Zopiclone 7.5mg is a prescription sleeping tablet used for the short-term treatment of insomnia in adults. It is part of a group of medicines often called “Z-drugs” and has hypnotic and sedative effects that help reduce brain activity and promote sleep.
Zopiclone is a prescription-only medicine in the UK and should only be supplied following an appropriate clinical assessment. People searching for Zopiclone 7.5mg tablets or Zopiclone online in the UK should understand that treatment is not suitable for everyone, particularly because the medicine can cause drowsiness, tolerance, dependence and withdrawal symptoms.
Important: Zopiclone should only be used when clinically appropriate and according to the instructions provided by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
What Is Zopiclone?
Zopiclone is a hypnotic medicine. It contains the active ingredient zopiclone. It is used to treat insomnia when sleeping problems are serious enough to require short-term treatment with medicine.
Insomnia can involve difficulty falling asleep, waking repeatedly during the night or waking earlier than intended. Zopiclone works on chemical signalling in the brain to produce a calming and sleep-inducing effect.
It is generally prescribed for a limited period rather than as a long-term solution to sleeping problems. Treatment commonly lasts from a few days to several weeks and would not normally continue beyond four weeks, including any period during which the medicine is gradually withdrawn.
Longer use can increase the risks of tolerance, dependence and withdrawal.
Zopiclone 7.5mg and Available UK Strengths
Zopiclone 7.5mg is a recognised tablet strength in the UK. The electronic Medicines Compendium lists authorised 7.5mg products, while 3.75mg tablets are also available. Certain UK-authorised products are additionally available in a 5mg strength.
The appropriate strength depends on individual clinical circumstances. For example, a healthcare professional may consider a lower strength for an older person or someone with certain liver, kidney or respiratory problems.
Patients should therefore take the strength stated on their dispensing label and prescription rather than changing the dose themselves. The appearance, scoring and excipients of Zopiclone tablets can also vary between manufacturers.
What Is Zopiclone Used For?
Zopiclone is recognised for the short-term treatment of insomnia in adults. A healthcare professional may consider treatment when problems with sleep are severe or significantly affecting a person’s everyday life.
Insomnia may include the following:
- Difficulty getting to sleep
- Repeated waking during the night
- Waking unusually early
- Difficulty maintaining adequate sleep
Not everyone experiencing occasional poor sleep requires a sleeping medicine. Where possible, the underlying reason for insomnia should be considered before hypnotic treatment is prescribed. Lifestyle factors, other medicines, physical conditions and psychological factors can all contribute to sleeping difficulties.
How Does Zopiclone Work?
Zopiclone acts on the central nervous system and enhances the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid, usually abbreviated to GABA.
GABA is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter that reduces activity between nerve cells in the brain. Zopiclone interacts with receptors associated with the GABA receptor complex and influences chloride ion channels. The resulting reduction in nervous-system activity produces its sedative and hypnotic effects.
In practical terms, this calming action can help a person fall asleep and maintain sleep when zopiclone has been prescribed appropriately for insomnia.
Although its effects resemble those of benzodiazepines in some respects, zopiclone is chemically different and is commonly described as a Z-drug.
How Should Zopiclone Be Taken?
Zopiclone tablets are taken orally, normally shortly before going to bed. Patients should follow the instructions on their dispensing label and the directions given by their prescriber.
The medicine is intended to be taken as a single intake and should not be taken again during the same night. Patients should not independently increase the amount they take if they believe their usual treatment is becoming less effective.
A full night’s uninterrupted sleep is important after taking zopiclone. Taking more than the prescribed amount can be dangerous. Anyone who has taken more than their prescribed dose should seek urgent medical advice, even if they do not initially notice symptoms.
How Long Is Zopiclone Normally Used? Zopiclone is intended for short-term treatment. NHS information states that treatment usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks, while current UK product information generally recommends that a course should not exceed four weeks, including any tapering period.
The shortest effective treatment duration is preferred because the body can become accustomed to zopiclone. Longer treatment can increase the likelihood of tolerance, physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms.
People who have been taking zopiclone regularly should not suddenly stop treatment without following appropriate medical advice, particularly following prolonged use.
Side Effects of Zopiclone
Like all medicines, Zopiclone 7.5mg tablets can cause side effects, although not everyone experiences them.
Commonly recognised effects include:
- A bitter or metallic taste
- Dry mouth
- Daytime sleepiness
- Feeling exhausted, dazed or less alert
Other reactions can include dizziness, headache, memory problems and digestive symptoms.
More serious reactions are less common but require appropriate attention. These can include difficulty breathing, severe allergic reactions and unusual behaviours while not fully awake, such as sleepwalking or carrying out activities without later remembering them.
Hallucinations, significant mood or behavioural changes and other unusual psychological effects have also been reported.
Patients experiencing serious symptoms should obtain prompt medical assistance. The patient information leaflet supplied with the medicine provides a more complete list of possible adverse effects.
Zopiclone, Alcohol, Driving and Drowsiness Alcohol should not be consumed while taking zopiclone. Combining the two can substantially increase sedation and may cause breathing difficulties or make a person extremely difficult to wake.
Zopiclone can also impair concentration, coordination and driving ability. UK product information warns that psychomotor impairment is particularly important during the 12 hours following administration.
Patients should not drive, cycle, operate machinery or perform hazardous activities when affected by sleepiness, dizziness, reduced alertness or impaired coordination.
Medicines That May Interact with Zopiclone
Zopiclone can interact with medicines that increase sedation or alter how zopiclone is processed in the body.
Relevant examples include the following:
- Opioid painkillers
- Sleeping medicines and sedatives
- Medicines for anxiety
- Antidepressants
- Antipsychotics
- Epilepsy medicines
- Sedating antihistamines
- Antibiotics such as clarithromycin or erythromycin
- Medicines used to treat fungal infections
Combining zopiclone with opioids or other central nervous system depressants can increase the risk of excessive sedation and respiratory depression.
Patients should tell their prescriber or pharmacist about prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, herbal remedies, vitamins and supplements they currently use.
Who Should Not Take Zopiclone?
Zopiclone is not appropriate for everyone. Current UK product information lists important reasons why some people should not take Zopiclone, including severe sleep apnoea, breathing failure, serious liver problems, myasthenia gravis, and allergies to Zopiclone or its ingredients.
Additional assessment may be necessary for people with kidney or liver problems, chronic respiratory difficulties or a previous history of alcohol, medicine or drug dependence.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding should also be discussed with a healthcare professional. Zopiclone is not normally used during pregnancy, although individual clinical circumstances can differ.
Zopiclone is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 because its safety and effectiveness in this age group are unknown.
Dependence, Tolerance and Withdrawal Tolerance means that a medicine may produce less effect after repeated use. Physical dependence means the body has adapted to its presence, while addiction involves behavioural and psychological features such as difficulty controlling use.
Zopiclone can be associated with all of these problems, particularly when used for longer periods or outside prescribed directions.
Stopping after regular use can also cause withdrawal or rebound symptoms, including anxiety, agitation and sleeping difficulties. Where necessary, a healthcare professional may gradually reduce treatment rather than advise abrupt discontinuation.
Buy Zopiclone 7.5mg Online in the UK
People searching to buy Zopiclone online in the UK, purchase Zopiclone 7.5 mg online, or obtain Zopiclone tablets through an internet pharmacy should be aware that Zopiclone is a prescription-only medicine.
It is also legally controlled in the UK as a Class C, Schedule 4 Part 1 controlled drug. This reflects its recognised medical use alongside its potential for misuse and dependence.
A legitimate supply therefore requires the appropriate prescribing and dispensing processes. Websites, social-media accounts and messaging-app sellers offering prescription sleeping tablets without suitable safeguards may expose consumers to counterfeit, incorrectly stored, contaminated or otherwise inappropriate medicines.
Online availability should never be treated as a substitute for appropriate clinical assessment.
Can Zopiclone Be Bought Over the Counter? No. Zopiclone is a Prescription Only Medicine (POM) in the UK. It is not an ordinary over-the-counter sleeping treatment that can simply be selected and purchased without the required prescribing process.
A qualified healthcare professional must determine whether prescription treatment is clinically appropriate.
Patients looking for help with insomnia can also speak with a pharmacist or GP about their symptoms and suitable approaches to managing sleep difficulties.
Safe Online Medicine Purchases
When purchasing prescription medicines online, patients need to be sure that they are dealing with a legitimate healthcare provider and pharmacy.
Pharmacies operating in Great Britain can be checked against the General Pharmaceutical Council register. Pharmacy regulation arrangements differ in Northern Ireland, where the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland is the relevant pharmacy regulator.
Be cautious of websites or individual sellers that offer prescription medicines without appropriate checks, provide unclear business or pharmacy information, or use social media and private messaging as their primary method of selling drugs.
How to Store Zopiclone
Follow the storage information printed on the medicine packaging and Patient Information Leaflet for the particular Zopiclone 7.5 mg product supplied.
Keep tablets in appropriate packaging and out of the sight and reach of children. Verify the expiry date before using any medicine and do not use tablets after their stated expiry date.
Unwanted or expired medicines should not be shared with another person. Ask a pharmacist about appropriate disposal of medicines that are no longer required.
Important Safety Information
Zopiclone should only be taken as directed by the healthcare professional responsible for prescribing it. Do not share prescription sleeping tablets with another person, even if they appear to have similar symptoms.
Patients should read the patient information leaflet supplied with their particular medicine and follow professional advice about dose, treatment duration and discontinuation.
This information is provided for general educational purposes and does not replace individual advice, diagnosis or treatment from a doctor, pharmacist or other appropriately qualified healthcare professional.