Imovane

Brand Name:Apo-Zopiclone, Gen-Zopiclone, Novo-Zopiclone, Nu-Zopiclone, PMS-Zopiclone, ratio-Zopiclone, Rhovane, Rhoxal-zopiclone

Prescription needed: Yes

What is this drug used for?

Zopiclone is most commonly used to help people who have problems with sleeping. This includes problems with falling asleep, staying asleep or getting up too early. It is usually only used for short periods of time as if they are taken too often or for long periods of time, the medication may not work as well as it did in the beginning.

Is there any reason not to take this drug?

You should not take this drug if you are allergic to zopiclone. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had:

  • a problem with alcohol or drug abuse
  • problems with your liver
  • problems with sleep apnea
  • problems with your lungs (e.g. severe emphysema)
  • feelings of being depressed or thoughts of suicide

What about possible side effects?

The most common side effects of this medication are dry mouth and a bitter taste in your mouth. Side effects of feeling extremely sleepy or feeling off-balance can also occur but are usually related to higher doses and should be less noticeable if the dose is decreased. As well, the feeling of being tired during the day should go away with time.

Less common side effects include:

  • headaches
  • changes/difficulty with your memory
  • feeling confused
  • rash
  • feeling weak in the muscles
  • dizziness
  • constipation
  • feeling anxious
This is not a complete list of side effects. If you are concerned about these or other unusual symptoms while taking this medication, ask your doctor and/or pharmacist for more information and advice.

What if I am taking other drugs?

Always provide your doctor with a list of all other drugs you are taking (including over-the-counter medications and herbal/natural products) as they may interact and may change the safety or effectiveness of either drug. Tell your doctor specifically if you are taking any of these drugs as these are the most common interactions and he/she may need to make changes or monitor you more closely:

Drugs that can cause tiredness, sedation, dizziness (talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following drugs:

  • antihistamines (e.g. diphenhydramine, hydroxyzine)
  • opioid pain medications (e.g. codeine, oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone)
  • antidepressants (e.g. amitriptyline, trazodone) and antipsychotics (e.g. risperidone, haloperidol)
  • muscle relaxants (e.g. cyclobenzaprine)
  • drugs for epilepsy (gabapentin, phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine, valproic acid)

This is not a complete list of drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to review your list of medications

Other information:

Duration of therapy: This medication is best used on a short term basis (< 2 weeks) or only when needed (3 nights/week). As with all medications that are used for sleep, they will not work as well as they did at the start of therapy if used for a long period of time. If you are taking this medication for a long time, you may find that you need a higher dose to see any effect on your sleep. This is because your body is building up a resistance to its effect.

Children: Not recommended.

Seniors: Can use this medication. Lower doses may be necessary as there is a greater chance for side effects.

Pregnant women: Not enough information on this medication in pregnancy. Generally not recommended.

Women who are nursing: This medication passes into breast milk. Generally not recommended.

People who drive or operate machinery: Should not do so until they know how this medication will effect them since this medication may cause drowsiness and dizziness.

Alcohol: Do not drink alcohol while taking this drug as it will increase its sedative effects.

Overdose: If you take too much of this drug you may sleep for longer than desired and wake up still feeling drowsy or lethargic with poor muscle coordination and slower reflexes. If you take a major overdose call your doctor of 911 immediately.

Stopping the drug: Is not a problem if you’ve been taking zopiclone for a short period of time for insomnia (less than a week). If you’ve been taking it longer, your doctor will likely want to decrease the dose slowly to prevent you from having any symptoms of withdrawal. Often, people try to stop the medication on their own and have problems with sleep right away. This is because your body may be going through withdrawal as opposed to the medication having a positive effect on your sleep.

If you miss a dose: If you forget to take a dose and are still able to fall asleep there is no need to take the drug, even if you wake up in the middle of the night.

Storage conditions: Original, closed container; cool, dry location away from excess moisture (not in the bathroom); direct light, always out of reach of children.

Dietary precautions: None.