2 zopiclone for 2 weeks

[welschrispy]

I HAVe been seeing a Neurologist at a Sleep Clinic at a majorCanadan University for a few years now and then he has been helpful and kind abut my RLS. AS you may recall my GP had me taking 6mg pramipexole per night. (please see previous posts.) I cold Turkeyd last JAN and have been mostly sick ever since.

At first he was fine with giving me opiates but all of a sudden changed his mind. (I have Sleep Apnea and COPD.)

At my last meeting with him HE suggested I take 2x 7.5 Zopiclone at bed time to calm my RLS AND Help me sleep. I was taking .5mg zopiclone at the time.

Well guess what?! IT did stop my RLS!

But now I am getting anxiety from the Zopiclone ( I assume?)any time after noon. And Only the Gods know if I will ever sleep again once I stop taking it?

I Have done the full panel blood test n my ferretin levels are good by standards set by this site.

I have some very deep misgivings about this man but he knows all the right names and is is part of International RLS committee with Docto B.

Any advice dear fellow sufferers?

Thanks

[Madlegs1]

Zopiclone really should only be used for a short period. Certainly 4 weeks max.

Otherwise it loses it's effect and is difficult to come off.

As for the effect on your sleep apnea and breathing --- it would be similar to opioids.

You need to chat with him about what his long term strategy is for managing your condition.

It's ok to name him here, so that we can make a judgement on his performance with others on this site.

Good luck.

[welschrispy in reply to Madlegs1]

Ok I will do this but hope not to get myself run out of town.

His name is Dr Jason Valerio and he is a neurologist working at the University of BC Canada.

I have with met him a couple of times and some of the meetings were quite tense.

When I was first referred to him, about 14 months ago he told me to get off Pramipexole (Iwas taking 6mg at the time and had been fighting to reduce the dose for years.

Dr Valerio told me that there was no problem getting off Pramipexole and that he regularly had his patients go cold turkey.

On 4th January last year I went cold turkey and, without wishing to be over dramatic I have been struggling for my life with devastating anxiety depression, insomnia, brain fog (anger!) and nausea ever since.

Dr Valerio doesn't like the idea of opioids because I have Sleep apnea and COPD I

So he prescribed 2 x Zopiclone. It worked for a couple of days but the last weeks has been a seriously sleep deprived ever since.

Dr Valerio has accused me of "catastrophizing" We don't get along very well but we sort of struggle by. I make an appointment when I am desperate...

He told me he is in some of international research group and has meetings attended by DrB and other RLS specialist doctors and groups.

I also have a GP (Dr Clark, I see her every 3 months)and a Geriatric Phsychiatrist based in Vancouver General Hospital (I see him every 6 months!) . Both of them have ordered me to cut out the Zopiclone. They are concerned about sleep walking and the risk of falling. AS well as the state of my lungs

I am awake as usual but pacing up and down then writing. I have fallen a number of times but nothing serious.

I would welcome any comments , general advice, medical advice. advise from the Gods and goddesses who run this brilliant web site

My first big question is why not use a low dose opioid? I am already taking way too many drugs: 1)Tramadol 500 2x 3 bupropion and now 4)Zopiclone.

I am now desperate and my life is falling apart. What am I to do? Is suicide the only way out? I have been stricken by this evil condition for most of my adult life is this really the only way out for me!

[Madlegs1 in reply to welschrispy]

I so want to be positive for you, but with the evil forces against you, it is very difficult.

First off-- YES you can and should be on opioids-- you already are on tramadol-- is that really 500 mg? Which is at the bottom rung of the opioid ladder.

You should be looking for Methadone or Buprenorphine, but may have difficulty in getting either.

Threaten suicidal ideation-- as you have already done here- doctors are duty bound to take notice.

Otherwise, Sue has given you good advice.

It is a horrible situation for you-- not to be getting support from your medical team.

Hopefully someone will come on with better suggestions and even the contact for a knowledgeable doctor in your area.

All the best - and keep strong!💚😎

[welschrispy in reply to Madlegs1]

Thanks so much for your reply. I think you are absolutely correct about the opioids. Yes, I am sorry I take 400MG of Tramadol

[SueJohnson in reply to welschrispy]

He may be in some of international research group and has meetings attended by DrB and other RLS specialist doctors and groups but he sure didn't listen to them. Dr B would never recommend going cold turkey off 6 mg of pramipexole. That is criminal!

Absolutely ask for buprenorphine. I would email Dr B at [e-mail] and ask for his advice indicating you would like to take buprenorphine or methadone and that you currently have no breathing problems other than having COPD and sleep apnea (do you?). Hopefully he will say it is OK to take buprenorphine or methadone and you can then show it to your neurologist or GP to get it.

And as Madlegs suggested use the fact that you are suicidal (although that might land you in the hospital?) when you talk to your doctor.

[SueJohnson]

That's great that it stops your RLS! Yes anxiety is a not very common side effect of zopiclone.

Buspar (Buspirone) is the best drug for anxiety. Trazodone antidepressant also help anxiety.

I wouldn't worry about taking it long term. They say that about all sleep medicines. I have been taking lunesta since February and plan on taking it the rest of my life. It has not lost its effectiveness. And I don't worry about coming off it as I don't plan on doing so.

[welschrispy in reply to SueJohnson]

Hi Sue,

Thanks again for your reply. I would be ok with taking Zopiclone for life ...if it was working but it's not. it's not working for sleep and it's not working for RLS. In fact it is making both conditions worse, much worse. I was at least getting some sleep when I was taking 1/2 zopiclone at night. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.

[MrCrow]

Is that really 6 mg pramipexole? or Ropinrole? Do you have Parkinson's? Because the max dose recommended dose of Pram for RLS is 0.5mg and for Parkinson's is 4.5mg.

[welschrispy in reply to MrCrow]

Hi Mr Crow,

Yes you are right and no I don't have Parkinson's. The e mail I sent out today is aware is kind of the latest of my troubles.

[welschrispy in reply to MrCrow]

Hi again, My question is do I get worse brain damage on 4mg of premipexole than I would on .5mg? I have been really ill for this whole last year. Depression, nausea, anxiety, brain fog and insomnia rule my life night and day. Now I am to add a huge dose of zopiclone to my list of medications. I am feeling pretty desperate right now. It's three weeks until I next see my GP and I don't know when I will next get to see the neurologist. I was hospitalized last week but all I got for staying up all night in a draft noisy waiting room with only hard chairs was a blood test and a diagnosis of Arthritis! !

[Madlegs1 in reply to welschrispy]

You really need to get off that Pramipexol -- with medical help, and very slowly and by tiny amounts.

It is poisoning you.

[welschrispy in reply to Madlegs1]

I'm Sorry for any confusions. I went cold Turkey off the pramipexole just over a year ago. This was on the advice of my Neurologist a doctor Valerio Of UBC sleep clinic. I have been sick most of the time since then. Just recently he prescribed 2 Zopiclone (previously I was taking 1/2) and now I have round the clock RLS and chronic insomnia. I am going to do as Sue suggests and e mail Dr B I am pretty slow right now but I am on to it.

[welschrispy in reply to welschrispy]

Sue, I am so sorry but I can't find your last e mail sent to me with Dr B's link. Could you please re send it ?

[Madlegs1 in reply to welschrispy]

Dr B at [e-mail]