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Xanax for Sleep?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 10/1/2007 11:14 AM (GMT 0)
For some reason I havent slept very well since I have gotten out of the hospital. I am to taper 30 mgs. of Prednisone when I see my doctor on Oct. 9th. I am wondering if the Prednisone is causing insomnia type symptoms even on that low of dose. I have tried Benadryl, Tylenol Pm, etc and they dont work as well as they did prior to my hospital stay and starting Prednisone again. I suspect Prednisone as the culprit. I got a prescription of Xanax for problems sleeping before I went in the hospital from an Urgent care, since I was in pain. I have taken this about 6 times and have slept better overall. What I am worried about is taking this long term and then having problems stopping it and having rebound Insomnia etc. Has anyone taken Xanax for sleep and had problems with stopping it etc and is it safe to take occasionally for sleep issue overall? The pill is like the lowest dose 0.5 or something like that.
Posted 10/1/2007 11:19 AM (GMT 0)
HI
Many ppl do take this med to sleep and at a higher dosage ......so I really would not worry if you need to take it to sleep
HOT milk is a good one to help as well with any sleep meds it has a natural ingredient that when heated activats and will calm you down and make you all cozy and sleepy

I have one EVERYNIGHT with my trazadone...........
You can add a lil bit of chocolate for taste not much but I swear it does work

Good luck

LYN
Posted 10/1/2007 11:33 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the idea with the hot milk. I hadn't try that before. I have tried the Sleepy Tyme tea. I may just try the Xanax if I need to until I see my doctor on Oct. 9th. I took Ambien and or Benadryl by IV in the hospital and the IV Benadryl was more effective I guess because it got into my bloodstream faster and knocked me out. I cant sleep in hospitals anymore and I also on Prednisone at such high dosages usually too. The funny thing is my husband took 60 mgs of it earlier this year and slept like a log!
Posted 10/1/2007 1:01 PM (GMT 0)
one thing i know that works for some people and it's more natural is melatonin. i have had sleep problems for years before the crohn's diagnosis. have taken everything under the sun to try and catch some shut eye. currently taking trazodone but still wake up during the night. at that point i may pop an ativan to fall back to sleep unless it's after 4am.

good luck getting some zzz's!
Posted 10/1/2007 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
Yes it is the Pred causing the insomnia. One thing to help a little, would be to take the Pred (your day's dosage) as early every morning as you can. Also, be careful with the Xanax, it can be highly addidictive and I have heard it is really hard to get off of. I would recommend you seeing your family doc and talking to them about some Ambien or something like that to take temporarily.
Posted 10/1/2007 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
I also was given the same dosage of xanax after years of pred use.
I have to tell you it was the best thing they gave me. FOr the sleep and to take a bit of the edge off. It helps to make the "wheels" from turning
I take 0.05 the lowest dose & only when I need it, sometimes like latley I have been taking it everynight only becasue I have been under a bit more stress then normal....But in the year that I have been on it, I regulate when I take it, I am not addictd to it at all, in fact while having to travel to Alabama for my fathers death recently, I left them at home, for 4 days I didnt "need" them...I COULD HAVE USED THEM but I never had cravings for it.
Just be sure not to take more then prescribed

Good luck and many prayers.
Posted 10/1/2007 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
I take temazapham, it's like the same drug, 7.5.  Works great and helps me get to work the next day. I only take one at night, and I'm doing well on it.  I sleep awesome.  I think a good night's sleep is the best medicine for crohns!
Posted 10/1/2007 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the feedback. It helps alot . I will try use sparingly and hopefully when I start tapering the prednisone I can not need them to sleep. It's like a vicious cycle. I think I slept a little last night but it was not restful sleep and I kept tossing and turning like I couldnt shut my mind off. I know it is from the prednisone too. I have slept better with the Xanax at the lowest 0.05 dosage so I will stick with that for now and tyr the warm milk idea too. Thanks again, Amy

Posted 10/2/2007 8:48 AM (GMT 0)
I like a bit of honey in my warm milk. ...
Mary
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