How long do the effects of Temazepam typically last?

Factual Questions
1

I’ve just been prescribed Temazepam for an ongoing insomnia problem. This is the first time I’ve taken such a thing.

I am planning to take the first 10mg this evening, but want to know how long the soporific effects take to wear off, so I can plan what time to take it, in order to be alert when driving to work, and at work. I get up at 7 and am on the road by 8.

The leaflet in the box tells me nothing, and I haven’t been able to find anything online either, apart from Wikipedia which says “The half life of temazepam is 8-22 hours”, which doesn’t really say anything to me.

Anyone got experience with this? How groggy do you feel the next day?

2

Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses lists the duration as 6-8 hours, with a peak time of 2-5 hours. They also list hangover effect as a common side effect and urge caution with driving and other activities requiring alertness until response to medication is known. It also says it may take 3 days to notice improvement in sleep.

Response to medications is highly individual. It can be very hard to predict how any one individual will respond to a given medication.

IANAD, I’m barely even a nurse! (new grad.)

3

On review, Temazepam is AKA Restoril®.

4

Thanks, Cub Mistress. My issue is currently that I sleep for about 3-4 hours, then am irrevocably awake, so I guess if I err on the side of caution, I should take it around 10.30-11pm, so hopefully it peaks at the normal time I wake up, allowing me to sleep on until morning.

5

Have you tried natural remedies, such as Valarian or Melatonin? I used to have to take sleeping pills (for years, actually) but recently switched to natural sleep aids as part of the new, clean me, and they’re actually working.

6

I’ve had melatonin - fucked me up and gave me a panic attack. I have also got some herbal stuff that does jack shit. Hence my seeking a heavy one.

7

Well, good luck then, I hope it works out for you!

I have used Immovane (Ambien) and it was pretty good with very little hangover, however it did give me a horrible metalic taste for the night, made me hungry, and I basically ‘lost’ the time between when I took it and when I went to sleep - I had very, very little memory of between about 8:20 (I took it at 8) and when I went to sleep around 10. And it was pretty addictive.

8

Your doctor knows you a lot better than we do; I’d suggest you ask him or her.

9

Imovane is Zopiclone (Lunesta), not Zolpidem (Ambien). I’ve heard the exact same complaints about Zopiclone from two other people, as well as myself but with the metallic taste not being as “horrible” for me as others described. It definitely put me to sleep, but it had me eating bread with cake frosting on it first. I didn’t remember that until the next morning when I saw a frosting coated spoon on the counter (why did I spread it with a spoon?).