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

[[Se...]]

Been away for awhile.  I'm at a bit over 13 months out from quitting Lunesta now.  Things seems to come and go in waves.  I was feeling pretty good for awhile, but not some much in the last couple of weeks.  In fact, it almost feels like where I was 6 or 7 months ago.  Just really getting tired of this.

 

When I first started posting in the thread someone gave me a list of people that had fairly long term z-drug use that had kicked it and had finally recovered.  Sort of z-drug success stories.  I wish I could remember who gave me that or find it.  I think it helped at that time and I wouldn't mind hearing some success stories at this moment.

 

Cindys had a list I think.  Perhaps she'll chime in.  I think she sent a list to me.

 

So sorry for the waves.  I think that you will get much better this coming year.  I had a big breakthrough at 16 months with aricular acupuncture.  Cognition returned at 18 months.  My first windows ever after more acupuncture at 22/23 months.

 

 

Ali

[[wa...]]

Does Z-drug withdrawal cause stomach symptoms?  My stomach hurts alot sometime and I never used to have stomach problems.

In the beginning of my second taper, next to anxiety, my worst sx was stomach stuff.  I was tested for H-pylori (2 ways), C-Diff (2x) and a couple of other things - all negative.  I thought I had SIBO -  I had an endoscope and colonoscopy both scheduled.  I was taking Odansetron for the nausea.  But I recovered enough to cancel the tests and haven't needed a nausea pill in weeks.  Wow - Dec-Jan was hard.  All w/d.  WBB

[[Lo...]]

Hi SeekingSanity, I am looking for some advice from you and anyone else who cares to chime in.

 

I am getting pretty low on the Zopiclone and feeling almost ready to jump. I was at 1.4 mg 3 nights ago and then had trouble cutting an accurate weight for the next smaller amounts according to my chart (1% per night reduction of current dose). The pieces are pretty tiny now.  mg

 

After cutting several pieces I lost patience and then just took smaller amounts ie 1.3 mg on Sunday night and 1.2  mg last night. They were just the weights that happened! Hard to control at this point.

 

From your knowledge of friends and those in the support group, at what point do people just jump. I don't seem to be having any significant side effects these days that I notice. However, I know you jumped at 1.4 and then had problems.

 

I have lots of family visiting for the next 2 weeks and want to feel my best. Thanks!  LL

[[me...]]

Loveslife--if you are sleeping well now, I would put off jumping until things settle down and you have a period in which sleep is not as critical. Everyone who has jumped from a z-drug, (not backed up by another sleep drug), at any dose, after any taper, has had a period of rebound and disturbed sleep. I don't think there is any way to avoid it unless you go into other sleep drugs or benzos. But even jumping from a full dose, most start to do much better within a week.

 

Having a great attitude going in is going to make the difference. Be prepared to have poor sleep and not buckle, with the knowledge that things will improve. Make it a little hard to get to the meds, so taking a rescue dose is not an easy matter in a moment of weakness.

 

I know you can do this and be just fine, it's going to be great to be drug-free! But I would wait a bit if you need to be firing on all cylinders for the next couple of weeks.

[[Lo...]]

Loveslife--if you are sleeping well now, I would put off jumping until things settle down and you have a period in which sleep is not as critical. Everyone who has jumped from a z-drug, (not backed up by another sleep drug), at any dose, after any taper, has had a period of rebound and disturbed sleep. I don't think there is any way to avoid it unless you go into other sleep drugs or benzos. But even jumping from a full dose, most start to do much better within a week.

 

Having a great attitude going in is going to make the difference. Be prepared to have poor sleep and not buckle, with the knowledge that things will improve. Make it a little hard to get to the meds, so taking a rescue dose is not an easy matter in a moment of weakness.

 

I know you can do this and be just fine, it's going to be great to be drug-free! But I would wait a bit if you need to be firing on all cylinders for the next couple of weeks.

Thanks so much Meowie. I figured you would say to jump! But what you say seems wise even tho I'd really like to be off the Zop.

Yes, I don't want sleep deprivation just now. I want to enjoy the visits. LL

[[Na...]]

Been away for awhile.  I'm at a bit over 13 months out from quitting Lunesta now.  Things seems to come and go in waves.  I was feeling pretty good for awhile, but not some much in the last couple of weeks.  In fact, it almost feels like where I was 6 or 7 months ago.  Just really getting tired of this.

 

When I first started posting in the thread someone gave me a list of people that had fairly long term z-drug use that had kicked it and had finally recovered.  Sort of z-drug success stories.  I wish I could remember who gave me that or find it.  I think it helped at that time and I wouldn't mind hearing some success stories at this moment.

 

Cindys had a list I think.  Perhaps she'll chime in.  I think she sent a list to me.

 

So sorry for the waves.  I think that you will get much better this coming year.  I had a big breakthrough at 16 months with aricular acupuncture.  Cognition returned at 18 months.  My first windows ever after more acupuncture at 22/23 months.

 

 

Ali

 

I think it was Cindy.  Maybe she'll be along.

 

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

 

[[ci...]]

Nathan, I did a lot of research on BBs who recovered from z-drugs, I can recall a few:

Albie1- recovered 100% at 3 years

Turtlegirl- recovered at 3 years

purplegirl- close to recovery at 26 months (I think)

ChrissyJ-15 months

worrieddad- 8 months

 

My memory is not the best but I have a lot of PMs from recovered ambien BBs, I can forward to you for some positive reinforcement if you want them, may take me a few days to search for them, but they helped me a lot.

 

[[ci...]]

nathan, one of my favorite success story is PJ who recovered at 15 months from ambien and ativan.

[[al...]]

I was a long term Ambien user that went through a pretty bad withdrawal and I just posted my success story. I healed and so will everyone else.

[[Se...]]

I was a long term Ambien user that went through a pretty bad withdrawal and I just posted my success story. I healed and so will everyone else.

 

How great Aloha, if I haven't already told you.  Will have to find your success story.  I'm so glad that we both got better, such a long haul.

 

 

Ali

[[Na...]]

I was a long term Ambien user that went through a pretty bad withdrawal and I just posted my success story. I healed and so will everyone else.

 

That's good to know Aloha.  You're only a couple of months ahead of me relative to where you stopped using your z-drug, but I used my longer and used the full dose nightly the whole time, so maybe I'm starting off from a little worse position.  I now understand that I was going through interdose withdrawal for many many years now.

 

It's just incredible to think that I'm now over a year past stopping this stuff and it's still having an effect on me.  The thing you begin to do is doubt whether your issues are really from the drug or if you're now just a hopelessly screwed up person and this is just the way you are.

 

 

[[Se...]]

Nathan,

 

My first real breakthrough was at 22 months, almost 23 months.  First ever windows.

 

But I went to a new level of healing before that after 6 weeks of auricular acupuncture, 4 times a week at 16/18 months out.

 

You are getting close to the point where many people find sxsndropping away.  Dr. Pottmans BBs survey found most people were symptom free by 18 months.  Z-drugs are brutal though, and notorious on these boards for long healing times, often with many physical sxs.

 

Have you seen the report with the survey results?

 

 

Ali

[[bu...]]

Hi all,  have not been around much as I tried to enjoy my summer despite symptoms increasing. I have made the difficult decision to check myself into a detox center, today. I feel that I have too much fear about the withdrawal process. This will be a medical assisted detox and I have not idea what to expect left since I already detoxed from klonopin. I am hoping I will be back very soon and can report that I am on the very slow road to true healing.

 

Meanwhile, I have started working a 12 step program. I really feel that this is the way for me at this point. I will be attending meetings while I am at the detox facility and immersed in 12 step reading every day. There is so much healing in those rooms!!!

 

Looking forward to coming back and saying I did it soon!!!

 

Hugs to all those still suffering,

Butterfly Jewels

[[me...]]

Hi Butterfly--sorry you are having a tough time, but best wishes on your detox! I'm very curious to here how that goes, as you are the first person I have heard of going to detox for Ambien. Please be sure and let us know how that goes. We will be here to help with the healing process as much as we can.

[[Se...]]

Me too Butterfly, all the best.

 

I went to Daytox at the tail end of my taper here in Vancouver, it really helped me.  Acupuncture, emotional support, counselling.  I so appreciated the help.  Here it is free, you can repeat the 6 weeks up to four times in a year and it is done on an outpatient basis.  They are open 7 days a week, from 10 to 8 and you can go as much as you want, a 10 hour per week minimum commitment.  We are very lucky.  Great staff, I've written about it before.

 

 

Alison

[[Li...]]

Hi all,

A small update from me; At the moment I am busy with a taper of depakine, anti-depression medication. I am almost finished and it is quite tough for me now. Sleeping is going well luckily even without zopiclone. While this taper I am not doing a lot, sitting on my couch, mostly watching the Olympic Games. I am looking forward to do my normal activities again; playing saxophone and painting. Once in two days I still go swimming. I wish you all good luck with tapering/detoxing.

Jeroen

[[Lo...]]

Oh dear...these reports of long long recovery are discouraging to me! I'm hoping that some people... ie those not on BB... recover much more quickly!

 

I am at 1.1 mg of Zopiclone now and sleep is not bad. Usually 6 1/2 hrs. Last night 8 hours! I do have some muscle tightness in neck/shoulders. Main problem is memory...remembering words in particular. Short term memory good fortunately.

 

Does anyone else have problems with word retrieval? Speech?  LL

[[Ce...]]

Oh dear...these reports of long long recovery are discouraging to me! I'm hoping that some people... ie those not on BB... recover much more quickly!

 

I am at 1.1 mg of Zopiclone now and sleep is not bad. Usually 6 1/2 hrs. Last night 8 hours! I do have some muscle tightness in neck/shoulders. Main problem is memory...remembering words in particular. Short term memory good fortunately.

 

Does anyone else have problems with word retrieval? Speech?  LL

 

Hey LL,

 

Yes, I do have trouble with these things! I'll be mid-sentence, and I cannot think of the word I want to say and sometimes, even if I do, it comes out mumble jumble. Even when I post on here, I have to pause for a while to think of the word I want to get out, so I'm accurate in my description.Sometimes, I even go to google for a thesaurus, so I can put in similar words to the word I'm trying to say just to FIND the word I'm trying to say. And if any of that makes any sense to you, I'd say you are doing pretty good!  I'm praying for a miracle! 

 

We'll get there!!  ~CeCe     

[[...]]

Is z-drug withdrawal like benzo withdrawal? On the main board I've posted and been asked if I was ever on a benzo. I thought z drugs were like benzodiazepines???

[[Ce...]]

Is z-drug withdrawal like benzo withdrawal? On the main board I've posted and been asked if I was ever on a benzo. I thought z drugs were like benzodiazepines???

 

Hi erp,

 

I hope someone else will chime in here, who is more intelligent on this topic, I heard there is a difference. If the sleeping drug was Restoril or the likes, that is considered a benzo, but the z- drugs are a separate class that works on the same receptors as benzos. I know I'm probably making it more confusing and I'm sorry for that, I just wanted you to know there is a difference. 

[[me...]]

Is z-drug withdrawal like benzo withdrawal? On the main board I've posted and been asked if I was ever on a benzo. I thought z drugs were like benzodiazepines???

 

Erp8--that's the million dollar question. I continue to postulate that withdrawal from a z-drug is nothing like withdrawal from a benzo. Z-drugs were developed because they rapidly metabolize out of the system and are gone (within a few hours), and only bind to one or two subunits of the GABA receptor. Thus it was felt that they would provide less next-day sedation, and also lead to less tolerance and dependence.

 

I've seen tons of anecdotal reports of people with long, continuous z-drug use, even for years, that have done cold-turkeys without any issue and really no withdrawal effects other than some disturbed sleep. This would obviously not be the case with a benzo. Thus I feel the dependence on z-drugs is almost completely psychological. (this is not the case for those using large doses of z-drugs, or dosing all day long). Professor Ashton also agrees that a cold-turkey is an appropriate withdrawal method from z-drugs.

 

But I'm definitely in the minority here and there are several who are in the process of tapering z-drugs right now, as they feel that they will avoid any possible post-withdrawal effects that way. Tapering a z-drug is not an easy thing to do.

 

 

[[...]]

I guess at this point I'm trying to figure out if my 24/7 dizzy and disconnected feeling is from ambien or not. If z drugs don't cause these symptoms then I'm very scared about what is. I'm actually hoping that it is wd and I'll heal. The explanations I've read from benzo readers are exactly what I'm feeling....which has been comforting. But, if z drugs don't do the same thing I'm not sure what to feel.

[[al...]]

Hi Erp8,

I can only tell you from personal experience that you can get a whole host of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms from Ambien that seem to be very similar to benzo withdrawal symptoms. If you are also losing sleep from withdrawal insomnia, then what you described would probably be a pretty common experience.

 

Your signature references a medical condition. Are the symptoms that you are experiencing now typical for the condition? Symptoms for other issues can perhaps be made worse from the stress of withdrawal, especially if insomnia is involved. Withdrawal also heightens anxiety which is often directed toward any perceived physical, mental and emotional withdrawal symptoms, turning them into frightening mysteries.

 

I hope that you start to feel better soon.

[[...]]

Thank you aloha,

I'm very frightened by my symptoms right now. I  having horrible insomnia, but it's getting better on some nights. My scary symptoms are dizziness...which is more like a swirling/floating and feeling like I'm disconnected from my surroundings whenever I go outside. My hyperthyroidism seems to be pretty under control...it was horrendous as well! I have had quite a year!! I am hypothyroid because of the medication I'mon, but I'm slowly trying to fix that. I think it's definitely adding to the fatigue. I am really hoping that the head stuff starts to improve. I can't believe what these drugs do to people!!! It's amazing, and scary they are allowed to be given out like they are.

I've read your story and I'm so glad you are finally finding some peace. I wish you continued healing.

Erin

[[al...]]

Erin,

Most of us marvel at how we are able to function on so little sleep when massive withdrawal insomnia sets in, but simply functioning and feeling anything close to good and normal are very different expectations. I would think that dizziness and feelings of disassociation would not be uncommon when running on very little sleep. I personally don't remember the dizziness, but feeling out of it in general was pretty strong and really bothered me a lot back in the earlier days of my withdrawal.

 

I would expect that your symptoms, regardless of their actual cause, will become more manageable as sleep begins to return on a more consistent basis. What you are going through is a very frightening experience;  probably more so than most people would imagine. Feeling anxious about all sorts of things is expected for awhile. In time you WILL feel better.