User Reviews for Halcion to treat Insomnia
Halcion has an average rating of 7.9 out of 10 from a total of 29 reviews for the treatment of Insomnia. 79% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 14% reported a negative experience.
Reviews for Halcion
"Struggled with insomnia off and on for 25 years Personally I have found nothing that works better than triazolam I have tried everything for sleep Otc and prescriptions (and then some). For me benzodiazepines are definitely most effective, and triazolam is in my top 3, and probably my favorite. Works best of you don't take it every nite. If you have to take something every nite, switch to a non benzodiazepine, and cycle the benzos no more than every other night. Remeron is a decent drug for insomnia, but has a few side effects. Same with seroquel, trazodone, and most tricyclic antidepressants. Melatonin receptor agonists like ramelteon and tasimelteon have not shown much promise. Z drugs like ambien lunesta and sonata are effective for some people, but bind to same receptors as benzos, with lesser efficacy and pretty much the same side effects. Stick with benzos, just don't take them everyday."
"I was on halcion for almost 5 years until I built a tolerance and it stopped working. Since then I have tried numerous medications of various types and none have worked as well as halcion. Most have not even been close or didn't work at all. With halcion, I fell asleep quickly and naturally, and stayed asleep at least 6 hours. It was a restful sleep with no side effects like dreams or strange behavior. I had no problems waking up or functioning the following day. It's only now that I can't find a substitute that I really appreciate the benefits of halcion."
"My PCP switched me from Ambien to Halcion about 5 months ago because I suffer from severe insomnia. I take 2 every evening, fall asleep fast and sleep about 5-7 hours (which is great for me). I recommend this sleep aid over any other."
"I have problems falling asleep and staying asleep. Halcion works really well and I have been taking 0.25mg once a night for the past 5 years and I have never needed to increase the dose. I sometimes only take half a pill and it works okay. I've tried ambien and lunesta but they didn't work as well. I have noticed memory problems and short term memory loss over the years and think it may be caused by the long term daily use but I'd rather get good sleep. Insurance only covers 10 pills so I just pay out of pocket to get 30 pills."
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"I have about 15 years taking different pills by many doctors andthe maximum I could sleep is 2 Hours. I feel tired all the time and could fall sleep any place during the day for 5 long minutes waking up with a huge headache. Anyway old doctor told me try Halcion he give 3 pills 1 tablet for each night and WOW first time sleeping 8 hours. I got so happy so went back with my doctor and said this what I need From there I took it some times over a year of treatment to get better sleep patterns but I did thanks to my doctor and halcion"
"My problem is not falling asleep, but staying asleep. Halcion is perfect for me. I wake up without drowsiness. I do not take every night...only when I need to break the bad sleep cycle. I have tried almost every sleeping pill over the years and keep returning to Halcion. It is inexpensive (compared to others like Lunesta) and effective...what more can you ask."
"Halcion has been very effective for me. The only problem I have noticed is if I eat late the medicine is not effective. I take Halcion with trazodone and never had to increase dosage on either medicine. I have been using this combination for 5 or 6 years. My insomnia was a result of menopause."
"I was 28 when my doctor wrote my first script. I had just had to put my mother in a nursing home and that did not go well for her or for me. And I had just take a job 350 miles from home. I started with a white cap, a 1.0 mg. It worked great for me, but some people had problems with that dose of 1 mg and the FDA said doctors could not write anything above .50, or two white caps, .25. When I had to reduce my dose, it took me 6 months to get my body adjusted. So, 31 years later, I am 59 now and have to have the .50 to sleep. All my insurance companies thru the years would pay for the drug as a bandage for my problem, but would not pay a penny for drug treatment to get off the halcion. Yes,I know I am hooked on halcion for life."
"I started taking this for insomnia caused by PTSD. It has been incredibly helpful. It is literally the ONLY thing that can get me to sleep when I'm having problems. My doc has kept me on it despite the improvement in night time PTSD episodes because I still have unrelated insomnia, and still have occasional bouts that are related to PTSD. It's been a godsend."
"I was prescribed 0.25mg for about 9 months. It worked great. Quick acting and nice feeling. But tolerance did build up towards the end and was not getting as good sleep. I'm on Zolpidem now which I find great."
"Hi everyone I've been on and off Triazolam for 30 years. Take 0.25mg tablets, one and a half each night I do the weird food thing that I don't remember in the morning. My biggest problem is not remembering things that happened the day before, like big chunks my kids are so annoyed with it that they won't remind me of stuff like I ask a question and they say we talked about all that last night if you don't remember to bad not going over it again. Anyone else had this happen? By the way I live in New Zealand and doctor costs $40 and prescription costs $5.00"
"I take .50 at night and it works great. I am also prescribed diazepam 10mg for regular anxiety. The good thing is that when the diazepam doesn’t work I substitute .25 of halcion and my anxiety goes away. I have tried doxepin, lunesta, belsomra, roserum and ambien. The two that work the best for me are halcion and lunesta."
"For me at the recommended dose of .25 mg, this drug is good for a 2 hour nap. It works to get to sleep, but not stay asleep. The half life is way too short. It wears off too quickly. I have to take .5 mg, (then another .25 - .5 mg when I wake up in 2 to 3 hours) to get a decent nights sleep. There are many better benzodiazepines for sleep. Even xanax (which isn't indicated for sleep) works better, diazepam is better, temazepam is better. Its also fairly expensive (almost $3 per .25 mg pill)"
"I had insomnia for over 72 hours. Halcion fixed it immediately. The bad news is they only gave a weeks worth and then the Dr. went on vacation and his stand-in refused to refill. I had 2 days of insomnia after that and then it passed."
"Works well for sleep. However, I'm prescribed it for Nocturnal panic attacks (panic that wakes me up) & it definitely does the trick. I gave it 9/10 bc I will actually end up having an attack shortly after it kicks in. Usually lasts 5-10 mins before I fall asleep."
"I had to have a gum graft surgery and I was very terrified for it, so I was prescribed 0.25mg of it to help me relax and calm down, and if I needed the second dosage, I could take that too. I too both pills (0.25mg) each and felt nothing. It didn’t relax me or sedate me in the slightest. It made the whole surgery a worse experience bc I guess the dosage was too low"
"This is a dangerous drug for some people including me. I took it one night for insomnia, and it made put me in such a dark place I was worried what I would do to myself. Fortunately I recognised that the halcion must be why I was feeling so bad because I'd never taken it before. It wore off by the next afternoon and I have not let it get near me since then. Personally, I don't think anyone should take it. Doctors may not know it has such a terrible effect on some people because since that time, doctors planned to give me the drug for gall bladder surgery, cataract surgery, and a root canal. Because I always check with the anestheologist in advance of any surgery, I have been able to convince them to use a different drug."
"It is not pleasant if you cannot function in life because you cannot sleep... this medication helped me to get back to my life."
"I use Halcion. It will help for falling a sleep. It works great for me. I don't have the drowzieness when wake up in the morning."
"Probably one of the BEST medications for insomnia..its a shame its rarely prescribed anymore."
"I was prescribed this medication by my Dr for insomnia and I have to say it works great! Works fast, get a great nights sleep with no hang over effects. Wake up refreshed and ready to go the next day."
"Works quickly, no "hangover" or side effects, have taken it for 2 years with no need to up dosage- more effective than Lunesta or Ambien for me and no side effects."
"Keeps on working great after using for 2 years."
"Works great!"
Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.
Learn more about Insomnia
- Anticholinergic Drugs to Avoid in the Elderly
- Benzodiazepines: Overview and Use
- Sleep (Insomnia) Medications and Alcohol Interactions
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Symptoms and treatments
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More about Halcion (triazolam)
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"I am in my mid-forties, am overweight, and have struggled with eating in the middle of the night for decades. I've tried dozens of sleeping aids (natural, meditation, and drugs) and found Halcion (Triazolam) to be the only drug that allows me to sleep completely through the night (6-8 hours). Even when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I just want to go back to bed and sleep. I'm a bit groggy in the morning, but fine after a good cup of coffee. Now I'm sleeping better and losing weight! This is a game changer for me and my family!"