Xanax XR and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 3, 2013

For Dysautonomia "Helps anxiety symptoms that POTS (a form of dysautonomia) causes. Someone else who reviewed alprazolam said it helps to keep them sane with their dysautonomia. I have to agree; it also helps to keep me sane. I'm on Xanax XR 2 mg once a day. Also helps insomnia caused by POTS with the adrenaline surges. Have combined Xanax XR with tramadol and I can function a lot better now!"

• hap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 15, 2017

For Panic Disorder "I take it at night in order to sleep because of a bad insomnia side effect from a MAOI. But now, if I miss just one night of the med, I wake up with paralyzing anxiety - chest tightness and heart palpitations. This drug does its job most of the time, but it creates physical and psychological dependency and an AM hangover. I am looking to wean off of this soon once my new psychiatrist introduces other med changes. I see other users below saying they cut them in half - my psychiatrist said that is dangerous because of the XR properties. That is why the XR pills are not scored. I repeat - regular use of this med creates dependency."

• use...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 26, 2022

For Panic Disorder "A word of caution: know the risks if you are prescribed this daily for an extended period of time. I was on Alprazolam ER for around a year, 2 mg/day, for good reason. The medication worked extremely well for the first 6-8 months and helped me live a normal life. Predictably, after some time, my body became accustomed to the dose, and I felt the positive effects gradually wear off. My doctor and I decided to taper me off this medicine, and it was...much harder than I expected. Weeks (months) of my life lost dreading the next decrease in dose, aches all over, clouded thinking, trouble sleeping, irritability to the max, etc. I do not regret taking this medicine and will continue to utilize it occasionally as needed, but do NOT plan on taking it for extended periods of time ever again. Be aware and prepared that if you commit to taking this daily for an extended period of time, stopping will be extremely physically and mentally taxing."