Black out nightmare....

Hi my question is if someone has a very weak immune system from hiv. "t-cells just over 200"...and also was not able to eat for 3 days (as to not being able to hold food down) and took there regular presciption.Of which is xanax 1mg.3 times per day and also restoril in the evening...is it possible for this person to black out...Cause we have a friend who was at a gas station getting gas with his brother and when his brother went to pay for the gas...haha he got into the drivers seat and left him there and found himself knocking on a strangers door thinking it was an ex-girlfriends house....and the next day says he recalls nothing...Except feeling like he was remembering the feeling of being at his girlfriends....which ofcourse was not the situation....im very interested in hearing some professional opinions on if my friend needs to stop these meds..because of the immune system ...and is it possible someone who has a weak immune system would have side effects to these meds to cause black outs or hallucinations to the degree of having to be very careful taking them? Thanks, Just a concerned friend....

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

It not so much a weakened immune system that would cause blackout but a combination of factors including general weakness accentuated by not eating.  In that case, the doses you describe which are quite normal doses, can cause the kind of effect you described.

Its also possible, that the depression and anxiety assosiated with being so sick could cause the very same symptoms.