zopiclone addiction

Treatment and medication
61

So I've been on the Ashton plan for crossing over to diazepam from Zopiclone. It took 6 months for my doctor to agree to this but he finally admitted that the NHS had no facilities to help and he agreed to the CITA/Ashton plan.

So far it seens to be working. The first few days were tricky with the usual zop-withdrawal symptoms (anxiety, panic etc). But after just over a week the diazepam is kicking in and I'm down from 4 zops a day to 1 or 2, and I don't feel bad during the day, and can can sleep at night. i hope to kick the zops totally in another week or two, then its down to diazepam reduction which I hope will be easier and can be taken slowly as its side effects are much less than zopiclone.

Thanks for all the advice I received, it has helped me greatly - esp Anita, your advice was good and made all the difference.

 

62

Latest update: went to see the doc today and told him how much better I feel (which is true - no more panic / anxiety attacks, and no more worrying about have I a zop to take every 5-6 hours). Also that horrible metallic taste has gone and my brain feels a lot clearer. He was really pleased and I cam out with a big confidence boost!

The crossover to diazepam was not pleasant the first week but that's all gone now and am hoping that after 3 weeks on the Ashton plan I can junk the zops entirely. Of course the next step is the diazepam reduction which could take 6 months but I am determined to give it a go.

For anyone stuck on the zops, do try it. It works, at least for me.It took me 6 months to persuade my doc to do the crossover but it was worth the effort...

63

Glad to hear you're still sticking with the Ashton plan and feeling optimistic. I know what a hard journey this is. I crossed straight to Diazepam last June from 11 mg Zopiclone (13 years on it). My reduction from the starter dose of 9 mg Diazepam has been slow and sometimes I've panicked a bit and stabilised on a dose for a while. I've had a bumpy seven to ten days or so every time I've reduced and it's hard to keep my nerve when I'm reminded of the horrible effects of rebound insomnia. . I've stuck on 3 mg since last October, and have been generally getting enough sleep to get by. It's variable, swings between 4 and 7 hours, but I'm very cheered by being able to sleep at all. And now I yawn and occasionally feel like taking a nap, which I never did on Zopiclone. It was like, awake and then bang, asleep, no in between. And the horrible hangover symptoms disappeared almost immediately on stopping the Z's.  But now I've  just decided to make the leap and reduce to 2 mg. My new Doc doesnt think this low a dose can really be contributing to making me sleep, which cheers me up when I think of the progress I've made in seven months. It seems slow, but I was chronically insomniac for four years beofre even starting Zopiclone, so I know that realistically this will take a while. For me at least. I was too scared to do cold turkey, want my brain to get used to the changes in its structure gradually. I'm aiming to stop Diazepam entirely but might celebrate my year anniversary of starting this programme by that time! Good luck with yours. It's worth it. Every day.

64

Thats great news jaygee. I'm on 20mg diazepan now which is a lot but there is no awful withdrawal symptoms every 6 hours or so, and I will begin tapering off the diazepam shortly, slowly. Fotunately my doc has completly changed and having done the crossover is very supportive.

I don't always sleep all night but I snuggle down and don't feel agitated anymore!

65

Hi Keith. Just wondered how your detox is going.   Can you pm me if possible. Thanks.

66

I'm 70 and have been addicted to benzos since my early 20s following intense stress insomnia and a breakdown ive paid for all number of treatments but nothing helps. The medics in the UK help those with smoking alcohol obesity recreational drugs but not benzo addiction!!!!! During the past 5 years they switched me to zopiclone telling me it wasn't addictive but it's just as bad.

does anyone know how to get off zopiclone. I'm terrified over sleep in the beginning I would never take drugs untill I was forced having not slept for 3 weeks. Insomnia/sleepers are a curse and can wreck and control your life.

67

This is weird. I've been taking 2 x Zopiclone 7.5 or more and varying amounts of diazepam (valium) for years. The Zopiclone was prescribed as a non addictive sleeping pill, given to me when I had severe eczema and had a small child. It was such a relief and such a lovely euphoric high. The only time I felt okay was after my daughter was put to bed and I sat stoned watching tv or whatever. I'm so grateful because I couldn't have carried on. My daughter had just started school at that time,I did a BA (hons) on zopicolone  coinciding with her starting school as a mature student. I got a a 2;1 ( I'll never know how, as I used to read the plays, novels etc in the evening under the influence. In the morning couldn't remember a thing about what I'd read. Later on I started buying zopi's on the black market because they stopped working. Eventually it became untenable. Confessed to prescriber, who put me on 15 mg diazepam a day (infinitely worse). Started scoring extra valium and extra zopilclone. I didn't feel stoned but my co-ordiantion wasn't great. This has been going on for 20 years. I've always had dogs, two at a time. The last two died, first my big boy aged 11. The the little dog which was essentially for my daughter as she couldn't manage walking the big dog at the time, went on and on, I was constantly evaluating her condition. At age 18 I decided it was time to have her put down. So devastated I decided "no more dogs" and really meant it. Two months later, the RSPCA rang me and said that they'd shut down a puppy farm in Essex, would I take a pup ? ( have done voluntary work for them, so they knew the pup would get a good home). I said " er, yes, of course". This dog is now nearly 3 years old. About two months ago, I got another call, asking me to take in another pup. I said "yes". The new puppy is very hard work. She chews everything. I found her chewing a strip of paracetamol which were on my bedside cabinet. Put all my meds in a box on the wardrobe 3 days ago. I kept forgetting to take my vits and antidepressants, and made a point of remembering. The weird thing is, I haven't taken any Zopiclone or valium for three days.I am a chornic insomniac, I don't drink alcohol very often. I feel no ill effects so far,  I am exhausted ( this terrible hot summer, I have eczema, asthma, hayfever and photosensitivity) so the exhaustion is partly caused by that, but I have slept. It's almost, out of sight, out of mind. I'm wondering whether anybody feels that this is dangerous ? I know that one is supposed to do the slow reduction thing, I did that on my own when I was on Seroxat. I didn't tell my GP and I felt fine but three months later I couldn't stop crying. Told him. He said Seroxat withdrawal. I thought if there were to be withdrawal it would have happened far earlier, but he insists and I choose to disagree. Bottom line, does anybody think that I'm in danger by not taking the Zopiclone/valium. I know it's cold turkey, but it doesn't feel like it. Just feels like a surprise that I've managed to sleep and have forgotten to take them because they are out of sight. Does anyone have any answers please. Thanks

68

Keith

Thank you for sharing your journey with us. Please please post often so we can follow your progress and know what to expect on my journey. This is an amazing resource. I've been on Z for about 15 years and im starting to take more and more daily. Its gotten completely out of hand. Im bi-polar so i take over 10 different prescriptions. Could be a complicated taper because im taking it now more to control my anxiety then i am for sleep. Im taking quetiapine as well as numerous anti depresants and anti anxiety. But nothi g controls my anxiety at all like Z!

My pi polar is becoming a prescription explosion!!!

Please keep us up on your progress Keith. Thanks for your posts!

69

Hi Keith, I have just seen your post which you posted over a year ago.  How are you doing? Hvae you managed to cut down or stop it completely?  I have taken zopiclone for 4 years.  I am 45 and I take 1 x 3.75 every night and 2mg diazapam.  iI have tosay it works really well for me.  Any more than that and I would feel horrible the next day.  I would like to actually stop but when I have tried I cannot sleep at all and just start feeling really depressed.  If my life wasn't so busy I could maybe have the time out to do it.  Catch 22..

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Hi Keith

I have read what you have written and I'm looking for advice I've been addicted to zopiclone for a few years now I get prescription for 2 a night but that's not enough so I buy them off the internet I am currently taking four a night but was on fifteen a night I take about twenty a day when I have enough if I don't take them or run out I panic I get the shakes and feel dreadful I am trying so hard not to take them in the daytime but I'm really struggling I don't know where to turn or what to do I feel totally dependent on these tablets I can take hundreds a month and I just don't know where to turn please can you help me

71

Bless you, I am in a unhappy state as I can not get them, but no whitdrawel problems.

72

Hi, I was wondering if someone could help me. I am a 23 year old student, and I initially started taking Zops in 2013...so its been over 4 years

Please dont judge me, as what I am about to reveal may seem alarming. I am ashamed but I feel trapped and I feel like these pills have ruined my life. I want my freedom back sad

So basically I started to take these when I was around 18-19....I cant remember. I remember my grandad gave me a pill once when i couldnt sleep, and I remember feeling euphoric. So what I started to do, was pick his medications up for him and keep the zopiclone for myself. I know, I am so ashamed but I was young and stupid then. After college I began working and thats when i started taking them. Now Ive always been super shy and extremely insecure, and these seemed to have boosted my confidence. So guess what? I take them as soon as I wake up now. Otherwise I stay at home, trapped and isolated without them. I used to take 9, sometimes 5...sometimes 3. I cant remember, ive abused so many.

God what have I done. I couldve easily built up my confidence at work with the support of my coworkers. Now I am fully addicted. After leaving work I have attempted to study twice, but my memory is so bad because of these I cant study. This is my second year attempting to study Psychology. Noone knows about my addiction. I have also been buying them online, as the prescription only gives 30. I basically spend most of my loans on buying them online. Once last year I didnt have any on me for 2 weeks. My god, the withdrawal symptoms were so awful, I felt suicidal. Why did i mess with these? They are ruining my life. I think about the future it scares me. I cant talk to anyone If i dont take them. I cant leave thehouse without them. I want to pass my driving, I want to finish my education, i want to find someone to love, i want children and a successful career but these pills are stopping me from doing so. I cant live like this anymore i feel so trapped and I just want my freedom back. My grandad found out someone had been taking his tablets, and Im so ashamed i lied and said I had no idea. However the pharmacy recognise my face and know i pick them up for him. They dont realise I order double for a monthly repeat, one for him one for myself. But now theyve picked up on it. So now I am taking 2 a day, and I wont be going to the pharmacy anymore as i will get caught. I cant speak to my doctor because they know i pick my grandads pills as i sign them off. Ive tried to wean off them before but i relapsed because i was so depressed and I couldnt even leave the house. I have no siblings and its just me, my parents have always been too busy fighting they have there own problems. From young, ive seen nothing but violence, too busy fighting to ever spend time with me or take me out to social places. I have no friends either.

I have an exam soon and revising whilst on these is so hard. I beg anyone not to touch these tablets, they have ruined my life and i dont know what to do. Its that bad, i have to take one as soon as i get up, in order to be motivated to brush my teeth wash my face and communicate.

Please someone, tell me what can i do? Where can i recieve help from. I feel so lonely and trapped. I want these out of my system for good so I can live my life like normal 20+ year olds do. I beg for forgiveness from God everyday and confide in him. But my confidence and self esteem is so bad I always feel like someone is watching me if i dont take them, even in my house.

I would be so grateful to hear stories or some kind of support. I wish you all nothing but happiness and good health. I found my happiness through zopiclone, i hope you dont take my route

73

You lucky here in South Africa it's so easy to get them and lie to your many doctors sad did you go cold turkey,? How did you manage?

74

Hi i hope that you managed to get the help you needed.  I am just adding my story to the all others.  i became addicted to zopiclone after being put on the anidepressant venlafaxine.The venlafaxine was like speed and meant that I was completely wired 24 hours a day.  To help with this (!?) my gp gave me zopiclone and kept upping the dose until i was getting some sleep.  I was then parked on a regimen of zopiclone and venlafaxine for 7 years, during which time i became completely addicted to zopiclone and ended up jobless and housebound.  My personality completely changed, I was the epitome of a drug-seeking patient but my gps kept telling me that Zopiclone was not addictive.  Eventually, after 7 years of this, I found a forum similar to this which agreed with my that the Z-drugs were addictive despite what the Pharma industry and gps said.  I took the decision to come off of them cold turkey and was lucky in that I didn't suffer any ill effects.  I had a couple of very sleepless nights and then I was ok.  That was over 5 years ago and I am pretty normal now.  I am on Metrazapine (I will probably always be on an antidepressant) but nothing else.  Zopiclone almost ruined my life and it certainly stole a decade of my life from me. However, it is possible to come off of these and get your life back.  Good luck to all of you in your efforts to become Zopilcone-free.

 

75

Hi Sarah,

My heart bleeds for you.  You can be Zoplclone free and get your life back but you will probably need help.  What you have done and are doing is not you, it's the result of the addiction so don't be ashamed of yourself.  The people who should be ashamed are the pharmaceutical companies who have lied about the addictiveness of these drugs and the gps who have colluded with them, despite the evidence they see in their own patients.

Go to your GP and tell them what is happening.  if they won't help get another GP until you find one who will take this seriously and help you.  Read up as much as you can on the internet on forums and other websites.  You are a religious person - perhaps you could get help from a pastor or priest in your community.  Don't give up. You should be having a wonderful life and Zopiclone is stealing that from you.  Don't let it.

Wishing you the strength and love to rid yourself of this terrible addiction.

76

Hi Jonathon,

i hope you got help but if not, you can come off of Zopliclone.  I was like you, buying drugs off the internet to supplement my prescriptions.  I lost my job and and was housebound for years.  Once i reached the bottom I started to learn about Z-drug addiction.  I came off of the Zopliclone by going cold turkey and it was the best thing I ever did.  That was over 5 years ago  I know it is not recommended to come off drugs like these by cold turkey but it worked for me.  I started to view Zoplclone as the enemy and i didn't want it in my body at all.

Get help - from your GP (if your GP won't help, get another GP), from local drug abuse charities, from online forums like these. You can get your life back.  Don't let the Zoplclone win.

77

Hey Keith, how are you getting on?

I'm stuck in a ten year addiction to zopiclone sad

78

Zopiclone... what can I say the drug if the devil. I am now in the process of coming off taking 7 or more a day. Loved that little white could it put you on during the day. Calm and function. But then th evil strike and you need more and more. It's now being heavily regulated here in South Africa. I have 3 doctors to get scripts of 60 tabs. I am a mess. I have lost all motivation on all things I loved and am depressed even with an anti depressant. TODAY I am.going to start weaning myself off. I want to be free of the drug by Friday!! I want to feel alive again. TODAY I opened my bible verse and it read: For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Isaiah 41:13

79

Congratulations, reduce your dose and spread them out evenly so you can come off gradually

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Hi Sarah I'm Paul . After reading your reply it really struck a chord with me. My heart really goes out to because I see so much of what you've said relatable. You really need to go see your doctor and tell him how this is all effecting your life. Zhou can't carry on like this dear you need your life back ..... I've really had issues with all sorts of benzodiazepines for years. Im currently prescribed 2 7.5 mg zoppis a night and 2 diazepam a day ... they dont work on me anymore I have to take up to 7 or 8 sometimes to be able to leave my house I too was brought up around a lot of domestic violence and it's left it's emotional scars I used to be a hairdresser which I had to give up because I just couldn't balance the 2 .. And the things with zoppiclone and schools as they are so highly habit firming and addictive as you know soon your body builds up a tolerance in the end you know you need more and more. Please go see your pastor but definitely consider going to see your doctor .I have never done this before but if you ever need to talk to someone with many years of addiction with these medications I will gladly give you my phone number .I have a very supportive husband and I just want you to know you also have that support ... Take care Sarah stay strong .