# Zolpidem vs Zopiclone!



## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

If you got information related too this subject please respond, what one do you think is better for side effect effectiveness, benefit's price wise even, thank you merry chrismas!


----------



## Akane (Jan 2, 2008)

Zopiclone hits more gaba receptors. Even beyond what most benzos do. It tends to give a more even feeling that lasts longer with less side effects and slower tolerance build. However it may not have enough kick to make some people go to sleep. It is fairly easy to stay awake and alert right on through zopiclone for most. You have to still actively try to sleep and you may not realize it's even working until a few days later when you notice you are no longer as tired as you used to be.

Zolpidem has a hard kick but can cause all sorts of weird feelings and side effects including hyperactivity or even a manic state for awhile before it sedates you. This leads to a lot of people trying to do activities including drive during this period and then the the full effect hits and causes accidents. It has a much stronger initial impact so good if your main problem is falling asleep. However it tends to wear off quickly during the night and builds tolerance much faster. Some can take it for a few weeks or maybe a couple months but many also build tolerance within days. There is an extended release version that is a bit smoother and longer lasting but it's still kind of like dealing with xanax versus a long lasting benzo like klonopin. If you've ever tried benzos.

Neither have severe side effects. Possibly some drowsiness the next day if it works better than expected. Like I said zolpidem can cause you to go through some odd moods but generally nothing bad before you get sleepy provided you take precautions or maintain enough self control not to do something stupid like driving or working with power tools. Bashed my head open on a gerbil cage one night cause in my sudden energy boost I decided to clean all cages before going to sleep and then started to get drowsy and have balance issues. 

The main problem is that neither are great long term insomnia treatments. On average they work for weeks. Sometimes they work for days, sometimes they work for months. Zolpiclone may work for a year or so. There are a handful of people who are an exception and don't build tolerance so might as well try it but it's uncommon to have these work by themselves for very long. I use the slightly modified eszolpiclone which is lunesta in the US and have for nearly 10 years now constantly but I combine it with lots of stuff and the only reason I'm still taking it is that it interacts with the seroquel I take. Even when the lunesta seems to do nothing on it's own it bumps the effectiveness of the seroquel a small amount. Keeps my seroquel dose about 50mg lower and less awakenings at night but on it's own it won't do a thing to me anymore. When I had to go off seroquel for awhile I was combining temazepam and lorazepam because you can get a stronger dose off the benzos than the zdrugs and some last longer. Still not usually good long term insomnia treatment and I eventually ended up in the ER asking for mirtazapine because my doctor thought if she left me on benzos long enough maybe my insomnia would improve. I just ended up hardly sleeping for months and then when temazepam gave out completely not at all for somewhere around 5 days, time starts to blur with that much sleep deprivation, so I went to the ER and ended up with mirtazapine and then a new psychiatrist and back on seroquel despite the health concerns.


----------



## dist0rt (Nov 11, 2011)

I've had both. Both do about the same thing but Zolpidem seems stronger for me. Zolpidem also is the one that will make me proceed (and a lot of people that take it) to do crazy things and not remember them. On the other I've never had that problem, it makes me calm and i can fall asleep, but it doesnt put me into a black out like Zolpidem does.


----------



## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

i was using it for sleep but damn.... that stuff no differently then ativian when you think about it, im just tapering my dose back down too half a pill a night then im gonna give my self a break 3.75mg seems too keep me pretty calm and a dopey droopy state


----------



## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

i ran out of zopiclone and now i can't sleep and it seems i got the chills and kinda the flu im kinda bummed out for taking it in the first place on day 2 of not sleeping my nerves feel screwed real shakey, might have too get more too get off of this crap i was less depressed when not taking it, lets hope this doesnt lead too a week of not sleeping i don't wanna fry my brains again


----------



## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

I have the same problem when taking Zolpidem, more anxiety and depression the next day when it's worn off. I can only imagine what long term benzo use and actually coming off would do.


----------



## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

Well i finally pulled thur, nearly 2-3 day's of not sleeping i finally drifted into sleep ended up actually abusing zopiclone using a 4 week supply in 2-3 week's diffenently felt alot more shakey then alcohol withdraws but they werent as intense also more chills and flu, do lot's of mediation eat healthy some exericses lot's of warm bath's and showers, and relaxing will help you over come this, sleeping pills can cause the same kinda depression alcohol can cause i think


----------

