Z-Drug Support Group (Lunesta, Imovane, Zimovane, Ambien, Sonata, Zopiclone)

[[Wo...]]

well that's the thing, I tapered off of the benzo 2 weeks ago and am still experiencing horrible withdrawals.  I'm taking the Lunesta to help with sleep until the benzo withdrawals lessen.  Do you think that is a mistake and I should get off lunesta now or wait until the benzo withdrawals lessen?

 

I would suggest that if you are experience horrible withdrawal from the benzo that you need to slow down your taper. Introducing Lunesta into the mix would be the last thing on my list of things to do.

[[Br...]]

No I've already stopped the benzo as of 1 week ago.  I'm taking lunesta while going through withdrawal or until it gets easier, then I was planning to taper off lunesta. 

[[Wo...]]

No I've already stopped the benzo as of 1 week ago.  I'm taking lunesta while going through withdrawal or until it gets easier, then I was planning to taper off lunesta.

 

Lunesta isn't a good option in this case. Its short half life means that you have wild swings on a daily basis. It is like short term kindling.

 

If the withdrawal is really bad then you'd be better off reinstating on the benzo and re-tapering at a slower rate IMO. Sorry, which benzo was it? If you don't want to do that then there are some mild natural alternatives that act on benzo receptors that may be sufficient to get you through this difficult phase...

 

chamomile

b3

magnesium

etc.

[[Br...]]

It's name was estazolam...I took for 1 month, then tapered for 1.5 months and stopped in March, that's when I took the lunesta.  It's just hard to tell what is still the benzo withdrawal vs. the Lunesta....I also take trazodone for sleep...I'm afraid to quit the Lunesta as I'm afraid I won't sleep, but like you said don't want to make my withdrawals worse..

[[Ca...]]

I totally agree with worried Dad.

 

The question you keep asking is, is it benzo withdrawal or the lunesta.  I believe that it is benzo withdrawal being lessened by the lunesta. Then the lunesta wears off and you are then feeling the effects of the withdrawal.

The problem is,  is that taking the lunesta is basically replacing the one benzo with  a short acting benzo everyday to stop the inevitable withdrawal symptoms.

Pushing the can down the road. It isn't a good idea. If the withdrawals are too hard to bear then getting back on a more stable benzo and tapering slowly down is a better option.

 

Carol

[[Br...]]

Thanks Carole.  I see what you are saying.  I am going to talk to my doctor on Monday about this.  I am angry that he replaced the benzo for another benzo.  Why in the world does he think that the withdrawals will get better if I am still taking a benzo...it's just crazy..

[[Ca...]]

It's because lunesta is a "cousin of benzo" . Somehow because so many people take it they think it is like candy. Doctors are ignorant of the devastating effects that z drugs cause. The same as benzos and worse in some ways as the half life is so short that interdose withdrawal happens. That is what happened to me.  Had to do it alone as no Doc will see it like you.

Good luck.

Love Carol

[[Br...]]

Thanks Carole.  I appreciate your advice. 

[[Br...]]

Talked to my doc and he suggests that the lunesta is probably masking some of the withdrawal from the benzo.  he said I should stick with the lunesta until the withdrawals get better, then jump off.  He also said that when I do get off, I should just cold turkey.  He says that below a certain dose, it will be ineffective for sleep and you are taking it for no reason....

 

What are your thoughts on the above?

[[Ca...]]

I believe that it is masking the symptoms. Also.  I don't know if the milligrams are the same strength as zopiclone so hard to say about when to jump off of it. Take a look at my signature. I was taking a lot of zopiclone. 21mg. It didn't help for sleep at all by then. I started getting interdose withdrawal. So I did a 3 week modified CT.

It was hell for a very long time afterwards. 

Everybody is different and if you are tolerating your withdrawal well then you might want to do that. You have a few other options that are not benzo for sleep.

Things like amytrypline. Unisom(benadryl)

Lots of opinions on it.

Good luck. Carol

[[Br...]]

Thanks Carole.  Did the trazodone help you when you tapered off the zopiclone?  If not, what did you do for sleep when you got off of the zopiclone?

[[Ca...]]

Brybrow

 

I cted the trazodone about a month before I stopped the zopiclone. Before I knew that I was Shaving interdose withdrawal and that it was causing all of the anxiety and about 50 different symptoms,  a doctor gave me trazodone to help with the anxiety. I used it along with the zopiclone and I still did not sleep and was getting sicker and sicker. A few more drugs were given but I was way too far gone by then.  Nothing helped.

 

I used unisom ,  Valerian,  amitryptiline,  magnesium,  usually 2 different things a night. No matter how much I took I still would only get a couple of hours of sleep a night. And even that broken into 15 minute chunks.

I gradually got better and cut out the amitryptiline. Then the unisom.  I still take it occasionally. If it is after 3 am and I feel like I won't sleep at all.

It took me 3 years to get to this state.

Most people heal a lot quicker but I drugged myself to big time sickness.

You will be OK.  It won't be pleasant but the only way out is through it.

I hope that you have some understanding people around that will be a help.

That is the hardest thing.

Most people though they love you,  don't say things like "get a grip"  go for counselling,  etc.

They have no idea how difficult and slow recovery can be.

Love Carol

[[Br...]]

Thank you for all of your kind words and for your words of wisdom.  I certainly appreciate it and it helps so much.

 

Take care,

 

Bryan

[[Ca...]]

Bryan

 

HAHA on the typo. I meant to say that most people DO say "get a grip"  with no understanding of what you are going through.

Darn autocorrect.

 

Carol

[[ny...]]

Hi Carol- Any guidance for tapering off Lunesta and what can help with sleep/anxiety as an alternative?  I was thinking of switching to Trazodone but do you advise against it?  Did you taper off the Trazodone or did you stop using it cold turkey?  Did you experience any withdrawal effects from the Trazodone?

[[Ca...]]

Hey nycgurl

 

I was in such a state of tolerance and interdose withdrawal along with taking 250 mg of trazodone. I thought that may even some of the brain vibrations that I was having was from the trazodone so I cted it. I was already non functional and very very sick so I didn't even notice a difference with cting it.

 

Maybe you could try it. Some people find that it helps with sleep.

I didn't get any relief from anything at first. Then slowly,  I found that using some Valerian pills with benadryl got me a few hours of sleep . I also used slow release melatonin. 5 mg.  I slowly started taking less of the benadryl (unisom) when I had nothing that I had to be doing the next day. Even if I stayed awake all night and suffered the next day horribly I always felt that the body needed to rebuild it's Gaba receptors and that by forcing exhaustion on the slowly they would rebuild. I have no idea if I helped it get better by stopping the unison and Valerian or would it have gotten better anyways. I didn't want to rely on anything if possible.

 

I still sleep very poorly.  I will take unisom if I need to be up for some reason. That will give a few hours of pseudo sleep.

Normally my best sleep is in the early hours of the morning til around 9.

 

It has taken a loong time.

 

You haven't been so many years and not too big of a dose so there is a good chance that it won't be too bad for too long for you. It is painful though.

 

Oh and liquid magnesium if your gut can tolerate it. It actually works a bit.

Meditation on my phone and in my ear all night.

Droning sounds

Eye cover

 

No morning appointments!

 

Good luck

 

Love Carol

 

 

[[Se...]]

Yes to what Carol said. You must decide to sleep with no drugs forever. So ease into it and start training your brain. Exercise was key for me, starting slowly and tiring the body. A night schedule and good sleep hygiene will work eventually.  Use alternate methods and supplements to keep functional but wean off.

[[Te...]]

Sometimes, yer JUST.    NOT.    GONNA.      SLEEP.      AND THAT WILL GO ON TILL YOU WAKE UP WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED...MELATONIN WORKS FOR ME IN SMALL DOSES...1- 1 1/2 mg. It does not work for everyone, and some people say it ramps them up. You have to find what works for you. And most things don't work all the time...shoot, sometimes coffee works for me...tex

[[Ca...]]

Hey guys,  good advice.  I drink coffee now everyday. Quite week and not after 5 but I never feel the caffeine Rev up anymore

I was so exhausted last night but I started having esophageal spasms while listening to my bed time story. When they start I have to sit up right away and start sipping water to ease it away.

Then I actually kept falling back asleep but would wake up with another excruciating spasm. Start all over and then go back to sleep.  It is a testament to how much I have healed because of course a few years ago either I wouldn't even fall asleep and if I did it was very light and no way I would be able to go back to sleep.

Last spasm was around 4:30 and I had to sleep sitting up. Then woke again in the early hours and snuggled down in bed and slept pain free.

 

Damn tired now though and have choir tonight.

 

Texas star. I couldn't tolerate 5 mg of melatonin either until we find the slow release one.  Otherwise it was one big surge of sleepy and then it would be gone and I would be wide awake.  Even with the slow release one I would have to wait until I was drowsy from listening to a droning story.

Will live

 

Love Carol

[[bi...]]

Has anyone had Z-Drug WD symptoms mysteriously appear months after quitting?

 

I've had Muscle stiffness and twitches for a while (since the end of Jan) and I quit Zopiclone mid Nov.

 

I don't know if it's possible for new symptoms to appear after that amount of time, but the stiffness/ twitches are both listed as benzo WD symptoms.

 

[[Ca...]]

Bibby

 

My opinion is that the benzo and benzo like and a/D like withdrawal symptoms can all be lumped together as withdrawal symptoms. You are also tapering other drugs so they have withdrawal symptoms also. Hard to distinguish from which drug they come from.  They all affect the brain and cause withdrawal symptoms.

 

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

Carol

[[Te...]]

I inadvertently c/t'd ambien a little over 2 yrs ago...but i had a long hx of interdose and short term multiple c/t. Had a lot of sx reappear after a chemically induced stress test...still getting to know the new old sx after about 3 mos...am undergoing EMDR therapy...have had insomnia for a couple or so weeks...am tired of being tired of being tired...tinnitus is worse, have had a couple of brain zaps...

Don't know if this is coincidental, related to therapy, instigated by the chemical stress induction, or if I'm just being whiny...

[[Se...]]

I'm 6 months off, did pretty well the first 2 months... Then the last 4 have been very rough with fatigue, panic attacks and cog fog. Blunt emotions, achy all over. Just not functional. I always worry it's something else but I do think it is related to coming off.

[[Ju...]]

hi,

have been on z drug for many years now. I was also on klono for ten years to help with sleep. off of klono now after a year and a half taper. So i was basically on K and A for that entire time.

I took an overdose of Ambein 2 months ago. took the entire bottle of 30 pills. I feel so sad to even be writing this! I just wanted to sleep and the pain to go away..

I have been in the hospital 3 times in the last year due to insomnia. This sleeplisness is wearing on me. I pray daily that the Lord will sustain me. He does..but, i don't funtion. I have become a shell of myself.

I am now on Lunesta because no doctor will prescribe ambein. REALLY!!! I wish they would have said NO to this nasty drug 10 yrs ago...but, they continued to fill month after month.

It has literately ruined my life....if i don't get off the nasty lunesta I feel that it will take away what life i have left. This sounds like a country western song...but, it is really my life. My two daughters will not speak to me after the suicide attempt. I guess i am writing this to warn others about the nasty Z drugs!!! My doctor only now will admit that he had me on a dangerous cocktail.

JJ

 

oh..and can someone direct me in to how to get off of Lunesta. I have about 30 pills left. Should I C/T?

 

[[Wo...]]

hi,

have been on z drug for many years now. I was also on klono for ten years to help with sleep. off of klono now after a year and a half taper. So i was basically on K and A for that entire time.

I took an overdose of Ambein 2 months ago. took the entire bottle of 30 pills. I feel so sad to even be writing this! I just wanted to sleep and the pain to go away..

I have been in the hospital 3 times in the last year due to insomnia. This sleeplisness is wearing on me. I pray daily that the Lord will sustain me. He does..but, i don't funtion. I have become a shell of myself.

I am now on Lunesta because no doctor will prescribe ambein. REALLY!!! I wish they would have said NO to this nasty drug 10 yrs ago...but, they continued to fill month after month.

It has literately ruined my life....if i don't get off the nasty lunesta I feel that it will take away what life i have left. This sounds like a country western song...but, it is really my life. My two daughters will not speak to me after the suicide attempt. I guess i am writing this to warn others about the nasty Z drugs!!! My doctor only now will admit that he had me on a dangerous cocktail.

JJ

 

oh..and can someone direct me in to how to get off of Lunesta. I have about 30 pills left. Should I C/T?

 

I ended up in the emergency room thanks to lunesta. I averaged 2 hours of sleep per night for 3 months. I was suicidal.

 

I've been off of it for 15 months now and my life is better than ever. I know you feel like there is no hope. I felt that way too.

 

I tapered off over the course of 1 month. I made use of magnesium, antihistamines, and good sleep hygiene.