addiction ..etc.

i tried last nite 10mg of belsmora and 1mg lunesta.. i think i slept pretty well.but feel pretty out of it today.. apparantly the belsomora isn't supposed to have a "hangover" effect- but i think we are all differnt.

anyone have any experience since this last post?
thanks

 

[geraldt52]

anyone have any experience since this last post?

I'm in the middle of doing my own trial of Belsomra, and while I'm not really ready to draw any conclusions I can say that I have taken 10, 15, and 20 mg and not had the day after hangover you describe. I'm not sure it's going to be useful to me for other reasons, but no hangover.

I'd be suspicious of combining Belsomra with Ambien or Lunesta. Personally, I'd try to be off of any other Rx sleep med for a week before trying the Belsomra. But, as you say, we're all different.

 

[cb2]

i was concerned too about the overlap @geraldt52 but the dr said to do it. i have been taking sleep meds for well over 5 years. i am not sure i could be off them for a week.

 

[geraldt52]

i was concerned too about the overlap @geraldt52 but the dr said to do it. i have been taking sleep meds for well over 5 years. i am not sure i could be off them for a week.

I absolutely understand the problem, cb2, as I went through Klonopin withdrawal for several years. You would probably have to go through the week from hell to be off your other sleep meds for a week, but I honestly believe that the Belsomra has little chance of working without breaking the dependence on the other drugs. The doctors really have no idea what the interaction might be, so I wouldn't be reassured by anything your doctor said.

 

[physicsstudent13]

does it help central apneas? ambien helps me a bit but klonopin is the most effective, I feel brain damaged without it and foggy and exhausted on waking up even on an asv. maybe klonopin works by increasing sleep continuity which one neurologist is the key to treating centrals