Zopiclone withdrawal?

[Karen]

Thanks for that information Jim.

I might ask my doctor about Lunesta as I'm still having problems sleeping and I'd rather be taking something that's prescribed if my doctor is willing to give me something. I beat myself up so much that I've ended up dependent on buying sleeping pills. I feel so worthless. I hate myself so much.

I hope your doctor can help you and you find something to resolve your insomnia.

Karen xx

[joy]

So Jim the Trazadone isnt doing it for you? Didnt for me either

Love Joy

[Jimbo]

Nope Joy, the Trazodone worked for about 2 days, now it's doing absolutely nothing for me.

Jim

[john123]

I know this sounds strange, but i think it's a great feeling coming off them via cold turkey, also you can feel all your senses coming back which were smothered for so long by the zopiclone and also get really vivid dreams and go through a whole roller coaster of emotions, which if you just embrace rather than panic over, are actually quite fun.
If you are really determined to come off these then you will be able to do it.
It's not anywhere near as hard (if you're determined and really want to come off them) as some people try and make it out to be, nor is it dangerous as many docters have no problems making people withdraw this way.
Just make sure you do it at a time when you have a few days were you are not doing anything, so you can get over the worst of it on your own in the house.
I thought it was a wonderful feeling (was on two 7.5 mg tablets a day for years), just watch a few movies (you'll enjoy them better as the zopiclone's/zimmovane dampen down your brain activity and you can feel all this coming back) and have a few cups of tea etc and after the first few days the worst will be over.
It's the way you think about it is the key, just embrace all the withdrawal symptoms and look on them as the nasty zopiclone finally getting flushed out of your system once and for all.
Oh, and don't read all the horror stories and threads on the internet when you are withdrawing cold turkey, reading all that stuff will just make you wanna give up, reading comments like that is extremely detrimental to your efforts, just do it and don't look back.

[ijustagirl]

im on trazadone 150mg and zopiclone each night and i still cant sleep, the doctor wont up my dose as she says the trazadone will help..hmmmmmm...i hope we all find something that would help us sleep ...mine is pts and pain which causes insomnia..hope things improve for you

[dyluk]

I have been on zopiclone 15mg every night with 2mg loratemazepam and 100mg nozinan, and also sometimes they swap me over to zolpidem 10mg when zopiclone doesnt work. i have schizophrenia so it used to help me get some rest from voices 24/7. I used to be on anti pyschotics and anti depressants also which caused me alot of weight gain. I stopped them 4 months ago, with only minor side effects. I am struggling for the last 8 days as the zopiclone isnt working anymore. So i resorted to drinking every night which seems to knock me out a bit, but gaining weight and feel crap all day long.
Whenever I have tried to come off zopiclone before,I went 8 days with no sleep and ended up suicidal in A&E and cutting my arms to pieces.
I have lost 2 stone, but the drink will gain weight and also drain me so I am in a cycle that I really want to get out of.
My doctor is really crap and gives me no support, my psychiatrist prescribes the drugs to keep me stable- which up until 8 days ago I was pretty much and started college. Now I am in a right mess again and at a a loss.
I have had drug and drink addictions in the past and I know sleeping pills are the same- just cant seem to cope with no sleep.
I was told that it can take up to 4 months of feeling really rough coming off them, by another pyschiatrist at a detox clinic, so am debating to just do that and try and get off them.
Will let you know- I suffer from eating problems too, anxiety, PTSD, voices,self harming,paranoia and bad thought patterns so I think they will just probably amplify with withdrawl....and hopefully they will pass

[AlexD]

Triptophan is meant to help you sleep. It is a mineral

[Ibelieveinfairies]

Hi, I am new to the site- I registered because of your story below.
I really know what you're going through. My insomnia started a year ago due to a flare up of depression and anxiety. I tried zopiclone, zolpidem and temazepam but my symptoms were so bad that I was completely resistant to them. I wrnt for about 8weeks getting 1-2hrs sleep a night and it started to consume me. I tried all the over the counter remedies, homeopathy...you name it. After a few weeks being on an antidepressant, I trialled zopiclone again and this time I managed to get a few hours sleep a night.
After a while, I built up a resistance and so was started on quetiapine...I was so desperate to sleep that I agreed and that night, took a tablet and woke up 14hours. I was elated and thought my problem was sorted! But after six months of suffering with a dry mouth, palpitations, dry skin, constipation, muscle jerks and weight gain of 4stone! I decided to come off them because they were doing more harm than good. I weaned off them, whilst taking 7.5mg zopiclone/night - I was feeling amazing...more energy, motivation, the weight was beginning to come off...but then when I withdrew the quetiapine fully I suffered with nausea, headache and sickness, as well as itching all over, for 5 days!
I am now back on zopiclone, after having to wean off quetiapine a bit more slowly but seem completely resistant to it.
I understand your concerns about taking tablets for sleep that may cause weight - I had them too because I have an eating disorder too. It definitely solved sleep but has given me more problems than I started with.
Sleep is the one thing I want to sort. I am now trying hypnotherapy - it's very good for teaching relaxation techniques.
In my professional and personal experiences - I think the insnia is generally linked to underlying problems -anxiety and depression for me...but could've anything for others...stress, eating disorder etc.
The thing that worries me is that going to bed has now become a MASSIVE issue for me - will I sleep?won't I? I get stressed about it before even going to bed and I think that it a large part of my insomnia too.
My plan is to carry on the hypnotherapy, stick to the zopiclone for now and gradually taper my dose.
It's easy to feel like you are out of options - but as a dr, I know there are different medications to try, different combinations...tailored for you.
I have only fallen asleep in the past year with no medication on three occasions -for 2hrs each time. But those 2hrs were more refreshing than 12hpurs from zopiclone or quetiapine.
So, I am staying positive and really believe that one night, when I least expect it, I will sleep. Because I'm sure as hell not going to live like this for the rest of my life!!!
I hope there was something helpful in there? It is nice to know other people are going through the same thing. If you have read this, thank you. Feels better to get it off my chest x

---------- Post added at 03:39 ---------- Previous post was at 03:28 ----------

Hey,
I posted some stuff below. New to this.
I just checked and lunesta (eszopiclone) is not licenced in the uk to prescribe xx

[Jford41]

Hi I was on zopiclone and I was taking over 100 a month.
I was slurring my words, it's almost like a date rape drug cause the
next day I did not remember a thing. They would say what I did and
said and I point blank said no way but later I slowly remembered. My
case was a bit worse, I became so addicted I started taking during days.
I am now on diazepam to take over I had to put myself in rehab went through he'll
had a relapse recently but am on track again and am slowly getting better. Am also
on methadone so mine was severe but I'm getting there. Don't help that you
can buy it from quite a few places so be strong (easier said then done) but write me and
I'll help you through it hopefully it's sorted now though.

[susanblack]

I took zopiclone sleeping tablets for 6 nights.

2 weeks after taking them I'm still suffering with rebound insomnia, is this usual and how long could this last?