Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Is .5 mg xanax ok to take once per night

I recently had a surge of anxiety and issues stemming from it that started about a month ago. I have had several panic attacks in last 2 years but whenever it has happened, I might feel sick a day or so then bounce right back. This time was not the case. My dr put me on beta blocker to calm me because he was not liking the idea of putting me on xanax. Also was put on zoloft 25 mg. Six days into the zoloft I had to stop because my anxiety was through the roof, and it came and went in waves. I went to also see a psychologist and she told me take Paxil and also gave me rx for .5 mg xanax. As you can imagine I am very nervous about starting the paxil because of what the zoloft did to me. The last several nights I have taken the .5 mg xanax but only at bedtime. During day as the zoloft was leaving my system I'd drink chamomile tea because I don't want to get into habit of taking the xanax as the dr prescribed which was every 6 hours, seems a bit excessive and I am terrified of becoming dependent on it. But I am just wondering if it is safe that I take it before bed? Or should I try something else, any help would be great thank you for reading!!!
1 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
First, you say a psychologist gave you Paxil -- they can't prescribe medication, so did you mean a psychiatrist?  I'd save Paxil for last, as it's a very difficult med and the hardest to stop taking.  Beta blockers might help, but are usually used for social anxiety -- I don't think they've proven in trials to be useful for other types of anxiety unless it's tied to a heart problem.  If you take Xanax every day, it is an addictive drug, as are all benzos, so it will become hard to stop taking.  That isn't in itself a reason not to ever take a certain drug, they're all hard to stop taking, but as often happens in this forum you never mention whether anyone sent you to see a psychologist who specializes in talk therapy for anxiety before turning to medication.  That's the first thing they did with me and that was years ago before we knew all the problems with the meds.  While there's no guarantee this will work for anyone, it is a good place to start.  As for medication, it's possible you would have gotten used to the Zoloft, no way to know, the side effects kick in long before the benefits do.  You might want to ask about Lexapro if you decide to continue along the medication route, but I'd at least look into CBT therapy and see if it helps you.  Good luck.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community

Top Anxiety Answerers
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
370181 tn?1595629445
Arlington, WA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?