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

[[or...]]

Yes, Shayna, I was having the same issues. Sleep, sleep, I needed sleep! And no, I couldn't and still can't nap during the day. Conventional wisdom on here says wait and sleep will return on its own. Well, mine never did, even when I was off all my drugs and waited and waited. So I went after sleep with a club. And eventually found things that worked and still work for me. Good lord, I had to work. I couldn't stagger through my days with no sleep.

 

I feel for you. Insomnia is rotten.

 

 

Katz

[[wa...]]

Yep -- I had a lifetime of insomnia so I believed the benzos were the answer to my problems -  until they weren't.  I didn't figure out what was happening until I had interdose and tolerance with Lunesta.  The way  discovered this was that I was drinking alcohol -- not with Lunesta -- but in the same 24 hours and I once became very, very disoriented and sick.  In a weird way I am glad it happened because I found this site and other info which helped me figure it all out.  It took about 19 months in total ( I think) and a jewelers scale to get off of Lunesta.  I had trouble sleeping throughout with a a few zero nights.  Its awful because my immune system is compromised.  My home burdens were different that someone who has to work.  I manage to identify and not compare my life to other's.  The whole withdrawal thing is terrible - for many of us.  I started sleeping a bit over time. 

I lurked on the insomnia threads here and followed MTFan who had the worst case of insomnia as far as I could tell and she's now, finally doing better.

You have to baby yourself with the insomnia -- any and any rest at all is good.  Eat right, listen to podcasts if you can.  If you are not too run down, like I was, exercise.  I even talked with  Baylissa Frederick a few times.  Ask OKatz  if there is more that works.

[[Sh...]]

Thanku WBB x I feel like I might be sick the lack of sleep is really messing me up today. I have the flu too so god I need to take it easy today. I’ll look up other members. Thanku so much for replying to me. I really would love the support x

[[Li...]]

I have become an advocate of tapering slowly. I use a file to remove small bits of the half tablet. Because my mother was ill for a year before she died, I decided not taper then. I had to give her my attention. My worst side effect is height anxiety. It is mild, but when I go to bed, it can be hard to get it out of my mind.

[[Sh...]]

Hi lightspacer. I am going 1/8th of a 7.5 tab every 2 weeks. But I have that little bit of Valium 1.5mg

[[Li...]]

Ha Shayna,

That sounds like really slow. I want to do the next taperstep when I have gotten used to the last step I did. Untill the side effects have become normal again. Maybe I have the luck that I have no job. But I swim in a swimmingpool nearby once in each two days.

[[Sh...]]

I would love to keep in touch with you, we are on a similar dose. Do u get much sleep?how often do you reduce?  I try to walk every day or at least keep busy when I can’t walk x

[[Li...]]

Ha Shayna, I will visit this this support group every day, so we can keep in contact that way....

[[Sh...]]

Great 

[[Li...]]

We get a very hot period over here, a week around 30 degrees... I still plan to taper a little..

 

[[Sh...]]

Think I had 2-3 hours last night. I’m so sick with the flu, wish I could get a couple more hrs. Seems the lower I go the worse the sleep gets

[[Pa...]]

How long ago to you complete your tapers of lexapro, mirtazapine, dotheipine, amitriptiline, and zyprexa?

[[Sh...]]

Hi pamster, I took mertazapine 7.5-15mg from Jan 19 -March 19 lexapro 5-10mg from Jan 19 - mar 19 amitriptiline 50mg April 19 - June 19 swapped to dotheipine 50mg june 19- December 19 zyprexa 2.5mg October 19- March 20 lexapro 10mg again for a month April - May 29(I think). I will say all of these I knew were not helping me so the only one I didn’t try to reduce dose of within the time I was on them was Dotheipine. My husband had a stroke not long after I was put on these so I was just not tempted to try and ween during that period. I was told all of them would help my sleep “depression and anxiety” which they never really did. I also may have developed glaucoma from taking amitriptiline, complained about eye pain but no dr seemed concerned. My left eye is now smaller than the other and always red and sore. A new pd I saw said I should have been taken off this immediately if it was causing eye problems. I have actually felt less depressed and anxious since coming off antidepressants and dropping dose of zopiclone, but obviously the lack of sleep causes some anxiety and sadness as u could imagine 

[[Pa...]]

You had a lot of drugs thrown at you in a short amount of time, I'm not surprised you're struggling to get off the last of the Zopiclone.  I'm so sorry to hear about your eye problems and your husbands stroke, you have been truly harmed by these drugs.

 

I'm heartened to hear you're feeling less depression from the elimination and reductions but know you're in a tough spot.  I didn't taper Zolpidem so I'm always impressed with people who have the strength to see a taper through.  I just wanted to let you know that I can sleep now and it's infinitely more satisfying and deeper than how it was when I was on the drug.  My hope is you'll experience this too.

[[Sh...]]

Thanks pamster x you beautiful people are always bringing a tear to my eyes ... even the wonky one  I’m so impressed by anyone who CTs. I tried twice and got to 5 days no sleep and caved. But that was before I really knew what was going on. I can’t remember if I asked, but did it take long before I started sleeping again pamster x

[[Pa...]]

After I quit I used to dread bedtime knowing I would lie awake for hours, I missed the instantaneous lights out of the drug.  I convinced myself I was broken, that somehow I was the only living thing on this planet that was incapable of falling asleep on my own, it's strange what our mind does to rationalize taking a pill. 

 

Years ago I struggled with alcohol convincing myself that I needed it to sleep but of course, it was robbing me just like the benzo's and z-drugs do when we become tolerant to them.

 

Learning how to sleep on your own is just like anything else, it takes time to trust the process, it was rough for a few weeks but there was gradual improvement that kept me going.  I still can't take naps and I struggle sometimes to get to sleep and wake up a few times a night but I'll take this over the nightmare of Zolpidem and what it did to me.  I'm content now and more accepting of my body's rhythm, I figure I'm getting what I need, not always what I want but that's okay, I can live with this. 

[[Sh...]]

Thanks pamster x another rough night for me. Woke up after 2.5 hrs. Took 1 mg Valium out of desperation. Don’t think it helped at all. Felt myself drifting then I was just awake. God I’m so exhausted 

[[Pa...]]

I've heard many members say they reached for a rescue dose and it didn't help so you're not alone there but I'd try to avoid doing this if you can.  I know you're miserable, feeling this way makes everything else worse but the only way out of this is through.

 

We have a member called ThEwAy2 who is really great at helping members through sleep issues.  If you'll click on the link and then click on Show Posts on the left side of the window you'll see the threads he's posted in.  I think you could benefit from some of his advice.

[[Sh...]]

Thanks pamster, I have been chatting to theway but I will reread some posts. It just feels like it’s going to get really bad towards the end. Oh well like you say the only way out is through x

[[Li...]]

Ha Shayna,

I hope you have a better night tonight....

Hug,

Jerry

[[Sh...]]

Thanks jerry x I did have a better night last night Thanku feel a bit more human today 

[[Li...]]

Still 4 hot days to go, it is going quite ok with me. Today I went to the swimming pool where I met two friends. In the 50m pool I swim 600m. When I left the pool there was a long row of people at the entrance... luckily not when I came...

[[Li...]]

Ha Shayna,

How are you doing these days? I hope you sleep better. Here it is still hot, 32 degrees during the day. On friday the temperature will go down again. The vent is blowing here and In my bedroom I have got an airco for the evenings.

When the temp. Is lower, I will do a next step in my taper...

I wish you luck,

Jeroen

[[Sh...]]

Hi jeroen

 

Where do you live? It’s still winter here in Australia but starting to warm up a little as we head into spring. I had a terrible night last night, don’t think I had any sleep or not much anyway, I was coughing most of the night due to flu. Strange because the night before I took all the same meds, and slept 6 hours, which is the longest in at least 6 months. Still I am greatful for the good night. Makes me have hope I am starting to heal. My next scheduled reduction is tonight. I will be dropping to 2.81mg zop. Hoping that after such a bad night last night it will help me sleep even with the reduction. Fingers crossed. I have to admit some of my other symptoms are starting to lessen, anxiety and depression has lifted, heart palpitations are much milder. Don’t get headaches anymore. No more panic attacks. So just being greatful to see some positive changes. I am hoping to be off completely by October from zopiclone, and December from Valium. But I know from reading the stories here that my plan may not happen as easily as I hope. X best to wait til you are ready j for your next drop. I am not ready but I know there really is no good time to do it. My sleep is too erratic snd never stable anyway so for me best to keep going x 

[[le...]]

I did message you back I'm probably not best person to ask about zopiclone. My life been hell since coming off zopiclone with mental symptoms. Better to ask people who have tapered off as being made go cold turkey has been a nightmare. Sorry can't really help more