Effects - Is small-dose Zolpidem few times per day good for anxiety?

[Vasco]

A friend of SWIM recommended to him the practice of sedation by Zolpidem every three hours x 5 mg, so that SWIM could alleviate his anxiety caused by the combination of Bupropione (150 mg) and Fluoxetine (20 mg), plus a 10 mg Zolpidem for good night. What da ya think?

[Jatelka]

Recipe for tolerance, dependence and withdrawal if you ask me

[madmatt3d]

I don't think medicating yourself with sleeping pills for anxiety is a good idea. I'd just talk to your Doctor.

I'm currently on 30mg Lexapro (brand name) for severe anxiety problems and now i feel great.

[blackdb1]

Swim agrees with the other posts!!! If swiy has sever anxiety or enough anxiety to effect his/her life then see a Dr!!!

Swim self medicated for MANY years and now is seeing a psychiatrist and a suboxone Dr. Lifes never ever been better!!!

Be safe and talk to a professional!!! -bdb1-

[Laudaphun]

Originally Posted by Vasco

A friend of SWIM recommended to him the practice of sedation by Zolpidem every three hours x 5 mg, so that SWIM could alleviate his anxiety caused by the combination of Bupropione (150 mg) and Fluoxetine (20 mg), plus a 10 mg Zolpidem for good night. What da ya think?

SWIM does tend to agree with the other posters on this, however SWIM's marmoset once found herself in a very similar situation. Temazepam (a sleeping pill) had been prescribed for a while.

However, for daytime anxiety SSRIs, NRIs', MRI's, XYZRI's were tried on SWIM (over the course of a couple years), and finally one of the newer ones that was supposed to have less side-effects, cymbalta (duloxetine), along with buspirone.

But the problem was that SWIM got horrible side-effects from every single anti-depressant type drug prescribed... ack!!! Just an overall very uncomfortable feeling. Buspirone actually caused anxiety attacks. After having been through so many different pills, SWIM wanted to try real hard to follow the dr. orders and give her body a few weeks to get adjusted to a new drug, as she was running out of options.

SWIM's marmoset basically sedated herself daily with stock-piled temazepam in an effort to get through the adjustment part of a new drugs. First, SWIM's marmoset stopped the duloxetine as it was almost intolerable. She gave the buspirone 45mg per day about month and a half or so, but discontinued that as she could never get comfortable with 45mg (15mg x3 daily)... If she did not take the buspirone on an empty stomach she got dizzy, nauseous, and anxiety. She could take the the buspirone no problem without side-effects if her stomach was totally empty, and she didn't eat for close to an hour after each dose... but after a month and a half they still hadn't shown any therapeutic benefit.

To sum it up, my marmoset was using sleeping pills as well, to tolerate the side-effects from the other meds and the end result was discontinuation of the other meds. SWIM still takes temazepam, but only for sleep...

Point is that my marmoset was given duloxetine and buspirone as a last resort before benzos as she'd already established an intolerance/very low tolerance for any of the SSRI's and such and they were supposed to have very low side-effect profiles.

SWIM's maroset just could not tolerate any of those meds, and now takes strictly benzos for anxiety which of course were very easy for her body to get adjusted to (no side-effects)... but after a while the marmoset began to require a dose everyday to prevent feelings of anxiety. The thing to remember is that SWIM only really ever took one dose per day of any benzo (only very ocasionally more), and not even everyday, just most days. SWIM is prescribed the pills on an as needed basis (up to 4 benzodiazepine tablets/capsules per day), and must take 1 to prevent withdrawl symptoms, the other 3 are taken if necessary for actual anxiety, but not often taken.

[fiveleggedrat]

Originally Posted by Jatelka

Recipe for tolerance, dependence and withdrawal if you ask me

Yes. Just, yes.

[yaba]

Swim knows self medicating is not the best thing to do, but it can be hard to get the meds you want and need. If the doctors where better educated about pseudo addiction. People could be less self medicating.

Swim gets some meds from the doctor and some from...

[thadj]

Zolpidem does not act on the brain receptor which causes reduction of anxiety (axiolysis). Other benzo's such as diazepam, oxazepam, etc. do.

[yaba]

When swims anxiety is going true the roof then diazepam is the best (what swim can get) thing, but zolpidem, zopiclone and even dihydrocodeine helps swim. With a small amount of alcohol it will make the meds stronger... Do not mix any medicine with alcohol it can be very dangerous thing to do!! This is what a friend told me and he is not new to this.

[ImSoHappy]

Swim also takes fluoxetine and buproprione. His advice is too either (a) lower Swiy's dosage of burproprione as it can make Swim anxious too or (b) use a natural herb like Kava-kava (can get it in smoke shops or some health food stores) for Swiy's anxiety. Relying on benzos, muscle relaxers, or even sleeping pills (daily, on a regular basis) for anxiety can lead to bad times and crappy withdrawls when Swiy run's out.

[tyranny4u]

Zolpidem does not bind to the GABA receptors like the benzos do. It's main effect is that
it is hypnotic / strong sedative. AFAswimK it has no anxiolytic effects, you just feel less
anxient, because of the sedative effect. the "Z" drugs lead to tolerance and addiction
just like the benzos do, though it needs longer time you would get addicted.
SWIM thinks like most users that have ^^ posted; he thinks it's not a good idea to self
medicate with Zolpidem to treat anxiety. And then it has a very short half-life, the
longer you consume the shorter the time lag between the next dosage. (please correct
SWIM if he's wrong)