Zopiclone withdrawal

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hi everyone. I was on zopiclone for about ten or so years on a very high dose and it was terrifying with its effects. It not only most likely caused frightening hallucinations but made me like I was drunk and affected the things I say to people that has resulted in so much embarrassment and humiliation that has only frightened me and traumatised more. People got the real wrong impression of me with the things I say under its influence and it put me on a high with no idea of how what I was saying sounded to people. It was only since reading more about it and contacting MedSafe and reading about how it is supposed to be used and its effects like the drunkeness and hallucinations that helped me understand and tell my doctors and nurses through the mental health team. I also found out it is only supposed to be used short term  and now they are reducing it. It has been done really slowly  by half a pill every few nights then cutting it down to every second night etc that has worked really well most of the time. I still struggle with sleep at times but find warm creamy milk and sometimes herbal pills work well. I also find exercise  tires me out and  works too. And, I designed a chart to monitor its effects and to jog my memory of how to manage its effects. Hope this information is helpful and provides hope for those dealing with zopiclone withdrawal. It is really hard but hang in there and there is hope a light at the end of the tunnel.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    YOu are right? Short term use only on 7.5mg for a week

    • Posted

      Yes it helped me sleep while I was in hospital but I am not sure why they kept me on it for so long. It might have possibly been because partly I was drinking a lot of diet cola drinks but I was only drinking them because the medication was making me so sedated in the first place. I am right off all diet cola drinks now - they are awful for insomnia and anxiety. I have had the odd one but because I have detoxified myself so much from them I think I over-react to the chemicals and have a lot more anxiety. I would recommend to people never to get addicted to diet cola drinks.
  • Posted

    I'm not sure why you used this, but I am on a very low dose and it's for PTSD. I have horrible nightmares and conversion disorder and it's the only med that's worked after trial and error for 20 years. I would love to not have to take it, but after trying dozens of other meds, natural so called cures, and therapy, my therapist agrees that it works for me. Since she's not a prescribing Dr. I can only get it from a psychiatrist, and that's the one that wants to stop it completely. I'm just baffled. I take such a low dose, why discontinue something that has finally given me a decent life?

    • Posted

      It may work well for sleep at times and for trauma symptoms. I guess it might be okay if you are told and advised how to manage it if it has that drunkeness effect - no-one told me and I have had to find it all out myself and design a chart to manage it better. I am getting there slowly though and coping. It can have adverse effects as I found. Hope things work out for your PTSD and things improve. Sounds like you are coping really well. 

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.