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What is zaleplon?
Zaleplon is a sedative, also called a hypnotic. It affects chemicals in your brain that may become unbalanced and cause sleep problems (insomnia). Zaleplon is used to treat insomnia. This medication causes relaxation to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Zaleplon may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of zaleplon?

Zaleplon may cause a severe allergic reaction. Stop taking zaleplon and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using zaleplon and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• aggression, agitation, changes in behavior;

• thoughts of hurting yourself; or

• hallucinations (hearing or seeing things).

Less serious side effects may include:

• day-time drowsiness, dizziness, "hangover" feeling;

• problems with memory or concentration;

• numbness or tingling;

• anxiety, depression, nervous feeling;

• problems with vision;

• headache;

• nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, constipation;

• dry mouth;

• increased menstrual pain (cramps);

• back pain, joint or muscle pain; or

• mild skin rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take zaleplon?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Take zaleplon only if you are able to get a full night's sleep before you must be active again. Never take this medication during your normal waking hours, unless you have at least 4 hours to dedicate to sleeping. Take zaleplon with a full glass of water. Avoid taking zaleplon within 1 hour after eating a high-fat or heavy meal. This will make it harder for your body to absorb the medication.

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What is the most important information I should know about zaleplon?
Zaleplon may cause a severe allergic reaction. Stop taking zaleplon and get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Zaleplon will make you fall asleep. Never take this medication during your normal waking hours, unless you have at least 4 hours to dedicate to sleeping. Some people using this medicine have engaged in activity such as driving, eating, or making phone calls and later having no memory of the activity. If this happens to you, stop taking zaleplon and talk with your doctor about another treatment for your sleep disorder.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Since zaleplon is usually taken as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. Never take this medication if you do not have at least 4 hours to sleep before being active again. Do not take extra medicine to make up a missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect zaleplon?
Before taking zaleplon, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs: cimetidine (Tagamet); thioridazine (Mellaril); promethazine (Phenergan, Promacot); cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane); antibiotics such as azithromycin (Zithromax), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Erythrocin), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral); antidepressants such as imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), or sertraline (Zoloft); or

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Zaleplon has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have revealed evidence of reduced pre and postnatal growth. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Zaleplon should only be given during pregnancy when benefits outweigh risks.

Zaleplon is excreted into human milk in small amounts. Because small amounts of the drug in the breast milk may result in potentially significant concentrations in an infant and because the effects of zaleplon on nursing infants have not been reported, zaleplon should be considered contraindicated during breast-feeding.

The highest amount excreted has been reported approximately one hour after ingestion of zaleplon.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Hypersensitivity to zaleplon or any ingredient in the formulation.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include sleepiness, confusion, shallow breathing, feeling light-headed, fainting, or coma.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking zaleplon?
Zaleplon will make you fall asleep. Never take this medication during your normal waking hours, unless you have at least 4 hours to dedicate to sleeping. Some people using this medicine have engaged in activity such as driving, eating, or making phone calls and later having no memory of the activity. If this happens to you, stop taking zaleplon and talk with your doctor about another treatment for your sleep disorder. Do not use this medication if you are allergic to zaleplon.

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
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