xanax

[68golfballs]

I'm trying to get off Xanax (10mg) for sleep. It works fine, but if I want to take a nap during the day, I find I cannot sleep without it. I never knew this was such a powerful drug and was never told it was addictive. Since I am a new member, I was looking for a history of questions by other members, because this appears to be a popular question.  Thank you. William

[68golfballs]

Thank you for your comments. I have tried melatonin without much success, and will look into valerian, Calms Forte Trazadone, and Benadryl. My sleep cycle is usually the same. Bed at 11:30PM, awake at 2:30, back to sleep in 15 min., awake at 4:30, back to sleep in 15 min, permanently awake at 6:00. I never seem to need 7hrs. a night; mostly 6 to 6 and a half. I'm in excellent health.

[Paxiled]

Have you ever tried something benign such as melatonin or valerian or a homeopathic remedy such as Calms Forte while you work on your issues in therapy?  While medication can help one sleep, it also tends to disrupt the normal sleep cycle and dream patterns, so it would seem best to start with something milder and if it works, all the better for you.

[MaryLL]

Many of my clients take Trazadone for sleep issues. Benadryl is also good for light sleep problems.
Talk to your doctor though and I agree with Brenndy, maybe it's time to look for a doctor who is more savvy to the addictive issues of the medications he prescribes?
good luck and let us know pls how you are.

[68golfballs]

Thank you so much for your comments and I'm very sorry for my error.  I am taking Zolpidem Tartrate which, a friend told me was like Xanax. I understand it is more like Ambien?  Is Zolpidem difficult to stop taking? Is there something more mild that you have heard about that maintains sleep that I could talk to my doctor about?  Thanks.   William

[MaryLL]

Hi,
I'm a chemical dependency counselor who also happened to have a strong addiction to xanax for 8 years. I have been off it for 10 years now, but it was hell getting off. Xanax is highly addictive and takes time to get off of.
I found I had to go down very, very slowly. In the end, I was just taking a few grains several times a day. I had a few panic attacks going off.
It's upsetting that no one told you it was addictive (I wasn't told either). I frequently work with clients whose addictions to xanax landed them in legal and personal troubles like any other drug addiction. One fellow lost his family, his job, his house, and everything and ended up in the hospital several times OD from xanax.
Seek help from your doctor for going off and don't go cold turkey. Xanax is a benzodiazepine and it's one of the drugs that can cause death if you try to just cut it off.

I'm not trying to scare you, I know it's hard. But you can do it! There are other, less addictive drugs that can help you sleep. I encourage you to work with your doctor on this.