Zopiclone...anyone come off successfully?

[bearcrazy]

Hi, there is a site for people addicted to drugs like this and gives advice on tapering its called 'Benzoisland'. If you google you should find it and there is a manual called the helen Ashton manual which gives step by step instructions about how to taper. I printed it off and took it to my GP. Together we have managed to cut my temazepam from 60mg a night to 2 mg of diazepam at night. It hasnt been easy but i feel that I have achieved something!

[tea'na]

Hello LisaD, am currently taking Zopiclone, on and off. Has been of great help to me, nothing worse than that raw feeling when you've had no sleep. Dont take any for weeks and then' due mainly to pmt, have to take sum for a few nights. Have taken up running, and has had such an impact on my panic attacks....its still a struggle am not the athletic type. Hope i can be of help x

[Gipsy]

zolpidem would be a good alternative, as it doesnt have the same side effects, and its a little stronger so you may find you sleep through the night without waking and they get your body clock used to a routined night time if you wanna call it that, so its a lot easier to stop taking when you wish too, hope this helps x

[Notator]

I managed to get off Zopiclone some time back ( although I have to say that some 9 months later I started taking them again because I couldnt get to sleep when i needed to and it was a trade off...)
The way I did it was to get a set of digital scales - accurate to about .01g ( easily available off ebay!) and I "shaved" a little off each pill each night and very gradually brought the does down over several weeks - I think it was 4 weeks

[shotokansho]

I'm still on zopiclone and I am adddicred. I'm suopposed to take 1 7.5mg at night but i have been taking and extra 3.75 on top. I have a nad feeling niow that i am addictyed ot them becuse i am startinf to like the edsationd of it rather than being abnle to sllep. I really terrified of coming off them, its like i need to have them. I am sedated nowm after taking 11.25mg. so my typuing is dreadful and i am bumbing into things. I reallty need help with this and would appreciate any comments. Last night I drank 6 beers and took 2 7.5 mg, i think i cant rember. If i my gp wont allowe me anymore i will have to buy some off teh net and i know thats dangerous

Kez x

[KK77]

I'm still on zopiclone and I am adddicred. I'm suopposed to take 1 7.5mg at night but i have been taking and extra 3.75 on top. I have a nad feeling niow that i am addictyed ot them becuse i am startinf to like the edsationd of it rather than being abnle to sllep. I really terrified of coming off them, its like i need to have them. I am sedated nowm after taking 11.25mg. so my typuing is dreadful and i am bumbing into things. I reallty need help with this and would appreciate any comments. Last night I drank 6 beers and took 2 7.5 mg, i think i cant rember. If i my gp wont allowe me anymore i will have to buy some off teh net and i know thats dangerous

Kez x

I take 3.75mg but not every night (if possible). You must reduce gradually Shoto. I was initially on 7.5mg too but although I slept like a baby (hehe) it caused a lot of problems the next day. Do you find it causes amnesia (memory lapses)?

Try cutting or shaving a bit off the tablet and get down to 3.75. It can be done - good luck.

[haz]

I have been on 7.5mg Zopiclone, reduced to 3.75mg and then stopped with no problems. However, after another hospital admission and change of medication I'm back on 7.5mg and have been for 5 months. I hope to do the same as before but I'm "not allowed" any changes in my medication whilst I'm in psychology. I've waited a long time to see the psychologist and I think it could help so I'm willing to compromise staying on my 7.5mg zopiclone just now. I am generally a good sleeper but initial side effects of new medication caused insomnia but my memory is shocking at the moment.

I'll keep you posted. Good Luck.

[haz]

Hi, there is a site for people addicted to drugs like this and gives advice on tapering its called 'Benzoisland'. If you google you should find it and there is a manual called the helen Ashton manual which gives step by step instructions about how to taper. I printed it off and took it to my GP. Together we have managed to cut my temazepam from 60mg a night to 2 mg of diazepam at night. It hasnt been easy but i feel that I have achieved something!

You have! Well done!!

[ElizabethJane]

Hi I'm taking 3.75mg zopiclone at night after losing my Dad in April. If I don't take it I experience all sorts of strange sleep related problems. I am going away to Germany soon so I will probably take some with me. I have great difficulty waking up in the morning and feel really spaced out but at least have slept well. I'm not sure if I can always cope with anxiety off the scale without any respite from it. I'm keen to come off it though. EJ.

[haz]

I've decided I'm going to come off it. Saw my psychiatrist on Monday but he was running late and seemed distracted. He initially said I wasn't allowed to change any of my meds whilst getting psychology so it kind of threw me when he said "Yes" when I asked to come off my zopiclone. I've been on 7.5mg every night for 7 months. I asked if I should just half them and how long to stay on the half dose for and he muttered one to two weeks. Like I said, he seemed distracted. The last thing I want is withdrawal symptoms. I feel I need to come off them cos they don't really work that well any more and my memory is shocking. Some nights I sleep like a baby, others nights I toss and turn a bit, depending on my anxiety levels, but I'm generally a pretty good sleeper. I'm already on 3 x 5mg diazepam a day. I was gonna ask my CPN about how to reduce when I see her next Tuesday, but she probably won't be that helpful, as usual! Might try half a one tonight and see how I feel tomorrow.

Confused!!!