Newbie with questions

Treatment and medication
1

I'm from Canada. There seems to be little to nothing available on zoplicone dependence/abuse/withdrawl in North America. I abused zoplicone on and off for ten years, about two months ago came clean to my psychiatrist, he prescribed me a weekly dose at first, but the pharmacy technician finally screwed up and gave me two months worth. Took a bunch of the pills and landed in the hospital, where my dose was reduced and eventually discontinued. Some days I feel fine but I notice I get these sweats during the day usually, and can get extremely agoraphobic and anxious. I joined Narcotics Anonymous for support and that helps, but I haven't met anyone there yet who abused pills, let alone tranquilizers. In Canada pain killer abuse seems more common.

I was wondering if anyone has taken any supplements like GABA to help with withdrawl? Today I feel rather awful since my husband just told me he is going out of town for work tomorrow, for a couple of days. I wish he could just stay in town right now but he has to go. Stories/encouragement/advice for early withdrawl would be appreciated. 

2

Hi Ruth,

I agree that there is little press about zop in Canada; however, I was recently in one clinic that said they would refuse to prescribe it because it is now labelled as a controlled substance.  I think they will start clamping down very soon.  They seem to be concentrating on painkillers (oxycontin).  I live just north of Orillia, ON

I understand everything you are going thru. I was put on zop in 1995 after a sleep study.  I was told it was not addictive.  Over time, I have ran out of pills and gone into withdrawal, which is hell...but, I needed to sleep.  I built up an immunity to imovane (zop), and instead of my dr. looking more closely at this he added cocktails of other meds to augment the zop.  This screwed up my circadiam rhythmn and my life....sleeping all day and up all night

I finally decided to get off of imovane and told my family doctor this.  I WAS FED UP WITH  the pill counting and fear of withdrawal and went to the sleep clinic in Parry Sound, ON with the program to cross me over to diazepam and them wean me off of this.  Shortly after I started on this program my family doctor, who prescribed my meds stopped prescribing my zop.  I am getting the feeling that he is getting nervous because he is aware that he should not have kept me on zop for 19 years.

On the bright side, with the help of the wonderful team at the Parry Sound Sleep Clinic I am now off of zop (with no withdrawal, due to the diazepam).  They have now put me on clonazepam and slowly tapering me off of this on a weekly basis.  I am thrilled to be off of zop, but know that it will be difficult to get completely off of clonozepam.

Oh, yeah, at the sleep clinic I had a sleep study which identified my present sleep issues of fragmented sleep disorder, apnea as well as other problems.  They feel that, after I get off of the clonazepam I still may need a low dosage antidepressant to help me sleep (but far safer than zop, and not a 'controlled substance)

I had to request a sleep study from my family doctor.  Have you considered a sleep study and ask for their help to go off of zop.  I have tried to taper off of zop, without success,  I needed to go on the cross-over program to diaz. from imovane.  I had NO withdrawal!  At the sleep clinic they were no judgement when I told them that I was a zop addict.  They were wonderful and supportive.

I am disgusted with my family doctor and now released him as my doctor....so, I am doctorless at this point and need to rely on medical clinics for care....which I did this week.   I discovered a large large mass on my breast and on monday going in for an emergency ultrasound and mammogam.

If you want to get off of zop I would suggest going to a sleep clinic and go on-line and find out more about this cross-over plan (I believe developed in the UK).Please let me know how you do, or you can message me.

I wish you husband was there to help with any withdrawal....do you have a friend to help?

Off to bed now...I still have a bit of difficulty getting off to sleep, but feel 100% better than being on zop.

Rina

3

hi ruth i have been taking zopiclone for bout 17 years or so i am addicted to them and are trying to come off them i am now taking 2     7.5mgs at night now i was taking 37.5 i have just been coming down off them since tuesday but i feel really ill sweating shaking carnt keep still and feeling really sick i feel am going to have heart attack with chest pain i am so scared . i am going to see a drug abuse addiction place on tuesday my depression is so bad as well wish i knew then what i no now about zopiclone and i would never of started them but as i had a nervous breakdown 17 years ago i was put in to hospital having ect and put on zopiclone i am really strugling to get through i feel i carnt cope i would tell any body to be very carful on zopiclone or even dont even start them as i am in a right state and feel i carnt get through this i dont think 2 zopiclone a night is enough for the withdrawl symptoms .

4

Hi Ruth and Caron,

I feel for both of you.  Wow, Caron, you have been on this stuff about as long as me.  I fell, hurt my back a few months ago and used zop for pain and went up to 37mg, same as you...when I tried to decrease, l was still going thru withdrawal at 15 mg. That is when I made the decision that I needed rehab.   I agree Caron to go to a rehab centre...I know there can be a waiting list in Canada and this is why I went to the sleep clinic to help with my addiction.  I couldn't wait,  I had to STOP taking zop that day.

I am spreading to word to everyone about this drug and even bared my soul on facebook about this (which is something I don't normally do).

Do you live in Canada Caron?

 

5

hi ruth

ive been on zopiclone 27 yrs 2 at night 7.5 mrg if i can get away with one i do most of the time i do take this dose what i would suggest is if you are on this dose break one in half i would rather have less sleep than try coming of them all to gether see how you go it is a terrible drug to get of on our instutions it tells you the bad side effects and the danger it causes so you not on your own im not dreading if my dr takes me of them as i will try cutting myself down as i am now i dont have any side effects up to press ive wanted to come of them myself for a while so this is how im doing it i must admit ive gone 2 or 3 days without any way but i would cut them down yourself also im on diasapam been on them 40 yrs that was the worst experience of my life my dr took me of them without slowley doing it i nearly went out of my head with pain i lost my speech lucky i asked to see a phycitrist as i was back wards and forwads to the hospital trying to find out why i was in so much pain i had no idea this was side effects from the dr doing this the phyciatrist hit the roof put me strait back on it ive never looked backed since they cannot never take me of it or cut me down becuse ive been on them too long i only take 15 mrg a day some days i may take 15 or if i feel ok i just take 10 but belive me coming of zop could be bad for them

 

6

hi seawhisper1 are its so nice to talk to some one that has gone through same thing thank you yes a have to go to rehab i just carnt do it on my own need some support . are that is nice of you spread the word to every body good as these tablets are so so addictive and its really hard to get off them i carnt even think straight crying all the time as well i would say to any one that is thinking of taking zopiclone just dont take them try some thing else to help with sleep please believe me i have never felt so ill and scared no seawhisper1 i live in england oo thats a lovley place to live i was going to go to canada for a holiday a couple of years ago but i dont like flying and the flight was to long am a scary cat when it comes to having to get on a plane .

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dont no what time it is now at canada but its 6. 55 in the morning hear i have been up half the night just carnt sleep .

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are i hope your back is getting better i have just been for a mri scan on my spine couple of weeks ago as i am also in bad pain in my back and legs sounds like going through same kind of things .

9

Hi Ruth, I was on zopiclone 7.5mgs for around 30 years, I am also on other drugs and want to reduce or stop some of them. I decided to finish zopiclone first it has taken me between 4 to 6 weeks to gradually reduce the dose and then stabilise then reduce again until I have totally got off them. Once you have reduced down to nothing you must not go back onto even a small dose as you can get a very bad reaction that could do you serious harm. The sweating and anxiousness and tremours do seem to disappear when you have been free from zopiclone for 2 days but then the bad symptoms do come back, they affect you badly and make you feel terrible, over the next 4 to 5 days you may wonder if it is worth going through it all. Stick with it, the next few days do improve. I found that from just before late afternoon the withdrawl gets worse and lasts until you go to sleep at night, this will improve and after about 8 to 10 days you should feel better and free from withdrawl symptoms. You will get occassional bad feelings but they will gradually become free from these bad fieelings. I was adviced not to use a crossover drug as it took as long or even longer to get off the crossover drug as it did to get off zopiclone. I now have the occassional bad time but it only lasts a short time, I really do feel alot better than I have for years when I awake in a morning, also my tastebuds are returning to how they were before taking zopiclone. I hope this will help and if you need any more help or information please don't hesitate to get in touch. This of course is my personal experience of zopiclone withdrawl, I hunted all over to get help but in the end did my own thing with the help of my Husband who is my carer. I understand how you feel with your Husband going away for a few days, see if you can ring or skype him when he is not working, you do need backup. Good luck for your withdrawl, I am now going to try and reduce my zomorph doses, I had talked with my Husband and decided to do one drug at a time so I knew which drug was giving me the withdrawl symptoms. Once again good luck PLEASEremember that you must never use benzadiazepam again as this group of drugs will bring on withdrawl problems again.

10

Hi Angela, 

Thanks for your reply. My case is a bit different I was prescribed 3*7.5mgs for over 10 years and was taking more than that when I was abusing it. They took me off of it completely while I was in the hospital and that's what I wanted. I am still on a low dose of klonopin and I definitely have reservations about being on any benzo but to go cold turkey off klonopin is not an option. I'm seeing my psychiatrist on the 29th and I'm planning to discuss a taper schedule with him. I am so relieved to be off zoplicone it was totally worth the nasty withdrawal side effects which were the worst the first week 

11

Hi Ruth,

I wish I could taper off of zop, but I can't because I have 'fragmented sleep' a brain disorder.  I can't sleep without something.  I went from zop to diaz (for just one month) and now tapering down on clonazepam for just one month.  I don't want to be on benzos at all, but I couldn't handle tapering off or going cold turkey off of imovane.  I am glad you are having a psychiatrist to help you with this.  My sleep specialist is a psychiatrist and is wonderful.  I have gotten off of imovane without any withdrawal.  I know I will have difficulty getting off of the clonazepam, but, I am not alone.  If I run into a problem my psychiatrist will fit me in quickly.  Keep me posted.

12

Hi Seawhisper, 

Good for you for getting off zoplicone, it's hard. Has your doctor considered putting you on a small dose if one of the older antidepressants for sleep, like elavil, doxepine or trazodone? I take doxepine and find it works well. Keep me updated too! 

13

Hi Ruth,

That is exactly my psychiatrist's (sleep specialist) next step after the clonazepam...low dosage doxepin or trazedone (not sure if I spelled them correctly).

14

hi angela i was on 37.5mg of zopiclone i am now trying to taper off them this is my 7th day just taking 2 at night 7.5 but i fell so ill sweating shaking chest pains and ive been feeling really sick i am going to a rehab on tuesday but as i suffer from depression i am finding i carnt cope .i was taking 2 through the day to get me through the depression now im not taking any through the day time and i feel im going to give up and take 1 through the day to help with these feelings it has helped reading that the first week is the worst and it will ease off you have done really well coming off these well done as i am going through hell as well i also have been taking zopiclone for 17 years or may be longer .

15

Hi Caron, glad to hear you are getting off zop it is hard but worth while. I have had better sleep and my taste has improved it was worth going through hell but at the time you don't think so. Keep on fighting but do the reductions gradually you had the strength to know you needed to come off it so stick with it it is worth it. I also have depression but will not take tablets I don't want to add more tablets on I need to reduce them. As I said my next fight is reducing zomorph. Hope you achieve your goal don't give in you owe it to yourself Good luck if you need to talk I am here.

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Christine as you will have read I have come off zopiclone, I came off with my Doctors knowledge and agreement, it is NOT bad for me and telling people this you could set them back. It is not easy to come off but if you do it gradually you can get free from it. If you go into everything the drug company says about zopiclone especially if you have been a long term user you do yourself long lasting harm. Please do not tell people they will cause harm to yourself this is wrong, get your fact correct, it is you doing the harm.

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hi angela thank you for your reply you sound as if you going through hard time as well am glad to hear you are off the zopiclone they have messed me up all the years i have taken them .i dont no if this is 1 of the withdrawl symptoms but ive been feeling really sick with a upset tummy as well not sure if thats with the tablets or if ive caught a winter bug as i carnt really eat much with the sickness am on tablets for depression as well but i am coming off those aswell had enough of all these tablets just like you i dont want to take any more tablets as i fell no different if i take them or not .when you start to come down off your zomorph i hope its not to bad for you really i do as i no its the horrible feeling and feeling so low i wish you well and good luck take care .

18

 Angela

excuse me but what are you talking about were have i put it will do HARM firstly i never read about your experience and secondly which drug are you on about as ive said the same as you about the zopiclone as ive just read your reply by cutting down slowley isen't that the same as you said.

i don't think you have read my answer correctly so i think you need to get your facts right before you start accusing me i do not get WHAT you are getting at  im coming of mine on my own back also 7.5 is a low dose compaired to Ruths dose even if taking 2 so thats why im down to 1 now or 1/2.

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my dr told me if i wanted to come of one them i can but to cut down to 1  as i said .but im cutting this down to half ive tryed for yrs to get myself of them by doingt it my way this time.

do not think im not getting side effects im also getting pains in my stomach but i don't no if its because of me getting down to half as ive always had problems with my stomack like i said ive gone 2 to 3 days without but had to take 1 or 2 again that never gave me any side effects.

 now im down to what ever i can cope with till i can get of it completly ive not been told of the side effects only by reading the instructions.im in the UK were you can only get up to 7.5 not a 100mgr im not supprised they are worse to come of i really sypathise with them it must be really terrible for them. i presume thats were you might be from.

 

also 7.5 is a low dose compaired to Ruths dose even if taking 2 so thats why i take only 1 now or 1/2 my dr told me i could stay on 1 but i want out of them completly.

so what is wrong whith  my reply its the same as your own without your syptoms i didn't go that far into it  you have told how you came of them in actual fact you have now helped me it could be why im getting the pains. 

.i don't want to fall out with any one but nither do i want to be knocked down for something i dont no what ive supposed to have upset any one with .

 

are you on about the right tablet??? or the diazapam by saying they wont take me of thay if so no they wont maybe im a  older than you with depression and been on them that long can do more Harm than good to me i didnt say  any one eles couldn't come of them  i would like you to reply back to me im at a loss with your reply.

 

if its the diaz you are on about then im telling you the dr won't take me of them

19

I apologise if I have miss understood, I should have taken more care in reading your account. I do realise that Ruth is on a lot higher dose. I was talking about zopiclone, again I apologise , I do not want to fallout with anyone my intention was to try to help. I am an older lady and am on a lot of drugs due to various problems, it is no excuse but occasionally I do get alittle muddled. I will bow out of this discussion once I have answered my other question from someone else.

20

Hi Seawhisper 

I'm glad your doctor is planning to put you on a low dose of trazodone or doxepine I think those are good choices for someone with a history of dependence or abuse. good luck!