Experiences with
Zopiclone

Zopiclone is a type of sleeping pill that can be taken for short-term treatment of severe insomnia.

It helps you fall asleep more quickly, and also helps stop you waking up during the night. It works by affecting a calming chemical in your brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Zopiclone comes as tablets. It also comes as a liquid for people who find it hard to swallow tablets, but your doctor will have to order this specially.

This medicine is only available on prescription.

Who can take zopiclone

Most adults over the age of 18 years can take zopiclone.

Who may not be able to take zopiclone

Zopiclone is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor if you:

have ever had an allergic reaction to zopiclone or any other medicine
have liver or kidney problems
have myasthenia gravis, a condition that causes muscle weakness
have breathing problems or sleep apnoea, where you stop breathing for short bouts while sleeping
have ever had mental health problems
have had issues with alcohol or drug abuse
are trying to get pregnant, already pregnant, or breastfeeding

Dosage and strength

Zopiclone tablets come in 2 different strengths: 3.75mg and 7.5mg.

The usual dose is one 7.5mg tablet, taken just before you go to bed. It takes around 1 hour to work.

A lower dose of 3.75mg may be recommended to begin with if you're over 65 years old or have kidney or liver problems. Taking a lower dose in these cases reduces the risk of excessive sleepiness and other side effects.

Do not take more than your prescribed dose of zopiclone.

It's important to take zopiclone exactly as your doctor has told you. Your doctor might ask you to take a tablet on only 2 or 3 nights each week, rather than every night.

Swallow the tablet whole. Do not crush or chew it.

You can take zopiclone with or without food.

How long to take it for

You'll usually be prescribed zopiclone for just 2 to 4 weeks.

This is because your body gets used to this medicine quickly, and after this time it's unlikely to have the same effect. Your body can also become dependent on it.

Do not stop taking zopiclone suddenly without speaking to your doctor. They may suggest you reduce your dose slowly to prevent withdrawal symptoms. However you're unlikely to have withdrawal symptoms if you've been taking it for less than a month.

If you still have sleeping problems after finishing your course of zopiclone, try lifestyle changes to help you get to sleep. See your doctor again if these do not help.

If you forget to take it

If you forget to take it by bedtime, just skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time the next night.

Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you take too much

Taking more than your prescribed dose of zopiclone can be dangerous. You may get symptoms including:

feeling drowsy, feeling confused, sleeping deeply and possibly going into a coma
feeling dizzy, light-headed or faint due to low blood pressure
floppy muscles
falling over or losing your balance
shallow breathing or difficulty breathing

you take more than your prescribed dose of zopiclone – even if you do not feel any different

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111

If you need to go to A&E, do not drive. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring the zopiclone packet or leaflet inside it, any remaining medicine, and any other medicines you take.

Common side effects

These common side effects of zopiclone happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Try taking sips of water and keep some water by your bed at night. Using a mouthwash before bedtime may also help.

Ask your pharmacist to recommend one that's good for a dry mouth, as some can make a dry mouth worse.

Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery if you're feeling this way. Do not drink any alcohol as it will make you feel more tired.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

It happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects when taking zopiclone.

Call your doctor or call 111 as soon as possible if you:

get a poor memory (amnesia)
see or hear things that are not real (hallucinations)
fall over, especially if you're over 65 years of age
think things that are not true (delusions)
feel low or sad (have depression)

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to zopiclone.

Meds New IA (H4) - serious allergic reaction

These are not all the side effects of zopiclone. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.

Zopiclone and pregnancy

Zopiclone is not usually recommend in pregnancy because little is known about its use. If you become pregnant while taking zopiclone, speak to your doctor. They will help you decide what to do and may switch you to a medicine that is more suitable for pregnancy.

Zopiclone may cause drowsiness or withdrawal symptoms such as being agitated or shaking in newborn babies. If you take it until the end of pregnancy, this may increase the chance of your baby having these problems. Your baby may need to stay in hospital for extra monitoring for a few days after they're born.

Zopiclone and breastfeeding

If you're having problems sleeping, talk to your doctor or pharmacist as there may be other ways of improving sleep without taking zopiclone.

But if your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take zopiclone while breastfeeding. It's better to only take occasional doses, and only for a short time.

Zopiclone passes into breast milk in very small amounts, and has not been known to cause any side effects in breastfed babies. However there is a very small risk that it might make your baby sleepy too.

It's important not to share a bed with your baby while you're taking zopiclone.

If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual or seems unusually sleepy, or you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible.

Zopiclone and fertility

There's no evidence to suggest that taking zopiclone reduces fertility in either men or women.

But speak to a pharmacist or your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They may want to review your treatment.

Meds New IA (H2) - Pregnancy non-urgent care card

Cautions with other medicines

Some medicines and zopiclone can affect each other and increase the chances of you having side effects.

Certain medicines may increase the drowsy (sedating) effects of zopiclone.

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take zopiclone if you take any of these medicines:

medicines to treat schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
medicines to treat depression
medicines for epilepsy
medicines to calm or reduce anxiety, or for sleep problems
medicines for hay fever, rashes or other allergies that can make you sleepy (sedating antihistamines, such as chlorphenamine or promethazine)
strong painkillers such as codeine, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, pethidine or tramadol
erythromycin or clarithromycin, antibiotics used to treat infections
medicines used to treat fungal infections, such as ketoconazole or itraconazole
ritonavir, a medicine used to treat HIV infections