MEDICATION GUIDE

Zolpidem Tartrate Extended-Release Tablets, USP C-IV

Read the Medication Guide that comes with zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets before you start taking it and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This Medication Guide does not take the place of talking to your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.

What is the most important information I should know about zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets?

After taking zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets, 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 zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets. Reported activities include:

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

Call your doctor right away if you find out that you have done any of the above activities after taking zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets.

Important:

1. Take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets exactly as prescribed

• Do not take more zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets than prescribed.
  
• Take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets right before you get in bed, not sooner.

2. Do not take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets if you:

• drink alcohol
  
• take other medicines that can make you sleepy. Talk to your doctor about all of your medicines. Your doctor will tell you if you can take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets with your other medicines.
  
• cannot get a full night’s sleep

What are zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets?

Zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets are a sedative-hypnotic (sleep) medicine. Zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets are used in adults for the treatment of a sleep problem called insomnia. Symptoms of insomnia include:

• trouble falling asleep
  
• waking up often during the night

Zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets are not for children.

Zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets are a federally controlled substance (C-IV) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets may harm others, and is against the law. Tell your doctor if you have ever abused or have been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.

Who should not take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets?

Do not take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets if you are allergic to anything in it. See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets.

Zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets may not be right for you. Before starting zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets, tell your doctor about all of your health 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 kidney or liver disease
  
• have a lung disease or breathing problems
  
• are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Medicines can interact with each other, sometimes causing serious side effects. Do not take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets with other medicines that can make you sleepy.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist each time you get a new medicine.

How should I take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets?

• Take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets exactly as prescribed. Do not take more zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets than prescribed for you.
  
• Take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets right before you get into bed.
  
• Do not take zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets unless you are able to stay in bed a full night (7 to 8 hours) before you must be active again.
  
• Swallow zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets whole. Do not chew or break the tablets. Tell your doctor if you cannot swallow tablets whole.
  
• For faster sleep onset, zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets should NOT be taken with or immediately after a meal.
  
• Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problems.
  
• If you take too much zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets or overdose, call your doctor or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment.

What are the possible side effects of zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets?

Serious side effects of zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets include:

• getting out of bed while not being fully awake and do an activity that you do not know you are doing. (See “What is the most important information I should know about zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets?)
  
• abnormal thoughts and behavior. Symptoms include more outgoing or aggressive behavior than normal, confusion, agitation, hallucinations, worsening of depression, and suicidal thoughts or actions.
  
• memory loss
  
• anxiety
  
• severe allergic reactions. Symptoms include swelling of the tongue or throat, trouble breathing, and nausea and vomiting. Get emergency medical help if you get these symptoms after taking zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets.

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the above side effects or any other side effects that worry you while using zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets.

The most common side effects of zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets are:

• headache
  
• sleepiness
  
• dizziness
  
• You may still feel drowsy the next day after taking zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets. Do not drive or do other dangerous activities after taking zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets until you feel fully awake.

After you stop taking a sleep medicine, you may have symptoms for 1 to 2 days such as: trouble sleeping, nausea, flushing, lightheadedness, uncontrolled crying, vomiting, stomach cramps, panic attack, nervousness, and stomach area pain.

These are not all the side effects of zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How should I store zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets?

• Store zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets at 20°-25° C (68°-77° F). 
  
• Keep zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets and all medicines out of reach of children.

General Information about zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets

• Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide.
  
• Do not use zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets for a condition for which it was not prescribed.
  
• Do not share zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets with other people, even if you think they have the same symptoms that you have. It may harm them and it is against the law.

This Medication Guide summarizes the most important information about zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets. If you would like more information, talk with your doctor. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets that is written for healthcare professionals. For more information about zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets, call 1-800-272-5525 or visit www.watson.com.

What are the ingredients in zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets?

Active Ingredient: Zolpidem tartrate

Inactive Ingredients: The 6.25 mg tablets contain: anhydrous lactose, colloidal silicon dioxide, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate – butylmethacrylate – methyl methacrylate copolymer, FD& C Blue #1, FD&C Blue #2, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, iron oxide black, iron oxide yellow, magnesium stearate, methacrylic acid copolymer type C, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate, propylene glycol, sodium bicarbonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, titanium dioxide and triethyl citrate. The 12.5 mg tablets contain: anhydrous lactose, colloidal silicon dioxide, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate – butylmethacrylate – methyl methacrylate copolymer, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, iron oxide black, magnesium stearate, methacrylic acid copolymer type C, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate, propylene glycol, sodium bicarbonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, talc, titanium dioxide and, triethyl citrate.

Rx only

This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Manufactured by:
Watson Laboratories, Inc.
Corona, CA 92880 USA

Distributed by: 
Watson Pharma, Inc.
Parsippany, NJ 07054

Issued: September 2012                                                                                                    173824