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Insonmia meds
Hello Doctors,
After trying all meds and techniques, I find only Zolfresh works. None of the othereds are effective, pls suggest what to do. Can Zolfresh be taken on SOS basis. Regards
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Hi, Thanks for reaching out,
Zolfresh (Zolpidem) is a short-acting sedative-hypnotic primarily prescribed for short-term management of insomnia. While occasional SOS (as-needed) use may be considered under medical supervision, regular unsupervised use is discouraged due to the risk of tolerance, dependence, rebound insomnia, and potential neurocognitive side effects.
If you’ve tried multiple medications and techniques without sustained relief, it’s important to reassess the underlying cause of insomnia (e.g., anxiety, depression, poor sleep hygiene, circadian rhythm disorder, or medical conditions). You may benefit from:
1. A structured CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) program
2. Sleep diary monitoring
3. A re-evaluation of other pharmacological options like Ramelteon, low-dose Doxepin, or Melatonin, depending on your sleep architecture
Next Steps
Consult a psychiatrist or sleep specialist for a comprehensive review.
Health Tips
a) Do not combine Zolfresh with alcohol or other CNS depressants
b) Avoid driving or operating machinery after taking the medication
c) Prolonged use may worsen insomnia due to rebound effects
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Before starting Zolfresh we need to assess the need for which sleep is reduced.
Is it because you recently started abstaining from regular alcohol use/is it due to underlying mood issues/is it due to environmental issues.
Next Steps
start with maintaining of good sleep hygiene, look it up online with a reference from a medical journal and you'll get to see those points. Team it up with use of Melatonin syrup 5 ml at night. If these also don't work for a week, you can try Zolfresh, but only up until you can't meet a psychiatrist. Plan a psychiatrist consultation to get to the root of the issue.
Health Tips
Avoid being dependent on hypnotic drugs like zolfresh because later it may get tough for you to be weaned off it.
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Zolfresh is intended for short-term use, typically not exceeding 2–4 weeks, due to the risk of dependence and tolerance. Using it occasionally ("on SOS basis") without medical supervision is not recommended. Even infrequent use can lead to side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and memory impairment. It is advisable to discuss with your psychiatrist even if you are using it on sos basis.
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U can take it as sos but if u are needing it everyday, u make get habitual of it.
Try other sleep hygiene techniques, uf needing regularaly, try decreasing dose on alternate days.
or decrease zolfresh with combining it with melatonin
Next Steps
consult on whatsapp if issues persist for detailed evaluation
Health Tips
Dr Arpita
MD Nimhans ,
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