Xanax as a sleep aide?

I've been having trouble sleeping lately and have had some hormonal issues that we are going to fix soon with my ob/gyn.  I sometimes take Lunesta (Rx sleep aide) but sometimes that doesn't work.  I have to not eat after dinner and then even if I do that, sometimes it doesn't work- and I'm on the highest dose (3mg).  

I have some leftover Xanax 1mg but it's like 4 yrs old, from when I had PPD with my daughter.  I've taken it a handful of times when I couldn't sleep in the past few months and I'm out like a light in like 10 mins.   But then I'm all relaxed and chill with it in my system for up to 8-10 hrs after I take it (usually around 12 am).   I heard that Xanax can get addictive and don't want to screw things up, so what do you all think?  I took a Lunesta last night and it didn't work, so like 2 hrs later I took a 1mg Xanax and was asleep very quick.

I have a Mirena IUD in and for the past year have had some issues and problems with my health that have led me to believe to getting it out to see if that is the culprit.  I've talked with a bunch of other women that have had the same problems and am beginning to see that might be the problem. I had to start on some low dose bcp (lo-estrin) back in Oct of last year, to see if that would help my period start to get regular and then when I go off that, I get insomnia about 10 days later.   It's happened two times now, where I go off the bcp and then get insomnia 7-10 days later and I'm pissed!!! 

So I'm making an appt to have it removed hopefully next week.   My hubby is going to get a vasectomy in the next month or two (we have 3 kids and are DONE!), so we'll have to use condoms and I"ll be on the Lo-Estrin too. 

xanax becomes addictive if you're taking it every night. you have to be weened off of it if you've developed a dependence to it. personally, i'll take xanax every now and then to sleep but even then it doesn't help sometimes. i don't think you'll get addicted if you're not using it regularly, though. my grandmother takes it on and off only when she can't sleep and she hasn't had any issues with not taking it

yeah in the last week, I've only taken it like 2-3 times- so is that a lot? I don't plan on using it every night, at the most 2-3 times a wee****il this insomnia goes away if the Lunesta doesn't work.

honestly, i don't think that's enough to become dependent on it? my family is a little bad and we all dip into my grandmother's xanax stash every now and then. i've used it 2 or 3 times a week before, sometimes even more and i know my aunt has as well and we haven't had any issues. i'll go weeks without taking them so from my personal opinion and experience--no where near a professional opinion--i don't think it would be an issue!

My doctor initially put me on Xanax as a sleep aid because it wasn't as habit forming as sleeping pills and was better for my sugar. That was at least 3 years ago... I will be 2 years post-op on the 28th and still take my Xanax every night. There is nothing wrong about taking it as a sleep aid. It's the only thing that shuts off my head so I can sleep.

I guess my concern is that it is so old. If it is working as a back up I would advise you to get a new rx. There are other sleep aids you can try the most natural would be melatonin you can take that for up to 2 months every night

Melatonin doesn't work for me, already tried it in the 3mg and 5mg doses. Also tried Benadryl, Tylenol PM, Simply Sleep, and Unisom and nothing works besides the Lunesta and Xanax. I am worried about using something so old too (but it still works! lol), might talk to my doc at my appt next week to get a new Rx for it.

You may have tried this as well but I take amitriptyline every night for sleep. Lunesta,sonata,ambien,temazepam,etc didnt work for me either, They put me to sleep but I would wake up. But they amitriptyline works like a charm

trazadone is another good one that u can take everynight.  If and when I ever get to the point that it doesnt work I will try amitriptyline.  We give both to our patients at the rehab hospital where I work.

Hope you are in lalala land and having lots of sweet dreams!

 When one has to use drugs to induce sleep or restfulness, there's a reason to be concerned.  Sometimes people take these drugs and don't feel convicted about it because the usage is somehow justified by the fact that a 'Dr prescribed' it.  If you are using it or anything on a regular basis and cannot function (sleep or rest) without it then it would be safe to say that one is at least 'dependent'  on it.  If there's some medical reason that one CAN'T SLEEP without it, then do what your Dr. suggest.  But realize that there is a level of dependancy that is at work.  Prescription drug abuse and addiction is very high and more American's are addicted to these drugs than people would really like to admit.