What are the risks of taking zolpidem (Sublinox) long-term other than addiction?

Question

I am taking several medications related to ADD (bupropion XL 300 die and Aderall 15mg die) and I am wondering about the long-term risks... My psychiatrist had prescribed zolpidem as a substitute for quetiapine for sleep, because the latter was giving me adverse effects the next day. We agreed that it was better to take it and manage withdrawal later than to jeopardize my sleep. As a teacher, I can't afford to have an adjustment period because of my daily responsibility to the students. So summer is about the only time that is appropriate for a withdrawal... I've been taking zolpidem almost every night for over a year now and I'm worried about the long-term effects on cognition... Can it leave any after-effects? Also, I wonder if taking my medication for a very long time could have consequences if I have a child one day... Will he/she be more at risk of developing mental health problems?

Alexandre Chagnon · Accepted Answer

Hello Ma'am, Let's start with the risk to your unborn child. You should know that it is very unlikely that taking a medication before pregnancy will affect her health. As for the risk of taking a medication during pregnancy (which is not the case right now), yes taking medication to help sleep can affect her health. It is therefore very good that you think about withdrawal before this future period. As for the risk on your abilities, know that it is real, but very difficult to define precisely. There is some evidence that taking this drug can affect memory and other aspects of cognition (see next article: https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.acces.bibl.ulaval.ca/pubmed/24931450). Bref, very good idea to want to stop this drug. To replace it, talk with your doctor about cognitive behavioral therapy, which is increasingly available through some technology providers. Good evening, Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist