zopiclone

[bottleofbeer]

Bear with the rubbish punctuation, using a tablet and its more hassle than its worth!

Been on citalopram for a while now and it really suits me so reluctant to change tablets but theyre causing insomnia. Horrible, frustrating insomnia that is leaving me running on empty. Twice now ive been prescribed zopiclone and its worked really well for me. But my doc is v reluctant to prescribe it tbh. Its the difference between a great nights sleep and being up the next day fresh as a daisy and being drained and frustrated, to me. Yet other ad's ive tried really havent suited me. Apart from the sleep thing the citalopram have helped me immeasurably. Yet ive ben told by more than one person in the same boat that they have zopiclone on repeat with the ad's for this very reason and theyre one of the lesser addictive sleeping pills. I really want to ask him to prescribe them for me whilst in this position but dont want to come across like some kind of junkie. Is it unreasonable of me to ask him? The difference its made to my life whilst ive had them is so great. I cannot carry on like this with an hour or two of sleep per night but nor am i feeling ready to try and come off the citalopram. Any advice or opinions gratefully received.

The first AD i tried was citalopram - went up to 80mg but got bad depression again; on Venlafaxine now (an SNRI, not a SSRI like citalopram).
Citalopram has worked well for some people i've known, so i can't criticise it as everyone is different, & every case of depression is different.
Sleep could be an issue now because:

• if you've been on citalopram 'a while' (how long?), then it will be having an effect on the depression
• most ADs take up to 12 weeks to be fully effective
• any side effects can take up to 12 weeks to wear off
• the citalopram may have lifted the depression so that you feel more lively - that's a good thing :) although insomnia is a PITA

• If you are more lively then try to find ways to use up your extra energy - often sleeplessness is due to not using up enough energy during the day; so it makes sense that you aren't tired.
• Frustrating because after a night of insomnia then you get VERY tired - problem is that it can become a vicious circle of insomnia, sleeping in the day / not doing much due to tiredness.. then not being tired because you slept in the day.

I tried zopiclone for insomnia caused by agitation (again, different problem to you) & it didn't touch me - even 2 tablets didn't help me to sleep.

DON'T be tempted by Benzodiazepines - different types work for insomnia, anxiety & epilepsy. (i have to take Clobazam 10mg each night to prevent nocturnal epileptic seizures.) BUT the effectiveness wears off after a few months, yet they can take years to come off - they are addictive.

Got to go, will add some tips later.

Zopiclone is just as addictive as other sleeping tablets and most GPs are not keen to prescribe them regularly.
Do you take your Citalopram in the morning? If you take them at night the insomnia can be worse.

At one point I was on 2 AD's one in the morning and one at night to help me sleep. Maybe your Dr would consider this, amytriptaline is often used to help sleep.

For better sleep - exercise & get out of breath for at least half hour late afternoon / early evening (before 8pm) - could be gym, swimming, jogging, vacuuming the house or working out in the lounge to an exercise DVD;

Have a bowl of cereal or other carb-heavy snack before bed, with a glass of milk or hot milky (caffeine-free) drink. Jasmine or Camomile tea are relaxing too.

Make the bedroom cosy & make sure your bed & bedding are clean & comfortable; also have nice nightwear ready to put on;

Don't watch any violent or depressing TV or films at least an hour before bed; switch off the internet, put your mobile on 'silent', don't start reading a book...

In bed - get a puzzle book to do - not too difficult so you don't have to think too hard.. & then you may just get bored & fall asleep... if you really can't sleep then get up, walk around the house, make another milky drink & listen to some chill-out music. After 1/2 hr of that - go back to bed.

If you find it hard to fall asleep - don't panic, remember that just by lying still you are resting your mind & body anyway.

Try to stay in bed for 7 hours if possible - try to go to bed & get out of bed at the same time every day - use an alarm clock.

Don't be tempted to stay in bed past 9am at the latest if you have a lie in - if you are tired during the day then only sleep for maximum one hour.

Queen of insomnia here. I have had the works including CBT like above which did nothing.

I have had zopiclone on repeat, it isn't that addictive. However other ad's can make you sleep. These include Amitriptilene (can't be taken with Citalopram) and Trazadone. Mirtazapine can be used as an add-on, and is often used for sleep too.

I think you need to go back to your GP. 2 hours sleep is not enough to survive well on. I take anything given to me now, and have never had addiction issues with anything. Any of the above should help, but so should zopiclone too

Orange can I ask if you take the zopiclone every night? Does it's effectiveness decrease with continued use?

I don't at the moment, because I take Mirtazapine which is great for sleep but crap as an AD, butit is often used as an add-on to ad's to help sleep.

I have taken zopiclone for about 6 months at one time, and no it never decreased it's effectiveness and i just stopped takingit one day with no withdrawal issues at all. However if you are looking for something long term I think the current thinking would be to take a sedating AD long term rather than zopiclone IYSWIM.

With Cit, I know you can take Mirt and I think trazadone but not amitryptiline. I do think your gp should be addressing your sleep problems as well as your depression. Sleep is essential to mental health and it seems he is ignoring this aspect of it. What gets me is so many Gp's ride roughshod over sleep issues, when all the research stress how important it is to physical and mental health.

It's like "here's an AD for your depression. It will give you insomnia but you will have to cope with it. This may make your depression worse, but you will have to deal with it"

Zopiclone works well but can be horrible coming off after a long period of time - really ,really horrible side effects. GP's only prescribe them for short periods of time usually.

I was given 4 weeks supply on the understanding it was every other night that was in October my sleep was down to 2 hours in 20 minute spells

But that just means you panic about sleeping every other night.

When I have taken SSri's all of which have given me insomnia my doc just prescribed them. But as I said there are other options. 7.5mg Mirtazapine would fell a charging bull. And Trazadone is meant to be very good, although they never did much for me. You need to go back to your GP and ask for a long term solution.

Was complex reasons for my sleep issues but my dr was not happy to have me getting reliant on it

That is why the sedating Ad's are used too.

Mirtazapine is crapola as an anti depressant but I am asleep by the time my head hits the pillow. 7.5mg is really low dose (normal dose is 30mg), but it is more sedating at lower doses. Ask for this to be taken at night (prepare to sleep like the dead though!)

orangeandlemons sorry don't want to meddle but just to dispute your thoughts on mirtazapine as an AD it quite literally saved me recently and I just worried that your 'crapola' comment might put people off or worry them unnecessarily!. It may not have worked for you my GP tried 7 with me before my CPN prescribed it and it has suited me brilliantly-I speak as someone who had severe depression and about an hours good sleep a night!. Honestly op I would forget the zopliclone and look into the sedating ADs-I tried zopliclone, temazepam all sorts of things and as soon as I got the right AD I went from an hours sleep a night to 8-best of luck as others have said insomnia is hell on earth.

I was only on it short term after disclosing abuse then on citalopram as well as diazepam for a while to calm my panic at sleeping only since April I've been sleeping.

Sorry . This was kind of a last resort med for me, as all others gave me horrible side effects. It gave me none.....but not much else. I know it may work wonderfully for some, and agree it is fantastic for sleep

Apart from. The metal taste in the mouth and feeling hungover yes.