Ordering pills online

Eleanor What are the sleeping pills you have? I googled the Abbey Practice and it seems to be a private medical practice.
If the pills are POM (prescription-only medicine), which seems highly likely, it is unusual (and that is a euphemism) that you can obtain them online from the practice without a prescription from the doctor.
It's quite likely that you could get them online from somewhere else, but the dangers are that they would not be genuine pills.
If the doctor is retiring, you will have to find another one anyway, why not just ask your new doctor for a prescription? It's nothing to be ashamed of.

My GP is not retiring the owner of the Abbey Practice is . I know my GP will not prescribe zipiclone which I buy .I just hoped someone else could tell me if they had found a '' safe'' site to order from.

Is it the on-line pharmacy that's retiring or is your own GP retiring? If it's the former, what is wrong with asking your GP to prescribe for you? Or have you been turned down in the past when you asked?

Eleanorre if your GP won't prescribe zipiclone, there must be a good reason, surely?

Strangely I had a talk with my GP yesterday about this. She is very loathe to prescribe Ziplicone on a regular basis, but I only take them as and when needed and was only prescribed them when Mr.G died although I didn't use them for the first 6 months. Having assured her that I was not the type to take an overdose, she eventually gave me 2 week's worth when I said that the alternative would be having to deal with an alcoholic

I looked up Zipiclone, (zopiclone?) It seems that there is a danger with it of habituation and addiction, not so much as with some other sedatives, but real. Perhaps that is why your GP does not like to prescribe it. If you can't sleep, is there another sleeping pill which he would prescribe instead, or some other treatment?

If you are accustomed to taking Zip(Zop?)iclone regularly then your body will get some withdrawal symptoms for a while without it, but it is better to treat those that to be totally dependent on it, surely?

My GP will give sleeping pills as a very last resort. She gave me some just after my DH died but I only took a few. She said that for every night you take sleeping pills, it takes two nights to come off them.

I do suffer from insomnia - 4 hours is a good night - but only resort to the pills if I haven't slept at all for 3 or 4 nights.

sunseeker if you sometimes don't sleep for several nights then you are more ill than just needing a few pills. Sometimes you see on TV documentries about insomnia and they show sleep laboratories where patients are assessed an then helped. I know it may not be general medical practice but you could make enquiries.

Doctors are cautioned against prescribing the "Z-drugs" including zopiclone because "Addiction to medicines" is a growing problem also benzodiazepines (e.g. diazepam). Here's a recent report re providing services for OTC (over the counter) or POM addiction www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/addictiontomedicinesmay2011a.pdf

Sorry should have said "cautioned against prescribing ... other than short term".

Sleeping tablets are always a short term solution to the problem The body very quickly becomes used to the drug and then it does not have the desired effect. Better, I think, to address the problems that are causing the insomnia.

Zopiclone must not be taken for more than a few days and as far as I'm aware they are not put on repeat prescription; you have to see a doctor each time you want some and even then are not always given a whole packet, just the amount necessary. I think they are very strong tablets and, as such potentially quite dangerous. They are only taken for a short period of time occassionally, unlike other sleeping tablets that can be taken all the time.

I had migraines all my life and had no problem until the day when I was taken off my favourite antidote to migraine which was classed as containing benzodiazepines. I regularly slept 12 hours with this and woke up migraine free.
I never became addicted. I am not an addictive person. People are different. Some will become addicted to paracetamol. I felt it was unfair for me to have to struggle with other medications and 3 day migraines.

My experience in German hospitals is that you get 'diazepam' to help you sleep at nights. No one asks if you are addicted to them. Main thing is that the patients are knocked out at night.
Why should an older person not have enough sleeping pills to ensure that she sleeps nights instead of struggling through the night into the small hours. Why should they not take them regularly?
Many surveys have shown that you are relaxed if you know you will get the pill (or the morphium) you need. When you need it and as much as you need. You are then in control and less medication is needed.

I have a neighbour who has taken one sleeping pill nights for over 20 years and has not suffered a personality problem.

My OH has taken a sleeping pill at night for more years than I can remember. He has not found himself needing a bigger dose for the same effect. He started on them because his heart gives him problems at night, as does his PD tremor and it stops him sleeping.

I do buy some drugs from Chemist Direct online and they are very speedy and efficient - but only vitamins, paracetamol etc. - nothing heavy. I am surprised that byou were able to zopiclone online without a prescription. I would be more than a little wary of that.

MargaretX it's quite an interesting subject. I agree why should (anyone) struggle when they can sleep well by taking a pill; I think part of the problem with these modern anti-anxiety pills and sleeping pills is that they work so well! But then on the other hand you get this: www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9969861/Middle-aged-people-addicted-to-sleeping-pills-and-tranquilizers-because-of-GPs-over-prescribe-them-health-minister-says.html

I have never found that taking one once in a while when I just cannt sleep has caused any problems . I would never take them for a week at a time or anything like that it is just nice to know that if you are really never going to get to sleep you have the remedy . It never effects my next night's sleep.

I think taking sleeping pills at night has been found to increase falls among the elderly with all the subsequent problems that can cause.

If they are strong enough to send you to sleep they probably affect coordination and balance. Treat with great caution.

When sleeping pills make you tired by day that is sometimes a sign that you lay awake too long not wanting to take one, and then took one too late.

For those who have real problem for instance insomnia three times a week and most weeks, it would be better to be on a regular sleeping pill taken early enough not to make you drowsy during the day.

My GP said better take one than let the brain get into the habit of not sleeping within half an hour of settling down to sleep.

The Germans who kept their knowledge of herbs thoughout the centuries give Valerian to children sometimes and I started with it when DD2 had terrible nightmares. It as a great calming effect and is not habit forming...
I take 450mg pure Valerian and take it early enough if I feel worried or too alert. Then if I am awake, I feel I don't care so much about it.

Zopiclone though is a really different kettle of ... herbs - and legally should NOT be on sale by mailorder as it is prescription only and for extremely good reasons.

And online you never know what is in the pills you buy either.

You really need professional advice.

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