Zopiclone tablets

About zopiclone

Insomnia, or poor sleep, is fairly common but it does not usually last for long. It may mean that you have difficulty getting off to sleep, or you may wake up for long periods during the night, or you may wake up too early in the morning. 'Sleeping tablets' like zopiclone are considered to be a last resort, but they are sometimes prescribed for a short period of time to help with a particularly bad patch of insomnia.

Zopiclone belongs to a class of medicines commonly called Z drugs. It works by acting on the way messages are sent in your brain, which help you to sleep. It reduces the time it takes for you to fall asleep and increases the length of time you spend sleeping.

Zopiclone will often work well in the short term, but it is not normally prescribed for more than two to four weeks. This is because your body gets used to it within a short period of time and after this it is unlikely to have the same effect. Your body may also become dependent on it when it is taken for longer periods of time than this.

Before taking zopiclone

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking zopiclone it is important that your doctor knows:

• Wenn Sie schwanger sind, ein Kind erwarten oder stillen.

• If you have any breathing problems, or if you have sleep apnoea, a problem where you stop breathing for short periods at night.

• If you have a condition called myasthenia gravis, or if you have any other condition causing muscle weakness, especially if this causes breathing difficulties.

• If you have ever had a drug addiction.

• If you have a mental health problem.

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit der Funktionsweise Ihrer Leber oder mit der Funktionsweise Ihrer Nieren haben.

• Wenn Sie schon einmal eine allergische Reaktion auf ein Arzneimittel hatten.

• Wenn Sie andere Arzneimittel einnehmen oder verwenden. Dazu gehören alle Arzneimittel, die Sie einnehmen und die rezeptfrei erhältlich sind, sowie pflanzliche und ergänzende Arzneimittel.

How to take zopiclone

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about zopiclone and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• It is usual to be prescribed one tablet (7.5 mg) to be taken just before going to bed. Do not take more than one dose during a single night.

• If you are over 65 years of age, your doctor may consider the 3.75 mg strength tablets more suitable for you.

• Take zopiclone exactly as your doctor tells you to. You could be advised to take a tablet on only two or three nights per week, rather than on every night.
  

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• Do not take zopiclone for longer than your doctor advises. It is only recommended for a maximum period of four weeks. This is because your body gets used to this medicine quickly, and after this time it is unlikely to have the same effect. Your body can also become dependent on it when it is taken for longer than this.

• The tablets will make you sleepy and you could still feel sleepy the next day. Do not drive and do not use use tools or machines on the following day unless your reactions have returned to normal.

• Do not drink alcohol while you are on zopiclone. It will increase the risk of side-effects such as sleepwalking and doing other things which you are unable to remember when you wake up.

• When you stop taking zopiclone, your doctor may advise you to reduce the dose slowly to help prevent your sleep problems from returning. Follow any directions you are given.

• If you are planning a trip abroad, you are advised to carry a letter with you from your doctor to explain that you have been prescribed zopiclone. This is because zopiclone is classed as a 'controlled drug' and is subject to certain restrictions.

Can zopiclone cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with zopiclone. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Some people taking medicines like zopiclone have done things while they are asleep that they do not remember when they wake up, such as sleepwalking, sleep-driving and having sex. If this happens to you, discuss it with your doctor.

Wenn Sie andere Symptome haben, von denen Sie glauben, dass sie auf die Tabletten zurückzuführen sind, sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker, um weiteren Rat zu erhalten.

How to store zopiclone

• Bewahren Sie alle Arzneimittel außerhalb der Reichweite und Sichtweite von Kindern auf.

• An einem kühlen, trockenen Ort aufbewahren, vor direkter Hitze und Licht schützen.

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