zopiclone hell

[Greg1968]

I was on 7.5 mg of zop for a year after cancer then came off and got another cancer and many bad life experiences so started to buy online and now i cant function without 30 mg a day or 20 mif Im lucky. My Doctor has been so awful to me and just left me out to dry iVe had to buy online as i have siezures if I go cold turkey as I have epilepsy too from brain tumor. Life is ok on zop but when you havent got any its nearly pushed me to the funny farm. I want to come off but ots more dangerous for me not to sleep as it lowers my seizure thresehold so really could do with some advise.

Going to try and taper down but I think underneath the zop is a depressed,tired and person with panic attacks and trauma that effects me. Have tried everything in the book but I wthinking if I have 2 cancers and Im 54 already would I rather live my last decade or two not stressed and tweking from trying to come off them..What do you think?

[Sonicfairydust]

hi Greg

I’m so sorry to hear this. I’m in the similar situation, due to severe chronic health conditions causing insomnia amongst many other things I’m also on high levels of sleeping meds. 200 mg of melatonin, 6/8 promethazine and 40 mg of zoplicone a night and been for the last few months due to not sleeping for 3 months.

It weighs heavy on my conscience but sleep is the most important thing every time I try to cut down my sleep is affected and I cannot function and my energy is already extremely low.

We’re in a difficult situation, the medical profession would freak out so I’m not sharing this with any doctor but would like to try and cut down gradually as these drugs long term are no good but worse than that is not sleeping.

Maybe try and practice sleep hygiene if you’re not already and include relaxing things in your daily life and prepare your sleeping space for a relaxing night ahead.

Maybe include some natural remedies to try and cut down on the zoplicone.

Good luck!

[Greg1968 in reply to Sonicfairydust]

Thank you for your reply. I had my first good sleep last night with just 35mg of zop and considering I was on 50-70 now and again I'm going to do a guided meditation which I did last night via soon which did help. I've never done one before and was sceptical but there's something in it to explore. I've tried CBT, herbal remedies and diet to walks and will recommend them especially the getting out for walks twice a day. My doctors have been awful and hung up on me so have joined postscript which help you to taper and support you as much as they can. Today I'm at the beginning of my start to a new routine as well as mental journey to get positive as a depressed withdrawing crazy guy couldn't think straight so have taken zop again to manage symptoms my doctor just ignores and the NHS is broken and makes you sick for situations like ours. I hope things get better for you too and if I can help please just stay connected with as much support as possible. All the best x

[Sonicfairydust in reply to Greg1968]

can you tell me more about postscript please? I’ve looked it up and can’t find anything. Are they supporting you in cutting down zoplicone?

[Greg1968 in reply to Sonicfairydust]

Postscript is an organisation that helps people taperdown off drugs etc and you have to pay a small fee per month £30 in my case and they will work with you and try with your doctor as my doctors are the worst as they just put me on drugs that have messed me up and then abandoned me it feels as they expect you to just stop even though its dangerous in most cases so I have had to ask postscript360 there number is 0117 966 3629 good luck and if you ever need a chat just message me.

[littlethyroid1]

Greg I was on it for 15 years and like you I went up and up on them cos they stopped working

You have one way out and that’s to taper slow taper zop works on gaba receptors so take gab enhancers like magnesium glycinate high dose and have detox baths Epsom salts I cut my pills in quarters to help detox slowly

You can do this

[Greg1968 in reply to littlethyroid1]

Thanks for the advice. I was told that I should avoid drugs or supplements that use the same receptors but can't remember if that was magnesium glycerate. Would you know why a tapering adviser would say that or did I remember wrong? I have epilepsy and was prone to seizures so have to be careful.

[littlethyroid1 in reply to Greg1968]

if you were told that I would stick with what they said

It’s all about detox detox try milk thistle which helps the liver detox the drugs out your system

Try Epsom salt baths and phenegran the antihistamine has sleep printing properties google it people swear by it and go might prescribe it mine did

I also found resetting my carcadian clock helped I made sure I had 20 mins of bright sunlight via a lamp in the morning and then at night I’d not use phone or put strong overhead lights on I’d use low filter glasses from Amazon to watch tv

The trouble was I was wired and tired not sleepy though but resetting biological clock to lights and dark will boost your melatonin levels

Get a plan stick to it and just having a plan can take stress off us

It’s sleep anxiety that is the problem with most chronic insomniac it’s the fear of not sleeping that creates no sleep so we up out meds.

We are then dependant on meds and so the cycle goes

Break the cycle get a plan

A plan is like a helping hand a plan is like a little friend that’s on your side

Have a plan like

magnesium detox baths milk thistle for liver and reset body clock

Do daily affirmations to say to subconscious mind I will sleep tonight I will sleep tonight make your brain believe it keep imprinting it every time you think omg I won’t sleep tonight replace that thought immediately with I will sleep tonight I can’t wait to go to bed

Your subconscious mind does not know the difference between real and not real it’s so powerful

[Greg1968 in reply to littlethyroid1]

Thank you for the advice. I was told not to just stop the zopiclone as before I did that and had a seizure,hit my head and had a brain bleed so important to taper slowly im told. I will also try and look up some of the ingredients and supplements you have mentioned and integrate that into my program. Thank you and best wishes x

[Greg1968 in reply to littlethyroid1]

As for the Epsom salts in what form do you mean ? I thought the kind you have a bath in but having epilepsy I can only have showers but maybe there's another way to get Epsom salt into my system.

[littlethyroid1 in reply to Greg1968]

you can put Epsom salts as a foot bath it enters the body through skin get a bowl and put feet in with Epsom salts that you buy in chemist

[Jadeen]

Hi Greg. I don’t know if you read my post.

I am stuck on zopiclone myself for four years.

When I tried to get off twice, I became so depressed and did not sleep for days in a row. I decided to stay on until my death, I am 66. The life I have with no zopiclone is not worth living. I know somebody will say the exact opposite to me. But I feel we all have to do what is best for us.

Take care. Anita

[Greg1968 in reply to Jadeen]

I can understand what you are saying and Im trying to taper but have sometimes thought as I have 2 cancers anyway I could stay on zopiclone and feel ok for the remaining years or spend my possible remaining years fighting the addiction and feeling anxiety,depressed and in a terrible state. I beggining to think like you despite what others say as I would rather have quality of life than the night terrors and various awful affects i get when I dont have any.

All the best and thank you for the message

[Shayna1980]

Greg I withdrew very slowly from zop it was very hard but it can be done. Go to benzo buddies for help lots of people have been thru the withdrawal there and can help with tapering advice

[Greg1968 in reply to Shayna1980]

Thank you I'm using a service called postscript360 who are advising me on tapering so have a phone call once a week to see how I'm doing. I have underlying health conditions so it's complicated which makes it extremely difficult but I will get there. Thank you for the advice