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

Hi Jerry - You are making such progress.  I know it doesn't feel good yet, but you are doing the very best thing you could for your future self.

 

BTW, how much have you tapered now?  I can't tell from your signature.  You must be getting pretty low now.

 

Ha Deanna,

It is a bit hard to say how much I have tapered now. I started tapering off a half tablet, and at the moment I reached more than half off that… I will try to calculate it tomorrow, it is bed time for me now…

 

Oh Jerry - no need to calculate specifically.  That is great that you are essentially only taking 25% of what you started with.  You are doing an awesome job! 

Hi Jerry - You are making such progress.  I know it doesn't feel good yet, but you are doing the very best thing you could for your future self.

 

BTW, how much have you tapered now?  I can't tell from your signature.  You must be getting pretty low now.

 

Ha Deanna,

It is a bit hard to say how much I have tapered now. I started tapering off a half tablet, and at the moment I reached more than half off that… I will try to calculate it tomorrow, it is bed time for me now…

 

Oh Jerry - no need to calculate specifically.  That is great that you are essentially only taking 25% of what you started with.  You are doing an awesome job! 

 

My step means that I go down 1mm/ 0,04 inch. That seems little, but I really feel the impact of it.

Today I don’t go to my father. i only do some shopping later…

Having experienced stretches of zero hours per night, 5h isn't that bad even if it's a chemical sleep.

Hold a little bit more.

 

Hydroxyzine at very low dose, let's say 6.25mg which is 1/4 of a pill could improve the quality of your sleep without significant side effects. Not a game changer but you can give it a try.

 

Btw you're doing great, go for a symptoms based tapering. You're on a low dose.

Is it ok to take a zopiclone now and then , say twice per week? I quit them now for 3 months and just wondered if I could take them if absolutely necessary

Is it ok to take a zopiclone now and then , say twice per week? I quit them now for 3 months and just wondered if I could take them if absolutely necessary

 

I think twice a week won’t make you addicted. How much mg do you take?

Jerry

I was taking 3.75mg sometimes 7.5. I don't want to get hooked again.

Good to see you all here, working on your taper and helping eachother.

SO SORRY for the struggles and difficulties...and lack of sleep.

Augura you are working so hard. You deserve a reprieve, I hope you have other things that give you rest and restoration besides sleep!! Joyful things and/or good distractions from the hard work of it.

Helen, sounds very rough having those symptoms. Congrats on your 11 months today!!!

Jerry, happy for you that you keep at it!

You all are such Warriors. Keep going!!! Be easy on yourselves, my worst symptoms were before my taper. It's so crazy that I never knew it was the ambien. I've used 1/3 a pill of hydroxizine to re-set my mental stability when I have several nights of 4 or less hours of sleep. It has helped. The whole pill is too much though. No, do not like taking anything. For the last 2 weeks I ate a low fat vegan diet and have slept well every night. It has regulated my blood sugar so maybe that's the main problem I have with sleep at this point---10 months off ambien. It's a pretty boring diet but I'm amazed at how well I'm sleeping.

TEN MONTHS OFF AMBIEN

Wow, I cannot imagine taking it or that it was such a part of my every day life. I HATE ambien.

LadyDen, I have you to thank, you got me here!!! ALL of you did, this forum did. Private messages of support and connection with LD were the extra help I needed to get through and have faith---so scary to start that taper imagining I'd never sleep. You emphasized the bedtime routine and the little cuts every 2 weeks and it worked. Thank you!

Love to you all,

Kachina

 

 

Hi Kachina!  I definitely have problems with my blood sugar too.  I went gluten free and that has helped with my pain but I made the mistake of doing those gluten free carb alternatives and they are just loaded with sugar and other flours that spike the blood sugar.  I've tried to do the lower carb diet and that has helped but I definitely notice my symptoms ramping up when my blood sugar goes low before meals.  I'm also doing IF which is supposed to better manage insulin surges.  I think it is all a part of the autonomic NS still being out of whack.

 

 

 

Is it ok to take a zopiclone now and then , say twice per week? I quit them now for 3 months and just wondered if I could take them if absolutely necessary

I wouldn’t if I were you. You don’t want to risk kindling. Since you’re off, I’d say…leave it alone. If you play with fire, you’ll get burned is my opinion. Best wishes.

Good to see you all here, working on your taper and helping eachother.

SO SORRY for the struggles and difficulties...and lack of sleep.

Augura you are working so hard. You deserve a reprieve, I hope you have other things that give you rest and restoration besides sleep!! Joyful things and/or good distractions from the hard work of it.

Helen, sounds very rough having those symptoms. Congrats on your 11 months today!!!

Jerry, happy for you that you keep at it!

You all are such Warriors. Keep going!!! Be easy on yourselves, my worst symptoms were before my taper. It's so crazy that I never knew it was the ambien. I've used 1/3 a pill of hydroxizine to re-set my mental stability when I have several nights of 4 or less hours of sleep. It has helped. The whole pill is too much though. No, do not like taking anything. For the last 2 weeks I ate a low fat vegan diet and have slept well every night. It has regulated my blood sugar so maybe that's the main problem I have with sleep at this point---10 months off ambien. It's a pretty boring diet but I'm amazed at how well I'm sleeping.

TEN MONTHS OFF AMBIEN

Wow, I cannot imagine taking it or that it was such a part of my every day life. I HATE ambien.

LadyDen, I have you to thank, you got me here!!! ALL of you did, this forum did. Private messages of support and connection with LD were the extra help I needed to get through and have faith---so scary to start that taper imagining I'd never sleep. You emphasized the bedtime routine and the little cuts every 2 weeks and it worked. Thank you!

Love to you all,

Kachina

It’s my pleasure dear friend! Glad you’re enjoying your freedom from it and living your best life. Keep up the good work. Love you too.

I have not shared in a few months.

Was struggling with getting to zero and staying there.

 

I found an old prescription and thought I could use successfully. Well the short answer is I can not use occasionally.

 

Been going to NA and so far so good.

I finally made it past 30 days and the miracle is I'm sleeping better than ever being 100 percent off of Ambien.

My back / muscle pains are gone. The pain was due to interdose withdrawals.

 

My routine that is working after 20 + years on ambien is

I take magnesium and tryptophan a few hours before bedtime. It helps me wind down. I do take melatonin, over the counter pm, Hydroxyzine (prescribed by doctor), and play sleep music. It sounds like a lot, but my sleep is lovely and have a some nights actually enjoyed the getting into bed and sleeping. I'm slowly starting to trust I will sleep with out ambien.

 

I have some nights where I have the urge for ambien, but just lay my head down and breath and fall asleep before I know it.

LadyDen helped me a lot (happened to see your name). I am miracle and feel very grateful to be off of the wicked wicked wicked wicked drug. 

34 nights and counting with out ambien. That is the longest I've gone is 20 years.

 

For all the new comers, this was one of the most difficult drugs to come off of. I really doubted for month that I could do.

For me, I had to do it extremely slow and not beat myself up if had set-backs. just get back up and keep moving forward.

 

Dont do it alone, share the good and difficult.

sleeping is possible with out ambien

 

 

.

Hi buddy.

It looks like the hardest part of your journey was under 5mg.

 

Ha Z people,

I have recorded my sleep sounds, the last two nights, with the Snorelab app. It seems that I have Apnea. That might be the reason I feel so bad in the morning/afternoon. I contacted my doctor, and we are going to do a sleep research. I will record the coming nights too, to see if there’s a pattern. This afternoon I go to a music shop in Edam with a friend. Two of my saxes need some care. But first swimming…. Hugs! Jerry

Lightspacer,

 

Good for you for finding out more about your sleep issues. I hope something can help with this. Enjoy your swimming and your outing!

 

Helen

Jerry, let us know what the doc says about your sleep study and what kind of apnea you have, central or the structural kind. 

I was taking 3.75mg sometimes 7.5. I don't want to get hooked again.

 

But you will. Jo, this is the slippery slope. First you take one (and tell yourself it's okay) , then in a few days you take another . . . and so on. This really leads noplace except back to dependence.

 

I had to throw my leftover Ambien away. Too tempting. Can't you do something similar? It it's not around, you won't take it.

 

Best wishes.

 

Katz

Thanks oregonkatz. Yes I know you are right, it's happened before. I don't have any more pills anyway, just wish I could have some restful sleep. I take meletonin which does help but I wake up every hour or so. What I'd give to have a full night of unbroken sleep !

I have not shared in a few months.

Was struggling with getting to zero and staying there.

 

I found an old prescription and thought I could use successfully. Well the short answer is I can not use occasionally.

 

Been going to NA and so far so good.

I finally made it past 30 days and the miracle is I'm sleeping better than ever being 100 percent off of Ambien.

My back / muscle pains are gone. The pain was due to interdose withdrawals.

 

My routine that is working after 20 + years on ambien is

I take magnesium and tryptophan a few hours before bedtime. It helps me wind down. I do take melatonin, over the counter pm, Hydroxyzine (prescribed by doctor), and play sleep music. It sounds like a lot, but my sleep is lovely and have a some nights actually enjoyed the getting into bed and sleeping. I'm slowly starting to trust I will sleep with out ambien.

 

I have some nights where I have the urge for ambien, but just lay my head down and breath and fall asleep before I know it.

LadyDen helped me a lot (happened to see your name). I am miracle and feel very grateful to be off of the wicked wicked wicked wicked drug. 

34 nights and counting with out ambien. That is the longest I've gone is 20 years.

 

For all the new comers, this was one of the most difficult drugs to come off of. I really doubted for month that I could do.

For me, I had to do it extremely slow and not beat myself up if had set-backs. just get back up and keep moving forward.

 

Dont do it alone, share the good and difficult.

sleeping is possible with out ambien

 

 

.

Wow I’m soooooooo very proud to hear this! And you’re so very welcome. I’ve been wondering how you were doing. Great to hear from you dear! Keep up the good work.

The relaxed while laying wn with controlled breathing really does work well IMO. Glad it’s working for you. Keep a routine….very strict one and you’ll continue to do well.

I was taking 3.75mg sometimes 7.5. I don't want to get hooked again.

 

But you will. Jo, this is the slippery slope. First you take one (and tell yourself it's okay) , then in a few days you take another . . . and so on. This really leads noplace except back to dependence.

 

I had to throw my leftover Ambien away. Too tempting. Can't you do something similar? It it's not around, you won't take it.

 

Best wishes.

 

Katz

I absolutely agree! Have yourself a throw away little party like I did! I played “hit the road jack “ and danced as I flushed them! Wow it was fun and liberating.

Ha Deanna,

I will. I am still not sure whether I have apnea. This will be researched soon…. I will keep you up to date…

Huggs Jerry 

Ha Zzers, it is quiet here, I hope everything is well for everybody. I feel that I have tough days because of my taper.

Tomorrow swimming and a saxlesson, I hope I feel better than today. The May holidays are over, so it will be more calm in the pool… huggs for all, Jerry 

A really nice Mod here on BB gave me this link to ask about Ambien. I have been taking 20mg for a while, maybe a year. Before that it was 5, 10, didn’t matter.

 

Think it’s safe to go a week at 15, a week at 10, a week at 5 and stop? I’m expecting the insomnia but reading through this, wow.

 

I was ready to tackle Klonopin first but I think I should tackle this one first.

 

My heart goes out to all of who who have suffered.

It looks like a fast taper to me. You're starting from 2 times daily dose (20mg) so I guess you already experienced some sort of tolerance. Perhaps drops formulation could be useful for a symptoms based taper.

Hi NorCal,

 

My Z drugs were Lunesta and Sonata, not Ambien. But that being said, I agree with Quarantude about it sounding like a fast taper.  I can't give advice on tapering Ambien since I didn't take it but I'd find a way to go slower if it were me.  We're all different in what we can tolerate though.  You're smart to tackle the Z drug before the benzo, I think.  I tapered off a benzo a few years before I managed to successfully taper the Z drugs. But I had a long history and it sounds like you may not.  Regardless, good luck to you. You can do this!

 

Helen

 

Thanks BBs. I think I’m going to try 17.5 tonight and see how that goes and give it time. If that goes well, another 2.5, etc. (eyeballed)

 

The problem is they are Aurobindo 10MG tablets with E-79 stamped on them so they’re shaped kind of like an oblong oval. I ordered a really good pill cutter but I’m not sure if I can quarter this tablet but the cutter wont get here until Fri or Sat. Hopefully I can quarter them to get lower dosages and do some math, which I’m horrible at.

 

I don’t have a scale (small condo with three children) and don’t want the kitchen to turn into a lab lol. I figured I can do it by cutting.

 

I’m also on Klonopin so maybe that will lessen withdrawals during the day and I am definitely not keen on taking any Ambien during the day even though of its short half-life. I just take it at night in bed while reading a book. This sucks.