I have been prescribed with lonazep 0.5 mg anxiety and sleeplessness. I am taking the tablets for the past 10 months. As per doctors advise I tried to reduce the dosage to 0.25 mg so that I could stop the dosage slowly. But whenever I try to reduce the dosage after 10 days I get anxiety and sleeplessness .As a result I get nervous and panicked for the next few days thinking if I would not get sleep due to which i am forced to go back to taking 0.5 mg. Can you please advise on how to stop taking the pill?

Dr. Ankita MishraPsychiatrist12yrs exp

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Dear lybrate-user, It must be difficult for you. It is important to explore the reason for your anxiety and not just take lonazep. Sleep problem is very common symptom in anxiety disorder, depression and for that matter in any mental health disorder. It is also common in certain medical condition like thyroid problems. I will recommend that you get a detailed evaluation done which includes blood test and seeing a psychiatrist to get to the root of problem. There are things that can be done to improve sleep: Dos:- Make sure that your bed and bedroom are comfortable - not too hot, not too cold, not too noisy. - Get some exercise. Don't overdo it, but try some regular swimming or walking. The best time to exercise is in the daytime - particularly late afternoon or early evening. Later than this can disturb your sleep. - Take some time to relax properly before going to bed..- If something is troubling you and there is nothing you can do about it right away, try writing it down before going to bed and then tell yourself to deal with it tomorrow. - If you can't sleep, get up and do something relaxing. Read, watch television or listen to quiet music. After a while, you should feel tired enough to go to bed again. Don'ts - Go to bed when you feel tired and stick to a routine of getting up at the same time every day, whether you still feel tired or not. - Caffeine hangs around in your body for many hours after your last drink of tea or coffee. There are now many fizzy drinks, and even mints, that contain a lot of caffeine. Stop drinking tea or coffee by mid-afternoon. If you want a hot drink in the evening, try something milky or herbal (but check there's no caffeine in it). - Don't eat or drink a lot late at night. Try to have your supper early in the evening rather than late. - If you've had a bad night, don't sleep in the next day - it will make it harder to get off to sleep the following night. Hope you will find it helpful. Thanks  

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