• BASIC DRUG
    DISCUSSION
    Welcome to Bluelight!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Benzo Chart Opioids Chart
    Drug Terms Need Help??
    Drugs 101 Brain & Addiction
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums
  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Senior citizen needs to safely taper off Zolpidem

F

Freckles1

Greenlighter
Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Messages
2
I am 70 years old. I have been on 5 mg Zolpidem for several years. Last year I decided to try to taper off so I now cut the tablets in half. So for the past year I take 2.5 mg. It is still very powerful for me as I fall asleep in 15 minutes. I want to get off it completely.

I also suffer from anxiety episodes due to stress. My doctor has me taking a supplement that has GABA in it.

I have read articles about the dangers of withdrawals. I am very afraid this may happen especially since I live alone.

Has anyone done this successfully without too many side effects?​
 
Last edited:
When deciding to taper off ANY medication, a conversation with your doctor is seriously in order. They can help find a tapering schedule that works for you and help monitor you along the way.
 
You should definitely speak with your doctor about what you are trying to do. I am sure he/she would be more then willing to help you. If you feel like you need to and this is an option, maybe you could stay at a hospital for a week or so where they could monitor you more closely while you taper/stop taking the Zolpidem.

I am prescribed this but only take it as needed. Seeing as you have been on it for years, and taking into account your age plus the fact that you live alone, doctor supervision is required in my opinion.
 
If you are taking that amount of zolpidem at night-time as a sleep aid, you don't have to worry about physiological withdrawals. That's a pretty small and innocuous dose. It is likely you could stop taking it entirely and be just fine, as long as you could still get to sleep.

Generally you only need to worry about withdrawals and the like when you step down from having chronically high blood levels of benzodiazepine or Z-drug. Similar to how a chronic alcoholic will have a much harder time giving up alcohol than the man who has a single glass of wine with dinner.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top