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Zopiclone addiction 40 tablets a day

Posted , 20 users are following.

EarthaKitt
EarthaKitt

Please help does anyone know if there is a treatment for dependency/addiction to zopiclone?

I take between 20 and 40 7.5mg a day and it has increased slowly over the last six years. They are both prescribed and purchased from the internet.

I do not wish to substitute one addiction for another but cannot face going cold turkey.

I took an overdose last week and took over 120 zopiclone tablets along with a combination of other medication and alcohol and drugs.

I am waiting for the crisis team to contact me.

I need something to help with the withdrawals as I have read that the treatment is weaning and not to stop altogether when my body is used to this amount as it can bring on epilepsy and heart attacks. Ironic as I tried to end my life only last week you would think that I don't care.

I Have been to the doctor and the hospital obviously and they would not prescribe me anything.

HELP!!!!! I'm very scared.

1 like, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • steve_44408
    steve_44408

    Posted

    I just signed up because I have a similar problem. And no one has even replied to your post! That says it all really, why did I bother signing up? I have a similar problem, maybe not as acute as yours. I take 3.75mg

    Zopiclone every night and and have done for 15 years. Now a new doctor has stopped my pills and given

    me a leaflet and phone number re someone to talk to about sleep problems. I feel very angry that he will

    not listen to me and anxious that my life is going to fall apart when I can no longer sleep anymore.

    • mary35957
      mary35957 steve_44408

      Posted

      I felt exactly the same way. My son helped me, he took cocaine when young and just stopped. He explained withdrawal will not be as bad as you think, not as bad as the he'll you're in now. They stop working anyway when your body gets used to them. Just take control and be proud of that, be awake but don't take any. Take lots of exercise and have a busy day and then do it. If you get to the morning and don't take any it's the best feeling in the world and the second night you will doze. Don't get up cause you have to train your body to rest. You don't have to be be unconscious and eventually you will sleep and you don't know when you slip over, it'll happen.  Take control, this drug doesn't work, docs are right they are poise.  Though I do agree doctors need to be trained in people skills. Councillors are different and are great, non-judgemental and supportive.. Give it a go.

      are different and are and are great 

  • shelagh64447
    shelagh64447

    Edited

    Dear Earthakitt

    I really feel for you. I, too was taking large doses of zopiclone daily -around 20 to 30 over about 4 years. I was very fortunate to have an understanding GP when I fessed up & told her I couldn't go on any longer. She weaned me off them by using the Ashton Manual protocol of slowly switching me to diazepam, then reducing the diazepam dose by 2mg every two weeks. Google the Ashton Manual - it shows the diazepam equivalent to all types of benzos as well as the Z drugs.

    I'm no saint btw - i slipped up twice and went back to buying z drugs again - the last time, i ran out, and went into shocking withdrawal. I phoned an ambulance - they were fab- and the hospital kept me in for a week, starting me on the diaz withdrawal. God forbid that I slip up again - it's too easy to get hold of them.

    Please go back to your GP and tell them the state you're in and that you need help. Beg and cry, if you must. I do hope you find some help. As I said - I absolutely understand where you're at. Sending you a big hug x

  • Tilly1310
    Tilly1310

    Posted

    Hello,

    My dosage has also crept up to around 30 a day and I feel its ruining my life. My husband is about to leave me. We've just moved to Australia and he is threatening to send me back home, all of which is devastating. Definitely googling the Ashton Manual, can't go on like this... I have no idea where to start though.

    • Juu
      Juu Tilly1310

      Posted

      i’m so glad I’ve met somebody that was taking the same amount as me I thought I was the only one. I told my GP I thought I would be having or becoming dependent on them and I was treated like a drug addict. She cancelled all of my appointments with my mental health team my sleeping clinic everything. Then she sent me to this place called turning point who didn’t even know what to do with me. I am now alone under no mental health team whatsoever a doctor that doesn’t understand and then exactly the same situation probably worse than I was in the first place I’ve already waited for years for cancelling I’ve got a get of these dam things but it looks like I’m going to have to do it myself. Paragraph as you can’t get them off the Internet anymore and as my doctor will not prescribe me the diazepam what the hell am I supposed to do yeah she’s telling me not to go cold turkey because I will have a fit!

  • EarthaKitt
    EarthaKitt

    Edited

    Hello Tilly and Shelagh,

    There is hope my darling. I went into recovery and don't get me wrong it was hell I lost my mind then a week in . I discovered I was pregnant something I had been trying for for the last ten years. I couldn't believe it. After being raped and abused for six years which started me on these pills in the first place. I didn't ever think I deserved or could have children and have a happy life because I was damaged goods some self inflicted most inflicted upon me. My ex murdered two of my ex boyfriends and held a gun to my brothers head threatened to burn down my brothers house with his wife and three babies in them. He murdered a lot of people and terrorised and brutally violently bullied everyone. The police couldn't help me. I was offered to have my name changed and go into witness protection programme. I was taunted everyday with death threats of me my family. He visited any friends I had and told them if they ever contacted me again he would cut their heads off. he got to one of them. Everyday he would make me watch videos of him stabbing people up the arse and making them eat dog shit while they are screaming in agony. Videos of his friends gang raping women. Videos of him slashing peoples Achilles tendon was one of his favourites so they would never walk again. I would have to watch the same video about four hundred times until I couldn't keep my eyes open and he would hold them open until four or five in the morning. So much more but that's by the by.

    First of all you have made a start.

    You are acknowledging you have a problem.

    What I have learn't is to go to a specialised clinic dealing with this specific problem and DO NOT involve your G.P. There will be something available and you don't always need a referral from your doctor.

    I have gone through hell and back.

    Sadly my body couldn't take it and my first twins heartbeat stopped at 9 weeks then I miscarried my second beautiful baby at 13 weeks.

    I tried twice to take my own life had a complete and total meltdown and got arrested which I have never been involved with the police and ended up in a mental hospital but I'm still fucking here and nothing is going to fucking beat me anymore.

    YOU WILL GO THROUGH HELL AND YOU WILL THINK IT WILL NEVER END.

    But it does.

    Where there is life there is hope.

    YOU WILL BE OK I PROMISE YOU!

    If I can do it you sure as shit can.

    I'm sending as much love to you all with this problem it's your own personal hell but you come out the other side.

    Tilly your husband is trying to shock you into a reaction but he doesn't know any better you need love and kindness now.

    You need to be your priority now.

    If you want to talk further i'll be here for anyone.

    Tonnes of love

    xxxxx

  • Mr.H
    Mr.H EarthaKitt

    Posted

    Dear EarthaKitt,

    I am very sorry to hear it. I have never encountered anyone taking such a large dose and I would be very wary of the toxic effects that might have.

    But may I ask, what is the underlying cause of your stress?  Most people turn to zopiclone for relief of something that is worrying them, be it a recent bereivement, worry at work, even simpy impossible hours - but you sound like you have some serious concerns.   

    First you need to find a Doctor you can relate to - and they are good, and they are out there - sometimes takes a bit of trial and error to find the right one, then have a good chat. For gods sake don't take 20 odd of the things - your body will just become immune to it.

  • christine61990
    christine61990 EarthaKitt

    Edited

    Hi, I know this page is over a year old but I arrived at it via google as I was taking 12 of the zopiclones a day, because of stress in my life I could not cope with, but my experience is nowhere near as traumatic as yours. Reading what you went through made me cry for you, I don't mean that to be insulting.

    I bet it felt horrible that no one replied to your post, and I am sorry about that.

    My heart goes out to all of you who have had zopiclone addictions.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 

    • EarthaKitt
      EarthaKitt christine61990

      Edited

      Hello christine61990,

      Thank you.

      I was just checking my emails and this came in. I haven't been back to this page since and yes it did really hurt that there was very response.

      I cry just thinking about this brutal time in my life and think of removing this post but I have left it for others who may find themselves in desperation. 

      Sadly I am now disabled with a central nervous system disease which means I am in pain throughout my entire body from the moment I wake up to the last thing when I close my eyes and throughout the night many times waking in pain. There is no cure and the medication doesn't work.I am single still and still have no children. I will be having an operation in the next month which I think will leave me unable to ever have a child. 

      But I want to say although I will never get over what happened and is happening. It's ok. I'm alive and I'm a survivor. I will keep fighting every day to overcome life's trials. All the problems are in my past now and look to the future with hope. 

      I haven't abused zopiclone or anything else for years now.

      you can't keep a good woman down!

      Huge love to you and everyone who is going through their own issues.

      😎👍🏻😜🔫🤗 xxxxxxx

       

  • JJ87304
    JJ87304 EarthaKitt

    Posted

    I feel you, exactly the same, 30-40 for me as well. A lot of people use valium to taper off of Zopiclone as directed by your doctor. I personally never had withdrawals as I didn't do it so frequently since it isn't the easiest drug to get but I was admitted to a psych ward for my addiction among other things and then I was flagged by the pharmacys so I'm unable to get them now. I know you say you don't want to substitute one addiction for another but it would be nearly impossible to quit cold turkey and not have withdrawals. And also, just because you had an addiction to one drug doesn't mean you'll have an addiction to any others. I've personally used Xanax and OxyContin but never felt any urge to use it again even though they are some of the most heavily abused drugs in the world but Zopiclone for me was just my dream drug. However I am not saying go out and buy Xanax or anything, just follow the advice of your doctor, he/she will know what's best for you.
  • mary35957
    mary35957 EarthaKitt

    Posted

    I took zopiclone for 4 months and stopped cold turkey, it is very hard , 10 nights without now, but have night sweats and tennitus. Please go to your doctor, he will be very supportive and help you, you must get off them, they are highly addictive and more importantly dangerous. I'm glad I did it, I feel so good I'm in control again though I will have to put up with symptoms for a while, it's worth it. Please get medical help, they will help you.

  • judi81003
    judi81003 EarthaKitt

    Posted

    I just got this in my inbox, but only signed on to these dicussions about 6 weeks ago.

    Just wondering if you are OK? Please let us know. That is a very high dose to stop all at once, and I do hope you found the support you needed. 

    The pharmas want you to take their meds, and buy as many as possible, then there is no help to stop when you need it. 

    They will call you a "junkie", they will call you worse. But you are a person who deserves love, respect and support like any other. 

    Please let us know if you are ok.

    I am anticipating great news : )

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