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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Keith Talent on August 15, 2006, at 8:02:57
Hi all,
I was prescribed zopiclone (called Imovane here) but it doesn't seem to put me to sleep, whether with 1 or 2 7.5 mg tabs. Has anyone else had this problem? Also is the cleaner eszopiclone (Lunesta) superior is this respect?
KT
Posted by silvercoin on August 15, 2006, at 8:08:44
In reply to (es)zopiclone not working, posted by Keith Talent on August 15, 2006, at 8:02:57
> Hi all,
>
> I was prescribed zopiclone (called Imovane here) but it doesn't seem to put me to sleep, whether with 1 or 2 7.5 mg tabs. Has anyone else had this problem? Also is the cleaner eszopiclone (Lunesta) superior is this respect?
>
> KT
>
I have used Lunesta, and it is not the world's most powerful sedative-hypnotic, being rather like Ambien in that respect. True benzos such as Restoril and Prosom are more powerful. You might also try trazodone or Seroquel, which do not have the tolerance and dependency issues that these GABA drugs have.Todd
Posted by ed_uk on August 15, 2006, at 14:19:51
In reply to (es)zopiclone not working, posted by Keith Talent on August 15, 2006, at 8:02:57
>Also is the cleaner eszopiclone (Lunesta) superior is this respect?
There is no evidence to suggest that eszopiclone would be superior to zopiclone is any way.
Regards
Ed
Posted by Maxime on August 15, 2006, at 17:30:25
In reply to (es)zopiclone not working, posted by Keith Talent on August 15, 2006, at 8:02:57
> Hi all,
>
> I was prescribed zopiclone (called Imovane here) but it doesn't seem to put me to sleep, whether with 1 or 2 7.5 mg tabs. Has anyone else had this problem? Also is the cleaner eszopiclone (Lunesta) superior is this respect?
>
> KT
>
Immovane worked for me for 3 nights and that was it. I was awake with a bad taste in my mouth. Lovely.Maxime
Posted by yxibow on August 17, 2006, at 1:11:01
In reply to (es)zopiclone not working, posted by Keith Talent on August 15, 2006, at 8:02:57
> Hi all,
>
> I was prescribed zopiclone (called Imovane here) but it doesn't seem to put me to sleep, whether with 1 or 2 7.5 mg tabs. Has anyone else had this problem? Also is the cleaner eszopiclone (Lunesta) superior is this respect?
>
> KT
>Its gone through one metabolic process but its not particularly different. I don't know what leeway your doctor has in Canada being a public health system if that is the case (I'm guessing Canada -- maybe another country using Imovane), but a higher dose usually works. Here, I would say that Lunesta in people with a significant amount of insomnia (like myself) would probably be tried at 4mg. Personally I use Ambien at 20mg, which is twice the normal dose. But I am not benzodiazepine "naive", which is probably part of the issue as there are cross-pollination if you have already used benzodiazepines.
On my soapbox I think that still sleep medications like Lunesta, Ambien, Sonata, Ramelteon (possibly -- melatonin depression could occur), intended for sleep should be used for sleep.
The whole idea of going to sleep on Trazodone was plain yucky for me, personally. Not to mention in people with any tendency towards psychosis or the like can be hit negatively with its metabolite mCPP and the priapism occurs in males more than is stated. It also eventually escalates into an adult dose of antidepressant and has to be scaled back and forth again.
An antipsychotic for sleep wouldn't be my first choice, although the low dose on Seroquel I guess isn't particularly of harm at 50mg and some people seem to benefit greatly for some reason. Its really just a giant antihistamine.
The other anti-benzoish favorite is Remeron, which at 7.5mg also makes for some positive REM sleep at times, but again carries a caveat of extreme weight gain at any size of dose (I haven't observed the extreme-high-dose-opposite weight loss when I took it for its primary use, some say it happens.)
I would try the pseudobenzodiazepine sleep agents meant for long term sleep purposes, if necessary at a higher dose and adjust accordingly your response to it and operating machinery, etc., rather than using off-label drowsy making antidepressants. But your doctor may vary in opinion on these things. There's always the benzodiazepine sleep agents like Restoril and Dalmane (scary stuff personally, it is quite powerful), but they carry a greater risk of habituation than the modern things like Ambien/AmbienXR.
-- Jay
Posted by Keith Talent on August 19, 2006, at 5:53:22
In reply to Re: (es)zopiclone not working » Keith Talent, posted by yxibow on August 17, 2006, at 1:11:01
Thanks everyone. My physician prescribed nitrazepam, which works reasonably at 10 mg. I haven't tried 5 mg as yet.
This is the end of the thread.
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