Zoplicone withdrawal

[Hemps]

Hi I am currently reducing my zoplicone by a quarter each week. Was taking 7.5 mg initially.

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced withdrawal effects from this?

I am finding my anxiety is a lot worse and I am having weird dreams.

Appreciate any feedback.

Been taking zoplicone everynight for about 2 years.

[MyNameIsTerry]

There might be some stuff about it in this thread as he was also withdrawing and he's often about so I'm sure he will comment on your thread soon:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=160001

I took it for about a month nightly and only found out I should have been taking it on alternating nights when the Crisis team did a follow up! A big thanks to my GP there then! I found it messed my sleep up even at that point and it seemed to take 2-3 months to right it, although some of it was due to starting Citalopram as well which caused me insomnia. I remember feeling quite weak and very tired in the mornings too for about a week when I had been on Zopiclone for a couple of weeks. It would take me hours to get out of bed, I didn't feel like I had the strength to roll over!

[Hemps]

Hi thanks for your reply. I am finally off the Zoplicone. I have had a hard couple of months. Withdrew off Diazepam first and now the Zoplicone. My phyiscatrist said this morning it will take a while for my body to adjust to these drugs no longer being in my body. To help me get off these drugs he gave me quetapine. He assures me that I will soon be feeling a lot better. I really hope so.

[SADnomore]

Oh, big, big congrats, Paula!! :hugs:You were right to do it in that order! I couldn't seem to get off them, although I sometimes took only half a pill. I did a straight switch on Thursday to trazodone and it is working for me for sleep, and it may be doing a job on my anxiety as well. Nothing like the zonk I'd feel with the zop, which is a hypnotic. Traz does take a good long while to work, but I feel so calm just lying there, doing the relaxation breathing and relaxing my body slowly from the feet up. Nice, really.

I find I am actually awake much earlier despite the slow onset, and no longer have the overwhelming weakness and tiredness in the mornings, that Terry described. I have weird dreams but then I have since I started the venlaxafine, so I don't let them bother me too much.

Zopiclone is well known to contribute to depression, I'm sure that's why I feel better in the daytime now already! I know it took me a few months to heal my nervous system after getting off diazepam, but I did it, so I know you will too Paula! Let's just keep putting one foot in front of the other, hun, we are on the right road now :D

[Hemps]

Hi Marie

I am glad to hear you are off the Zoplicone as well. I am feeling a lot better and very relieved that I am now off these drugs. I am a little bit annoyed that these drugs having been causing me a lot of extra anxiety, but I think when live with constant anxiety it is hard to think outside of the square. (if that makes sense) I wish I had done this ages ago. Feel I have wasted a lot of time in a dark pit. Still got a long way to go, but I am now feeling really confident my anxiety will get better and I can live a happy and healthy life, but I will never go off my antidepressant again by myself. I happy to take these for the rest of my life if need be.

Summer must be just around the corner for you Marie. Hope you survived the winter okay. We are just heading into winter here. Kind of looking forward to it as it has been a hot summer for us, lots of hot nights and children not sleeping.

Keep up the good work.

Paula

[dlou84]

Been on zop every night for about 8 years now, from 3.75-7.5 upto 15/22.5/30mg

Steady on around 7.5 now it's very habit forming if not physically, I need it to "switch off"

[SarahH]

Ive been on Zopiclone for 15 years!!! I have a sleep disorder (from PTSD). I take 7.5mgs a night. Psychiatrists/GPs believe its the lesser of two evils for me. If I don't sleep my PTSD gets worse which leads to depression... then a psych unit:D.(again).

If possible no-one should take this drug for more than 2 weeks as it is habit forming. I have a "dependency" (according to my Drs) which is not the same as "addiction". I rely on it for sleep. I know that sounds like the same thing but apparently it isn't.

I am sure it makes my anxiety worse sometimes but I have no choice now unless some one comes up with a new drug to get me off them that I don't have an allergist reaction to.:wacko:

Sarah