zopiclone sleeping tablets

[skiteacher]

I have been using sleeping tablets on and off through my current anxiety / depression phase. Mailny because it's the nights that are the worst, being on my own, memories of having panic attacks at night in past, depression. I now generally only take 10mg, only 20mg when I really want to escape and be 'knocked' out.
I came off anti-depressants a month ago and know that I need to come off the sleeping tablets, I know they probably only have a psycological effect but it's so hard.
I've had a really crap time for the last 18months, culminating in me leaving my job last week and it's the depression and lonelinesses that is the hardest, I've not really been anxious at all since coming off the antidepressants. Everyday I say to myself i'm not going to take a sleeping tablet tonight, but then as it gets to the evening the depression and loneliness kicks in and I just don't want to be with myself. I am trying to do more to relax and be ready for sleep but I can wait for sleep to come. Sleeping during the day is not a problem at all (I do try not to do this) The mian problem when I was at school was that I needed to get a night's sleep to be able to teach the next day, which I don't have that now, but now I just don't want to be with myself.
Bit of a ramble.

[Karen]

Hi Skiteacher

I can understand the feeling of wanting to sleep to escape from these feelings, particularly when on your own.

Try cutting down gradually rather than stopping the Zopiclone suddenly. I am taking this medication too and find it impossible to sleep without it at present. But I haven't made a sustained effort to come off it properly.

These posts may help:

Sleep help
Sleep zzzzz (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5413)
insomnia, insomnia, insomnia etc.... (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6002)
Sleep problems (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6260)
HELP! Problems with sleeping. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7144)

Zopiclone
Zopiclone...anyone come off successfully? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3234)


Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey

[chop]

You are on a non benzo sleep pill so that is good. Most people in studies do not get withdrawls so that is also good. Dependence upon the drug is also low compared to other drugs. Your sleep pill is short acting. All good things!

You might find it hard to sleep without out it - side effect I guess from use but I can explain a few things about this with soem clarification of the following things below.

I know there are a lot of people who find it hard to get off these pills and get "addicted" as such. some people get addicted to cheese too for example. Overall, it is not normally a problem (but some will have probs). I have researched this thoroughly as I am on a similar med.

I am NOT saying people dont get problems as they do for sure but you normally only read the bad things and people only post the bad things. Not often someone would post "hey I tried a sleep tab for 3 months and it worked great and just wanted to let everyone know I came off them so easy"....

Can I ask why you say you need to stop the sleep pills?

also, why did you come off the anti depressants?

i know where you are coming from (apart from the stopping all the meds)

I am only asking as I am in/have been in the same situation and might be able to help.

There are a million stories of people on valium say who are on it for years on high doses and cant get off it because of withdrawls and addictions but there are many many many many more millions who have no probs at all.

I am not advocating to take sleep pills or start them etc but trying to clarify a few myths.

If you dont need soemthing, then dont take it but please calrify those things above and reply. I hope I can help. Sleep pills scared me - they no longer do due to knowledge.

Cheers
Chop

Learning to under react

[florence]

Hi Skiteacher

I ve been on zopiclone for quite a while before, I know how difficult it is to stop them, but I finally did it.
Here is what I wrote in a past post :



<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">I took zopiclone for about 8 months and became addicted....I tried to wean but was too difficult, so i decided to stop it suddenly, which gave me horrid withdrawal effects.
The best thing for me was to take diazepam instead with equivalent dosage (6 mg when i started) , and now I am on 2 mg, so I guess I am doing well so far.
If you need any advice about tranquilizers and sleeping pills and informations about weaning off, then try this website , it has helped me a lot. www.benzo.org.uk
Zopiclone is not a benzodiazepine but works in a very similar way, by enhancing the actions of the neurotransmitter GABA .
I wish you all the best.</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

I dont take diazepam regularly anymore, but I ve been having a blip lately, so I take some benzodiazepine only when needed, which is much better than the situation I was in before.
If I can do it, so can you!
Good luck.

Florence.

*** Worry gives a small thing a big shadow.***

[skiteacher]

Thank you all, I have been sleeping tablet free for various periods during the last 2 years (my current anxiety period) so i know it is possible. I'm fairly sure it's effect mainly psycological, they certainly don't have as much effect as they used to and i'm on a lower dose but even the higher dose doesn't knock me out for the whole night, but it's the getting off to sleep that is the issue anyway and I think they still help with that, even if only psycologically.
The reason why I want to come off, because I want to be better, I want to be drug free, I don't want the horrid taste in my mouth the next morning. Because the doctors say every time I get a new prescription that I should try and make this the last. But it's food for thought to think a bout why. My doctor was more understanding this time about how I feel at night and being on my own (I used to get off fine when I had a boyf about)
I feel calmer tonight and so the plan tonight is to take it as a go to bed, so pyscologically there but maybe will have actaully gone to sleep naturally before it kicks in? Don't know my just be my own little theory but there's a big fight going on inside my head, jsut wanting to take them and wanting to be able to get off to sleep naturally.

[florence]

Hi Skiteacher


<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">they certainly don't have as much effect as they used to and i'm on a lower dose but even the higher dose doesn't knock me out for the whole night,</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

Usually its a sign of dependence, the longer you take them, the less effective they ll become, I went thru that too... but you re right also by saying it could be psychological, like" hmm i ll take one tonight, so i ll sleep alright" its a type of self reassurance , isnt it?
Theres a possibility that you became addicted too, trust me, I took them for 8 months, and it was hell to stop them , it took me ages to get where I am now.
So, from all my heart.. I do wish you the best, and if theres anything I can do to help, let me know.
Sincerely.


Florence.

*** Worry gives a small thing a big shadow.***

[chop]

I will agree and say there is a chance of addiction, although slim. some people do yes. Many dont. I do feel sorry for the ones who have a hard time coming off them.

Tolerance is built up very fast and you need more and more of a normal sleep pill like a benzo.

However, the pill ur talking about is a non benzo with similar qualities. (good thing) Tolerance normally builds up a lot slower as it only works on the omega 1 receptor unlike benzos which act on 1 2 and 3 receptors.
If you take more than the reccommended dose, then chances of addiction and withdrawl are HIGHer (had to add that)

I agree with florence in the way that I used to think. oh a sleep pill will help me sleep.(and they do at times) but I could be given sugar sometimes and not know it and sleep. A lot psychological too.

Cheers
Chop

Learning to under react

[skiteacher]

Well it's been a while since I've posted or even looked on here, been away but also not been feeling very happy so been hiding.
But last night I had a night without a sleeping pill. It was an awlful night's sleep, up to about 2am I was having bad dreams and in and out of sleep. I think after that I slept better (wasn't aware of being awake!) I have felt crap today but then at the moment I do most of the time anyway.
Not taking a pill was rather forced on me as my doctor is only giving 10 pills in a 2 week period as of this week. So days when I know I don't need to fully function (e.g. not working) i'm going to try without. But it is really hard, esepcially now after the horrid experience last night. And the fact that depression is really getting me down at the moment and I generally feel physcially crap.
It wasn't this hard last time I came off them, but I wasn't depressed I wasn't feeling physically crap and at weekends my boyfriend was about so I wasn't lonely. I jsut want my life to be better then I might feel a lot happier, then I think it will be easier, certainy wouldn't be having horrid dreams (most of them are about teaching)
So, going to yoga later and i'm going to take a pill tonight as I need to function tomorrow, then my aim is to try without again on sat night.
Let you know how it goes. Thank you

[skiteacher]

An update, I had an excellent day yesterday, first out helping on a duke of edinburgh expedition walk, then going to Aussie Pink Floyd concert (who were absolutely excellent) THerefore, aprehensively I tried again without a tablet. I just kept say that if I wasn't asleep in an hour then i'd take a pill. Well I did it, I didn't fully drop off until about 2am again and before that in and out and funny dreams (though not as horrid) There were time when I thought, why am I trying to do this when there is so much going on, i'm trying to start out in supply teaching which is scaring me, I'm dealing with an injured back and low from depression. at one point I had it all worked out what to say to the doctor, that i wasn't ready and wanted to wait until I was feeling better - but I guess I must have fallen off to sleep.
So, two nights without, I feel i've done well.

[nicedays]

Hi

All night medication to help you sleep will only work short term if you use it all the time it will not work,

All night sedation is additive also in many ways

Olanzapine is a good tablet to take at nigh short term 3-4 days at a time in a small dose 5mg nocte ( at night) works well for most people.

I hope your sleep improves.

[8D]

[DaveEd]

Thank you, Skiteacher.
Just read your letter whilst Googling Zopiclone.
I have been on Cipralex, Diazepam and Zopiclone (had a bit of a bad time lately - widowed and redundancy).
I was just about to ask for more Zopiclone until I read your article and the return ones you received.
I will try altering the time I take the Diazepam.
Thank you
DaveEd (David)
PS
It's the feeling of loneliness, especially at night, that's the worst part for me