Xanax withdrawal vrs Ambien side-effects vs sleep deprivation.

[Addledsenior]

I've been taking .5mg Xanax before bed for 7 years for chronic sleep disorder with pretty good results. The first 6 years, I had 10 week vacations in the summer and would wean myself off over a 2 week period with the primary noticed symptom being that I was unable to fall sleep and/or awoke about every 5 minutes. I felt lousy, but I attributed that to sleep deprivation.  It took a couple more weeks to get back to my pre-Xanex problem of falling asleep just fine but waking up after only  3-5 hours of sleep about 3 nights a week with 5-7 hours of sleep the other nights-which was bearable for the remaining 6 weeks when I didn't have to go to work every day.  I have now taken  .5 mg of Xanax each night for 1 year straight because I have recently been through major life changes and was already stressed out and didn't want to add withdrawal and the resulting  lack of sleep to my stress load. Also, I no longer have 10 week vacations.  As my stress levels have begun to decrease and with the recent media coverage of problems with Xanax addiction, I decided with my physician that it was time to try something different - He prescribed Ambien for sleep with 2.5 mg Xanax during the day  for the first week. The first two nights after the switch, I quickly fell into a hard sleep with the Ambien but awakened after 4 hours feeling extremely jittery-not unexpected.  Nights 3-5, I slept 6-7 hours and awoke feeling refreshed- I was thrilled.  Nights 6-15, it was back to waking up after 3-4 hours of sleep, but with a bad hangover.  I am now on day 18, experiencing headaches, dizziness, forgetfulness, poor concentration, clumsiness and fear of losing my job or wrecking my car.  My question is:  Is this a result of Xanax withdrawal,  Ambien side-effects or sleep deprivation? It seems worse than anything I experienced during previous episodes of weaning off Xanax.  I didn't have to go to work while doing this before so maybe that alters my perception somewhat.  At this point I don't know whether to continue with the Ambien a little longer to see if  things improve. (I've already experienced performing actions which I don't remember under it's influence.); go cold turkey on everything; or resume the Xanax for now with plans to try again later  when I go on vacation. It will ruin my 4 week vacation of course but I might still have a job.

[Addledsenior]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[akitagurl12]

oh no problem, and you are not going crazy. Lack of sleep & the wrong medications can make u feel like you are though, trust me, I know!  I wish I had more advice about sleep issues, but so far I haven't had much luck myself. I was never diagnosed with a sleep disorder, my sleeplessness is mostly stress related, I think.  I didn't have any problem stopping the ambien so I wouldn't worry about it at this point, especially if it is working for you. It just didn't work for me. Good luck, I know it is discouraging, but you will get this figured out.

[Addledsenior]

Hi akitagurl12. Thanks for taking the time to respond to my question.. It made me feel like I wasn't going  crazy.   My doctor prescribed Trazedone to replace the Ambien but it made everything even  worse.  Then I asked him to write a prescription for a few Xanax so I could get caught up on my sleep but he refused.  He then switched me to Amytriptyline. Long story short:  I am now  taking half an Ambien because I can't go to sleep without it and Amytriptyline because it at least is not making me feel worse and I want to give it a chance to help.  The half Ambien gives me about 4 hours of sleep same as a whole one, but (as far as I know) I  haven't done anything I don't remember,  and I don't feel hung over in the mornings.  At this point my sleep is similar to where It was when I wasn't taking anything for sleep which means that I ocassionally sleep for 6 hours and feel pretty good, but often get four or less and feel sleepy and foggy brained all day.  I'm hoping I can stop the Ambien pretty soon and that since I haven't taken it long it won't be has hard as getting off the Xanax.  Of course I'm still left with a sleep disorder which impairs my concentration and general ability to function at a normal level several days a week.  It's discouraging.

[akitagurl12]

Hi,
I think alot of it has to do with the ambien but xanax also has alot of w/ds too.  I know for me, the ambien made me a nervous wreck the day after I would take it.  I also was doing alot of stuff in the middle of the night that i didn't remember doing.  Ambien is a very strange drug and I am very glad I stopped taking it.  I felt better right away.  It would be hard to tell which drug is making u feel like this, but from my experience of taking both at the same time like u are, I would say it is more the ambien. Maybe try a few nights of no ambien and see if u start feeling better?  And then figure out a way to taper off the xanax.