Hi,

Two and a half weeks ago I stopped taking Zimovane (Zopiclone), after having been prescribed it for over eleven years. For the last year or so my GP had increased my dosage to 15mg per night (i.e. double dose). Recently I found that I am still having some difficulty getting off to sleep, and I took the decision to stop taking it. I figured that if I'm going to have insomnia, then I might as well have it drug free rather than not sleeping and still being drugged.

Well initially the rebound insomnia was very severe, but I stopped taking it at the start of half term so that I could "sleep in" if I needed to. Now my sleeping is about as poor as it was when I was taking the double dose, so that's an improvement from the rebound state.

However, what i have noticed is that my mind is so much sharper, my brain feels clearer and I am so much more "on the ball". Not only that but I am feeling so much happier and cheerful, really remarkably so. I have always assumed that I naturally tend towards melancholy, and get easily a bit low and depressed, but I'm beginning to revise that view of myself. Even though hubby and I are going through stressful times as he's unemployed with no sign of a job on the horizon, nevertheless I keep feeling cheerful and upbeat.

Is it possible that the Zimovane was keeping me in a chronically depressed state, and was making it harder for me to think clearly and sharply during the day? If anyone out there is a pharmocology expert, I'd appreciate their views on this. Also, I'm really hoping that my body will re-learn to sleep deeply and richly, so that I'm not always tired. Do you think this will happen naturally if I give it time and patience? I'm careful not to have caffeine or other stimulants past mid-day, and I've begun using a hypnotic trance tape that incorporates some NLP techniques etc., so try and re-learn how to relax and sleep.

Any thoughts on the above gratefully received. I've tried to research Zimovane online, but haven't found the answers to my questions.

Many thanks



Ambs
x

I know nothing about the medication you have been taking so can't offer any advice. Having read your post it certainly seems you are feeling better in yourself and this can only be good. Perhaps the new you will be more relaxed and this hopefully will help to develop a better sleep pattern.

Hope things work out for you.

Thank you. And let's hope you're right!

Amber
x

Warning before I start rambling: I do not count as 'expert advice'

Although none of the information I found by searching for the drug suggested any side effects of depression, it did say that Zimovane should only be taken short term otherwise it causes effects such as rebound insomnia, like you have experienced.

I have however managed to find a site where people have written reviews of the drug - http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/health-therapies-t...movane/reviews/ - the second one down says that the person experienced severe mood swings, hallucinations etc.

There are some side effects including forgetfulness, confusion, hostility and aggression in the fifth paragraph here. Another page in the same website says that it is a recent drug, which may be why you haven't found out about this side effect of it.

'Irritability, confusion, hallucinations and nightmares' here

There are also repeated warnings not to take this medication if you have mental health problems, which suggests that it affects the mind in some way. You could always talk to your doctor and see if they have heard of anyone who has had these side effects.

As notmusimum said, it can only be good that you are feeling better! I don't know about the sleep, but I would have thought that if you continue with skipping the stimulants and trying to relax more before you go to sleep, then I can't see why you wouldn't be able to return to sleeping well.

love hoxie
xxx

Hi Amber

Anecdotal only, rather than professional opinion, but my Mum was, I believe, inappropriately prescribed Zopiclone - she cares for my Dad who has Alzheimer's, and he was getting her up several times a night so she wasn't sleeping well. So her GP gave her Zopiclone, and she ended up depressed and on the verge of a nervous breakdown, which the GP then put down to the strain of caring for Dad. Fortunately another GP realised that what she actually needed was for Dad to be prescribed the sleeping pills (although not Zopiclone), so that she could get a good night's sleep....

As you will see from the time of this post (and many of my other posts) I suffer from insomnia too (stress-related), have tried many things (but not Zopiclone) and nothing really works. My next cure is going to be a little more drastic - quitting work and concentrating on my family rather than trying to be all things to all people as currently.

Glad to hear you're feeling so much better during the day though - hope you solve the sleep problem,

Hazel

(my husband has just stomped in and said "how do you expect to get back to sleep if you're sat typing on the computer - he's right of course, so I'm back off to bed now )

Amber - I too know nothing about zopi-whatever it was. However, it does sound as if it might be worth avoiding it for a while and see whether you continue to feel better. Our bods are often quite good at telling us what what's good and what not so good ... I do hope this works for you.

Hazel, I'm sorry to hear about your dad. My mum had Alzheimers for 11 years, I know something of what it does.

I have xopiclone prescribed to alleviate anxiety when flying - without it, I'm grounded! I also take it when on holiday, as I tend only to be able to sleep on my own in a completely dark room (both impossible on holiday). I have found after taking it daily for two weeks that I start to feel very odd indeed - spaced out, uncomfortable and not at all happy. I also find when I stop taking it that my sleep is very vivid, with many strange dreams (I don't mind them too much).

I'm surprised that you were prescribed this for so long. My doctor had to be convinced to supply me (I had previously used Temazepam, which was much better but is rarely now prescribed) and only gives me 7 or 14 pills at a time.

I hope you can find an answer to your sleep problem - I've heard that deficiency in one of the Vitamin B compounds can cause insomnia, though I expect you've investigated that (along with hops in a pillow, camomile tea, no TV or reading before bedtime, turning off the heating in the bedroom, etc. etc.)

HTH

Edward