Taper strategies for Zopiclone…

[[Cr...]]

Can anyone out here provide guidance for taper from Zopiclone 3.75 mg 

I tried recently and was kindled and need advice going forward please… 

 

Also… If you have gone of Zopiclone 3.75 cold turkey for five days…this was supplemented with Amitriptyline 10 mg to minimize the withdrawal symptoms…  can you go back on it if symptoms get worse… 

 

please and thank you… 

[[Pa...]]

Hi @[Cr...], can you elaborate for us how you were kindled?  How long have you been on Zopiclone and have you ever taken a benzo before and if so, for how long and how did you quit?

You can certainly go back on the Zopiclone if symptoms are too much for you, I'm not sure why you were put on Amitriptyline but its a different drug class than benzodiazepines so I'm not surprised your symptoms got worse.  

 

[[Cr...]]

I was on Zopiclone 3.75and clonipin 1.0 for 3 months… last year in December to February and was able to come off both at different  times… 

I was able to do a fairly long taper and get of both meds at around this time …

I returned to taking Zopiclone 3:75… 2 and a half months ago starting on Dec 14  after another serious bout of Insomnia…  I tried to withdraw and this time with very small increments and was overcome by anxiety,diahrea,  intrusive thoughts sweating.  blood pressure swings, headache, agitation, restlessness, tingling in the extremities, cold feet… stomach pain…eye pain… etc..

after several days I went to the emerg and was told that I was having an anxiety attack…and was given Lorarapm… and slept like a baby that night. I tried to convince them that it was withdrawals from Zopiclone that I was suffering from… but they were not convinced… the Dr prescribed Amitriptyline for anxiety and sleep because I was afraid of Serequel… and suggested I could stop the Zopiclone 3.75 cold  and replace it with Amitriptyline 10 mg. 

I admit to being naive and complied…  it’s been 5 days since the switch… 

The Amitriptyline seems to have masked many of the symptoms of withdrawal for now… for how long… I’m not sure??? It’s been five days

Ive  currently got a serious headache and rebound insomnia from this switch but none of the other aforementioned anxiety  symptoms. Despite the Amitriptyline being there for sleep… I feel hyper aroused, and my head feels like it’s in a vice and the somatic tinnitus is only getting louder… i feel it’s as a result of the Amitriptyline or perhaps from the sudden withdrawal of the Zopiclone. 
 

id like to get off both of these ASAP… but don’t want to go back to how I was last Saturday when the anxiety became unbearable… 

I’m concerned that I have no real symptoms besides cold feet and some twitching and tingling in the body along with headaches and  this is after going of the  the Zopiclone 3.75 cold… if I reinstate  is there a chance of kindling happening… Should I hold? 
 

what do I do… it’s a bit of a conundrum do I go back to Zopiclone tonight and slowly come off of the Amitriptyline??? Can they be both taken together… Do I take a full dose of either? 
 

Your thoughts please?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[Pa...]]

I agree with you, it sounds like you were kindled but what to do now?  We never recommend a cold turkey but you've gone 5 days now and the symptoms you felt when you went to the hospital aren't as bad and it looks like you can attribute this to the Amitriptyline.  

I wonder what will happen if you stay on it and stay off the Zopiclone?  It might be worth seeing this through for a little while longer.  I hate that I'm asking you to experiment on yourself but if you can stay off the Zopiclone and be functional, that would be ideal.  Then at some point, you could look at tapering the Amitriptyline.

You can use this tool for checking drug interactions. Drug Interaction Checker: Quickly Check Your Meds (drugs.com)