Zopiclone 7.5mg Tablets
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ZOPICLONE 7.5 mg FILM-COATED TABLETS
(zopiclone)
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any of the side effects talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4
In this leaflet:
1. What Zopiclone is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Zopiclone
3. How to take Zopiclone
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Zopiclone
6. Contents of the pack and other information
1. What Zopiclone is and what it is used for
Zopiclone tablets are sleeping pills (hypnotics) which work by acting on the brain to cause sleepiness.
Zopiclone may be used for the short term treatment of difficulty in sleeping which is severe, disabling or causing great distress.
2. What you need to know before you take Zopiclone
Do not take Zopiclone if you:
• are allergic (hypersensitive) to zopiclone or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). An allergic reaction may include a rash, itching, difficulty breathing or swelling of the face, lips, throat or tongue
• suffer from a disease of the muscles causing drooping eyelids, double vision, difficulty speaking and swallowing and sometimes muscle weakness in the arms and legs (myasthenia gravis)
• have severe liver problems
• suffer from irregular breathing while asleep (sleep apnoea syndrome)
• have severe breathing problems
• are under the age of 18.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if you:
• are elderly or at risk of becoming confused. Taking Zopiclone may mean an increased risk of falling and consequential injuries
• suffer from liver or kidney problems, as your doctor may start you on a lower dose
• have a history of breathing problems. Taking Zopiclone will reduce the force of your breathing
• suffer from or have a history of depression, anxiety or psychotic illness. Zopiclone may cause the symptoms to reappear or worsen
• have or ever had a history of alcohol or drug abuse. The risk of dependence to Zopiclone (physical or mental effects produced by a compulsion to keep taking the medicine) increases in these patients, and with the length of treatment and the amount taken.
Other considerations when taking Zopiclone are:
• Dependence - when taking this type of medicine there is a risk that you may develop some dependence. This risk increases with the time for which you have been taking Zopiclone and your dosage. There is also a greater risk in those patients who have history of alcohol or drug abuse.
• Amnesia - Taking Zopiclone can cause memory loss. To avoid this make sure that when you take Zopiclone you will be able to have uninterrupted sleep.
Other medicines and Zopiclone
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription, especially any of the following:
• Medicines used to treat certain mental and emotional conditions (antipsychotics)
• Hypnotic medicines
• Other sleeping pills (sedatives)
• Medicines used to treat depression (antidepressants)
• Medicines to treat anxiety (anxiolytics)
• Strong medicines used to relieve pain (narcotic analgesics), such as codeine and morphine. The sensation of feeling high (euphoria) may increase, which in turn can lead to dependency
• Medicines that reduce liver function, such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, tacrolimus and ritonavir. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which medicines have this effect
• Medicines that increase liver function, such as rifampicin, nefazodone, phenobarbital, phenytoin and St John's wort. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which medicines have this effect
• Medicines used to treat epilepsy such as carbamazepine
• Antihistamine medicines which can cause sleepiness
• Anaesthetic medicines and muscle relaxants, which may be used during surgery
• Metoclopramide, used to relieve sickness
• Medicines containing atropine.
Taking Zopiclone with alcohol
You should not drink alcohol while being treated with this medicine, because this may increase the sedative effects of Zopiclone.
This may persist to the following morning and affect your ability to drive.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Pregnancy
Zopiclone should not be used during pregnancy unless clearly necessary. If for urgent medical reasons, you take Zopiclone during late pregnancy or during labour, your baby may show withdrawal symptoms after birth because of physical dependence.
Breast-feeding
Do not breast-feed your baby, as small amounts of zopiclone can pass into breast milk.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel dizzy or drowsy, or you have eyesight problems while taking this medicine. If you have just started treatment with Zopiclone do not drive or use machines until you are sure that it is safe to do so. Zopiclone may make you feel drowsy, cause loss of concentration or muscle weakness.
Zopiclone contains lactose
This medicine contains lactose. If you doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to some sugars, such as lactose, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
3. How to take Zopiclone
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The recommended dose is:
Adults - 1 tablet (7.5 mg) immediately before going to bed. This dose should not be exceeded.
Elderly, frail or those patients with reduced kidney, liver or lung function
A starting dose of 3.75 mg (half a tablet) is recommended in these patients, with the tablets being taken immediately before going to bed.
Use in children and adolescents
Zopiclone should not be given to patients under the age of 18 years.
If after a few weeks you notice that the tablets are not working as well as they did at the start of treatment, you should see your doctor as your dose may need to be adjusted.
The tablet should be taken by mouth with a glass of liquid, immediately before going to bed.
How long should you take Zopiclone for?
The duration of treatment with Zopiclone should be as short as possible. Generally treatment should last from between a few days to up to two weeks. Treatment should not exceed 4 weeks, including a period of tapering off.
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Your doctor will choose a withdrawal regime based on your individual needs. In some cases it may take longer than the recommended maximum time of treatment.
If you take more Zopiclone than you should
Contact your doctor or nearest hospital emergency department immediately, do not go unaccompanied to seek medical help. If an overdose has been taken you may become increasingly drowsy very quickly. Take the container and any remaining tablets with you. Symptoms of overdose can range from extreme drowsiness to coma. These symptoms can be magnified when combined with alcohol.
If you forget to take Zopiclone
If you forget to take a dose immediately before going to bed but remember during the night only take the missed dose if you are still able to have 7-8 hours uninterrupted sleep. If this is not possible, take the next dose before bed time the next night. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking Zopiclone
Treatment with Zopiclone should be gradually withdrawn, as the symptoms that Zopiclone was used to treat will return with a higher intensity (rebound insomnia). Other such withdrawal symptoms could include anxiety, restlessness and mood changes, these will however disappear with time.
If you have become physically dependent on Zopiclone, sudden withdrawal of treatment could lead to symptoms such as headaches, tension, muscle pain, confusion, anxiety, restlessness and irritability. In severe cases symptoms may also include hypersensitivity to light, noise and physical contact, hallucinations, epileptic seizures, personality disturbances, numbness of the extremities and the feeling that the world around you is not real (derealisation).
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Zopiclone can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
If any of the following happen, stop taking Zopiclone and tell your doctor immediately or go to your nearest hospital emergency department:
• Skin rash, itching
• Swelling of the face, lips, throat or tongue
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing.
These allergic reactions are rare but serious. You may need medical attention.
Psychiatric and 'paradoxical' reactions -Zopiclone can cause restlessness, agitation, irritability, aggression, delusion, outbursts of rage, nightmares, hallucinations, psychoses, unsuitable behaviour and other behavioural disturbances.
Sleepwalking and associated behaviours - Zopiclone can cause behaviours such as sleepwalking, 'sleep driving) preparing and eating food or making phone calls whilst not fully awake and with no memory of these actions. These can occur more commonly if you drink alcohol or take other sleeping pills or medicines to treat anxiety.
Other side effects may include:
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
• Drowsiness during the following day
• Reduced alertness
• Dizziness
• Gastrointestinal disturbances
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
• Fatigue
• Nightmares
• Agitation
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
• Numbed emotions
• Confusion
• Loss of memory (amnesia)
• Irritability
• Aggressiveness
• Hallucinations
• Psychoses
• Changes in sexual drive (libido)
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
• Dependence
• Restlessness
• Fixed irrational ideas, not shared by others (delusions)
• Anger
• Depressed mood
• Sleepwalking and associated behaviours
• Uncontrollable movements
• Double vision
• Indigestion
• Muscle weakness
• Light-headedness
• Feeling uncoordinated
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme (www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard). By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Zopiclone
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date, which is stated on the outer carton and blister after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Zopiclone should be stored below 25°C and keep in the original package, in order to protect from light.
Do not throw away any medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Zopiclone contains
The active substance is zopiclone. Each film-coated tablet contains 7.5 mg zopiclone. The other ingredients are lactose anhydrous (see section 2, 'Zopiclone contains lactose'), calcium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous, maize starch, povidone, magnesium stearate and hypromellose. The printing ink contains titanium dioxide (E171) and macrogol 400.
What Zopiclone looks like and contents of the pack
Your medicine comes as a white film-coated tablet with a breakline. The tablet can be divided into equal halves. The tablets are marked 'ZZ' on one side and '7.5' on the other. Zopiclone is available in blisters of 5, 7, 10, 14, 20, 21, 28, 30, 56, 60, 84, 90 and 100 tablets. Zopiclone is also available in a bulk pack of 100 tablets in a polypropylene container. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Mylan, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 1TL, United Kingdom
Manufacturers
Gerard Laboratories, 35/36 Baldoyle Industrial Estate, Grange Road, Dublin 13, Ireland Generics [UK] Limited, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 1TL, United Kingdom
This leaflet was last revised in
September 2013 10005095
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