Need Help Sleeping...

[steve1167]

I am a healthy 36 year old male.  I work out three times a week and am 6' 3" tall and weight 200lbs.  I recently had a bout of PAC's which were diagnosed as benign.  They started after a job change and the complete stopping of my exercise routines after 8 years.  I have de=stressed and started back exercising and the PAC's have completely stopped.  Thank God!!  I also think one of the contributors was lack of sleep.  I always have a hard time sleeping due to my mind running like crazy.  During my bout of PAC's I was given a presciption of Xanax, .5mg 30 tabs.  I used them during one PAC attack and then also at night to sleep.  They worked GREAT for sleeping.  I would wake up feeling refreshed.  I have since used all 30 of them.  I have read a lot about Xanax and it sounds like a bad choise for a sleep aid.  I'm hoping you can recommend a better choice of medicine to use as a sleep aid for long term use.

Would taking .5mg Xanax once a day at night for sleeping be a dangerous thing to do long term?

Thanks!!

   -Steve

[deb723]

I am currently doing research for an upcoming book which deals with the side effects and withdrawals people have experienced from Effexor XR and other (like) anti-depressants. I am interested in receiving any information current or former users would like to share concerning their experiences with these drugs. Please email me @:
beach-***@****
and thanks!
deb

[theGolden1]

I have a sleeping disorder and have used ambien and now sonata for a few years and they are good meds. The best is arobic excersize (in the fresh air) and absolutely NO caffine! Also start using some relaxation techniques on a regular basis to gear down and shut your mind off. Good Luck

[bill77]

In 13 years, I've yet to find a doctor willing to hear/read all of that..or even a fraction of it. I'd love to find one, though.

" Keep a detail record of your insomnia- the time, the preceeding events, the most likely precipitating events, what makes it worse/better (e.g. exercise), thoughts, fear, anxiety, your actions, the attitude and behavior of significant others, drugs taken, your belief of the cause of insomnia

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

No, taking that dose at night would not be considered dangerous, but you would be much better off learning how to slow down your mind, and get off duty long enough before sleep so you could sleep naturally.  If you need to stay on medications, probably ambien, 5mg, is a better choice to ask your doctor about.

[Try_to_be_social]

Please see what a cardiologist had said about PAC in http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/heart/faqpac.html. PAC is originally a heart problem but now crosses the border to the area of psychology. It is a good idea to find out the cause of your insomnia in the same way you have your PAC explored. Keep a detail record of your insomnia- the time, the preceeding events, the most likely precipitating events, what makes it worse/better (e.g. exercise), thoughts, fear, anxiety, your actions, the attitude and behavior of significant others, drugs taken, your belief of the cause of insomnia