I'm a chronic insomniac - don't sleep - ever!
I'm taking 3, 7.5mg Zopiclone pills per night for the past 18 months. Lateley I've been popping 2 more when I'm still awake at 2:30am. On occasion for the neck pain I'll take a T3 and debating whether to go 2 T3's. Maybe that'll knock me out.
I hate this crap but the docs don't seem too worried so I do what I can. Life isn't what it used to be and it ain't a whole lot of fun.
Have you tried any over the counter meds before moving perscription? Chamomile tea, valarian root, melatonin, 5HTP, all that stuff. Even though zopiclone is considered a non-benzodiazepine, it can be just as addictive and cause tolerance making the drug less effective overtime. Zopiclone is best used on a short-term basis. I do shift work and I often alternate between working nights and days. Used to have problems adjusting and would end up losing whole nights of sleep. What worked for me was chamomile tea and simple over the counter meltanonin. Limit your caffeine intake and try to incorporate some exercise into your schedule.
I do shift work so I often switch from days to nights. Had the same problem where I would get almost no sleep and end up working a 12h shift. Started taking melatonin and drinking chamomile tea about 30min before I would sleep and works like a charm. Excercise helps too but I don't always get a chance to do that. Zopiclone even though its not benzodiazapine, it has a high rate of dependence and your body develops tolerance to it quickly reducing it's overall effect. It's best used on a short-term basis and sparingly. I would try some over the counter stuff first like valarian root, melatonin, chamomile tea, and incorporating physical activity and limiting caffeine intake. Most prescription drugs will usually just make things worse. Try some natural alternatives first.
Hi, just in reply to your posts, I've tried pretty much everything over the counter including various tea's including chamomile, 5mg of melatonin, combinations of the above products. The only drug that and I'm going to say, 'knocks me out' is zopiclone. All of the physicians I've been to (over a dozen so far, all start with anti-depressants (serotonin re-uptake etc). I've gone through pretty much all of them over the past 3 yrs. It's not so much a matter of relaxing as it is that my brain or something else is not triggering my sleep centre to 'engage', for want of a better word. There is a possibility of Fatal Familial Insomnia or a derivative syndrome and I'm finally going to see a Neurologist in January. Finally. It's a fair statement to say that if it wasn't for zopiclone I'd probably be deceased by now. 3 pills per night at around 11:30 pm and I may get 4-6 hrs of sleep. It's been enough for survival. The odd time I haven't slept with that doseage and by 3am have taken another two which puts me out. But then my day is screwed and I'll call in for a sick day. The medical profession where I am has not taken me serious and it's gone on for a long time. This is how it is. Perhaps there will be answers under my current physician. Hope does reign eternal. Thanks for your responses.
