Silenor is a sleep medication available only by prescription. It is used to treat people with insomnia who have trouble staying asleep.
Silenor:
- Is approved to treat adults and the elderly who have sleep maintenance insomniaA type of insomnia characterized by difficulty staying asleep and/or early-morning awakenings without being able to return to sleep.1
- Can be used to treat people with chronic sleep maintenance insomnia (insomnia lasting more than three weeks)
- No restriction on duration of use
- Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem
- Can be used to treat people with transient insomniaInsomnia that typically lasts only for a few days. It is frequently the result of an adjustment reaction triggered by events such as travelling across time zones or a change in shift work. (short term)
- Is not a controlled substanceA drug whose general availability is restricted; any one of a number of drugs or other substances which are strictly regulated or outlawed because of their potential for abuse or addiction. Such drugs include those classified as narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and cannabis.2
- Has no abuse potential or evidence of physical dependenceAn altered physical state produced by repeated use of certain drugs; stopping the use of those drugs can result in withdrawal symptoms./
withdrawal symptomsDescribes a group of symptoms that occurs upon abrupt discontinuation/separation or decrease in dosage of the intake of medications, recreational drugs, and/or alcohol. In order to experience the symptoms of withdrawal, one must have first developed a physical dependence.2
- Has no abuse potential or evidence of physical dependenceAn altered physical state produced by repeated use of certain drugs; stopping the use of those drugs can result in withdrawal symptoms./
- Patients in clinical trials reported a low rate of side effects
- Drowsiness or tiredness was the most common side effect
- Has no evidence of rebound insomniaWorsening insomnia symptoms upon discontinuation.1,2
- Is only available in 3 mg and 6 mg tablets. The total daily dose should not exceed 6 mg. If you are taking Tagamet® (cimetidine), the total daily dose should not exceed 3 mg.
- Should be taken within 30 minutes of bedtime. For faster onset and to minimize the potential for next-day effects, Silenor should not be taken within 3 hours of a meal
Ask for Silenor by name. There is no generic Silenor.
For more information, please visit www.silenor.com.
References:
- Data on file, Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Silenor prescribing information. Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., March 2010.
Silenor is a prescription sleep medicine that is used to treat people with insomnia who have trouble staying asleep.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem.
Be sure that you are able to devote 7 to 8 hours to sleep before being active again. Silenor should be taken within 30 minutes of bedtime. Do not take with alcohol or with other medicines that can make you sleepy. If you are on a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or have taken a MAOI within the past two weeks, you should not take Silenor. You should not take Silenor if you have an eye problem called narrow angle glaucoma that is not being treated, if you have severe urinary retention, or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in Silenor. You should not drive or operate machinery at night after taking Silenor. Until you know how you will react to Silenor, you should be careful in performing such activities during the day following taking Silenor. Before you take Silenor, tell your doctor if you have a history of depression, mental illness or suicidal thoughts. You should call your doctor right away if after taking Silenor you walk, drive, eat or engage in other activities while asleep. Drowsiness is the most common adverse event observed in clinical trials. For more information, please see the complete Prescribing Information, including the Medication Guide.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
The product information provided in this site is intended only for residents of the United States. The health information contained herein is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace discussions with a healthcare provider. All decisions regarding patient care must be made with a healthcare provider, considering the unique characteristics of the patient.
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