Weaning off zopiclone

Thank you.

Sometimes I took 1 mg during the day when’s stressed. Even twice per day. I always tried to keep the dose very low. And then I just decided to quit.

Hi again Thank you for your reply.

It sounds as though you have been very careful in handling this situation and have a lot of knowledge about it.

I do not know what you do next in order to reduce the dose etc. However it sounds as though you know what to do.

?I don't think most people realise what horrible drugs these benzos and opiates are but hopefully are becoming more and more enlightened and seeking alternatives such as counselling, psychotherapy, meditation, mindfulness, yoga etc.

Thanks once again.

any help on cutting regime would help.

thank you

​They are terrible drugs. Just  terrible. Any withdrawal has to be done very slowly as it is dangerous to go cold turkey.

So far I have no idea what or which of my problems are caused by diazepam. My memory got really bad and I hope it will get better. I was scared when I heard that diazepam could cause dementia. Now they don’t say that anymore, it was never truly verified.

Twelve years ago I was diagnosed with a very bad burnt-out syndrome. Somehow I like to think that it could have been even worse if I had not had the diazepam, it helped me a lot. My burnt-out syndrome has left me with an easily trigged anxiety and brain fog and many physical symptoms. 

I dont take any anti depressants anymore, even if I sometimes feel that I need them. But I have decided to try to totally avoid any brain medication.

Again, I’m not a doctor and can’t give any real advice. The Ashton protocol is said to be reliable. I browsed through it and it looks like to be more helpful for people who have been on higher dosage.

yes i agree Ashton seems its more for higher dosage drops.

i am going to try to get off this if i can, im just scared.  Today im feeling bad  and just dont know if i can get through all this

Try to keep positive and think how much better you are going to feel off this stuff .

Exerccise helps because it stimulates the production of endorphins which are the bodys natural pain killers and anti depressants.

Focusing on small tasks such as washing the dishes but slowly is not onlt a distraction but alters your mindset as it gives the brain something to focus on and dispel negative thoughts. If you go for a walk then walk slowly for the same reason. Breathing exerises are another means of re focusing and changing ones mindset.

Take care .

i would advise anyone to just go for it and keep trying to get off them. Nothing will happen to you and by replacing them with something else is just adding to the problem as you then have to give those up

I have not experienced any of these side effects and substituted it to get some sleep. I tried Melatonin, Amitriptyline+ HC 10mg but settled on Quetiapine 25mg. There was one more med but can't remember the name.

I hope this helps.

hey steve I have experinced those symptoms, did you have an respiratory problems by chance or problems being active after taking it for awhile. I didint know much about the pill but I took 7.5 zop for lmost 2 months and then i asked the doc for something else and gave me lovely trazdone. not know the effcts of just stopping one med, i did and been off it for almost 6 weeks, but hve all kinds of nightmarish symptoms with just 50mg of trazadone i m trying to come off.

50mg Trazodone is nothing, I thought that the lowest doze is 100. I don't think that it gave you any side effects, must be something else.

I am taking 100mg + 25 Seroquel after coming off Zopiclone which I took for years.

i took zoplicone 7,5 for 2 months almost before and quit cold turkey cause my lovely doctor didnt tell me about tapering, he just told me take traz to taper. I quit taking for am month now, i am wonder if it's form this. And ya I do get dide effects from not taking traz ore than 24hrs like burred vision and headaches. I take a little traz and it helps go away., Just dont know if all the side effcts from this

I have noticed that Steve. I still take Zopiclone but trying to reduce. Taken them long, about 4 years. You can get dizzy, tinnitus, anxeity etc. The wierd thing is that the symtoms gets worse when decreasing the dose. I usually take 1.70 tablett (havnt been able to sleep at 1.5 tabl) but now trying to reduce. How are you doing now?

Hello Anne, It's been tough, I ve been tapering off and now trying to go a few days without Zop. I find I can sleep the next two days without zop but then up all night the 3rd. Then I take a half the next night if i don t fall asleep by 3 am just to get some shut eye for the next day. I ve done this now a couple of weeks but the nights Im up all night lying in bed can be long and frustrating.

I understand. Its good you can sleep though. I manage to sleep on 1.5 tablet (thats 11 mg) last night. Do you notice if you get worse (the next day) when decreasing ?

Just decrease very slowly and slowly replace with something else. I tried Amytriptiline, Zopiclone, Melatonine but settled on Quetiapine 25mg+Zopiclone 100mg. Works for me.

Ray I think the post from you where not for me? 100 mg Zopi is a lot.

The only side effect seem to have by decreasing is rebound insomnia and anxiety of not sleeping.

Thanks

Oooops, it meant to be Trazodone 100 mg. Zopiclone 100 mg would be suicide!

CORRECTION: Quetiapine 25mg+Trazodone 100mg NOT Zopiclone!

Trazodone alone didn't do it for me. Check with your Dr. and experiment until you settle on one of 4 possibilities. We are all different but I settled on 100mg Trazodone and 25mg Seroquel.