Xanax

[Newbie312]

Lots of great advice and opinions!
I told my doctor that my extreme exhaustion gives me a little anxiety at times simply because I'm so exhausted and have been for so long. I kept telling her that anesthesiologist told me I have sleep apnea.

I have read a lot of horror stories about Xanax and addiction as well. Honestly based on last night I don't think it's going to help me sleep. I just want to try it again tonight and next night so I can say I gave it a shot. If it doesn't work miracles for me though I agree it's not worth the risk and I'll switch over to melatonin.
What dose do most people use of melatonin? When I use it occasionally I usually take 12 mg and that works well but I usually wake up in 4 hours.

[49er]

As others have said, I can't see xanax as being a good combo with OSA, but it is often used to help people get to sleep. My ex gf went through a period where she had a bit of an anxiety issue, and was on it for a couple of years @ .25 up to 3X a day IIRC. It helped her quite a bit, and she came off of it with no issues, nor did she ever have any sides from it.

Some people have addictive personalities, and they will get hooked on anything/everything. If you are one of those types,....quit taking it now. If not, I would say it's between you and your doctor. If it's not even helping you sleep though, what's the point?

Mark,

With all due respect, you are perpetuating a falsehood about people who get hooked on Benzos having an addictive personality. Many people who never had a problem with addiction in their life took the benzos as prescribed by the doctor and became dependent very quickly. Just because your girlfriend didn't have any problem doesn't invalidate the experience of people who did.

As far as stopping it immediately, you might want to do a google search on cold turkeying benzos. Not a good idea.

[Mark55]

As others have said, I can't see xanax as being a good combo with OSA, but it is often used to help people get to sleep. My ex gf went through a period where she had a bit of an anxiety issue, and was on it for a couple of years @ .25 up to 3X a day IIRC. It helped her quite a bit, and she came off of it with no issues, nor did she ever have any sides from it.

Some people have addictive personalities, and they will get hooked on anything/everything. If you are one of those types,....quit taking it now. If not, I would say it's between you and your doctor. If it's not even helping you sleep though, what's the point?

Mark,

With all due respect, you are perpetuating a falsehood about people who get hooked on Benzos having an addictive personality. Many people who never had a problem with addiction in their life took the benzos as prescribed by the doctor and became dependent very quickly. Just because your girlfriend didn't have any problem doesn't invalidate the experience of people who did.

As far as stopping it immediately, you might want to do a google search on cold turkeying benzos. Not a good idea.

Another member with reading comprehension problems. Notice what I ACTUALLY said,....."she came off of it with no issues."

Where did I say she stopped cold turkey? I'm not going to go back and forth with you, so just drop it here.

[49er]

Mark, you said, "Some people have addictive personalities, and they will get hooked on anything/everything. If you are one of those types,....quit taking it now" That is implying that someone should cold turkey the drug.

[Mark55]

IIRC she has taken TWO whole doses over the course of several days,...weaning is not needed at this point. She has no residual built up in her system, nor is she dependent. She should speak to her doctor though to be 100% safe.

Btw,...since you were talking about the experience of my ex in your post, I assumed you were referring to her with your statement about going cold turkey, and not the OP.

[jim22]

I take Xanax occasionally, 0.25 mg I think, a very small dose, for panic disorder. Sometimes I just get so wound up I cant function, sometimes in get an elevated heart rate, and sometimes a dull ache in my chest. The doctor has checked me out and decided on the diagnosis. Xanax is MAGIC for me, but I don't take it regularly, just when I need it. If you take it consistently, it will become innefective, and I have heard it's very addictive. I don't seem to have a tendency to get addicted to any substances.

It definitely does help me sleep, but I bet it aggravates OSA big time. If I were in a situation where I couldn't use my machine, I would not take it in the evening. Your snoring is a huge clue. If they can't get you on treatment in a timely fashion, maybe you should purchase your own equipment and start by yourself. If you have a high deductible, it might be cheaper anyway.
Jim

Oh, and i take a lot LESS of it now that I am on CPAP therapy.

[TBonz]

I'm fairly new to CPAP (a month) and had developed anxiety/feelings of suffocation using the machine. It was ghastly. My doc told me to take Xanax a half hour before bedtime. I've never had mental issues like anxiety or such but I was desperate.

I've been on it for 3 nights. WHAT a difference! I take 1 0.5 MG tablet a half hour before bedtime. I don't feel it kick in, but it seems to work. Instead of 45 minutes to an hour (or more) and coughing and coughing and feeling like I'm suffocating, I cough for just a few minutes and I'm asleep within 15, which was normal before I began. I still sometimes feel like I'm suffocating (I'm not, and I know it's emotional as I'm somewhat claustrophobic) but the feelings and panic are maybe 1/10 what they were.

So thus far, for me, Xanax works. If it doesn't for you, talk to your doctor. Sometimes they have to find the right combination. Glad I swallowed my pride and talked to my doctor. Sleep is important!

[chunkyfrog]

With me, alprazolam (xanax) does not "kick in".
Gradually, I realize that whatever it was that bothered me, I don't really give a shit.
Then I can sleep.

[USMCVet]

This is newbie312, site finally made me log in before posting.
I tried the Xanax again last night. First night I took .25 mg and last night I took .5mg. first night I didn't get much sleep but last night I got 10 hours of sleep.
I normally get 7 to 9 hrs of sleep anyway and this morning I still woke up tired and this time with a headache.
So my plan now is to stop taking the Xanax and maybe use it again when/if I get a CPAP and have trouble sleeping with it at first.

[chunkyfrog]

Welcome to the forum, USMCVet---and thank you for your service.
My son was the one who suggested I split the tablets, and use the smallest dose that works.
[[[Never split a time-release pill.]]]

[Julie]

The majority of people who e.g. felt anxious when just taking the lab test for apnea have been told to ask their MD for 1-2 Ambien... it's the accepted short term med that helps. But I don't know that it's a long term answer, just more up to date than Xanax. Also, many people for whatever reasons have incidental times they can't fall asleep on a given night, and so have been advised to take melatonin - in really small doses (3-5 mg) half an hour before bed. It works, but again is not 'the' answer as it seems to only work for a couple of nights in a row and then awakenings begin after a few hrs... though resuming it in a couple of days will work again. The thing is to get you past those first couple of hrs short term, not forever, so either Ambien, melatonin or even temazepam (yes it won't kill or addict you within a couple of days) are all helpful if you use them properly. And if they don't work, you may need to talk to a sleep doctor who may then refer you to someone else with experience in sleep onset insomnia, but that seems to be a rare need as most of us do adjust in time, even if we've needed a little help when starting out.

[49er]

This is newbie312, site finally made me log in before posting.
I tried the Xanax again last night. First night I took .25 mg and last night I took .5mg. first night I didn't get much sleep but last night I got 10 hours of sleep.
I normally get 7 to 9 hrs of sleep anyway and this morning I still woke up tired and this time with a headache.
So my plan now is to stop taking the Xanax and maybe use it again when/if I get a CPAP and have trouble sleeping with it at first.

I also thank you for your service. It sounds like you have a good game plan and I wish you all the luck in the world.

[USMCVet]

Thank you all and it was my honor to serve.

I have read a lot online and from this place so it's good to hear I have a good game plan, hopefully it works lol.

[knothead]

Hi Vet, thank you for your service sir. I was on xanax for panic attacks, they did help me sleep. Like chunkyfrog said made me not give a crap, when I changed doctors he put me on clonazapam, said it stays in the system longer...for what its worth. Good luck with your sleeping issues...been there done that with the meds....

[DaisySmith]

I went to doctors today because I've been extremely exhausted lately and still waiting on sleep study results.
I have been getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep according to Fitbit every night but still exhausted. Dr today prescribed me 0.5 mg Xanax. Won't that just make things worse if I have sleep apnea?

I've been on Xanax for about 6 years. Always the .5 which I take half most nights but sometimes a whole if I feel really restless. I'm not a junkie, never increased the dosage and I don't feel that I'm having adverse effects. I simply do not get sleepy at night. I've tried everything else so I feel just fine taking it. I average 6-7 hours a night. For me it's about not staying up till 1 or 2 in the morning. If I dont take it sometimes I do fall asleep and sometimes it's just hours of feeling restless.