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

[[Lo...]]

I'd start with a small dose of amino acids.  I took too much one time and it really messed me up for days.

Thanks Becksblue. Messed you up in what way? Are you now taking any aminos?

[[bu...]]

It is actually in this thread, my apologies, you have to read through it.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=159952.msg2141739#msg2141739

 

 

Ali

 

Great thread Aali, thank you. I am wth you, on to next level of healing. I know that I can not fix 16 years of chronic benzo and z drug use over night. I have to be disciplined in diet, exercise, careful supplements, meditation and sleep hygiene.

 

The good news, I wake constantly but I sleep most nights!!! Last night I slept for almost 10 hours! After 16 years if ambien use my brain must really need to catch up. I am so grateful to have a flex schedule so I can give myself these sleep in days.

 

I also feel that we all need a way to safely look at ur underlying issues of anxiety and depression- I also do not believe in a generic depression. It is there for a reason tell us something in our life does not feel right. Mine was hugely exacerbated by the pills! I am currently getting off prednisone as well, this is huge for me. In another month I will be entirely Pill free for the first time in 16-17 years!!!

 

Sending sleepy wishes to all of our buddies here 

[[...]]

Hello all.  I took zopiclone for 17 yrs, and had just about every single withdrawal symptom there is and then some.  It's great to be off, finally   

[[me...]]

Hi kes, congratulations for getting drug free! Can you talk more about what your experience with zopiclone was like, how you managed to get free of it, and how your sleep is doing? It is so helpful to have stories from those who have made it out the other side.

[[Li...]]

Update; The day before the day before yesterday I had trouble falling asleep so I took a half zopiclon 7,5 mg tablet; the day before yesterday I took a quarter and yesterday I went back to zero. Today I am really not feeling good; probably a mix between the depakote taper and the quitting of zopiclon. Still I happy I can manage again without zopiclon. I am going to swim again later today, I am happy the pool is 5 minutes from here on the bike. The weather is fine too, 22 degrees. I wish you all a fine weekend! Jerry

[[...]]

So my doctor has forced me on to a diaz crossover from 15mg zopiclone to 10mg of Dz

 

I've not started yet, it seems like most people in this group are off the drug but commenting because they have WD is anyone actively still taking zopiclone?

 

What can I expect from a cross over?

 

7.5mg z / 5mg Dz

10mg Dz no zop

Then reduce Dz by 1mg every 2 weeks

 

that's what we've agreed on

[[Lo...]]

So my doctor has forced me on to a diaz crossover from 15mg zopiclone to 10mg of Dz

 

I've not started yet, it seems like most people in this group are off the drug but commenting because they have WD is anyone actively still taking zopiclone?

 

What can I expect from a cross over?

 

7.5mg z / 5mg Dz

10mg Dz no zop

Then reduce Dz by 1mg every 2 weeks

 

that's what we've agreed on

Hi Zuko, I have been cutting and weighing and am down to 1 mg of the 7.5 of Zopiclone. It has worked for me to do it this way.

 

It seems to me that you have been trying to reduce/taper for a very long time. Three years? Therefore perhaps your doctor is right in having you crossover to Dz. I read some threads from people who did. I think you may be more sedated and less anxious in the daytime as well.

 

The problem for some of us is dealing with stress and/or wakefulness. Are you anxious? Do you use caffeine? My daughter and my nephew both are terribly sensitive to caffeine and cannot take any at all or they have huge problems sleeping. They both need a less stressful lifestyle with lots of attention to diet, exercise and sleep hygiene. I need those too but to a somewhat lesser extent.

 

If anxiety is part of the problem, then I suggest meditation. My doctor highly recommends Mindfulness Meditation and says it is life changing. I am not very good at fitting it into my day!

 

There is a free course online.... http://palousemindfulness.com/index.html and it is supported by a Facebook group. I have signed up for it but frankly am not very active on it.

 

I hope some of these suggestions will help you.  LL

[[GA...]]

I'm now 6 months past a 16 year nightly Ambien habit. Am now down to .16MG Ativan. I start my first cut of that tomorrow night.

 

The most noticeable improvement is my coordination has much improved. I was on the kitchen floor on a regular basis picking up pills I had spilled (often, Ambien or Ativan pills) or cleaning up the glass of water I'd spilled. I would sometimes sport bruises from walking into walls, poking my arm on the car door corner (sharper than they look) and had fears about getting into a car accident.

 

I've used a lot of the sleep aids I learned about here. I take moderate amounts of vitamin D3, magnesium and over-the-counter sleeping aids containing antihistamines.

 

The sleep is actually better without the Z-drug. I wake often, but usually get back to sleep fairly quickly. I had very little problem withdrawing, I did a rapid taper in 6 weeks using a scale. It sure helped having the longer acting Ativan in the background. Now I'm tapering that.

 

I hope that everyone who wants to get off these drugs is able to do so as painlessly as possible. It is nice to not need them any longer.

[[wa...]]

I jumped yesterday and thought I should let this thread group know since it was the first i probably posted on.  I never thought i'd get there/here.  And thanks all around to those that supported me, especially in the beginning.  I've still got a lot of s**t going on but I don't have to cut and weigh that damned pill anymore.  More later. WBB

[[me...]]

I jumped yesterday and thought I should let this thread group know since it was the first i probably posted on.  I never thought i'd get there/here.  And thanks all around to those that supported me, especially in the beginning.  I've still got a lot of s**t going on but I don't have to cut and weigh that damned pill anymore.  More later. WBB

Wow, wannabebetter, I am in complete shock!

Please let us know how it is going and best wishes for a rapid recovery!

[[Se...]]

I jumped yesterday and thought I should let this thread group know since it was the first i probably posted on.  I never thought i'd get there/here.  And thanks all around to those that supported me, especially in the beginning.  I've still got a lot of s**t going on but I don't have to cut and weigh that damned pill anymore.  More later. WBB

 

Fantastic news.  Will post tomorrow.  Am pulling for you!

 

 

Ali

[[Ce...]]

I jumped yesterday and thought I should let this thread group know since it was the first i probably posted on.  I never thought i'd get there/here.  And thanks all around to those that supported me, especially in the beginning.  I've still got a lot of s**t going on but I don't have to cut and weigh that damned pill anymore.  More later. WBB

 

 

YAY!!! Way to go WBB!    Good luck to you, you'll do great...

[[Li...]]

I jumped yesterday and thought I should let this thread group know since it was the first i probably posted on.  I never thought i'd get there/here.  And thanks all around to those that supported me, especially in the beginning.  I've still got a lot of s**t going on but I don't have to cut and weigh that damned pill anymore.  More later. WBB

 

Hi Wbb, congratulations! I hope your sleep is ok, now you jumped! Best wishes! LS

[[Lo...]]

I jumped yesterday and thought I should let this thread group know since it was the first i probably posted on.  I never thought i'd get there/here.  And thanks all around to those that supported me, especially in the beginning.  I've still got a lot of s**t going on but I don't have to cut and weigh that damned pill anymore.  More later. WBB

Congratulations wannabebetter! I'm jealous! And anxious to hear the details. What precipitated the more rapid withdrawal?

 

You list in your signature:

July  27  1.25 mg

Aug    9  1.00mg  increasing cuts and shorter hold

Aug  23  .90mg

Sept    4  .75mg

Sept  21  .5

Sept 30  0

Just wondering what symptoms you were having in this last while?

 

After sitting at 1 mg for a little while to recover sleep after being away, I am now moving lower. I have some .5 mg caps made up by the Compounding Pharmacy and perhaps will move directly to them now - inspired by you!

 

I do still see a reduction in my length of sleep when I reduce Zopiclone. Then it will level out again. I still get some tight neck/shoulder muscles and slight headache at times.

 

Please do let us know how you are doing. I know you have lots of extenuating circumstances in your life that add to the difficulty of tapering off the drug.

 

Hope it is clear sailing from here on in.  LL

[[...]]

Convinced the long term use of zopiclone has given me cancer...

 

Spending my days searching the internet, had a body rash with wrinkled skin with broken and cracked patches that flake and never go, something called Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma which is pretty much identical in pictures to my rash

 

I've posted it up if anyone has rashes too? I've had a sample taken but it came back with nothing, not even a sign of a rash, and I'm confident she took it from normal skin because I've checked the area going back to the doctors tomorrow and I'm going to force them to do another biopsy

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=166497

[[wa...]]

Thnx for all the support Z threaders.

 

LL -- I still have a killer shoulder blade pain and feel like I've been run over by a truck in the AM.  The shoulder pain was so bad I resorted to 10mgs oxy in the middle of the night on and off but I stopped taking that.  I'm doing alot of PT for this shoulder and have some other sxs.  But since my little crumb of .5 Lunesta was not taking any pain sxs away so I figured I was just in plain w/d and there would be no point in trying to taper off it.  If that crumb relieved the pain at all - I would be microtapering  -- but since the crumb wasn't doing anything I can determine - I jumped.  Also, I'd have to see a doc for a 1mg pill in order to cut in quarters and I've had my fill of docs.  Plus it would be another generic so that is a gamble, anyway. 

 

The worst symptom - that internal vibrating anxiety like you're in an airplane that is going to crash  - that horrible feeling I have not had for awhile.  My heart goes out to anyone in that stage.  If i still had that sensation and the crumb was reducing that sensation, I would have microtapered or held cutting.  WBB

[[GA...]]

I jumped yesterday and thought I should let this thread group know since it was the first i probably posted on.  I never thought i'd get there/here.  And thanks all around to those that supported me, especially in the beginning.  I've still got a lot of s**t going on but I don't have to cut and weigh that damned pill anymore.  More later. WBB

 

You will be just fine.

[[me...]]

I'm wondering how the jumpers are doing?? haven't heard anything for a while...hope all is well.

 

Right now I'm having a really tough time. I've been dealing with a dental issue for 7 months now. I won't go into too much detail, but I've had an extraction, 2 root canals, bite adjustment, root planing and scaling, about 10 bite guards (dog keeps stealing!), and craploads of exams and x-rays. Monday night was 1 1/2 hours, and last night only 3 hours sleep due to pain.

 

Ibuprofen, acetominophen and oxycodone aren't working anymore--anyone have any ideas for painkillers? I'm going insane.

[[wa...]]

I recently jumped and am dealing with serious cog fog, fatigue but am sleeping a bit which surprised me.  My scapula muscle pain was so severe I resorted to oxy but as soon as I jumped off Lunesta the pain diminished. 

 

MEOWie

I would request other pain meds like hydromorphone to rotate them through what you are taking.  I was able to survive during the day with the pain and only use that or oxy at night when the pain was at it's worst.  Sorry you have to deal with the dental stuff.  Of course, the less opiod you take the better because you will have to taper off that, too at some point.  I coldturkied the opiods since I was on only 10mgs at night and thought I could tough it out.  I'm hoping the sxs I have now are just opiod w/d because then I know it will end soon.  WBB

[[...]]

Still taking my stable dose of 15mg and can't sleep...

 

Meant to be crossing over to valium but I'm not convinced I will be able to come off that after

[[Lo...]]

I'm so sorry to hear of all the problems, Meowie, Wannabebetter and Zuko!

 

In comparison I'm doing well! I am down to .5 mg zopiclone - made up by the compounding pharmacy. I have very tight shoulder and neck muscles but am sleeping long enough although not very restorative. I'm really tired. I hope that improves!

 

My biggest problem is itchy eyes. They are driving me crazy and I feel very out of focus! I don't know the cause. I have a very running nose too and so it may be allergy but it has been going on since early April. It started the morning after I returned home from out west and although there had been a spring thaw, it was freezing cold that day.

 

Any ideas?

 

Hope all of us improve soon!  LL

[[me...]]

I recently jumped and am dealing with serious cog fog, fatigue but am sleeping a bit which surprised me.  My scapula muscle pain was so severe I resorted to oxy but as soon as I jumped off Lunesta the pain diminished. 

 

MEOWie

I would request other pain meds like hydromorphone to rotate them through what you are taking.  I was able to survive during the day with the pain and only use that or oxy at night when the pain was at it's worst.  Sorry you have to deal with the dental stuff.  Of course, the less opiod you take the better because you will have to taper off that, too at some point.  I coldturkied the opiods since I was on only 10mgs at night and thought I could tough it out.  I'm hoping the sxs I have now are just opiod w/d because then I know it will end soon.  WBB

wannabe--sounds like things are going pretty well, all things considered! Yeah, I really hate using opiods. I guess the problem was I was trying to get away with just a 1/4 or 1/2 and it wasn't cutting it, needed the whole dose. Hard to work when I feel so loopy and groggy. They've put me on another round of amoxicillin (round 3!), so hopefully that kicks in and cuts the pain. Otherwise I think I'll just have them yank the d@#$ tooth.

[[wa...]]

I recently jumped and am dealing with serious cog fog, fatigue but am sleeping a bit which surprised me.  My scapula muscle pain was so severe I resorted to oxy but as soon as I jumped off Lunesta the pain diminished. 

 

MEOWie

I would request other pain meds like hydromorphone to rotate them through what you are taking.  I was able to survive during the day with the pain and only use that or oxy at night when the pain was at it's worst.  Sorry you have to deal with the dental stuff.  Of course, the less opiod you take the better because you will have to taper off that, too at some point.  I coldturkied the opiods since I was on only 10mgs at night and thought I could tough it out.  I'm hoping the sxs I have now are just opiod w/d because then I know it will end soon.  WBB

wannabe--sounds like things are going pretty well, all things considered! Yeah, I really hate using opiods. I guess the problem was I was trying to get away with just a 1/4 or 1/2 and it wasn't cutting it, needed the whole dose. Hard to work when I feel so loopy and groggy. They've put me on another round of amoxicillin (round 3!), so hopefully that kicks in and cuts the pain. Otherwise I think I'll just have them yank the d@#$ tooth.

Yeah - i had to often take the whole 10mg in one night, too.  The pain would break through 1/2 a tab.  I thought for sure I'd  have to also take the nausea med but didn't have to.  It's like the pain receptors gobble up the opiod and you can't get high or nauseous.  If it is an infection, of course the amox.  I hope that works for you.  Get some probiotic 8 hours apart from the amox.  WHy not cephalosporin?  Just wondering.  WBB

[[ca...]]

I'm so sorry to hear of all the problems, Meowie, Wannabebetter and Zuko!

 

In comparison I'm doing well! I am down to .5 mg zopiclone - made up by the compounding pharmacy. I have very tight shoulder and neck muscles but am sleeping long enough although not very restorative. I'm really tired. I hope that improves!

 

My biggest problem is itchy eyes. They are driving me crazy and I feel very out of focus! I don't know the cause. I have a very running nose too and so it may be allergy but it has been going on since early April. It started the morning after I returned home from out west and although there had been a spring thaw, it was freezing cold that day.

 

LL- I had itcyy eyes . I attibuted it still to the K tapper but it could have been the z drug. It did seem like a benzo issue. Also had running nose for a long time. I also though it was benzo related as it did not feel like a cold. The good news is they are both gone! Congradulations on being on 0.5

I am doing ok. Down to 2.5. Going slow do to family vacation and lots of work issues - but being able to take part in all of this is great news. I am feeling much better. My big problem is falling asleep. Once asleep I sleep fine- but I fall asleep at about 2 AM..sometimes much later...

 

Hugs

 

 

 

 

Any ideas?

 

Hope all of us improve soon!  LL

[[Lo...]]

LL- I had itcyy eyes . I attibuted it still to the K tapper but it could have been the z drug. It did seem like a benzo issue. Also had running nose for a long time. I also though it was benzo related as it did not feel like a cold. The good news is they are both gone! Congradulations on being on 0.5

I am doing ok. Down to 2.5. Going slow do to family vacation and lots of work issues - but being able to take part in all of this is great news. I am feeling much better. My big problem is falling asleep. Once asleep I sleep fine- but I fall asleep at about 2 AM..sometimes much later...

Thanks Carem. I'm hoping the itchy eye problem will resolve soon.

 

What are you doing to improve your chances of falling to sleep? No screens in couple of hours before bed? No naps? Low blue light? Possibly wearing glasses to block out blue light? Caffeine only early in day and not too much?

 

I have the same problem...I am a night owl! But I wake at the same time each day and so need to get to sleep earlier. I love to work at my pottery in my studio and find it hard to leave at a reasonable time. There is always something else I want to do at bedtime.

 

It sounds like you are doing well. Yes, take a break when circumstances dictate.