Crossing over from Zopiclone to Valium - need help!!

[[Buddie]]

Hi all,

I'm stuck at 2.87mg in my taper of Zopiclone. Interdose withdrawals are just too much and I need to cross over to Valium.

Equivalent is about 2mg of Valium. But I have no idea how often to dose or how to make the transition. I'm really sensitive - even a 0.01mg cut of Zopiclone sent my interdose withdrawals into a tailspin.

I could really use some help and some advice with this!!!

How many doses? How slowly do I change over? Over what time period? Can I switch back if it's worse? How do I do this?

[[Buddie]]

Is your doctor willing to prescribe Valium? 

[[Buddie]]

Yes - he is.

I've had lots of people tell me not to do it, but the interdose withdrawals are just too much 

[[Buddie]]

I wouldn't do it if I were you, it may not help and valium is apparently a nightmare to come off. I would hold at your present dose of zopiclone until you feel stable if I were you. Things will improve if you take it slow. It takes a long time to withdraw from v and you will still get withdrawal symptoms.

[[Buddie]]

If you were taking another z-drug like Zolpidem I'd say it might be better to speed up your taper rather than slow it down or cross to Valium, for me, I didn't begin to heal until I'd stopped Zolpidem entirely, but I've seen too many who take Zopiclone suffer the same as those on benzodiazepines while tapering.  I wish I had an answer for you but I doubt Valium is it.

Having said this, Professor Ashton has provided this schedule which you can use as a guide, you're on a much smaller dose but you could still take a couple of weeks to crossover.  https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s12

[[Buddie]]

I wouldn't do it if I were you, it may not help and valium is apparently a nightmare to come off. I would hold at your present dose of zopiclone until you feel stable if I were you. Things will improve if you take it slow. It takes a long time to withdraw from v and you will still get withdrawal symptoms.

I held for 6 months waiting to stabilise and never did and even small cuts (0.01mg) throw me into a tailspin. The short half life is the problem and I'm not coping (or functioning).

Pug 

[[Buddie]]

If you were taking another z-drug like Zolpidem I'd say it might be better to speed up your taper rather than slow it down or cross to Valium, for me, I didn't begin to heal until I'd stopped Zolpidem entirely, but I've seen too many who take Zopiclone suffer the same as those on benzodiazepines while tapering.  I wish I had an answer for you but I doubt Valium is it.

Having said this, Professor Ashton has provided this schedule which you can use as a guide, you're on a much smaller dose but you could still take a couple of weeks to crossover.  https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm#s12

Thanks [...].

There's no recommendation about splitting the dosage here - just once a day at night. Is that how most people take Valium, or do people split their doses?

Pug 

[[Buddie]]

Yes, most who take Valium will take it twice a day, but you may not need to if you're used to only taking the Zopiclone at night.  If you find you do need to dose twice, you could maybe take a smaller dose in the morning to hopefully aid your sleep at night.

[[Buddie]]

Do what you have to, but I think you'll regret it in the long term

[[Buddie]]

why not supplement with valerian root or preferably l-theanine/lemon balm ?

i was able to cols turkey 15mg zopiclone with valerian root with little to no symptoms,  but the 3rd day i felt like i was suddenly very close to a seizure with crazy symptoms acting all at once.

since the zopiclone still helps you sleep,
i would be more inclined to look into the least harmful supplements to help you during the day.

i personally substituted to prazepam to avoid interdose withdrawals but added back some zopiclone afterwards because i got scared cold turkeying the zopiclone was going to damage my brain. prazepam is kind of weak,  partial gaba agonist,  but in your case maybe herbal thingies could work.