Addicted to Zopiclone

[zopiclone1]

Long term MN user but changed names as I feel so ashamed.

8 years ago, I was prescribed Zopiclone due to insomnia from depression and anxiety caused by both of my parents dying suddenly within 2 years of each other.

This became a repeat prescription and I've just become more and more dependent on it.

I'm 31 and have a 1 year old (I actually didn't touch it when I was pregnant, I had horrible withdrawal, night sweats, restless legs, vomiting) and once I got through that I thought I'm never taking them ever again. 3 months after she was born I took half a tablet when I couldn't sleep one Saturday night and DH was on duty for the night and morning and I've snowballed since.

I'm back up to taking 2 or 3 tablets a night (I don't co sleep so know my DD is safe in her cot), I have memory of a goldfish, I know I'm not safe to drive (so I don't), my brain feels foggy every day, I feel ashamed and low and depressed but I just cannot let these tablets go.

I'm terrified if I admit I have a problem that they'll take my DD away, she is my entire heart and soul. DH has no idea I have an issue.

I have to buy a private prescription to get me through the month as I'm using double of what the GP gives me and I start feeling panicky when I'm running low. I've never had any addiction, I rarely touch alcohol (maybe 1/2 glasses of wine every few months), I don't smoke.

I really need help but I'm so scared I'll lose my daughter. Has anyone been through this?

Hopefully this helps. You've made a great start on this.

www.nhs.uk/medicines/zopiclone/common-questions-about-zopiclone/#:~:text=Speak%20to%20your%20doctor%20about,have%20any%20of%20these%20symptoms.

My gp will only give two weeks. The last private gp I saw (for insomnia) had a big banner over their website saying no codeine or zopiclone. Im.amaxed they keep giving it.
Time to have an honest conversation op. It's not your fault. They are addictive.

Thank you again everyone for all of the support. It means a lot.

It's so weird to me because in my naivety i always thought I'd be able to tell if somebody was suffering with addiction but honestly it's like I've got a double life.

I'm up at 6:30/7 with DD every day, she is fed, clean, played with and loved, we are out and about every day taking the dog for a walk or meeting friends at soft play. Then at about 8pm when she is settled and I can stop thinking for a second it's like I have an urge to get these down me and switch off.

None of my friends or family know I just feel so ashamed.

Honestly op I could quite easily have seen me getting hooked on them. I sleep well on them with no hangover effects.
I'm currently doing well on amitriptyline instead.

Yeah this. My DH works nights and has 3 packs of 28 Zopiclone a year because of struggling to sleep (some weeks) due to night shifts, and they will NOT give him any more than that. Some of the GPs at the surgery actually refuse to give it and just give promethazine instead. So I don't know why the OP's GP has put it on 'repeat.'

Putting Zopiclone on 'repeat,' and allowing someone to have it continually is breathtakingly irresponsible and is very bad practice. OP is now totally addicted, and will start to struggle to sleep soon, (as she is so used to Zopiclone,) and there won't be anything any stronger to give her.

Same with people who say they have 20+ co-codamol a day. How are they getting so much from the GP? 8 a day is the most they will prescribe. And you can't get it from an internet pharmacy without a proper prescription.

There's nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of people become dependent or addicted to various things. Medications, alcohol, food, whatever else they turn to. It's very common.

Something to bear in mind is everybody has individual body chemistry. I know a couple of people who've taken zopliclone in the past, one for many years. They never experienced foggy heads or memory loss. They also never felt the need to take more than 1 pill at a time. However just like alcohol affects everyone differently, so do drugs (legal or illicit). You've been unlucky and it's not something to be ashamed of.

I understand new guidelines have recently been published on deprescribing z drugs, benzodiazepines, and antidepressants. Your GP should be aware of these.

Speak to your GP. Don't feel ashamed or embarrassed. Even doctors can become dependent or have issues with drugs both legally prescribed and otherwise. A friend of a friend is a clinical psychologist. They took prescribed benzodiazepines for several years. One of DH's friends is a doctor. He battled an alcohol problem in his earlier years in the job. And years ago I knew a med school student who regularly used cocaine.

Doctors are no different to the rest of us. They have their problems too. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, personal struggles, addiction. Also, they're there to help you, not judge you.

Explain everything and ask for a personalised deprescribing plan. Some people are able to do it fairly quickly but it's often more successful and with fewer side effects if done slowly.

You are doing the right thing by acknowledging the problem and seeking medical advice. Also - Try this organisation for help and advice in the interim. https://www.postscript360.org.uk/

I can empathise, I had zopiclom off and on for insomnia and it was so hard (impossible) to get any sleep without it. The only thing that helped me was to treat the underlying anxiety that was causing the insomnia. I didn't really twig that that was the issue until I started getting anxiety during the day. I started on long term sertraline and immediately my sleep went back to normal and I could steer clear of the zopiclom. Insomnia is the worst, hope you can find a solution.

Good luck OP xx

OP just to say this is NOT your fault. Zopiclone is a horrible drug and insomnia is a desperate feeling. Please don’t feel ashamed, unless you’ve had insomnia people might not understand the depths it will take you to. I had post natal insomnia followed by a terrible experience of zoplicline - physically unable to move, mentally awake. Do speak with your gp. I’d recommend CBT for the insomnia. I do use phenergan for the odd bad night but I think you need to go medication free rather than switching your dependency. You can get through this.

The taste the next day is absolutely vile. It's why I stopped taking them.

Do not feel shamed! You have done nothing wrong. It’s like you've written my life in these posts and updates. Please don’t feel bad. It happens. It happens very very easily. I have never ever smoked, haven’t drank alcohol for 7 years, never done drugs (not shaming anybody that does, I’m just trying to give you scope on my personality) I gave birth and had to go for surgery a short while after. The codeine they prescribed me was through the roof and they were throwing boxes of 100 at me. Before I knew it, it was too late. Even trying to skip a dose sent me into absolute meltdown mode. Sweating, shaking, diarrhoea, vomiting. Honestly, the pits. First stop? GP. If you need any help or information I’m happy for you to DM me bab. It’s rough, but trust me, the only way is up. You have recognised this and that’s the biggest and the hardest part. I commend you. I was also speaking to a friend of mine who dispenses at my local pharmacy. She said the level of people addicted to prescription is through the roof. It’s worse than it’s ever been… you’re not alone x

Well done for booking appointment…

I was addicted to them when I got pregnant . They said they were safe to take during pregnancy but my baby may be born floppy . That wasn’t going to happen .

I took a duvet downstairs , box set DVD ( it was over a decade ago … ) I just accepted I was going to be tired for the next few days .. I would say I managed fine without them after a few days .

how did you get off them in your pregnancy ? This approach worked once for you

Sounds like you need to look at the sleep problem that caused you to start on the zoplicone. I mean, obviously, you need to get off the medication and because of the rebound effect it could take a while to see if you can get to sleep without help. So maybe pick your time for the reset: holiday? a period when you would have jet lag anyway? a time when you'll be off work long enough to cope without a full night's sleep?

But don't forget that if, after some months without zoplicone, you're still having trouble sleeping, you should to look at causes of that and talk to the doctor about that, too. Can you work out a routine to follow on those nights when sleep just won't come -- eg I find it best to stop tossing and turning and just give up for an hour or so, wrap up warmly in a blanket and read a book without eating or drinking anything, then try again. But it does help that I don't usually have to do brain surgery the next morning. And I don't have month after month of broken sleep (now DC are teenagers).

It's only prescribed short term, so don't know how you've managed to keep getting it?

I took them for a while, but then read that they might be carcinogenic. In particular, they have been linked to lung cancer (which runs in my family). That terrified me so much I stopped instantly. To cushion the blow, I ate more healthily, used CBD oil and began meditating. After a few weeks I felt better, not worse. I even had more energy.

Don’t beat yourself up. As others have said, addiction is incredibly common. The world is so flippin noisy, crowded and stressful that most people need something to get them through. If it isn’t pills it’s alcohol, and if it isn’t alcohol it’s junk food or cocaine.

Op never feel ashamed you recognise its an issue and you want to address it nobody is going to take your dd away from you I used to work in drug services and I'm a former addict myself.

You have taken that first step admitting the problem and you have reached out for help.rather than being ashamed you should be proud of yourself one day at a time you can do this op 💯 you got this.

I have been on Zolpidem for 8 years for chronic insomnia. They don’t leave me feeling foggy the next day and they still help me to get to sleep although can still take an hour or more now i am used to them. I obviously have an addiction to them and have also built up a tolerance but it’s still a needs must for me. Without them I can be awake for 3 days. I crashed my car before going on them as I hadn’t slept for 72 hours and had a 4 hr drive for my job. Hit the central reservation and also killed myself.

my concern for you is that you are going ber and above what your doctors is prescribing. Would mg are you taking daily now?

I take 10mg a day.

I used to take these but the doc would only give me a few and then refused any more. I loved them as they would knock me out but when I had kids and had a couple left I knew I wouldn't wake. Can't believe you were allowed them all that time without it being flagged up.

OP the half life of zopiclone is quite short.

If you're unable to drive, see you taking them during the day too? If so, why?

If you're too zonked to drive safely, can you safely look after the children on your own?

I'm not taking them in the day but I feel a bit groggy in the morning so would just rather not put anyone at risk x

I'm taking 7.5mg but 2 or 3 of them ☹️

I spoke with DH last night, as expected he was shocked but supportive and asked me how he can support me. He's going to come to the doctor with me and has rearranged work for that day. He gave me a big cuddle and told me that we are a team and I should have opened up sooner but I feel like a weight has been lifted.

I took 1 and a half tablet last night and didn't get to sleep until gone 2am but it's definitely becoming a psychological thing for me.

My plan is to stay on 1 and a half tablets until I see the dr who can hopefully give me a proper plan to come off safely.

Thank you again everyone.

It takes months to come off them safely OP.

Take it really, really slowly.

This is sensible OP, you didn't get into this straight away and you won't get out straight away, it might take months. Stick where you are for now, and stabilise on that, before reducing further, with the support of your husband and your GP (and addiction services if they are helpful). You have done amazingly well to recognize this, tell your husband and seek help, I feel sure you can succeed but don't rush it and don't beat yourself up if you don't succeed all the time, slow and steady wins the race with deprescribing and reducing medicine- it's better to be where you are for a couple of weeks and manage that than reduce suddenly, even months for each step down- but step down you will.

I spoke with DH last night, as expected he was shocked but supportive and asked me how he can support me. He's going to come to the doctor with me and has rearranged work for that day. He gave me a big cuddle and told me that we are a team and I should have opened up sooner but I feel like a weight has been lifted.

That's so lovely op. I'm so glad you feel better having shared the problem. I'm sure you'll knock it on the head soon.