Dear Dr. Hibberd: I love your column and I hope you can offer me some advice. I have been prescribed zolpidem sleeping pills for many years. I don’t feel any the worse for wear taking these tablets. I also take dosulepin for depression. I am a 78 year old woman. Should I try to stop taking the sleeping pills?

Answer:
Any change in medication should be supervised by your treating physician. Dosulepin is an older style (tricyclic) antidepressant. This class of antidepressant has many drug interactions and toxicity concerns that the newer serotonin re-uptake medications do not have. Your sleep induction using zolpidem (Ambien) is clearly one that your doctor has prescribed for you for long-term use which has fallen into disrepute due to reports of memory loss. I do believe it is time to update your medications to more modern drugs, so it is time to see your doctor to ask about newer and safer drugs for long-term use. Do not self-medicate with over-the-counter sleep aids for chronic insomnia, especially when on either of these medications.