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View Full Version : Be very careful if you are taking Zopiclone!



finikyfinch
14-02-05, 21:30
I once suffered from panic attacks and such, and I was prescribed Zopiclone for sleep. I became very addicted to it, but there is a way out......I was on Zopiclone (7.5mg) for about 2 1/2 years taking 2 pills a night, I figured i could just go off and on them like Pepsi! But I couldn't do it, I needed more and more, I went to all the clinics and doctors to get them. Then finally I went to my Real Family doctor and he put me on a 2 week weaning process which got me down to 1 per night, and then after that I was on none and No withdrawal symptoms. The way that he did this was he prescribed serquel(100mg) per night with the zopiclone, plus 2 amitriptaline(20mg) and all of a sudden within two weeks I was totally off the zopiclone as the Sercquel had taken its place, as well as the Amitriptyline. Now what you may be thinking is I’m just exchanging one drug for another! But that’s not true, because you see Sercquel and Amitriptyline are non addictive drugs, they contain nothing that will trick your brain into wanting more and more, and you still sleep at night eventually whenever you want you can stop taking the Sercquel and Amitriptyline whenever you want, you could take these 2 drugs for a year and have no addiction. That’s just my 2 cents, and it worked for me, may not work for you but at least you can say you tried.

Best regards,
Jason Davies:)

Meg
14-02-05, 22:42
Thanks for sharing Jason- glad you're off it .


Meg
www.overcominganxiety.co.uk
You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance

sal
14-02-05, 23:44
Hi Jason

Well done for getting off it so well. My doctor prescribed it to me but i only ever took one and reading your post im glad i did. She has given me an alternative sleeping tablet but as yet i havent tried it.

Pleased you have done so well.



Lots of Love Sal xxxxx

danielle75
19-03-10, 23:34
hi jason,just read your post,very reasurring that you did so well!i have been on them for 8 years after a b/down and they are evil things like they zap your soul at times!alternatives that you mentioned sounded good ,as you have done so well can you please keep in touch ,as i may have a few questions :O)thankyou,danielle

swissyrolly
08-04-10, 12:15
Well done for coming off it Jason. I'm glad I found your post as I was first prescribed zopiclone over a year ago but only for 1 week and it was fine, it was only as I was very sleep deprived.

But since January I've been prescribed zopiclone again, first of all it was the lower dose of 3.5mg.. for the first month my doctor told me to take 1 a night, and then when my sleep wasn't getting any better she put the dosage up to 7.5mg and I was told only to take one when i was having problems sleeping.
I've been on them now since january and even though the 7.5mg dose started to work at first, I now find it very very hard to sleep without the help of the zopiclone, so my sleep is now worse than it was before i even started taking it! Therefore I'm now taking one every night (although i'm not doubling it up thankfully).

I don't think I'm at the stage where I'm addicted, but I have to fight hard NOT to take one every night as its the easier option than lying in bed for 4hours trying to sleep naturally only to get myself worked up! I can see how easy it is to fall into that trap so thank you for the warning, i'll definitely bear that in mind.


Also... did anyone else get a really horrible metallic taste in their mouth whilst taking zopiclone? It's not done much for my appetite.. it's awful!

loulabella
08-04-10, 12:32
I have Zolpidem for bad nights, which are terrible now I am starting an SSRI. I find they leave no bad taste, a little groggy for half hour or so in AM. But I am using them atm till the SSRI insomnia fades... which I pray to god it will. x

Nicklondon
25-04-18, 13:13
I once suffered from panic attacks and such, and I was prescribed Zopiclone for sleep. I became very addicted to it, but there is a way out......I was on Zopiclone (7.5mg) for about 2 1/2 years taking 2 pills a night, I figured i could just go off and on them like Pepsi! But I couldn't do it, I needed more and more, I went to all the clinics and doctors to get them. Then finally I went to my Real Family doctor and he put me on a 2 week weaning process which got me down to 1 per night, and then after that I was on none and No withdrawal symptoms. The way that he did this was he prescribed serquel(100mg) per night with the zopiclone, plus 2 amitriptaline(20mg) and all of a sudden within two weeks I was totally off the zopiclone as the Sercquel had taken its place, as well as the Amitriptyline. Now what you may be thinking is I’m just exchanging one drug for another! But that’s not true, because you see Sercquel and Amitriptyline are non addictive drugs, they contain nothing that will trick your brain into wanting more and more, and you still sleep at night eventually whenever you want you can stop taking the Sercquel and Amitriptyline whenever you want, you could take these 2 drugs for a year and have no addiction. That’s just my 2 cents, and it worked for me, may not work for you but at least you can say you tried.

Best regards,
Jason Davies:)

Seroquel and amitryptaline are not classed as addictive drugs but the withdrawal symptons are bad so they are addictive.

I am finding Zopiclone useful for Paxil/seroxat withdrawal which has been unbearable.

WiseMonkey
26-04-18, 05:55
Seroquel and amitryptaline are not classed as addictive drugs but the withdrawal symptons are bad so they are addictive.


Lets get this right, I think you have to be careful putting two very different medications together and saying they are addictive.

Seroguel is an anti-psychotic med used for conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, sudden episodes of mania or depression associated with bipolar disorder. It is likely that there would be some dependency and withdrawal symptoms from this medication.

Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant, used for many things besides depression, including nerve pain and IBS. If you are on a high dose it is wise to drop the dosage down before ceasing it. Taken in small doses this medication (as with Doxepin, a cousin to Ami) are very safe and you can easily stop them with no side effects. They are not addictive although I guess people could get emotional hooked on them.

Zopiclone taken wisely (occasionally) is also fine, and great for jet lag. Treating it with respect is what works best with this drug.

Capercrohnj
08-07-18, 00:39
It sounds more like a physical dependency not an addiction. I have been dependent on a few drugs which were very hard to get off because of withdrawal but have not been addicted

Sleepy
08-07-18, 11:17
I have been on Zopiclone for 18 years! Until Feb 2018 I was on 3.75. It gets me to sleep along with my anxiety med, and I never needed to up the dose.

When I had to change my anxiety med in Feb I had to up the dose to 7.5mg. It continues to work and now my escitalopram is working, I plan to decrease back down to 3.25. It has been a lifesaver for me, and though I am undoubtedly addicted, I am still sleeping. Maybe it’s the escitalopram that’s allowing me to sleep now. Either way, it’s all good.

WiseMonkey
09-07-18, 09:01
hi jason,just read your post,very reasurring that you did so well!i have been on them for 8 years after a b/down and they are evil things like they zap your soul at times!alternatives that you mentioned sounded good ,as you have done so well can you please keep in touch ,as i may have a few questions :O)thankyou,danielle

Zopiclone is fine if it's used in a responsible manner. It's only 'evil' if it's abused. This means adhering to the instructions and using it occasionally. Usually people take it for a broken sleep pattern then only half a tablet at night for a few nights. Then take a break for a few weeks. if the patient has anxiety then an antidepressant is the best solution.

Zopiclone is great for using on a long haul flight and also to prevent jet-lag on arrival at the destination.