Zopiclone - to take or not to take?

[whisperit]

Quick question. My sleep has been atrocious for months, and now is so poor that I get about 2 hours a night. I am so tired that I can do nothing but sit around all day, too exhausted for any physical tasks. I would love to nap, but find that I continually wake after a few minutes, feeling like death, and not rested at all.

My GP has prescribed me some Zopiclone, but I'm not very keen. As a one off, will I get a proper night's sleep? Or will it be more of a zombification-but-no-refreshing-sleep kind of experience??!!!

[Hidden]

I love Zopiclone - it's my favourite real drug to date! I treat myself to 7.5mg once a week, or occasionally twice a week if I've got a difficult day ahead. I've been using it in this way for about 3 years now. The last GP practice pharmacist told me I wasn't allowed it so I had to resort to some I was prescribed when my mum died in 2009! But my new GP was okay to let me have it as I'm obviously not overdosing - it's apparently highly addictive. The only thing I do find is that my existing and longstanding bad sour taste turns into an extremely bitter nasty taste after my Zopicline nights. But I'll put up with this for a very good night's sleep a week.

Otherwise I'm like you and only get a few hours per night. The odd good night with antihistamine is okay though too I find. X

[whisperit in reply to Hidden]

That's helpful, Twitchytoes,

I'm so zonked out these days that I will try anything to get just one night of restful sleep. A bad taste would be a small price to pay. My only worry is that I would have one of those chemical trances, rather than a restorative "natural" sleep... x

[Hidden in reply to whisperit]

For me my one night a week is restorative but if I have it two nights in a row then the third night I don't sleep a bit so it's a hard balance to strike. I guess you will only know if you try it? X

[Sabbathkeeper777 in reply to Hidden]

i use 2 x 7.5mg tablets twice a week, once on a wed and again on a friday then have none till wed next week .. i found doing it this way gives me a proper rest for 2 nights out of the week and i still manage to sleep on days i havent took it, although sometimes its like 5am when i get to sleep when i have no zopiclones

[SjogiBear]

I too have awful sleep - I believe there is a connection with the disease process and not just due to pain etc as we are so often told. I have been prescribed zopiclone in the past as well and was really looking forward to getting some sleep - of any kind would be welcome - however, they didn't work for me. Well, I dropped off to sleep very quickly in a drugged kind of way (like when you have anaesthetic) but I still couldn't maintain sleep which is my main problem.

I would think the best way forward is to give it a try - what have you got to lose? The doctors won't prescribe at levels where you could become addicted and you are only going to know if it helps you or not by giving it a go.

[whisperit in reply to SjogiBear]

yes, that's my main trouble too, SjogiBear. I sleep for two hours, but then wake at around 2am and cannot get off again, despite feeling ill with fatigue...as you say, I'll give it a try tonight....x

[SjogiBear in reply to whisperit]

Sounds very familiar - at my worst it was 2 hours max for me as well - it's got slightly better although I am still very familiar with 2am (I tend to go to sleep around 11pm now and wake around 2am - if I'm very lucky I may get a tiny bit of unrestful sleep again between 5am and 6am when I have disturbing dreams). This has been going on a for a number of years and I suppose I have got used to it - I don't get up now (unless I need the loo) and just stay in bed - this does mean that my body is resting even if my brain isn't.

Good luck tonight - let us know how you get on!

[whisperit in reply to SjogiBear]

thanks!

[Hidden in reply to SjogiBear]

I think you’re right AI diseases do result in sleeping issues!

[SjogiBear in reply to Hidden]

Oh no .... does that mean you suffer with this wretched insomnia too? I'm still exactly the same: absolutely nothing has helped at all.

[Hidden in reply to SjogiBear]

Yes but from my early teens I’ve struggled so can’t blame it on Stills as I didn’t get I’ll until I was 17. I was made redundant at Xmas due to Covid and as my job was very stressful thought things would improve and they did to start but then more worried creep in - children’s jobs, grandchildren’s schooling, aged parents, global warming, the price of wine … it’s a merry go round but now I can nap after lunch 🥱

[whisperit]

I bottled it, kinda. I have a real fear about taking anything consciousness-altering (no-one ever needed to tell me 'Just say no' to drugs). So I ended up taking just half a tablet last night. So its possibly no surprise that I had exactly the same non-sleeping night as every other night this past few months. But at least I didn't turn into a drug-addled junkie. So I might have to try a whole tablet next.....

[SjogiBear in reply to whisperit]

I had to laugh at your reply as you sound a lot like me - I was so scared about taking the stuff as I'm a real control freak and hate the idea of relinquishing my consciousness to a drug as well. It was kind of funny in a way when it didn't even work - I wasn't prepared to increase the dosage either - just felt it was one of those things. I tried amitriptyline as well and hated that - didn't improve my length of sleep either and is a REALLY bad idea if you have sjogrens as it dries you up terribly.

Oh well - best of luck if you decide to try the whole tablet tonight

[1sam in reply to whisperit]

LOL 1 lousy tablet won't magically turn you into a junkie.

How is your crazy heart these days?

You need to sleep. My vote is for a whole tablet and letting go of worries and anxiety.

Sam

[Lupiknits]

I've taken zolpidem for longer than I care to remember - from pre-lupus days (same kind of zzzzz med but suits me better). Not "hooked" as far as I can tell (don't always take it, never needed to increase it as a result of tolerance) and docs are happy enough to keep prescribing. If I don't get a good sleep from time to time I cannot manage. One tip - go to bed as soon as you take it, and don't eat anything after taking it - nasty taste.

[1sam]

A thought just ocurred to me... why your doc didn't prescribe benzodiazepines ?

[whisperit in reply to 1sam]

choice wasn't discussed, but I think benzos aren't favoured as a first line treatment due to fears about addiction. Thanks for asking about my crazy heart too! I'm on 2.5mg bisoprolol now and my resting heart rate is down to something more normal - no longer always >90. The downside is that it still feels like it is struggling somehow - in a way that is impossible to put my finger on - maybe its just that odd feeling of being very aware of it beating all the time?

Hope you are doing OK atm x

[Hidden]

I’ve used it nightly in the past with no side effects and no problems stopping it when I felt ready. It’s the only time I’ve ever slept more than 4 hours straight. Hope this helps. 😴