Saturday 14 February 2015

4 weeks...and no longer.


Over the past two decades the treatment of insomnia has been supposedly revolutionized. We have moved away from things such as Diazepam (Valium), Temazepam or Nitrazepam that were given for a number of illnesses including depression, anxiety and insomnia. This led to many becoming addicted often requiring higher doses over time to achieve a similar effect. Now with the advent of the so called "Z" drugs (Zopiclone, Zolpidem and Zaleplon) all the addiction problems are sorted!..right? 

I wish it were true that people do not get addicted to the Z drugs, but it happens. The British National Formulary (BNF) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK) states that "Z" drugs should be used for no longer than 4 weeks in an attempt to avoid addiction. I have been prescribed Zolpidem for over 10 years! and I do not think that I am an isolated case. Doctors have talked about removing the drug from my prescription, however no doctor yet has come up with a reasonable withdrawal program. After many years of contemplation and concern, I have finally taken the steps needed to free myself of Zolpidem.

I would urge anyone wanting to stop a Z drug especially after a long time or a high dose to consultant their doctor. The withdrawal of any medication can be problematic but with the Z drugs withdrawal can be very dangerous. This is not the time or place to describe how one withdraws from a Z drug, however it is no secret and can be found with a simple search on the internet.

Good Luck!