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My GP wants me to come off 3.75mg Zopiclone completely and I'm scared

Posted , 8 users are following.

becca93212
becca93212

Hi all. I've been taking Zopiclone 3.75mg up to 2 a night for approx 5-6 years now.

I spent sometime buying them off the Internet a couple of years back because I was ashamed to tell my GP I hadn't come off them. But it was costing a fortune and my husband was worried about me. So I went to my GP and was honest with her and let her know I was addicted to them.

Since then I've been yoyoing back and forth in doses. Taking no more than 2 a night. But for the last 6 months I've been trying to taper off them and right now I'm taking 1 and a half 3.75mg tablets a night.

My GP currently thinks I'm only taking one a night. Because I'm too ashamed and afraid to tell her I've not got further with my tapering.

I have Complex PTSD, generalised anxiety disorder and I think I am going through perimenopause as it is. So I'm a complicated one!

I don't know what to do and how this is going to affect me. I'm so scared of the withdrawals.

So though I'd find a support forum to be open in and hopefully find some reassuring advice.

Thank you for anything in advance.

Becca 😊

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • mark60129
    mark60129 becca93212

    Edited

    My advice would be that if zopiclone is working for you then don't stress out about it. You're not taking huge amounts, and if it's helping you get enough sleep, fair enough.

    • gary84129
      gary84129 mark60129

      Posted

      This reply is a great reply and is exactly what id like to say my GP when i feel embarrassed. Ive been on Zolpidem for so many years for generalised anxiety, which pretty much ensured I had a life. I went from nothing to now having a solid job, kids and married. Just getting some sleep gave me confidence. I only get 10 mg a night and it stops me from drinking, and when I drink now I don't take a Zolpidem. I have never been urged to buy offline as too scared anyway, but I live in fear one day I get cut off randomly no questions asked. My wife says its unreasonable but in my head its totally happening and ill think about it for days. Ive settled on one day I may be able to just take ad required but 10mg is enough and the placebo effect is probably the factor there, but I feel ashamed, utterly embarrassed, helpless to the point no one cares that they help me, that the pros far outweigh the cons for sure. Can barely find the confidence to ever think why are you ashamed? I just wish i found the confidence to think differently on the matter, but your comment makes me justified. I went through a stage at the start where I would pick up scripts early and I realised how wrong that was, now i am quite content at just saying having 2 days without a week, I don't panic like i used too, and I know going cold turkey, or cut off without consideration would cause major problems and id find other ways to cope, but I think one day, I could at least go down to, take as required and a script lasting over two months than one month. I have had night terrors since youth and have slept so crap. I used to sleep with a TV on too, which I was able to stop when I went on Zolpidem...Now I can sleep in the dark, eye mask and relaxing music.

      I just thought I need to reply to this and maybe get some advice.

  • hamish57389
    hamish57389 becca93212

    Posted

    hi Becca I asked my doctor for a lower dose from 7.5 down dto 3.5 but they didnt work so I asked for some more so I could take 1and a half 3.5 thinking I could taper down to just 3.5 and then try to stop ,so I just decided to go cold turkey ,Im on my 3rd day and not sleeping and getting quit bad withdrawal .The problem I was having was they stopped working for me and I was getting headaches every morning ,I thought to myself I cant live like this for ever surely if you stop your body will rid itself of this addictive poison ,I see most people think diazpam as the anwser but getting them from your doctor is not so easy they dont seem to want to replace Zop with diaz it seems they dont know enough about addiction and what its like to feel so miserable.Im going to keep trying to go without Zop for as long as I can ,I scared of having to keep upping the dose for it to work.

    • peter62359
      peter62359 hamish57389

      Posted

      how are you getting on now? alot better I hope.

      I've just been prescribed zopiclone because I've just come off tramadol and I'm in withdrawal. so I've had no sleep for 2 nights and get very agitated and restless legs to the max in bed. I'm not sure if these are going to help or make it sure..so any help is appreciated.thanks

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