Ramelteon (Rozerem)

• Ramelteon

Ramelteon is a medicine that is prescribed to treat insomnia in people who have trouble falling asleep. This eMedTV article covers important information on ramelteon, including its effects, dosing guidelines, and possible side effects.

• Ramelteon Side Effects

Common ramelteon side effects may include muscle pain, nausea, and drowsiness. This eMedTV segment also lists serious ramelteon side effects that require medical attention, such as hallucinations, confusion, or aggressive behavior.

• What Is Ramelteon Used For?

What is ramelteon used for? As this eMedTV Web page explains, ramelteon is used for treating insomnia in people who have trouble falling asleep. Ramelteon is not licensed to treat other kinds of insomnia and is not recommended for use in children.

• Ramelteon Dosing

There is one ramelteon dosing used for insomnia treatment: 8 mg taken 30 minutes before bedtime. As this eMedTV article explains, you should be ready for sleep before taking your ramelteon dosing because the medicine works very quickly.

• Drug Interactions With Ramelteon

Alcohol and medicines such as rifampin or fluconazole may cause drug interactions with ramelteon. This eMedTV article describes the problems that may arise from combining medications and lists other drugs that may cause ramelteon interactions.

• Precautions and Warnings With Ramelteon

Ramelteon may affect testosterone and prolactin levels. This eMedTV page provides more precautions and warnings with ramelteon, including possible side effects, existing conditions you should tell your doctor about, and who should not take the drug.

• Generic Ramelteon

Generic ramelteon will not be available until at least 2017, when ramelteon's current patent expires. This eMedTV page provides more details about the drug's patent and explains the difference between a generic name and a generic version of a drug.