I only took 10mg of the amitrip, that was bad enough, tried it for a few nights, but felt like a zombie, couldn't function the next day at all.

Leeah you are doing well already to get your dose down. Have you had a proper (ie > 10 minute) assessment of what is going on with your sleep ? From what you have said it sounds like stress is at the centre of it and maybe there are things that could happen which would help you get some control over work/relationship stress (talking to a professional who has the time to think things through with you can be pretty good). Also I am constantly amazed by how infrequently health professionals ask about caffeine consumption - zero caffeine is a good starting point for anyone with onset insomnia.

Thanks for the encouragment Timbo. I had some counselling thats all I could get here on the NHS, but didn't like the counseller so not going back. I drink 2 cups of coffee per day and 2 cups of tea. I could try knocking that on the head I suppose. Any other advice?

Sometimes the counsellor thing is about finding a good match - so I wouldn't be afraid to ask to see someone else. Or better still tell the counsellor you have why you find them annoying they are generally good if you are straight with them.

Your caffeine load is moderate/low but it would be worth doing a washout for a couple of weeks (you may have a nice headache whilst you desist)- sometimes it does the trick. The problem with zopiclone and drugs that bind to benzodiazepine receptors is that most people develop a tolerance (and then have to chase the dose up) - good for resetting poor sleep but not great as a long-term solution sorry !

The sleep issue is most likely co-aggravating with stress (ie: they make each other worse). Hope it all works out !

Switching to another drug is really NOT an option.
You have 2 (ok 3 at a push) choices/combinations.
1. Taper and quit.
2. Deal with your current issues.
3. Moderation.

Of course the ideal would be cash enough to buy a small farm house and grow chickens etc ... *I can but dream*

Hope it all works out for you x

Well it looks like you can't tolerate that drug then, as that's a small dose.

Can you miss the occasional zopiclone dose when it doesn't matter, for example on a Saturday night when you don't have to work Sunday? Even though you may not sleep, missed doses do help to get tolerance down and help your body not to expect the drug.

You may find help in the form of a sedating antihistamine such as promethazine or diphenhydramine - both OTC - in reducing the zopiclone.

This is why zopiclone is indicated for 4 weeks max, and even then I would say that's too much. A week at the most, or occasional use, would be safer.

I think that all of this is good advice and in line with the sensible use of Z drugs - personally I would opt for looking after chooks in the sunshine.

I think Leeah you are getting some very professional advice here. I had a couple of extra thoughts - I think the idea of skipping doses when it isn't mission critical that you are alive and awake the next day is good - even when you are down to low doses you can still break your tablet up a wee bit more as well (maybe quarters or a third).

Also I remembered that with anything around energy fluctuations (too much sleep, not enough sleep) it is worth getting basic blood work done - sometimes people have underlying problems that don't help with managing stress - thyroid values, basic blood chemistry etc - they usually end up normal but it never hurts to get these checked.

I only ever use to take 5mgs of amititrptiyline, however its spelt man lol. And that use to knock me in few mins but i didnt have the groggy feeling the next day as it made me sleep about 10 hours. I had the 50mgs tabs but i just use to cut tiny amounts and they were enough. I used them sparriingly. I figured another way to help sleep is to rotate otc meds including zopiclone. I mean take sumfin like valerian root and nytol together then rotate that next day with zop and nytom and then zop and velerian etc. Then mayb take one of em for few days then start again. Ive been doing that for last week and it helps. The zopiclone am using is my Dad's and not the one from UnitedPharmacies.co.uk. There is so much difference between the zop prescribed by doc and zop from UA. The zop from UA didnt do anything but funnily enough had withdrawals the next day from em but dont get withdrawals from Dad's zop.But anyway am looking for info about UA elavil. I know i shud not order from em but if anybody can verify whether their elavil is good or not from UA that be great. I tried trazodone which is meant to be simmilar to elavil but i keep waking up 4 or 5 times from em.

Business Plan?

OT hehe: The Zopclon/Zopicon whatever are certainly an Hypnotic.

Jo_Lauren you are clearly a loon but I like you

*HINT* read your prior posts before rambling .. oh and paragraphs work

Just take care of yourself (all of you)

Best wishes

Awww so sweet of you to reads my previous posts more so then i do lol......wondering what has the gal been up to hey? hehehehe. lol. Serious though we are talking abt elavil here. Am just wondering if anybody has ordered elavil from UA and whether its good. Am not saying i will order but just want people's opinions. Safe!.

Who's UA?

United Pharmacies don't sell Elavil.

Ok - I have not been on site in ages. A lot of things going on - like a stroke that took part of my vison, memory & mobility on one side. I am not familiar with some of the "sleep" drugs listed. I do know that, as nephro mentioned, dyphenhydramine is a good drug to deal with mild to moderate sleep depravation. And it is cheap & easy to obtain. I tend to look at some of the "older" tried & true drugs for help. I don't want to be a test monkey for big drug cos.!

The action of cutting caffiene out of your life is, even though unimaginable to some, a necessity to getting a good night's sleep. It takes a complete "rehaul" of your daily process!

I agree with timbO on bloodwork. If you can get a good physician to interpret the results - you are real lucky! I feel that the 'net is a good place to help yourself, but you have to be wary of the info you receive. Don't look for what you want to hear - look for what you need!

Last, & certainly not the least, is finding some type of stress reduction. I know firsthand that is much easier said than done. If you can tell yourself that there is only "X" amount of stuff that your can deal with - that's a start! Let someone else deal with the rest of it!

Sorry i meant Untiedpharmacies.co.uk. And yes they sell elavil which in other words is amititryptyline and other words for this medication. Type Amit.... and it will come up on UP. Trust me!.

ElavilŪ is a brand name owned by a DDSA Pharmaceuticals, and is now defunct in the UK Formulary. The amitriptyline sold by United Pharmacies is the AmitripŪ brand, possibly by Mylan.

Same drug, different product.

Trust me!

I think that amitriptyline (apart from being virtually impossible to spell)is a medicine with different effects at different dose levels - sedative, sedative antidepressant and is used as an adjunct in pain control - its been around so long that there must be quite a few generics.

I have intermittant sleep problems and when I have a couple of nights of onset insomnia then use a hypnotic to break the cycle - but to be honest it is usually overstimulation at work and too much coffee that seems to set off the problem.

I've tried another approach recently (reverse logic)) which is a bit (100mg-200mg) of Modafinil and some Piracetam (800 mg) in the morning which gets me really very awake (in an alert way rather than a jittery way) by the early evening I am fit to drop. For me it is like getting all of the energy for the day distributed at the start so I am very worn out at the end. I am a little wary of Modafinil the datasheet suggests it is well tolerated but I have noticed a wee bit of bruxism (as jaw clenching)and it can induce rashes so I am not happy taking it regularly. Also as it seems unpredictable as to when unwanted side-effects could occur I am not 100pc relaxed about it. Piracetam on the other hand seems really helpful.

Like a lot of people I probably should have a more easy-going lifestyle because on holiday I have no problems occupying myself sleeping and having fun - as they say work is curse of the drinking classes.

Trust me its the same drug. Elavil or amititrtyline or whatever is the same thing, maybe different names but who cares as long as they work the same. Thats what i mean that UP sell elavil AKA amit.... Trust me its there. Anybody had experience with this medication from UP. Am looking to buy this from somehwere but duno from who.....

They dropped the ball on my last order but eventually made it right by substituting discontinued item and offering a refund on shippping.. Overall, it took a month before I received my order. Best to follow up if you don't get a shipping confirmation.. Just stay on top of them and you will get your order or a refund.. Customer service was responsive and apologetic..

Blister packs, expiration date 2011

Ordered on the 21st
Confirmed/shipped on the 22nd
Delivered on the 27th (recorded mail, had to sign for it)

Note - I originally placed the order on the 10th with my normal visa card and for some reason it was declined. I finally got a short, abrupt reply from them on the 15th saying my card was at fault but I could use wire transfer (they didn’t tell me how though). This put me off a little but I had been recommended to them by a few different people so I tried again (this time with one of those visa gift cards) and it went ok that time. It was a little strange (and I know my normal card is fine) but I will just use gift cards for future orders.

Most of it (except 1 item) came on the 27th in a plain white box with a customs sticker labelled 'Health Product' from Hong Kong at a $25 value (my order was way over that so it was nice to get a low value on it so I didn’t get stung by customs charges. I got the last item delivered on the 29th in a little plain envelope with Indian stamps.

The majority of the items have a long date on them 2011/2012 etc and have been made very recently (some within the last couple of months). Everything was foil sealed and looked ok but nothing came in boxes (just the pills in their little plastic cases) and nothing came with the little info leaflet thing.

At first glance, the items I received that were manufactured in New Zealand looks far better quality than the stuff from India. The Indian pills look far more rough, powdery and chalky but I have not tried anything yet so I cannot really comment on the effects of any of it.

Overall, if the pills work like they should, for the price and the different items you can get here, I would give it the thumbs up and will be using them again (I have been given a customer number that apparently gives me a discount on future orders which is nice).

PROS - price, selection of items, speed of delivery
CONS - slow communication, bit funny on the payment methods

edit: I ordered from the .co.uk site for delivery to the UK.

I've just received the zopi! Good and reliable source.

hi,
i second ww2w on that re: united pharmacies.
have ordered from them- zopiclone, dothepin,topamax, tradzone etc, mostly the zop, they are good value, only ordered twice, as i am now precsribed the medication again.

rate them 5*, only wish they had some dalmane!- had to get...
i agree they are efficennt and reliable - and good value. have never heard of them messing anyone around either.

g-girl.

That's very interesting I just placed another order but decided to keep it at the $35 mark so customs wouldn't sniff at it. Damn I wish I had read your post prior or I would have got more than 6 x 10 .. boo

peace

Order & payment 7 July
Received 13 July
UK

I asked that they not request it be signed for due to the delay last time and they obliged however the post man wanted me to sign for it lol

Health Products 1 x $50.00
Total Value $25.00

Wierd huh

You'd have to have rocks in your head ordering from these guys I reckon. Have previously ordered through their other URL pharmacygeoff.com and after one successful order the next was seized by customs. No problem, they guarantee another delivery or your money back except their delivery guarantee is not worth the paper it's not written on because they simply refuse to answer direct emails or contact form messages I've sent about the order since August last year.

Sent another message through United Pharmacies a couple of weeks ago and that has also been ignored. Their toll free phone number is a fake - it contains one extra digit than a valid 1800 number should and so there is no way to get in touch with them if they choose to ignore you, which is what they do to customers of Pharmacy Geoff as you can read about on that board on this web site.

At any time they simply choose not to honour your order and start a new web site. So I would recommend not ordering with these guys as you take a real risk you'll lose your money as I did.

Honestly, I have a perfect record with United on deliveries and responses to emails. I have used both sites. Never had a problem with that. I do believe I may have received some medications that are weaker than normal.

Also, I prefer not to sign, and they do put a sticker on the box clearly marking it as a health product. ANSKEL

I also haven't had any problems with UP. Made my second order last week, and I emailed them yesterday to ask them if it has been shipped. They emailed me back within 24 hours saying it was shipped on 13 July and they gave me the tracking no. which works. They are always very polite and professional in emails.

xxx off topic deleted xxx

I received my second order from them today, posted from Hong Kong to the UK:

Ordered: 07/09/09
Shipped: 07/13/09
Received: 07/18/09

I have very happy with the level of customer service and speed of delivery. I ordered the Imovane brand of Zopiclone. Meds came in original boxes with info sheet. I will report back on their quality later.

P.S. UP even sent me a free pen with my order!

Date: 07-14-2009

Received 21st July - very reliable as usual

@ Leah

Good to here you are doing ok - thanks foor the hheads up re: new hypnotic on united phamacies - I asked them about zolpidem about a month ago - will check this out

Goods arrived today, so that's 6 days from when they sent them to me. Had to sign for them this time. Although it always has "signature required" the post man usually just stuffs it through my letterbox, but waited for the signature today.

I couldn't believe it the Zaleplon actually came in a box with the instruction leaflet! This is an all time first for me from United Pharmacies. I also got the free pen, but have only placed about 6 orders.

Thumbs up to UP, I'm one happy customer.