Am in New Zealand, and four weeks ago had my old blue Zopiclone changed to the new white ones.
My Chemist did ask if he could relay any issues with this new tablet to NZ health authorities, or should I say he was aksed to prompt patients who had issues with the (and this makes me laugh) possible psychological effects of the tablets being changed from blue to white.
I'm having major issues now, and these tablets are the only drug been found to help with my night terrors and chronic insomnia, but not anymore.
I'm having fitful sleeps, waking up more than usual, and feel like crap.
They say it's the EXACT same ingredients in these white tablets, but I'm not so convinced.
Hi .What's in a colour !!!! Strangely enough I was given blue ones to begin with
then they changed to pink which do not work as well as the blue..
I thought it was just that the pharmacy had found a cheaper brand ,as the colour
and shapes of their prescriptions often change ,as they are obviously more interested in their pockets ,rather than the quality of the products, and we' don't have any say in these matters
Sounds as though they have given you a generic .Ask them to give you your original colour back. I don't think they can refuse, if you tell them that the "NEW"
Personally, I think the White ones (sanofi brand) are superior
look at the brand name rather than the colour.
some time ago I had to order from the Internet because my gp stopped my prescription, but these tablets were a different shape and I thought they were not working, but really they were. It's all in the mind.
i have never come across blue ones here in the U.K. They all seem to be White. If they say 7.5mg, then they probably are. What brand are yours.
White ones are 5mg also take 30mg mirtazapine for the last 6 months and they do what they're supposed to do, no side effects. I have a great sleep ! Maybe down the road I may have troubles, but for now they work great. BTW I'm from Canada, could be different regulations here ??
Hiya Janie. I am also in New Zealand. Have been on blue zopiclone for a number of years and had no problems at all. Slept for a good 7 hours and went to sleep within 20 mins of going to bed. I usually took one and a half tabs. That has all changed since the introduction of the new white ineffective tablet. I have probems going to sleep. One night I had to take 3 and supplement with diazepam as well. Finally got to sleep after 3.30 am. My Doctor tells me they are the same but put out by a different company. My chemist tells me they are the same but may have different fillers which should not affect people. They are not the same and its not psychological either. Have had probs from the first night I took them and my only thoughts were " oh they have changed the colour" without even thinking about the effectiveness. I just expected they would work like the blue ones. Actually stuff Pharmac for playing around with peoples sleep in the first place.
Since my diagnosis with MS in 2004, most nights I have taken half of a 7.5 tablet of the original blue Zoplicone and it would not be an exaggeration to say it was a life-saver. I would get to sleep easily, could re-settle if I had woken in the night and never still felt 'drugged' in the morning. Now the tablets are different. I wondered at the colour change, but didn't think anything of it, until the first night I tried it, I could not get to sleep and when I eventually did, never felt that I was properly asleep. This went on for several days with me thinking this was some strange MS related sleep-disturbance. I have reluctantly doubled my dose, just to try and get some sleep, that will sometimes help me to fall asleep for a short time, but then I am wide awake. Now, a couple of weeks on, there has been no improvement. I am so tired. Tired and MS do not go well together. I went to my pharmacist and she told me that the active ingredient was the same in the new tablet and SHOULD work the same, but that others had expressed the same concerns as me. Her only suggestion apart from contacting PHARMAC (which I've done) was to take something stronger. I do not wish to take a medication that wipes me out totally, I have children that I need to be able to be alert for if the need arises. This was the beauty of the original Zoplicone - it enabled me to sleep, but never knocked me out to an extent that I could not wake if I needed to. After looking on line, there are indeed many other people with similar experiences to me.
I am seeing my doctor in two days.
So, I wonder PHARMAC have decided to stop funding the original Zoplicone, instead opting for a product THAT DOES NOT WORK? Clearly this is a money saving exercise. How very irresponsible of them to gamble with peoples' sleep when obviously it is a crucial factor in physical and even more so, mental health.
Yes they have definitely reduced the strength. Have been on them for around fifteen years, but last few years I only seem to get five or six hours sleep. If I try to get back to sleep it just doesn't happen.
it seems they are only designed to last a short time, then Bingo!! I am wide awake.
i am in fhe U,K. Never had the blue ones.
i also notice that generic brands don't work well either.
maybe it's my imagination.
the brand I'm most often given are made by Sanofi.
I don't know too much about other drugs besides zopiclone, I've never tried them. I've posted a few times a long time ago. I still have not had any problems with zopiclone after 5 years, I follow the prescription. If you take more than you're prescription , of course you'll have problems. Over dosing means ,"Obviousy Dumb".
Hi Viv, also in nz and very similar scenario. I was doing well on half a blue apotex zo tab but have had real problems since they changed to the white actavis. I have spoken to both pharmaceutical companies . The blue tabs were specially formulated for nz and they evidently they do not make them anymore, they were manufactured in Canada. I thunk the wHite actavis is nor even the real thing. Needs investigating
