1. Community
  2. Brain and nerves
  3. Benzodiazepines and Z Drugs

Zopiclone death

Posted , 8 users are following.

Bertfish
Bertfish

Hi, I am going through the worst experience imaginable. I started taking Zopiclone over 2 years ago after losing the ability to sleep suddenly after severe headaches.

The problem is it only gives me 2 hours sleep a night but without it i get nothing. No other drugs have helped me sleep at all. I want to just stop taking it cold turkey but cannot stand the thought of going another night without any sleep as i have had close to hundred nights of zero sleep in the last 2.5 years. My skin & nerves are all dying & i am weak. I feel like i have aged 20 years in 2. I have had enough of this existence living like a Zombie & I have no quality of life whatsoever. i want this over & have been getting lots of thoughts just to end my life now. The doctors do not believe that i only get the sleep i do & I have been basically left to rot to death.

I think i have lost the ability to sleep naturally & my brain feels drugged up & I have constant 24/7 headache. My life is over as far as i am concerned. I just dont know what to do. I just cannot sleep! If there is anyone out there that can offer me any advice on what to do i would be most appreciative as i am desperate! Thank you Keith

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • bridgeclose
    bridgeclose Bertfish

    Posted

    Hi Keith,

    Firstly I'm sorry to read your story.

    Has your GP prescribed Diazepam to help you at all, even if it was for a couple of weeks?

    Or even a referral to a sleep disorder unit, who can help & do a recording of how sleep, which can help in a way that you can understand i

  • Mike-NZL
    Mike-NZL Bertfish

    Posted

    Hey Keith I too am on zopiclone, but are managing to get 4 hours as I have severe anxiety. Has the doctor suggested trying another benzodiazepine? i understand completely as i have been through sleepless nights day after day, the doctors im afraid to say have absolutely no idea how critical sleep is. i can from time to time sleep on lorazepam but in your case demand urgent medical intervention.

    Absolutely no body should put up with that crap and its time these doctors and gps started to understand mental health better. demand help!!

    • Bertfish
      Bertfish Mike-NZL

      Posted

      Hi Mike

      Thanks for getting back. I have seen on here that there is a method by Professor Ashton to wean people of this poison. My doctors do not want to give me the diazepam or similar to wean as they say they are addictive, like Zopiclone isn't! They would rather i just suffered this horrific existence & keep giving me Zopiclone even though it does not work. I ended up in the A&E a few weeks ago & was given a few Lorazepam. I slept for 5-6 hours a night but they wouldn't give me anymore because it would mess my brain up! So we go round in circles going nowhere apart from closer to the brink!

      How long have you been living off 4 hours sleep & what are your doctors doing about this? How are you coping, living? I cant do this anymore, my life has been stolen from me along with my sleep.

      I am looking to get a private psychiatrist appointment to see if they can offer the Prof Aston solution before its too late.

      Thanks

      Keith

    • MazziMaz
      MazziMaz Bertfish

      Edited

      Hi Keith,

      I am in the exact same position as you.

      Back in January I felt stressed and ended up losing the ability to sleep. This went on for 5 nights before I ended up in A&E.

      I was given a 'Psych' drug called Risperidone which helped me sleep so I took it without realising it was a psych drug. Because the drug helped me sleep, I didn't bother to look into it either. I tried sleeping without the drug a few nights and realised I couldn't sleep without it. Eventually that drug stopped working so I spoke to the psychiatrist and they prescribed another Psych drug called 'Olanzapine'. I took that for two months and while it helped me sleep for 5-6 hours, I developed muscle movements so I asked the psychiatrist to stop the drug.

      When I stopped taking the drug I was left with 'NO SLEEP' for 21 days!

      I couldn't take it no more, it was too much so I asked the GP for some sleeping meds. I was prescribed 'Zopiclone' 7.5mg for a week, that only gave me 2 hours of broken light sleep per night.

      I bought some Promethazine and took 50mg, it worked the first night but on the second night I had zero sleep again. I was prescribed 7.5mg Diazepam for a week and that didn't help at all.

      The GP then asked me if I'd like to try an antidepressant called 'Mirtazapine'.. I was reluctant at first but after reading reviews about its 'sedative effect' I thought I'd give it a try seeing as I was desperate for sleep.. I started on 15mg of Mirtazapine on the 21st of May 2021, I got 4 hours of broken sleep the first night. I cut the pill in half and took 7.5mg for a week and still got the same amount of broken sleep. After a week I reduced to 3.75mg (cut 15mg in 4 pieces), I've been taking that dose for the past 8 or 9 days and the sleep is still very light and broken, I get 4-5 hours of broken light sleep (No deep sleep, only REM sleep).

      I wake up with headaches, suicidal thoughts and have brain fog all the time.

      I feel your pain, not being able to sleep is the worse thing to happen, I would rather have cancer than have sleep issues.

      The doctor has been no help, they checked for cortisol, that was normal. I asked for a sleep study but instead they gave me a sleep study for 'Apnea' (how can I have apnea if I'm unable to sleep in the first place?). Now I'm waiting to see a neurologist. The psychiatrist has discharged me and the GP's are clueless about what to do. The problem is the brain is so complex, doctors do not understand how to diagnose and treat sleep issues.

      If you stop taking Zopliclone, what will will do about your sleep?

      Have you tried natural remedies like CBD oil and Valerian tea?

    • MazziMaz
      MazziMaz Bertfish

      Posted

      I'm in the same boat as you, I cant sleep at all on my own, that's been going on since January 2021.

      Have you tried Valerian Root or CBD?

      I wrote a long message to you but for some reason its waiting to be moderated, dunno why.

  • gordon24306
    gordon24306 Bertfish

    Posted

    So sorry to read your story!

    I've had a similar sleep crisis for some years now and ended up in psychiatric wards several times - not a nice experience, but it was total desperation and the only was to get access to the meds I needed to sleep (went multiple night with zero sleep and in A&E etc... a sort of seizure due to it etc.)

    Am currently on Zop having (stupidly) restarted it about 6 weeks ago due to a stomach ache (gastritis or an ulcer they thought) after a torn muscle in my back - I now think it's the zop that caused the stomach issues!

    Why do I think that? Because the only thing that relieves the ache is a dose of Zop - I'm currently dosing 3 or 4 1/4 tabs (so not much) but I can't stop it or my body goes into a horrible withdrawal state and it feel like I'm 'slipping' and I'm going to die - obviously telling a doctor that gets you the hypochondriac label.. but as soon as a take a small piece of Zop the energy rebounds.. I feel it's all that's holding me together

    But they'll only prescribe a max of 14 of them (and maybe 10 Diazepam) and not too close together from what I can see - rightly of course, but I'm now down to the last couple of Zop and put in an online prescription but don't know if they will process it

    If not I have some Mirtazipine left over or antihistamines.. or it's back to A&E.. and if necessary playing the psych card again.... it's truly no way to live

    I have a really good job (taken some sick leave) where I'm well respected, a loving wife, children, in between times I do lots of sport and live healthy, daily walks, swimming - I really thought I had things back on the tracks!.. I feel physically so fragile, and no idea where this will end it feels 50:50 if my body can physically endure this again

  • karen06100
    karen06100 Bertfish

    Posted

    hi sorry to hear your struggles i have been on zopiclone for 4 years since the death off my mum & i started on 7.5 a night im now trying come off them & reducced 3.75 every night at first i was sleeping but now nothing fir days i just try stay possative go for walk or gym eat healthy diet. it is hard but im going fight this the more you worry about no sleep you wont sleep. you have to train your mind into thinking you can sleep. im also doing meditation every night just to destress my mind. how much zopiclone was you taking . coming off zopiclone is the vest answer but its nit a easy ride beleive me but just try keep with it

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.