Experiences with
Temazepam

Temazepam belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines.

It's used to treat sleeping problems (insomnia).

It can also be taken to help you relax before an operation or other medical or dental treatments. This is known as a pre-med.

It works by increasing the levels of a calming chemical in your brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

It comes as tablets or as a liquid that you swallow.

Temazepam is available on prescription only.

Who can take temazepam

Most adults can take temazepam for sleeping problems.

Adults and young people over the age of 12 years can take it as a pre-med before an operation or procedure.

Who may not be able to take temazepam

Temazepam is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor before starting to take temazepam if you:

have ever had an allergic reaction to temazepam or any other medicine
have myasthenia gravis, a condition that causes muscle weakness
have sleep apnoea, a condition that causes breathing problems when you're asleep
have severe lung or liver problems
have a mental health problem, such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), personality disorder or thoughts of suicide
have acute narrow angle glaucoma, a condition that affects the eye
are trying to get pregnant, are already pregnant or breastfeeding

Dosage and strength

Temazepam comes as 10mg and 20mg tablets. Temazepam liquid contains 10mg of temazepam in each 5ml.

The usual dose of temazepam for sleep problems is 10mg to 20mg, taken once a day.

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe a higher dose of 30mg to 40mg.

If you're over 65 and at risk of falling over, your dose may be lower.

How to take it

You'll usually take temazepam once a day, half an hour before bedtime.

It's important to take it exactly as your doctor has told you. Your doctor may recommend taking it only 2 or 3 nights a week.

Take temazepam tablets or liquid with a drink of water. You can take it with or without food.

Liquid temazepam comes with a plastic syringe or spoon to help you take the right amount. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not measure the right amount.

How long to take it for

You'll usually only take temazepam for a short time, from a few days to 4 weeks.

If you forget to take it

If you forget to take it by bedtime, just skip the missed dose and start again the next night.

If you take too much

Taking more than your prescribed dose of temazepam can be dangerous. It can make you very sleepy, and affect your balance and speech. You could have difficulty breathing, especially if you have taken other medicines or alcohol at the same time.

you take more than your prescribed dose of temazepam

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111

If you need to go to A&E, do not drive. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring the temazepam packet or leaflet inside it, any remaining medicine, and any other medicines you take.

Common side effects

These common side effects of temazepam happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Your doctor may suggest a different medicine or a lower dose.

Try to lie down or sit down until it passes. Do not drive, ride a bike, or use tools or machinery until you feel OK. If the symptoms do not disappear after a few days or get worse, talk to your doctor.

Your doctor may suggest a lower dose. Do not drive, ride a bike or use machinery until you feel better.

If this bothers you, try taking sips of water and keep some water by your bed at night. Using a mouthwash before bedtime may also help. Ask your pharmacist to recommend one that's good for a dry mouth, as some can make a dry mouth worse.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

It happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects when taking temazepam.

Tell a doctor or call 111 straight away if you get any of the following side effects:

the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin (jaundice) – this can be a sign of liver problems
difficulty peeing or peeing less than usual
noticeable heartbeats (palpitations)
changes in the way you feel or act, such as feeling numb or restless, agitated or aggressive or acting inappropriately
you think things that are not true (delusions) or you see or hear things that are not there (hallucinations)
poor co-ordination or weak muscles
slurred speech
memory loss or confusion

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, temazepam may cause a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Meds New IA (H4) - serious allergic reaction

These are not all the side effects of temazepam. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Temazepam and pregnancy

Temazepam is not usually recommended during pregnancy. Some, but not all, studies have linked temazepam to problems with the baby's development. Taking it towards the end of pregnancy may also make your baby drowsy after they're born.

If you become pregnant while taking temazepam, speak to your doctor. They'll want to review your medicine.

You may need to keep taking temazepam during pregnancy to remain well.

Your doctor can explain the risks and the benefits to help you decide which treatment is best for you and your baby.

Temazepam and breastfeeding

If you're having sleeping problems, talk to your doctor or pharmacist as there may be other ways of improving your sleep without taking temazepam.

But if your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take temazepam during breastfeeding. It's better to only take occasional low doses, and only for a short time.

Temazepam passes into breast milk in very small amounts, and it has not been known to cause any side effects in breastfed babies. However, there is a very small risk that it might make your baby sleepy too. It's important not to share a bed with your baby until you have finished taking temazepam.

If you take temazepam while you're breastfeeding and you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, or seems unusually sleepy, or you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible.

Temazepam and fertility

There's no evidence to suggest that taking temazepam reduces fertility in either men or women.

But speak to a pharmacist or your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They will want to review your treatment.

Meds New IA (H2) - Pregnancy non-urgent care card

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines and temazepam can affect each other and increase the chances of you having side effects.

Before you start taking temazepam, tell your doctor if you're taking any of these medicines:

antipsychotics, used to treat mental health problems
antidepressants, used to treat depression
anticonvulsants, used to treat epilepsy
hypnotics, used to treat anxiety or sleep problems
drowsy (sedating) antihistamines, such as chlorphenamine or promethazine
strong painkillers, such as codeine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, pethidine or tramadol
medicine for fungal infections, such as fluconazole
medicines that lower high blood pressure (hypertension), such as ramipril, losartan, atenolol, amlodipine or furosemide
medicine to treat muscle spasms, such as baclofen or tizanidine
cimetidine, used to reduce stomach acid
disulfiram, used to treat alcohol addiction
levodopa, used to treat Parkinson's disease
lofexidine, used to treat drug addiction
theophylline, used to treat asthma
rifampicin, used to treat tuberculosis (TB)
ritonavir, used to treat HIV

Mixing temazepam with herbal remedies or supplements

Do not take any herbal remedies that make you feel sleepy while taking temazepam, as they can increase the side effects of your medicine.

There's not enough information to say that other herbal remedies or supplements are safe to take with temazepam. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

Meds New IA (H2) - Cautions with other medicines alert