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Newbie with questions

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ruth93165
ruth93165

I'm from Canada. There seems to be little to nothing available on zoplicone dependence/abuse/withdrawl in North America. I abused zoplicone on and off for ten years, about two months ago came clean to my psychiatrist, he prescribed me a weekly dose at first, but the pharmacy technician finally screwed up and gave me two months worth. Took a bunch of the pills and landed in the hospital, where my dose was reduced and eventually discontinued. Some days I feel fine but I notice I get these sweats during the day usually, and can get extremely agoraphobic and anxious. I joined Narcotics Anonymous for support and that helps, but I haven't met anyone there yet who abused pills, let alone tranquilizers. In Canada pain killer abuse seems more common.

I was wondering if anyone has taken any supplements like GABA to help with withdrawl? Today I feel rather awful since my husband just told me he is going out of town for work tomorrow, for a couple of days. I wish he could just stay in town right now but he has to go. Stories/encouragement/advice for early withdrawl would be appreciated. 

2 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • angela15547
    angela15547 ruth93165

    Posted

    Hi Ruth, I was on zopiclone 7.5mgs for around 30 years, I am also on other drugs and want to reduce or stop some of them. I decided to finish zopiclone first it has taken me between 4 to 6 weeks to gradually reduce the dose and then stabilise then reduce again until I have totally got off them. Once you have reduced down to nothing you must not go back onto even a small dose as you can get a very bad reaction that could do you serious harm. The sweating and anxiousness and tremours do seem to disappear when you have been free from zopiclone for 2 days but then the bad symptoms do come back, they affect you badly and make you feel terrible, over the next 4 to 5 days you may wonder if it is worth going through it all. Stick with it, the next few days do improve. I found that from just before late afternoon the withdrawl gets worse and lasts until you go to sleep at night, this will improve and after about 8 to 10 days you should feel better and free from withdrawl symptoms. You will get occassional bad feelings but they will gradually become free from these bad fieelings. I was adviced not to use a crossover drug as it took as long or even longer to get off the crossover drug as it did to get off zopiclone. I now have the occassional bad time but it only lasts a short time, I really do feel alot better than I have for years when I awake in a morning, also my tastebuds are returning to how they were before taking zopiclone. I hope this will help and if you need any more help or information please don't hesitate to get in touch. This of course is my personal experience of zopiclone withdrawl, I hunted all over to get help but in the end did my own thing with the help of my Husband who is my carer. I understand how you feel with your Husband going away for a few days, see if you can ring or skype him when he is not working, you do need backup. Good luck for your withdrawl, I am now going to try and reduce my zomorph doses, I had talked with my Husband and decided to do one drug at a time so I knew which drug was giving me the withdrawl symptoms. Once again good luck PLEASEremember that you must never use benzadiazepam again as this group of drugs will bring on withdrawl problems again.
    • ruth93165
      ruth93165 angela15547

      Posted

      Hi Angela, 

      Thanks for your reply. My case is a bit different I was prescribed 3*7.5mgs for over 10 years and was taking more than that when I was abusing it. They took me off of it completely while I was in the hospital and that's what I wanted. I am still on a low dose of klonopin and I definitely have reservations about being on any benzo but to go cold turkey off klonopin is not an option. I'm seeing my psychiatrist on the 29th and I'm planning to discuss a taper schedule with him. I am so relieved to be off zoplicone it was totally worth the nasty withdrawal side effects which were the worst the first week 

    • caron42642
      caron42642 angela15547

      Posted

      hi angela i was on 37.5mg of zopiclone i am now trying to taper off them this is my 7th day just taking 2 at night 7.5 but i fell so ill sweating shaking chest pains and ive been feeling really sick i am going to a rehab on tuesday but as i suffer from depression i am finding i carnt cope .i was taking 2 through the day to get me through the depression now im not taking any through the day time and i feel im going to give up and take 1 through the day to help with these feelings it has helped reading that the first week is the worst and it will ease off you have done really well coming off these well done as i am going through hell as well i also have been taking zopiclone for 17 years or may be longer .
    • angela15547
      angela15547 caron42642

      Posted

      Hi Caron, glad to hear you are getting off zop it is hard but worth while. I have had better sleep and my taste has improved it was worth going through hell but at the time you don't think so. Keep on fighting but do the reductions gradually you had the strength to know you needed to come off it so stick with it it is worth it. I also have depression but will not take tablets I don't want to add more tablets on I need to reduce them. As I said my next fight is reducing zomorph. Hope you achieve your goal don't give in you owe it to yourself Good luck if you need to talk I am here.
    • caron42642
      caron42642 angela15547

      Posted

      hi angela thank you for your reply you sound as if you going through hard time as well am glad to hear you are off the zopiclone they have messed me up all the years i have taken them .i dont no if this is 1 of the withdrawl symptoms but ive been feeling really sick with a upset tummy as well not sure if thats with the tablets or if ive caught a winter bug as i carnt really eat much with the sickness am on tablets for depression as well but i am coming off those aswell had enough of all these tablets just like you i dont want to take any more tablets as i fell no different if i take them or not .when you start to come down off your zomorph i hope its not to bad for you really i do as i no its the horrible feeling and feeling so low i wish you well and good luck take care .
  • SeaWhisper1
    SeaWhisper1 ruth93165

    Posted

    Hi Ruth,

    I wish I could taper off of zop, but I can't because I have 'fragmented sleep' a brain disorder.  I can't sleep without something.  I went from zop to diaz (for just one month) and now tapering down on clonazepam for just one month.  I don't want to be on benzos at all, but I couldn't handle tapering off or going cold turkey off of imovane.  I am glad you are having a psychiatrist to help you with this.  My sleep specialist is a psychiatrist and is wonderful.  I have gotten off of imovane without any withdrawal.  I know I will have difficulty getting off of the clonazepam, but, I am not alone.  If I run into a problem my psychiatrist will fit me in quickly.  Keep me posted.

    • ruth93165
      ruth93165 SeaWhisper1

      Posted

      Hi Seawhisper, 

      Good for you for getting off zoplicone, it's hard. Has your doctor considered putting you on a small dose if one of the older antidepressants for sleep, like elavil, doxepine or trazodone? I take doxepine and find it works well. Keep me updated too! 

  • SeaWhisper1
    SeaWhisper1 ruth93165

    Posted

    Hi Ruth,

    That is exactly my psychiatrist's (sleep specialist) next step after the clonazepam...low dosage doxepin or trazedone (not sure if I spelled them correctly).

    • ruth93165
      ruth93165 SeaWhisper1

      Posted

      Hi Seawhisper 

      I'm glad your doctor is planning to put you on a low dose of trazodone or doxepine I think those are good choices for someone with a history of dependence or abuse. good luck! 

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