Temazepam

What it is used for

• Temazepam capsules are a prescription sleep medicine. Temazepam capsules are used in adults for the short-term (usually 7 to 10 days) treatment of a sleep problem called insomnia. Symptoms of insomnia include trouble falling asleep and waking up often during the night.
• Temazepam capsules are a federal controlled substance (CIV) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep temazepam capsules in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away temazepam capsules may harm others, and is against the law. Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.
• It is not known if temazepam capsules are safe and effective in children.
• It is not known if temazepam capsules are safe and effective for use longer than 2 weeks.

Do not take temazepam capsules if you:

• are allergic to temazepam or any of the ingredients in temazepam capsules. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in temazepam capsules.

Before you take temazepam capsules, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have a history of depression, mental illness or, suicidal thoughts
• have a history of drug or alcohol abuse or addiction
• have lung disease or breathing problems
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Temazepam may cause birth defects or harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding, or plan to breastfeed. Temazepam may pass through your breast milk and may harm your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take temazepam capsules.

Tell your healthcare provider about all of the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Taking temazepam capsules with certain other medicines can cause side effects or affect how well temazepam capsules or the other medicines work. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your healthcare provider.

Do not take temazepam capsules with other medicines that can make you sleepy unless your healthcare provider tells you to.

The most important thing to know

• Temazepam capsules are a benzodiazepine medicine. Taking benzodiazepines with opioid medicines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, breathing problems (respiratory depression), coma and death.
• After taking temazepam capsules, you may get up out of bed while not being fully awake and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. The next morning, you may not remember that you did anything during the night. You have a higher chance for doing these activities if you drink alcohol or take other medicines that make you sleepy with temazepam capsules. Reported activities include:

• driving a car (“sleep-driving”)
• making and eating food
• talking on the phone
• having sex
• sleep-walking

Call your healthcare provider right away if you find out that you have done any of the above activities after taking temazepam capsules.

• Do not take temazepam capsules unless you are able to stay in bed a full night (7 to 8 hours) before you must be active again.
• Do not take more temazepam capsules than prescribed.

How to take it

• Take temazepam capsules exactly as your healthcare providers tell you to take it. Take temazepam capsules right before you get into bed.
• Do not take temazepam capsules unless you are able to get a full night’s sleep before you must be active again.
• If you take too many temazepam capsules or overdose, get emergency treatment right away.

Side effects, and when to stop

Temazepam capsules may cause serious side effects, including:

• Withdrawal symptoms. You may have withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking temazepam capsules suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms can be serious and include seizures shakiness, stomach and muscle cramps, vomiting and sweating. Mild withdrawal symptoms include a depressed mood and trouble sleeping. Talk to your healthcare provider about slowly stopping temazepam capsules to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
• Abnormal thoughts and behavior. Symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts.
• Abuse and dependence. Taking temazepam capsules can cause physical and psychological dependence. Physical and psychological dependence is not the same as drug addiction. Your healthcare provider can tell you more about the differences between physical and psychological dependence and drug addiction.
• Severe allergic reactions. Symptoms include swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing, and nausea and vomiting. Get emergency medical help right away if you have these symptoms after taking temazepam capsules.

The most common side effects of temazepam capsules include:

• drowsiness
• tiredness
• dizziness
• headache
• nervousness
• nausea

You may still feel drowsy the next day after taking temazepam capsules. Do not drive or do other dangerous activities after taking temazepam capsules until you feel fully awake.

These are not all the possible side effects of temazepam capsules. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What to avoid

• Do not drive, operate machinery, do other dangerous activities or do anything that needs you to be alert until you know how temazepam capsules affect you.
• You should not drink alcohol while you are taking temazepam capsules.

Storing it

• Store temazepam capsules between 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
• Keep temazepam capsules and all medicines out of the reach of children.

General information about the safe and effective use of temazepam capsules. Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use temazepam capsules for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give temazepam capsules to other people, even if they have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about temazepam capsules that is written for healthcare professionals. For more information, call Actavis at 1-800-432-8534.