a couple of different med questions

1) I know I have brought this up before somewhere -- perhaps somebody more proficient with computers than I can dredge up the post -- but how big a difference does it make as to when you take your meds?

Since I've been off work for illness, I've become quite the slug, and taken to staying up half the night and sleeping all day. (Case in point -- I just got out of bed at 3 pm). Generally what happens is, I go to bed around 1 or 2 a.m., sleep fitfully till about 5:30 or 6 a.m., get up for a bit, read the paper, etc, look at my meds on the table and think, "Eh, I'll take them the next time I'm up." Then the next time I'm up is midafternoon.

I never plan it that way, but that's how it seems to happen!

I guess I'm just wondering if it matters more *when* you take them, or that you take them, period.

2)How do you tell when you're getting addicted? I'm starting to get worried about the Xanax I'm taking. I only take it twice a day, but every time I think about skipping a dose because I really don't feel particularly anxious, I take it anyway. The last thing I need right now is another med that's a ****** to get off of. I just saw my pdoc yesterday -- I have a TON of big changes happening in my life right now, and he's all for my staying on it at least till I get through them. But I just don't want to end up a Xanax junkie.

Thanks!

Candy

1) I know I have brought this up before somewhere -- perhaps somebody more proficient with computers than I can dredge up the post -- but how big a difference does it make as to when you take your meds?

Since I've been off work for illness, I've become quite the slug, and taken to staying up half the night and sleeping all day. (Case in point -- I just got out of bed at 3 pm). Generally what happens is, I go to bed around 1 or 2 a.m., sleep fitfully till about 5:30 or 6 a.m., get up for a bit, read the paper, etc, look at my meds on the table and think, "Eh, I'll take them the next time I'm up." Then the next time I'm up is midafternoon.

I never plan it that way, but that's how it seems to happen!

I guess I'm just wondering if it matters more *when* you take them, or that you take them, period.

2)How do you tell when you're getting addicted? I'm starting to get worried about the Xanax I'm taking. I only take it twice a day, but every time I think about skipping a dose because I really don't feel particularly anxious, I take it anyway. The last thing I need right now is another med that's a ****** to get off of. I just saw my pdoc yesterday -- I have a TON of big changes happening in my life right now, and he's all for my staying on it at least till I get through them. But I just don't want to end up a Xanax junkie.

Thanks!

Candy

If you are taking your meds as the doctor order you should be ok ,But you are taking them more then he ordered you woould let the doctor know that . What is the dose you are on?

If you are taking your meds as the doctor order you should be ok ,But you are taking them more then he ordered you woould let the doctor know that . What is the dose you are on?

I am taking my meds exactly as prescribed, just not at the same time every day. I just wondered if that really mattered.

I am taking my meds exactly as prescribed, just not at the same time every day. I just wondered if that really mattered.

I try to space mine out evenly if possible, but I don't think a few hours matters too much either wayin most circumstances. What you want to avoid is taking them too close together...that's why most instructions tell you to wait for your next dose when you miss.

DJ

I try to space mine out evenly if possible, but I don't think a few hours matters too much either wayin most circumstances. What you want to avoid is taking them too close together...that's why most instructions tell you to wait for your next dose when you miss.

DJ

The Xanax question:

If you need it, it's better to take it until you get through the situation you're taking it for. Personally, I'd go with one of the other benzos -- probably Ativan, because it has a longer half life -- but I'd still be taking it. As long as you're not upping the dose regularly, it shouldn't be too hard to get off. Yes, it is a dependence, but it's not a terrible one. WIthdrawal should be pretty OK. (I don't like Xanax so much because it's so short acting that you can get into a cycle of withdrawal from it dailiy, depending on how much you take, and it can increase depression. That happened to me, but even stopping it cold turkey wasn't nearly as bad as stopping Effexor, for instance.)

And for the timing of the drugs: I'd say it's probably better to try to take them in the morning, if htat's what the doctor recommends. It might be contributing to your disturbed sleep patterns, taking them midafternoon. And those disturbed sleep patterns aren't so great for you, especially if there's any seasonal element to your problems. You might want to try to correct that, if you can, and see if you feel any better for it.

Just my thoughts. SOmeone who actually knows something might say I'm completely off base, but them's my thoughts on it, and i hope they help.

IMO no true "junkie" ever questioned taking a med or if they might become addicted, they are more concerned with getting MORE of anything.

TC take your meds. You might even need more of it so you aren't worrying about taking it (and other things you might be worrying about still.)

i work with old ppl taking your meds at regular times helps your system know when the drug is in your system if you are asked to take med in the morning take same time each day and same for evening we all forget sometimes just dont take your missed dose to close to that days dose , when hubby first stared new meds 3 times a day i set a reminder on his mobile to go of at the right intervall between meds
hope this helps

for me it made alot of difference. for example when I was on paxil with in a couple hours of taking it I was ready to go to sleep. I just could not stay awake and the side effects of slow motion and floor titling during the adjustment time drove me nuts so my physician had me take the paxil at night. Paxil like all antidepressants built up in the body and then the regularity of taking them keeps the bodys brain chemicals the same level so well that it takes two weeks when going off them for the medication to completely clear the body. my physician told me for most antidepressants it isn't day or night that keeps them working. The medication cant tell time, its the regularity of taking the medication at the same time be it day or night. Once I was taking it at night I was able to sleep off the side effects that hit me the first few hours after taking antidepressants and still have the benefits of the medication helping when I was awake, and I was able to funtion relatively normal. I could not feel (happy, sad, and any other emotions ) worth a ---- but hey at that point I didn't want to feel anyway. LOL