Benzos xanax instead of ambien?

[Wolffangblackfoot]

For the past 2 months I've been taking 10mg zlopidem for insomnia, delayed sleep phase disorder to be exact. It has defiantly helped so far, but I was thinking of trying to get a xanax or klonopin prescription instead. I find ambien to be very annoying in the fact that I feel no effects really if I ate 3 hours or earlier before I take it, and I end up taking 2-3 a night.

I'm also currently on 70mg vyvance and 30mg lexapro, both daily. I know my mother is prescribed both zolpidem and xanax, which seems like an amazing combo for sleep but I doubt I'd be able to get a xanax rx and also continue taking ambien. I know it's not a good idea just to ASK for a specific drug, so should I just tell my pdoc that ambien works but many nights I'm restless and unable to sleep because of high anxiety issues?

thanks in advance everyonee

 

[opiatekrzy]

alot of docs i ran into actually had asked me "what do you want from me" and i simply told them. my current doctor at the moment, is very very cool, he may be a bit nieve or may be right about this: i asked him to go on ambien for sleep, he said "i cant give you ambien, it's a benzo, and you're already on klonopin, isn't the clonazepam helping you sleep at night?" whether ambien is benzo related or not he's right i guess docs wont RX you two benzos at once.. your WAY better off getting off the Ambien and switching to Ativan for sleep, or klonopin/xanax for panic/anxiety, those 3 i mentioned all will put you to sleep as well as ambien, if not better, also you can have the benefit to take a tablet as needed for anxiety

 

[Skelu]

If zolpidem isn’t helping then you should say that to your doctor. Tell the truth and he probably prescribes something more helpful. I don’t think that you should ask xanax for sleeping. Have you had any thoughts on Temazepam? It works fine for me if not taken daily. Diazepam is also great if not used every day. Klonopin doesn’t make me sleep better. Only good thing about klonopin and sleep for me is the next morning, I feel so relaxed, and again not daily.

 

[verso]

I wouldn't recommend xanax (alprazolam), and I'd imagine that klonopin (clonazepam) is too long-lasting a benzo for something like a sleep disorder.

If it works or you, then it works for you, and I don't want to discourage you, but I know that my experience went a little something like this...

ME [ON THE PHONE WITH DOCTOR]: "I think that I would like to try taking xanax."
DOCTOR: "No, that isn't a good idea. You will build a tolerance to it quickly, and I think there are better alternatives..."
ME: "That sounds entirely thoughtful and reasonable...... XANAX PLZ?"
DOCTOR: "Fine, but don't come crying to me when shit hits the fan..."

(I run out of my prescription early a month later...)

ME: *SEIZING ON THE FLOOR*

I wish I were kidding, but that's sort of exactly how it went. That being said, I'm sure if you just speak open and honestly to your doctor, your doctor will point you in the right direction.

 

[opiatekrzy]

doctors prefer patients to be blunt and to the point responsibly, not beating around the bush acting nieve and insulting a docs intelegience

 

[Pegasus]

^Depends on your doctor TBH.

I think it's a bad idea. If you want good sleep, alprazolam is not the way to go. Benzos/ z-drugs in general aren't the way to go either. Try mulungu and/or lots of exercise IMO.

 

[Wolffangblackfoot]

I'm not trying to get an alprazolam script just to abuse it and use irresponsibly, I have taken it before & Of course I would listen to my docs recommendations first.

Ambien did help me sleep, it's just I had to take it when I was physically exhausted or else I'd end up staying up on it and unintentionally taking more. I never used it recreationally, but when I go straight to bed after I take it I end up stressing out and wondering "when will it kick in?", so I normally just browse the net with the lights off until I feel some effects.

I've only been on it for two months, the doc tried me on trazadone then remeron at first but both of thoes didn't work at all really, just seemed like I took a very low dose of nyquil.

I am thinking that a benzo instead of Zolpidem is something I should atleast try, if taken an hour or so after a OTC sleep aid seems to be a lot safer considering there would be no massive and almost instantaneous amnesia that Zolpidem has. & as someone stated I could take it as needed for anxiety. Of course doing so responsibly, but I only have bad anxiety in the daytime maybe once or twice a week.

Thanks for all the replies so far, I'm really new to this type of medication so if anyone with personal experience on benzos could help point me in the right direction that would be really helpful. Also the reason I first stated Xanax is because I know my mother is perscribed both a .5mg and .25mg script for it, as well as amien.

 

[Number Love]

I wouldn't recommend xanax (alprazolam), and I'd imagine that klonopin (clonazepam) is too long-lasting a benzo for something like a sleep disorder.

If it works or you, then it works for you, and I don't want to discourage you, but I know that my experience went a little something like this...

ME [ON THE PHONE WITH DOCTOR]: "I think that I would like to try taking xanax."
DOCTOR: "No, that isn't a good idea. You will build a tolerance to it quickly, and I think there are better alternatives..."
ME: "That sounds entirely thoughtful and reasonable...... XANAX PLZ?"
DOCTOR: "Fine, but don't come crying to me when shit hits the fan..."

(I run out of my prescription early a month later...)

ME: *SEIZING ON THE FLOOR*

I wish I were kidding, but that's sort of exactly how it went. That being said, I'm sure if you just speak open and honestly to your doctor, your doctor will point you in the right direction.

I hate when doctors arr right so much, makes me think that maybe just reading things on the internet isn't as good as their damn degree haha.

But yes, Doctors do know their stuff. I always respect what they say, don't always listen.


That post just made me laugh so much because it's so similar to something that happened to me.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Xanax isn't that great of a hypnotic.

It leaves me feeling groggy in the morning.

Your best bet is to look into other ways of combatting insomnia.

 

[Missykins]

You could always try Lunesta. Xanax isn't a good sleep aid.

 

[laCster]

you should look into natural ways to induce sleep, but if you must use medication to sleep at night then go with one that does not interrupt REM sleep such as temazepam or even lyrica

 

[Pegasus]

Have you tried doxylamine? It's a very potent sedative, more so than many barbiturates even, and is OTC in most places. Mulungu is another damn good sleep aid worth looking into. Both of these are many times better for sleep IMO.

 

[CrackAndScrabble]

Vyvanse also has a long half life. That might be contributing to your insomnia. A better solution might be getting a shorter acting ADD medication. Dexedrine would be ideal because they are identical to the brain as vyvanse. And 70mg is a pretty hefty dose by the way. As always talk to your doctor and what not

 

[Timland]

Benzos and many (all?) GABA agonists apparently put a dent in the ability to REM sleep so honestly its not a good idea to use them for that purpose. Without REM its a pretty crappy sleep.

I don't know too much about the pharmacology of the Z-drugs but from what I know they are quite similar to benzos.

I personally have luck with H1 antihistamines like Diphenhydramine but my sleep issues are few and far inbetween.

If I WERE in a desperate enough situation to be willing to sacrifice REM cycles for a mediocre sleep I would use Phenazepam over Alprazolam as Phenazepam for me and many others does not have the subjective euphoria and other addictive properties but retains the therapeutic value. Every other benzo except Phenazepam I have used has that euphoric pull to them for me. Phenazepam 100mg lasts me a year (dissolve properly or weigh properly.. never attempt to guesstimate the dose by visual). Also note that Phenazepam has a very long duration, but if you have chronic sleep disorder then a dose that does not overly sedate you during the day may make sense.

 

[Skelu]

Benzos and many (all?) GABA agonists apparently put a dent in the ability to REM sleep so honestly its not a good idea to use them for that purpose. Without REM its a pretty crappy sleep.

I don't know too much about the pharmacology of the Z-drugs but from what I know they are quite similar to benzos.

I know people who have been using zopiclone or temazepam for decades, and in those cases where people have been on the same dose for years, they haven’t noticed any problems with REM sleep. Some of these people have never even though that those drugs could be hazardous over long period. What makes it funny that the people not knowing the trouble those can cause are not having any trouble, where as those whose doctor or someone else has warned them, they are having all the symptoms possible. Hopefully you understand. My English sucks ass.