Topic: Insomnia

Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn is the spokesperson for Quviviq, a new FDA-approved insomnia medication for adults. The drug targets "overactive wake signals" in the brain to help patients fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. However, the advertisement lists numerous severe side effects, including sleep-walking, sleep-driving, hallucinations, and temporary inability to move or talk while waking up.

Roseanne Barr's claim that her controversial tweets were the result of taking Ambien prompted a public rebuttal from the drug's manufacturer, Sanofi, stating that racism is not a known side effect. The hosts review the actual clinical side effects of the sedative, including sleepwalking, memory loss, and "emotional blunting."

The sleep medication Belsomra is criticized for its extensive list of dangerous side effects, including sleep-driving, hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. As an orexin receptor antagonist, the drug carries warnings about worsening depression and suicide risk. The hosts suggest that legal disclaimers for such psychotropic drugs should explicitly warn against operating firearms while under their influence.

A commercial for Intermezzo, a low-dose zolpidem sleep aid designed for middle-of-the-night waking, is analyzed for its extensive list of dangerous side effects. These include fatal allergic reactions, "sleep-driving," hallucinations, and increased suicide risk in depressed patients. The hosts suggest that waking up early should be used for productivity rather than medicated back to sleep.

The sleeping pill Belsomra is critiqued for its bizarre advertising featuring a "boneless cat" and its extensive list of dangerous side effects. The drug targets "wake messages" in the brain but can cause hallucinations, sleepwalking, and temporary paralysis. The hosts compare the drug's name to "Soma" from Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.

Intermezzo is a new prescription sleep aid designed for middle-of-the-night insomnia. The drug's extensive list of potential side effects, including hallucinations and "sleep-eating," is reviewed and ridiculed.

Listener emails describe harrowing experiences with the smoking cessation drug Chantix, including extreme insomnia, vivid dreams, and "zombie-like" behavior. One account details an uncle who disappeared and wandered the city in a confused state while on the medication. The hosts question why the drug remains on the market given its potential to cause psychological breaks.