Dayvigo (Lemborexant) is used to treat insomnia in people who have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Lemborexant is in a class of medications known as hypnotics. Dayvigo works by slowing activity in the brain to allow sleep.
How should I use Dayvigo (Lemborexant)?
Lemborexant comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken as needed, not more than one time a day, immediately before bedtime. Lemborexant will work faster if it is not taken with a meal or immediately after a meal. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take lemborexant exactly as directed.
You will probably become very sleepy soon after you take lemborexant and will remain sleepy for some time after you take the medication. Plan to go to bed right after you take lemborexant and to stay in bed for at least 7 hours. Do not take lemborexant if you will be unable to go to bed right away and remain asleep for at least 7 hours after taking the medication.
You should be sleeping well within 7 to 10 days after you start taking lemborexant. Call your doctor if your sleep problems do not improve during this time, if they get worse at any time during your treatment, or if you notice any changes in your thoughts or behavior.
Lemborexant may be habit forming. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or take it for a longer period of time than prescribed by your doctor.
What are the side effects of Dayvigo (Lemborexant)?
Lemborexant may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
drowsiness
tiredness
headache
vivid, unusual dreams or nightmares
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking lemborexant and call your doctor immediately:
temporary inability to move or talk while you are going to sleep or waking up (sleep paralysis)
sudden and temporary weakness of legs
new or worsening depression or anxiety
thoughts of suicide, dying, or hurting yourself, or planning or trying to do so
sudden onset of muscle weakness
pounding heartbeat
Lemborexant may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
Please Note
Before you start taking Dayvigo (Lumborexant)
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to lemborexant, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in lemborexant tablets. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: Bosentan (Tracleer); bupropion (Aplenzin, Forfivo, Wellbutrin); carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol, others); clarithromycin; chlorzoxazone; efavirenz (Sustiva, in Atripla, in Symfi); etravirine (Intelence); fluconazole (Diflucan); itraconazole (Onmel, Sporanox, Tolsura); medications for anxiety and pain; methadone (Dolophine, Methadose); modafinil (Provigil); ranitidine (Zantac); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate, in Rifater); sedatives, sleeping pills, and tranquilizers; tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin, imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and verapamil (Calan, Verelan, in Tarka). Your doctor may tell you not to take lemborexant, may need to change the doses of your medications, or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with lemborexant, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John`s wort.
tell your doctor if you have narcolepsy (a condition that causes excessive daytime sleepiness). Your doctor will probably tell you not to take lemborexant.
tell your doctor if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, use or have ever used street drugs, or have overused prescription medications. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression; mental illness; thoughts of harming or killing yourself or trying to do so; a problem with heavy snoring; sleep apnea (condition in which breathing briefly stops many times during the night); other breathing problems or lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema; cataplexy (episodes of muscle weakness that begin suddenly and last for a short time); or liver disease.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking lemborexant, call your doctor.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking lemborexant.
you should know that this medication may cause drowsiness, decreased mental alertness, prolonged reaction time, problems with coordination the day after you take it, blurry or double vision, and may increase the risk that you could fall. Take extra care to be sure you do not fall, especially if you get out of bed in the middle of the night. Your ability to drive or operate machinery the day after you take lemborexant may be impaired even if you feel fully awake. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how lemborexant affects you.
do not drink alcohol during your treatment with lemborexant. Alcohol can make the side effects of lemborexant worse.
you should know that lemborexant has caused serious or possibly life-threatening sleep behaviors. Some people who took lemborexant got out of bed and drove their cars, prepared and ate food, had sex, made phone calls, sleep-walked, or were involved in other activities while not fully awake. After they woke up, these people were unable to remember what they had done. These activities may occur with lemborexant whether or not you drink alcohol or also take other sleep medications. Call your doctor right away if you have ever had an unusual sleep behavior while taking lemborexant.