Going cold turkey with zopiclone

thanks for the info I'll try the 5htp I'm taking Passion flower at the moment. I'll try tapering off as don't want to take an anti depressant as it's just something else to then try and come off. Just get very cross these z drugs were freely given out few years ago and I was told they were non addictive. But gp's now turning round and telling people you can't have any more. Everywhere says swapping to diazapam makes it easier to wean off but my surgery will only give me 1 packet but happy to put me on an anti depressant that can also be addictive. I'll try the 5htp any advice helpful as got no help from my surgery as to tapering off. She did say about cbt but tried few sessions but didn't help me.

The GP who put me on zopiclone has just retired, he was very understanding as also suffered sleep problems, would always prescribe them, but now have a new GP with completely different attitude. Unfortunately they are now regarded as "very bad" and seems others in same position as me. Find it very contradictory that I can't have any more zopiclone in order to wean off, but can freely have anti depressants that are just as addictive. Do wonder if they will be regarded as being given out too freely in the future as well! Some gap's seem oblivious as to how hard it is to come off them and the solution is not always to stick people on more drugs!

Hi Caz

I will persevere just don't want to go down the anti depressant route if I can avoid it. My friend been on the ones she suggested for 5 years which doesn't bode well! I popped into my chemist and she said swapping to diazapam would be best option then wean off that, but gp won't prescribe it apart from 1 packet. I've only ever had 3 or 4 packets max a year but had bad year couple years ago when husband had heart attack and ended up taking them most nights. I'll go to Holland & Barrett and ask about the 5htp does seem it's OK to take if you aren't on anti depressants. Just feel very angry I've been told it's easy to come off if you're on low dose they have no idea!!! How long did it take you to come off the zopiclone?

Do feel the gp could be more sympathetic as I am actually trying to decrease the dose. You can buy zopiclone on line so will have to do that if I end up running out. Went in Holland &Barrett they advised against taking 5htp while still on zopiclone as said could make me feel worse as both affect your serotonin. Seems nothing available to temporarily ease the withdrawal symptoms which is all I'm after . Don't feel depressed just cross that I'm getting no help from the NHS , I think gp's need re educating as to how difficult it is to come off these drugs rather than sticking you on yet more addictive medication.

If you’re only having few packets a year then it sounds like you have it under control. I was having it every night and felt I couldn’t live without it. I tried several times to come off it but just took other things. Eventually I went onto the antidepressant and it was worse at first so I felt like nothin could help. Then I took Clonazepam for a week and that helped me come off Z. Now just on small dose or Sertraljne and can’t begin to te you how much better I feel. I sleep like a baby every night (before that I was on sleeping meds on and off for years).....

My gp would always prescribe them for me but has just retired and other gp in the practice told me I can't have any more. Also have hit and run OCD as result of having to visit my husband in hospital hours drive away after he nearly died after a heart attack, so find driving difficult, was improving but got really bad again after cutting down on the zopiclone. Even though I've never taken very many still ended up addicted had real craving for tablets when first tried stooping them some nights. Well done to you, I'm 2 months into trying to wean off them how long did it take you? I'll do bit research into 5 http that Nigel mentioned as well. 

hey Nigel, i was reading you comments and you seem quite knowledgeable so I have a couple questions for you if you dont mind because my doctor kind of caused this problem i think is not so helpful. I would gratefuk for your opinion. I was taken Zopiclone for a little while 7.5mg for little while, and then my doc said just quit cold turkey, I said isnt that dangerous, he said I'll be fine and gave 50mg of trazadone just in case. This is almost 2 months ago now, I just quit cold turkey not knowing or researching this like a fool. I was having all kinds of side effects past couple months not knowing what could be causing this. It has greaty effected my breathing, I cant even walk a block and all sort of lovely symptoms making me gong to see specialists etc. So I kind of weaned off the trazadone to quarter pill FAST over the past couple weeks and this week i as soon as i took nothing, i could take a walk long, but now I am getting tension headaches and head is popping an cracking, blood pressure rising pretty high, dizziness lights effecting me a bit. Despite all this I have clearer head and breath better, i am wondering what you think i should because i kind of worried how bad these withdrawls with get from trazadone, it's been about 3 days since i had any and only had quarter pill this week almost..any suggestions i would VERY grateful