Sleeping medication

Well, I've taken zopiclone continuously, apart from a few breaks of a few weeks or less, for nearly 11 years.

The fact that you've been prescribed zolpidem suggest that you are in the US; the fact that you've been prescribed Circadin, rather than going into a health store and buying melatonin, suggests you are in the UK.

I think there have been some worrying problems found with zolpidem, so I'd ask why you've been prescribed that rather than zopiclone (eszopiclone in the US).

Melatonin is unlikely to help you unless it's a jet lag problem or you are in your more senior years. If you are in the US, there's also something called suvorexant, sold as Belsomra, that may help insomnia.

Melatonin and suvorexant work differently to zolpidem and zopiclone, though it's thought that the Z-drugs, as they're often referred to (and also include zaleplon), act on the neurotransmitter which acts most as the on/off switch in the brain.

The Z-drugs (except eszopliclone) have licences which recommend their use for a maximum of 28 days. For most people they are effective for much longer periods. Benzodiazepines have similar licences but are less likely to be helpful after 28 days and are cleared from the body (as an unwanted substance or toxic waste) less easily than the Z-drugs.

If you ever want to sleep naturally STOP TAKING ALL THESE PILLS!!!!!!!

All your doing is making it more and more difficult for yourself to go to sleep without some form of aid. Your body builds up an immunity to these drugs and they will stop working eventually, some more quickly than others. You then become dependent on said drugs and this further ruins your ability to sleep naturally.

I don't know about your circumstances but amitriptyline isn't a sleep aid so do not take it. This is the drug that I was put on originally and all it did was make me angry. Question your doctor when they try giving you antidepressants for a sleep disorder because it only made my condition a lot worse.

What you need to do is look at your lifestyle and pinpoint what is causing you not to sleep. For the most part, doctor's can't and won't help you with this. Research sleep inducing foods, incorporate more exercise, eliminate all forms of stress. Only then should you consult with a doctor about it. Everyone seems to think medication is the answer when it's not!

Trust me on this. I've been not sleeping for 6/7 years, I've tried every drug under the sun and have spoken to probably close to 100 different GPs on the matter. Please, don't let this ruin your life like it did mine.

Lee.

Ashnick, Lee is right. It's not a good idea to take any sleep medication - even an antihistamine like Phenergan - every. I had trouble sleeping for my entire working life (I'm 72 now) and got round it by taking small doses of Phenergan. But only for maximum three consecutive nights, just to break the cycle of insomnia. Then I'd tough it out for the next week or so before taking Phenergan for another couple of nights. I did that from my early 20s up to when I gave up paid employment at age 66, and it never stopped working. (And I never took any prescription meds.) I still occasionally take a dose now, on nights before travelling or an important meeting, and it still works like a dream.

I see you're in the senior category too, at 65. You do know, don't you, that we need less sleep as we go into old age? It's true that older people tend to take more short naps, but we don't need as much solid sleep as the young ones. Also, why is it so important for you to get a long sleep every night now you don't have all the responsibilities of working life? I still do a fairly demanding voluntary job in a mental health centre, but it's not nearly as stressful as my "real" job used to be, so I don't worry if I don't sleep unless I'm going to have to do something stressful like a presentation the following day. On those nights Phenergan comes into play again. I also take a couple of overnight on-calls a month which disrupts my sleep somewhat, but I quickly get back to normal.

I have to say that retirement is the best thing that ever happened to me on the sleep front! Once I was free of the stress of a busy working life I started sleeping well for the first time in my life.

Maybe you could learn to be a bit more laid-back about life and accept that you don't need as much sleep?

I also agree with Robert. Zolpidem isn't the best sleeping med for the over-60s, as it can cause memory loss and confusion during the day.