I have been having horrible insomnia for about a month now, i feel like a different person. I find myself becoming depressed because of lack of sleep. Usually i only get 2 - 3 hrs a night, a lucky night is 5 hrs which is only twice a week. I have been on .5 mg of xanax (started off with .25 mg at bed) that worked for about a week or two, then i upped it to the .5mg. that worked for a couple nights, but i find myself worrying thru that now. I have tried ambien and don't like it. I most recently switched to lunesta and am gonna give that a try. I have been trying to get off the xanax beccause i dont want to depend on it and i feel it effects my memory. Is it safe for me to stop taking it after a month, i only had two 1/4 pills yesterday and had anxiety but tried to just not think about it. If i dont have any today will my health be at risk? I am going into the doctors next week. I have read all the side effects with xanax but if i've only been taking it a month am i in danger?
2007-05-17 02:24:57 · 0 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
I know ALL ABOUT Xanax
Listen carefully
Lower your dose by .25 mg LESS every 3 weeks
then once you reach .25 mg SPLIT IT into .12.5 mg
Take this .12.5 mg now for another 3 weeks .
Then you could take .12.5 mg every 4 days or so for 3 weeks THEN YOU ARE WEANED SLOWLY AND COMPLETELY
2007-05-17 03:15:42 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stopping Xanax
2016-11-12 00:22:58 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not a doctor, but have taken Xanax off and on for years when I am in situational anxiety episodes. Doctors do not want to prescribe it and always try to defer to Clonapen, which is okay in the beginning, but after a while, I believe you build up a tolerance to it and it is ineffective. Doctors also want you to take anti-depressants WITH the Xanax, which I could never do. I cannot tolerate anti-depressants and always go back to asking for the anti-anxiety medications, and usually end up with Clonapen. I would much rather have Xanax, it gives qiuck relief for the panic episodes and generalized anxiety. When my first husband and I split up, I was taking three 1mg tabs a day for a year, and then I just stopped taking them one day and didn't need them anymore for many years........bottom line - I wouldn't worry about it too much. Doctors always try to scare you and WANT you to not take the Xanax and are pushing the anti-depressants.
2007-05-17 05:23:19 · answer #3 · answered by sapphire5660 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should not stop taking it all together. This may cause some withdrawl symptoms. Talk to your doctor about tapering down the dose so that you can stop taking it. Xanax is not meant to be taken for every day type stress. So if you do have an anxiety disorder, you should ask about something else that you can take thats more long term.
2007-05-17 02:41:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That's impossible to predict everyone is so different.
But for you own peace of mind I would say don't stop without your doctor's support.
I've been put on meds for PTSD and tried to stop. Got pretty ugly..NO SLEEP, cried A LOT. The short term memory loss drove me cuckoo. I had to learn to write down everything and put posties all over saying FOCUS....I though dementia was setting in.
Then I checked the website www.webmd.com.
Be careful this is an issue of vanity or sanity. I shot for the sanity. Life is too short, if you need it take it. Doesn't mean your a dope fiend
2007-05-17 02:48:30 · answer #5 · answered by lonstandingtree 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure you can. Remember that your health is at risk with that drug. This a problem of persons who have over stress. Dont focus much to your peoblem if you have. Think of the solution rather than the problem. If you have a healthy mind, you can think very well. You can try this also. Have a warm shower before you sleep. Don't over eat , or take only fruits during supper, drink a glas of milk before retiring. It can help you a lot is you have a whole body massage so that you can relax very well.
2007-05-24 18:19:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not a good thing to just stop taking Xanax and would definitely make a phone call to doctor that put you on it and ask the doctor. That is the safest way and I know as my father was on it and doc said he had to ween off of it. Not sure why but its better to ask your doctor
2007-05-20 17:59:21 · answer #7 · answered by tinybabe 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may not be in danger now, but if you need to increase the dose you may be.
A "cheap" solution might be talking to your pharmacist before you go to your doctor.
Zoloft is supposed to be very effective in treating anxiety. A friend has been taking it for several years. He used to get very anxious when he had to speak in a group. After talking the medication for a couple of months, he started giving speeches.
That said, you should talk to your doctor about this problem.
Good luck.
2007-05-22 08:02:47 · answer #8 · answered by SCOTT M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you are not in danger if you stop taking the Xanax, you are taking a very low dose. The other People who have answered this question have told you to talk to your doctor, and I do agree you should discuss your medications with the doctor. But don't worry that you're going to have some severe problem stopping the medication.
2007-05-17 02:45:07 · answer #9 · answered by Cherokee Billie 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Absolutely, you have only taken it a month. I suffer insomnia and take nothing for it. Do you have the ability to take a nap sometime in the day? Try exercising at the YMCA, that really helped me, also taking a hot shower, eating, reading and leaving the tv off helps me. Also, I wear ear plugs to bed-the soft yellow foam type and take nose drops. You might just be getting older too. But all the sleep aid drugs I have taken lose their effect after awhile.
2007-05-17 03:16:34 · answer #10 · answered by Gene 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋