I was prescribed Zopiclone about four years ago as a remedy for chronic insomnia - I have Fibromyalgia and the lack of sleep was absolutely killing me. At first I was just really, really happy to be getting 8 hours of solid sleep and woke up feeling like I could take on the world. However, one morning I woke up as usual and opened my bedside drawer to get my daily vitamins out and I discovered several chocolate wrappings! I couldn't remember eating any chocolate and so I asked Husband if he had put the wrappers in my drawer (even though I was pretty sure this wasn't something he would do). Husband then told me that about an hour after I had said goodnight and left him in the lounge watching telly, I'd come back into the lounge and asked if we had any chocolate. Seems that somewhere between getting into bed and actually falling asleep, a severe chocolate craving had overcome me! Even more odd was the fact that Husband told me this wasn't the first time it had happened and that I had regularly gotten up after going to bed and meandered around the house, eaten chocolates, drunk tea or coffee and had lucid conversations with him. Suffice to say I gave Husband strict instructions to hide the chocolates well and to send me back to bed should I ever get up after having said goodnight.
The second strange thing that occurred after starting with Zopiclone was that I could feel my teeth, and I mean really, FEEL. MY. TEETH. It was perhaps the most odd sensation I've ever had and together with the metallic taste (which I had been told to expect) it made eating, drinking, talking and smiling quite unbearable. I'm not sure why I never linked the feeling the teeth thing with Zopiclone and actually pursued other avenues like gum disease and receding gums in an attempt to 'cure' myself!
The third, and perhaps worst, side effect - also something I never linked to the use of Zopiclone until now, was recurrent urinary tract infections. We had just moved (in my defence) and I honestly thought there was just 'something in the water'! On average I would say I had a UTI every two to three weeks and they would vary in severity from mild irritation quickly remedied with Citrasoda to debilitating infections remedied only with a long course of anti-biotics.
Then about eight months ago now, I decided that I could no longer take Zopiclone, it had stopped working effectively and when my dosage was increased I was left feeling very foggy the next day and the metallic taste in my mouth was magnified and frankly, just unacceptable. If I had half an hour sleep a night for the first four weeks, I was lucky. To be honest I can't even tell you how I made it through but I was determined that I was not going backward and that this lack of sleep would have to kill me before I took another Zopiclone. The good news is that within weeks my teeth returned to normal, the metallic taste was almost non-existent and I hadn't had to see the doctor about a UTI in what seemed a lifetime.
I'm curious whether anyone else has had similar side effects (extra sensitive teeth and recurring urinary tract infections) - or is it just me?!
I am really glad I logged on this morning now, irony is.......couldn't sleep any longer...
I was prescribed Ziplocone a few months ago, initially the taste (metallic, zinc almost like your mouth is bleeding all the time taste) was off putting, however I wasn't sleeping at all, and took the Doctor's advice/prescription.
I was going through a major separation, and still recovering from a car crash and at the time of being prescribed and as if I didn't have enough to deal with, was just out of hospital having had a urinary and kidney infection....without the Ziplocone I get the odd ten minutes sleep here and there, with them I get 6 hours roughly, however living alone, I notice more that I whilst I wait for the tablet to take it's toll, eat stuff that I wouldn't normally that late in the evening, I text stuff and can't remember (in the morning) having done so....but the worst side effect (for me) is the teeth thing.........
My teeth feel like they are covered in metal all day and all night long, they feel like they are pushing in on each other, and I often check to see if they are starting to pretrude...my bottom jaw hurts constantly , as I feel I am jutting them out over my top layer, pushing them back in towards my tongue...It's constant torture all day long...I AM going to wean myself off these tablets as of now, and will post my findings soon....
If you have just been diagnosed these tablets, please stop and ask the doctor for an alternative.....for the little, dry and almost drugged like sleep you do get is not worth the awful side effects....will keep you posted, as I stop taking the drug from today....wish me luck John
Night 1...I didn't take sleeping tablet last night, went to bed around 10:30, eventually must have dozed off...did see 11:30 on clock before I did though...I woke up before my alarm (as usual) at 4:42...5 hours sleep then...pretty good. Teeth still feel like they want to come out....they also still feel like they are surrounded in tin foil, not nice at all....not groggy, and I feel as if I have slept....so far, so good....again keep you posted...John
Night 2...Went to bed again at 10:30, was at least midnight before I fell asleep, woke at 2:07, persisted though and fell asleep again, woke at 3:38...been awake since then. Will fight through the lack of sleep, just to get off the drug....worst is though, yesterday, all day, my teeth were worse, everything I ate or drank tasted like tin foil, I had to take pain killers when I returned from work, and will take more now to last throughout the day. The pain in my teeth is torture, I need off this drug and I need sleep, proper sleep!!...John
Night 3...Went to bed same time, can't recall lying awake for too long to be honest, took painkillers before going to bed though, and my mouth doesn't feel as bad this morning. Woke up first time at 3:45, then again at 5:01 then alarm woke me at 5:45...first decent sleep for months...even if it was interrupted on a couple of occasions. 3 days and I'm off that horrible drug....feels good
Night 4...Bed normal time, fell asleep straight away...no painkillers prior either...and barring for waking due to the weather a couple of times...slept all the way through...at last! Metallic taste still in/on my teeth, and they are still sore, but not as sore as they have been...hopefully this pattern continues...feel tired this morning, lol
Nights 5, 6 & 7...Bed at 10:30 ish most nights, sleep straight away and slept all the way through to the alarm going off (no alarm on Sunday and slept til 5:30) my teeth are still sore, but I now have a bigger pain, I now have anal fissures, and it's utter agony. Anal fissures are small tears in the skin, in and around the anal passage, I noticed the blood at first, bright red droplets on the toilet tissue, and these have progressively got worse. Doing the toilet makes me weep, showering is agony...I literally curled into a ball on the shower floor and cried with the pain. I will phone the doctor today, to arrange an appointment...on the positive side though...that metallic taste is disappearing
Hi John
I have just signed on to this web site and read your notes. What worry's me is that I have nearly all the symptoms you had. I have been on Zopiclone for over ten years now. I have a balance problem and think that Zopiclone could be making it worse. I suffer from anal fissures that also make me nearly cry whilst in the loo. don't I just understand what you went through. I am going to try to wean off this pill and I have tried but terrible dreams
I would be most interested to know how you are doing . kind regards Lee
I have suffered from insomnia for many years also mild ( I think) depression took Seroxat for some years about 15 years ago & dread going back on it again.
Have been taken Zopiclone for about 12 months but only 3.5 mg it seems to work for me, the metallic taste seems better if 10 mg Omeprazole taken with it plus full glass of water.
worry a bit about long term but am ( a very fit ) 76 yr old
Hi John . I hope you managed to stay off the Zops after 4 months. I have been taking them for arounf 15 years now and have never suffered any side effects. The ones you suffered from sound very unusual, My gp now wants me to come off them and taper them off slowly I am dreading the day when i have to go without completely. Am taking the lower dose of 3,75mg but wake up really early around 5am. I was doing ok on the highee strength but docs have been instructed i think to wean long term users off them.
I'm so relieved to find this thread! I have advanced cancer and use zoplicone for occasional use as you can imagine there are the odd nights the demons are at my door.
i have a tumour at the base of my skull and have been having these weird pain attacks where the side of my face goes cold and then all the teeth on that side hurt. I have lots of strong pain meds so control it with those but we thought it was a tumour growing.
I was was just starting to notice that I have these attackes the day after taking zoplicone and this thread confirms that it might well be the zoplicone and not the cancer! Really hope so... Going to try and go without it and see.
Also the fissures is interesting as I have similar and figured it was connected to low platelet count but again maybe it's the zoplicone.
thanks so much
ive been taking zopiclone for 3 years and now they actually keep me awake but as soon as i stop taking them the nightmares i get are so awful u wouldnt believe has this happened to any one else
Hi Henry. I have been on Zopiclone, 7.5mg for about 15 years now. I am 68 years old and now my gp wants me to come off them gradually. I think that our age, does it really matter if we take a tablet to help us sleep. I am going to ask her this on my next visit. I am also fit and active. The thing is, they work for me. The 3.75mg works ok for me too now i am getting used to the lower dose.
Hi was wondering if you could give me some advice , I started taking zopiclone 18 months ago after my nan passed away , I had always had issues with lack of sleep but really couldn't sleep when she went :-( for the first year I thought yay these are great got to sleep without a problem , but the past 6 months has been like living in hell I started feeling awful all the time convinced something was wrong with me , I had a few panic attacks several years back but had dealt with that and had been on the road to recovery but boy they are back with a vengeance I cannot even leave the house now without dossing myself on diazepam ! I wake up in the morning sweating , my heart races , I have horrible taste in my mouth all the time , constant headache , I feel unbalanced in my head these are all just some of the things I am feeling , I am at my wits end I cry everyday because I feel so awful and no one seems to understand , the only time I do feel normal is after I have taken my zopiclone ! It's like a vicious circle and I don't know what to do feel like I am losing my mind am so glad I found this forum :-)
Hi
Cant be a lot of help I am taking 3.75 dose which is the smallest I think I have only been taking them for a short period on a nightly basis however do not like side effects so over last week have cut in half & now take less than that. Strangely they still work in making me sleep however down side is that the side effects though not as bad are still there so hopefull to shortly come off them altogether.
Previously I found a low dose 10mg of amiltryptaline helped me sleep & took them for 15 years however although not addictive one of the longterm effects was that it dried up my voice box so that I virtually lost my voice.
A specialist diagnosed & within a few days of not taking voice was 90% better, but that took 15 years to happen.
one thing for sure long term Zopiclone is a no no, have you tried contacting a site called I think CITAP or similar
Hi thank you so much for your reply , I hate taking new pills so am a bit reluctant to try anything else I have been taking a few diazepam to get me through the day as I started cutting my zopiclone down a couple of weeks ago when I realized it was them causing the problem , I have spoken to my doctor and she said use the diazepam to taper off when I get down to half a pill , I hate the side effects and the withdrawal it's worse than horrible :-( a few people have mentioned Cita and I have notated the number down I am going to call first thing on Monday hope they can help , there's got to be a light at the end of the tunnel :-)
Hi, I take zopiclone and your not alone, I have wandered round the house for food after an hour of taking it. I'VE been on them 10years, I sleep around 10-20mins at night if that. I hate the metallic taste, I'VE not had a proper nights sleep in those 10yrs unless I was under anaesthetic while having op & that's only an hour or so.
No, withdrawals from this drug can take on a whole host of symptoms. We had my bedroom tested for all kinds of industrial poisons in fabrics, paint, and plaster. The chimmney flue was found to be faulty which improved things a bit but I continued on with harrowing symptoms.
By week five I decided out of curiosity to take a few crumbs of the last zopiclone in pack which was mouldering away in drugs cabinet. Symptoms were all gone within a few hours!..
As someone who has spent his life since childhood on opiates and opoids, I suspect that Zopiclone mimics morphine far more closely than the companies would have us believe..
Instead of the ridiculous, and dangerous, kneejerk policy by UK doctors; a more sympathetic approach through monitored withdrawal would be sensible.
Hi Nina, I have had memory loss. Trying on a black dress and setting it out to wear and then have no recollection of doing this the next day. This is a side effect of Zop.
I have also had a summer full of bladder infections and now none this year.
I have been on Zop (Imovane) for 19 years, and now after several months of horror stories I am in rehap to get off of this drug! Having a sleep study conducted this friday. I am so livid about this drug and what it had done to my life and sleep, I feel like writing a book. Imovaine was a blessing for the first 10 years (I have CFS and FM) and then I gradually built up a tolerance to the drug and now it has bitten me in the ass. I am so addicted and struggling to get off of this nightmare. Cathie
I really feel for you! I was prescribed zopiclone last April. I was on my knees, desperate for sleep. My sleep has been affected for a long time and got a lot worse due to a chronic health condition that commonly interferes with sleep. I was prescribed 14 tablets 3.75 mg. I was told never to take more than on two consecutive nights because it is addictive etc. Up until last night I had only taken 7 of them over an 18 month period. I slept last night. I suppose I don't get the side effects because my use is very restricted. I wish you well.