Patient/caregiver was educated on the precautions to be observed while taking temazepam as follows:
- Follow closely on the expiration date of the medication. If using a pillbox, check the expiration date on the medication container every time you fill the pillbox. If you are taking this medication for longer periods of time, set reminders on your phone, one 10 days ahead, the next a week ahead, and then every day, before you run out of the medication. This helps with securing the refill in time and making arrangements for pick-up at the pharmacy. Also, you can avoid the unpleasant withdrawal response from sudden discontinuation of medication due to running out on the medication.
- Take this medication as ordered by your physician. This medication can induce some nausea and vomiting, when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Therapeutic effects of temazepam taken for relief of insomnia can last for about 8 hours. Temazepam carries the risk of inducing temporary short-term memory loss at the end of these 8 hours. If you have a shorter sleep time in bed for the night, less than the 8 hour duration for which temazepam acts, you could probably experience the symptoms of short-term memory loss and confusion, when you wake up, thus compromising safety and leading to falls and accidents. So, plan to have atleast 8 hours of restful sleep in the night, if you are taking dose of temazepam.
- If your schedule does not permit an eight hour sleep time for the night, you can avoid taking the dose of temazepam. This helps to avoid the risk for confusion and short-term memory loss, during your waking hours the next morning, thus helping to avoid any falls and accidents. Individuals are at risk to perform dangerous activities, such as, driving, without any knowledge or memory of the performance. Report any such behaviors to your physician, for any changes to be considered in plan of care.
