Sedative Meds

Memo on the use of sleeping pills for the patient

If your doctor has prescribed a sleeping pill, consider the following guidelines:

  1. Always use the drug at the dose recommended by your doctor. Never exceed the dose recommended by your doctor, even if the effectiveness of the drug is insufficient.
  2. Make sure that you do not have contraindications for taking sleeping pills.
  3. If you are taking any other medicine, be sure to tell the doctor who prescribed the drug.
  4. If the cause of sleep disorders is a disease, do not forget about the treatment of this disease. If insomnia is one of the symptoms of depression, treatment with only sleeping drugs is unacceptable. If pain interferes with sleep, it is better to take painkillers.
  5. Do not use a drug with a long half-life after midnight.
  6. The next day after taking sleeping pills (barbiturates, medium and long-acting benzodiazepines, zopiclone), never get behind the wheel of a car and do not work with dangerous equipment.
  7. If you feel dizzy, insecure, weakened, or sleepy the next day after you take your sleeping pills, see your doctor.
  8. Never drink alcohol while taking sleeping pills – their interaction can lead to negative consequences, even coma and death.
  9. Use sleeping pills only for a short time (no more than 4 weeks).
  10. Whenever possible, instead of hypnotic drugs, use behavioral therapy, which you can learn from your doctor or from various self-help manuals.
  11. Do not use sleeping pills if you are pregnant or think you may become pregnant.
  12. Do not use sleeping pills if you have ever had problems with various addictions (alcohol, drugs, gambling).
  13. If you have difficulty breathing in a dream or you snore strongly, inform your doctor as in these cases it is necessary to exclude sleep apnea syndrome (which is a contraindication to the appointment of some sleeping pills: barbiturates and benzodiazepines).

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