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

[[Ka...]]

Morning Team Z,

 

Good to see you all here chatting together! What a weird time.

 

How are the tapers going? Jerry congratulations on your taper!!!

 

Augura how are you doing?

 

Helen, LadyDen and Deanna~very sweet to see your posts. Wish we could do something for our Lady, hope you're improving and love reading about your self care.

 

I have occasional akathisia and poor sleep but otherwise I'm good. GRATEFULLY off the meds and thank you Team Z for all your support. Wonderful to have the daylight coming back.

 

There's someone at work who is suffering all kinds of symptoms like high blood pressure and migraines and I heard them mention taking ambien occasionally. Oooohhhhh it was like hearing fingernails on a chalk board.

 

To those who are tapering:  COMING HERE REGULARLY AND CHECKING IN HELPED ME IMMENSELY IN MY TAPER, as did PM with a buddy. Let us support you. It WILL get better!!! Hugs all around!

KB

[[sl...]]

Hi kachina, I ditched the zop about 5 weeks ago and  the tamez about 1 week. The pain I have seemed to get worse the more I upped the doses when I was taking them. It is noe 24/7 and stops me sleeping, Im hoping it will start to subside as my GABA receptors grt back to normal

[[Ag...]]

Hi Everyone,

 

Hope you are well.

 

Thanks Kachina for asking how I'm doing.

 

I started my taper last week. I am going to try to go for a goal of 10% every week.  The percentage is recalculated after every cut so it doesn't increase with the cuts, it stays at 10%. Because I have been on it for 8 months, I am hopeful I can handle the pace.

I will listen to my body and if it gets very rough then I will hold but never go back up.

 

I want off yesterday but I know it will take time.

 

Take care.

[[or...]]

Agoura, your plan sounds very sensible. I think my Ambien taper was  a little too fast -- it amounted to 12.5 % every two weeks. I did feel some s/x - not nearly as bad as benzos, but I had dizziness, headaches and nausea as well as a general "crappy" feeling. Looking back, I could have gone more slowly. If you experience significant s/x i.e. you start to become non-functional, I'd slow down. Otherwise, imo, go for it.

 

Best,

 

Katz

[[La...]]

Agoura I agree with Katz and the others. Your plan sounds great  :thumbsup  my admonishment to you is to do as you said, make a rule to never go backwards. You can always hold and slow down. Your brain might resist…all of us had that resistance. It could manifest as scared you won’t sleep, scared of the symptoms, scared of this or that. It’s normal fears. Fight them by proving how untrue they are. You’ll be surprised how much sleep you might get or how much better you feel. If you read back through this thread, you’ll see all the post I’m referring to. 

 

Hope everyone have a good day. Feel better and embrace your healing.

[[Ca...]]

Morning team-Z!

 

I started my taper from 20mg on March 1st, currently at 19mg. I want to thank you guys for your advice! I hope it's a decent ride down, (although I am not so sure it will be considering the symptoms I got from C/T and the symptoms I have now).

 

A lot of people say they feel the cuts by day 3-4 but I realize thats for long acting benzos. I was just curious how fast you guys felt them as zolpidem only has a half-life of 3 hours. I wonder if we can feel them within the same day or next. Also, wondering how long it takes you guys to even out. My current trajectory is about 1mg per month. Thanks guys!

[[Sa...]]

Hi team!

 

@Cali. I felt the dose reductions right away. Thats why i have speeded up (not recommended - just my way). Without the forum I used to not be so aware of the constant withdrawal during the days. Little did I know.

 

I am now 5 1/2 weeks without the poison. Two symptoms left (mild neck pain once in a while for a short period of time and I wake up very often - still get 6-7 hours of sleep every night now!).

 

We will all make it!!!

[[La...]]

Hello Sab and Cali.

Cali to answer your question according to my own experience…… sometimes I’d feel it the next day but the majority of times I felt my reductions in 3-4 days. I also was surprised by this because it’s a short acting drug but for me, it acted the same as a regular benzo. Keep in mind that this all depends on how your body metabolizes medications. If you read back through the threads, you’ll see that others felt reductions within 3-4 days as well. It seems to be the normal time. I have much confidence in you doing a successful taper. You can do this! 1mg a month sounds pretty reasonable. If you’re doing well after the next two reductions then you can reduce every 10 days instead of 14. This is what I did at the last 3mg because the zolpidem became paradoxical with every dose. I DREADED taking it but I dismissed jumping too fast. I toughed it out until I was down to a crumb then jumped. I’m looking forward to following your progress. Keep me posted please.

[[Ag...]]

Thanks oregonkatz and LadyDen for your replies! Much appreciated.

 

I'll keep you posted.

 

Take care all!

 

 

 

[[La...]]

Agoura, You’re very welcome and yes please keep us posted. Big hugs! You got this!

 

 

Morning love and hugs Team Z! What’s going on in your world? Progressing anyone? Anything new? Ready for Spring?

 

Kachina I pray you’re doing well and enjoying life in the working world. I’m thinking of you daily and miss you very much. But I know you have your life to live. I love you sweetheart and thanks for your support! 

 

Jerry I hope you’re swimming and playing a new song on the sax. What have you and your dad been doing lately? How are you sleeping? Have you reduced more?

 

Deanna you’re in the 20 month club now    How awesome is that! I’m sure you’re just as amazed as I am to be this far out. So far this second year is tougher in some ways than the first year. It’s hard to say that because I have had significant improvements so far especially in the past 2 months. In my 0-12 months I had barely any motivation or functioning to do anything except for month 10 and 11 when I went into that nice window. I foolishly thought when I turned that corner I was home free. LOL what a pipe dream! But this year I’ve gotten out of bed more, started walking and sitting up again. Cooking, cleaning a bit, enjoying company when they come over and recently can bathe in a bathtub like a normal person. BUT I’m getting more intense waves within a month and recently my boatiness and balance has increased in intensity. So I’m just rolling with the punches.

 

Helen I’m sure you’re feeling the same way about your waves. They are doing their own thing. Hope you get a window soon. Some of the other symptoms I’ve had that I left out was brain zaps when falling asleep, burning sensations and coughing spells. These don’t happen every day and are more mild when they show back up. Do you have any of these?

 

Agoura, CaliGrizz and everyone lurking in the shadows I wish you a beautiful day with feeling better or well enough to find something that you enjoy doing.

[[He...]]

LD,

 

Yes, I've had some brain zaps when falling asleep. They are much less frequent than they used to be. And burning yes. My "burning" is more like very intense electrical feelings inside my limbs and head and face.  Coughing spells, no but random sore throats yes.  I SO hope you can get up and moving more and more and soon. Maybe when these rapid weather changes slow, down you'll back on your feet more. It's huge that you can bathe now.  I remember when you couldn't.  Something that is changing for me is I wasn't having the nearly constant headaches for quite some time but they are starting to come back here and there. I'm having one today. But I'm somewhat functional so that's improvement too.  I continue to have bound up muscles and am committed to more and more gentle stretching and movement. 

 

I'm wishing all members of the Z Drug group better days AND FAST!  I think we're all ready. 

[[Li...]]

Jerry I hope you’re swimming and playing a new song on the sax. What have you and your dad been doing lately? How are you sleeping? Have you reduced more?

 

Ha Zzers and LadyDen,

Today was my sax lesson day, my teacher came to my home this time. We played some songs from The Real Book, a book with jazz standards. One of the songs we played is “Song for my Father” Ah very nice song by Horice Silver. My teacher feels like a good friend to me. We both played alto sax today. I am practicing One day I fly away. Which I want to play on a day my father and I will plant two small oak trees at a nature graveyard for a brother and sister of me who died at their birth. It is symbolic. 

 

I am planning to do a next taper step soon. But not before I have gotten used to an updose of bloodpressure medication. Which happened recently.

 

My cat is Pipi now sitting on my belly, always a nice moment of the day. It is an expression of his love for me…

Huggsss, Jerry 

 

P.s I have stopped following the news, it all is about the war in Ukrain. i don’t want to get sad and anxious. What I did was giving money for a health organization.

[[La...]]

Hellen I had those headaches too. But now I get one every now and then and they’re less intense than before. So hopefully yours will damper down too very soon. These symptoms have a track record of cycling back at random. Just when you think they’re gone, they return sometimes for a moment with less intensity and sometimes return worse for a bit. But they go away eventually. It’s great to hear that in spite of them you still are functional. The muscle issues I have are tight, crappy, twitching muscles that occur when I’m in a wave. It’s not intense but tense enough to have to keep focusing on trying to make them relax. They’re like mild to moderate tight muscles as if I’ve been exercising very hard. So I know yours must be driving you nuts. I also do gentle stretching and gentle rubbing them to relax them. The closest thing to describe it is like when we squat down to get ready to jump when playing leap frog as a kid. So I’m assuming that’s what you mean by bound up muscles??? Hopefully this will go away real fast for us. I’m praying that I’ll be better by the first of April when my granddaughter is having her first birthday party. I want to be able to walk across the grass to the building in front of my apartment where it’s being held. As well as be able to sit down and stay there for a bit. That’s all I’m asking/ hoping for. I’ve missed out on every family event over the past 2 years. It’s so funny that last April the baby was born and I miraculously went into a window right before her birth. I was able to ride in the car several times to go hold my new granddaughter. I was well enough to stay about an hour or so. It was so emotional for me in a extremely happy way. Now is her first birthday and I’m going to do all I can to make her party. Her mother was thoughtful enough to have it here to increase my chances of making it and it was cheaper to do it here. I will be devastated to have the party about 25 steps away from my door but can’t even get out of bed to stand up! Anyway, I’m praying for us both. Better days ahead is in our future.

 

Jerry that’s really good! Those are great songs. The tree planting is so sweet. What a lovely way to remember your deceased siblings. I hope you continue to feel better and keep reducing when you’re ready. I hope the blood pressure medication is treating you well. Those can sometimes take a little time to adjust in the body. It’s wise to give a little time before reducing again. I also just peek at the news. My heart goes out to the people of Ukraine. It is absolutely brutal what is happening to them. Also the Russians that don’t agree with this war are suffering too. They’re innocently caught in the middle. The images are very disturbing so it’s wise to just not look. Because if you have any kind of heart, it will upset you for sure. All we can do is keep them in our hearts and minds. And Help them in humanitarian assistance. We just have to wait to see how it turns out and hope they defeat the enemy who did this. It does and will affect the world. Take care my friend and have a great day.

 

Everyone else reading this….I send healing wishes your way. Keep the faith. Believe in your healing. Pamper yourself, you deserve it after the hard work we’ve put in. Hugs 🤗

[[He...]]

Lady Den,

 

Now I'm on a mission. I'll be full time pulling for you to get to your granddaughter's birthday party!  This is going to happen.  I picture you there with a magnificent and content smile on your beautiful face.  I see it.  My neighbor says I'm clairvoyant (haha) so you'll have to trust me on this one.    I am so sorry you've missed so many family gatherings.  I feel like I've missed SO many things in the past decade or so.  (my godchild/niece's wedding for one) so I am empathetic.  But you need and deserve this. I think that precious grandchild will bring you into another window like she did right after her birth.  Thanks for the commiseration on the headaches and tight muscles.  I just did a little gentle yoga and my body feels better. Headache is not budging.  I'll give it another day before I chop my head off. 

 

Ok, no more screen time for this girl right now.  Take good care all of you.

 

 

[[Ka...]]

Hi kachina, I ditched the zop about 5 weeks ago and  the tamez about 1 week. The pain I have seemed to get worse the more I upped the doses when I was taking them. It is noe 24/7 and stops me sleeping, Im hoping it will start to subside as my GABA receptors grt back to normal

 

Hey SleepyJo!!! WOW good for you, that's great!!! I hope you can do all sorts of restul restorative kinds of things like eat well and laugh and be loved and rest and use your brain for good things.

 

Still not sure I understand if you are having pain from the surgery---so where this med thing started for you, or if that's gone and you are having pain in response to the damage the meds did. But I can understand if you're not sure of that either.

 

Thanks for letting us know, how are you doing now almost a week later?

 

Wishing you Well,

KB

[[Ka...]]

Hi Everyone,

 

Hope you are well.

 

Thanks Kachina for asking how I'm doing.

 

I started my taper last week. I am going to try to go for a goal of 10% every week.  The percentage is recalculated after every cut so it doesn't increase with the cuts, it stays at 10%. Because I have been on it for 8 months, I am hopeful I can handle the pace.

I will listen to my body and if it gets very rough then I will hold but never go back up.

 

I want off yesterday but I know it will take time.

 

Take care.

 

Hey there! So glad to hear you got to a place you could start your taper. Your plan sounds great and just as it's to be done. I didn't recalculate the cut each time, but that sounds cool if doable for you! I hope you will be pleasantly surprised. PLEASE come here and give us check-ins on your progress. I feel that's an important part of the journey, so you're not out there all alone. Share the good, the bad and the ugly!!

[[Ka...]]

Morning team-Z!

 

I started my taper from 20mg on March 1st, currently at 19mg. I want to thank you guys for your advice! I hope it's a decent ride down, (although I am not so sure it will be considering the symptoms I got from C/T and the symptoms I have now).

 

A lot of people say they feel the cuts by day 3-4 but I realize thats for long acting benzos. I was just curious how fast you guys felt them as zolpidem only has a half-life of 3 hours. I wonder if we can feel them within the same day or next. Also, wondering how long it takes you guys to even out. My current trajectory is about 1mg per month. Thanks guys!

 

Hey Cali!  Congratulations!!! Starting (and congrats to all of you who just started!!) is a BIG deal!! Either I have amnesia or I didn't really feel the cuts that much. It felt seamless MOST of the time, but when I had extra outside stress I knew to HOLD and not taper at the 2 week mark. Seemed it was more psychological for me, like OMG I FELL ASLEEP and OMG THAT"S ALL I"M TAKING!!! Gradual meant gradual and I eased along and as I've said prior my horrific symptoms from being ON ambien faded as my taper went on. Don't expect too much good or bad, just stay with the plan, have a bedtime routine of calming down, getting off screens---that was and is huge for me, as is getting up early and getting my eyes under the light!

 

Keep us posted!

[[Ka...]]

Hi team!

 

@Cali. I felt the dose reductions right away. Thats why i have speeded up (not recommended - just my way). Without the forum I used to not be so aware of the constant withdrawal during the days. Little did I know.

 

I am now 5 1/2 weeks without the poison. Two symptoms left (mild neck pain once in a while for a short period of time and I wake up very often - still get 6-7 hours of sleep every night now!).

 

We will all make it!!!

 

CONGRATULATIONS Sabitzer!!! That's super exciting, hopeful and awesome. I KNOW how free and happy you feel! Very nice to read you're getting great sleep!

[[Ka...]]

Jerry I hope you’re swimming and playing a new song on the sax. What have you and your dad been doing lately? How are you sleeping? Have you reduced more?

 

Ha Zzers and LadyDen,

Today was my sax lesson day, my teacher came to my home this time. We played some songs from The Real Book, a book with jazz standards. One of the songs we played is “Song for my Father” Ah very nice song by Horice Silver. My teacher feels like a good friend to me. We both played alto sax today. I am practicing One day I fly away. Which I want to play on a day my father and I will plant two small oak trees at a nature graveyard for a brother and sister of me who died at their birth. It is symbolic. 

 

I am planning to do a next taper step soon. But not before I have gotten used to an updose of bloodpressure medication. Which happened recently.

 

My cat is Pipi now sitting on my belly, always a nice moment of the day. It is an expression of his love for me…

Huggsss, Jerry 

 

P.s I have stopped following the news, it all is about the war in Ukrain. i don’t want to get sad and anxious. What I did was giving money for a health organization.

 

Hey Jerry! Good to hear about your day. Congrats on being ready for the next step in your taper. I understand about not following the news, some days I don't so I can take a break. For you it's so much closer, I can't imagine that. I am very upset about it. That's sweet about the song you'll play when you plant the memorial trees. Cheers, KB

[[Ka...]]

Agoura, You’re very welcome and yes please keep us posted. Big hugs! You got this!

 

 

Morning love and hugs Team Z! What’s going on in your world? Progressing anyone? Anything new? Ready for Spring?

 

Kachina I pray you’re doing well and enjoying life in the working world. I’m thinking of you daily and miss you very much. But I know you have your life to live. I love you sweetheart and thanks for your support! 

 

Thank you my friend!! Time flies when we're busy. I read that age 60 to 80 can often be the most productive time of our lives. Getting off ambien gave that to me and I have been busy! Thinking of you also!! HUGS back.

[[Sa...]]

Hi team Z!!

 

Thank you Kachina for your kind words. I had to add that i had a rough night today (2-3 hours) and thought about you writing about such "waves" of bad sleep in this thread. Do you still experience such bad nights?

 

Greetings to all of you and have a nice start into the new day!!

[[Li...]]

Ha Zzers,

I don’t know if it is worth a celebration, but we reached page 500 of this group, and we almost reached reply 5000.

Huggs Jerry

[[Sa...]]

I am glad the group exists  :smitten 500 pages (studied all 500 of them)

[[Ka...]]

Hi team Z!!

 

Thank you Kachina for your kind words. I had to add that i had a rough night today (2-3 hours) and thought about you writing about such "waves" of bad sleep in this thread. Do you still experience such bad nights?

 

Greetings to all of you and have a nice start into the new day!!

 

Hi Sabitzer,

 

Yes, you are so so early in your recovery! You jumped so recently and will have some difficult nights. I hope it means you will sleep really good tonight though. That's what happens for me, I have a bad night but then either the next night or in 2 nights I sleep very good. It is up and down. I've had a few 3-4 hour nights in this time since I jumped. It's true that I hate it but my symptoms prior to getting off ambien were just horrible. SO, I continue.

 

We're all here together, we have to keep doing excellent self-care and our sleep routine. I had a bad night last night and it takes a lot out of me the next day.

 

PEACE, keep letting us know how you are!

KB

 

PS All,

Happy 500 and 5000! So glad you are all here. Sorry about all my replies, too many and will try to avoid next time.

[[sl...]]

2 to 3 hours would be bliss for me, I  actually slept for 1.5 hours last night without any pills and it was bliss. Couldnt go back to sleep though