Zopiclone

I am suffering from rather bad anxiety at the moment and not getting any sleep. My doctor perscribed these sleeping pills 7.5 mg Zopiclone and they have worked wonders for the 3 nights I have taken them (with a break of one sleeless night). (soon as I put my head down it's morning). Too good to be true I say!!!!!! I was told by the doctor they were non addicitve and now I've been doing some searching the internet and getting conflicting answers. I don't want to get addicted to them but need to take 1 a night at the moment. I have enough for a month. Has anyone had experinece of these or any advice??? Should I dare not take them for a couple of nights and suffer the adrnalin instead.

Tulip

i also take these tablets and was told they have less negative side-effects than temazepam etc but should only be taken 3 times a week max and never more than a couple of nights in a row because then they're not as effective. however i have also found conflicting views on the internet so i just take them when my anxiety is at a real high and i have to get up for something important. some nights i can stay awake for hours feeling completely calm and other nights i can't stand being away so only take one when i feel i can't cope without sleeping. hope this helps!

sally xxx

hi,
i have a friend who has been on them 4 years or more,started off on 7.5mg but now he needs twice that amount to get some sleep.his gp has changed and the new one is now trying to get him off them as they are addictive regardless of what people may say,they are very similar to benzos and we all know what gps think about them he has tried to cut down to 1 tab but had no sleep as he was used to 2,
my advice for what its worth is only use them half the week and try and use alternative methods the rest of the week.
luckily i dont suffer from the troubles of trying to get off to sleep,but from what my friend has said if he dosent take anything he just wont sleep simple as that.
so i guess it all boils down to quality of life-if u need something to get you to sleep then you need it dont beat yourself up over it.
we are all different and need different doses for same effects.
i wish u well

pedro....

p.s here is a chart for eqivalent benzos strength..zopiclone is at very bottom..... http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha01.htm

Hi,

I've been on them for 3 years, and yes I think they are addictive (I certainly can't sleep without them). I started on 15, shifted down to 7.5, and over the last year I've been trying to come down further (currently on 3.75). It means putting up with lousy sleep, but it's better than none.

Has anybody warned you not to take alcohol with them? There are no side affects that I know of (I drink regularly), but alcohol seems to negate any effect you will get off them (you might as well not take them if you are drinking) - I'm not the only person that's noticed this. I always make sure I have sobered up well before bedtime which is not so good with social drinking.

With any of these drugs, I'd recommend taking them as infrequently as possible unless it's something that has to build up in your system (like most anti-depressants).

John

I think my doctor will let me take them for a month and review it. Its not a long tern solution. Just to help me get past this bad patch. We'll see.

Tulip