Xanax for CPAP titration study

[boomba212]

Hello,

I was recently diagnosed with moderate to severe sleep apnea. I guess it took me a while to fall asleep during that first sleep study, so my doctor prescribed Xanax for me to take during my upcoming CPAP titration study. However, I see in the literature that it's not recommended to take Xanax if you have sleep apnea. I just wanted to know if it's normal to be prescribed that for the titration study, or if I should not take it.

Thanks!

[BlackSpinner]

Usually Ambien is prescribed for sleep studies.

[novatom]

I used 30mg of Temazepam for both my sleep study and titration. Sleep clinic was totally cool with it.

[Pugsy]

A single small dose of Xanax for the titration study anxiety is unlikely to mess with the titration results all that much. If the doctor is okay with it (and he must be to have ordered it) I wouldn't be afraid of it if it were me. I would think that at the worst it might make the airway tissues maybe a little more floppy and maybe might need a little more pressure....but those are big maybes and not "for certains".

Just make sure that whatever machine you get is full data so you can monitor your therapy yourself.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Not an earth shaking comment but here's what I've found.

Lorazepam is quite a bit longer lasting than xanax. They are both a class of drug called 'benzos'. Lorazepam starts off slower but as I said, lasts a few hours longer. Xanax (generic alprazolam) is designed to handle a typically short panic attack and then leaves your system rather quickly. Lorazepam, being longer lasting, is often prescribed for stuff like plane flights and such, in other words, events lasting a couple of hours to several hours.

In summation, with Lorazepam you might not have to get up in the middle of the sleep study to take a second dose. Of course everybody has different reactions, so you won't know until you try one or the other. Anyway, I used Lorazepam once for a sleep study and it lasted all night. As far as disturbing your sleep, your doctor should be able to factor these drugs in when he/she does their analysis, (At least that's what two sleep doctors have told me... regardless, take your own sleep doctors advice).

http://www.drugs.com/answers/how-are-lo ... 92936.html

[49er]

When I had my sleep study last year, I took Temazepam which my former sleep doctor approved since I would be using the machine. She didn't want me to take it for the diagnostic study since she felt it increased apneas.

I tried not to use it but unfortunately, the tech was forced to start the titration at a pressure that made me feel like I was suffocating so I had no choice. Got about 5 hours of sleep. The pressures seemed accurate but since this was before my septoplasty,I felt I needed a higher one.

Since Temazepam is also a hypnotic in addition to be a benzo, obviously, I can't comment on what Xanax would do or not do. But as Pugsy said, if the doctor approved it, I wouldn't worry.

49er

[novatom]

When I had my sleep study last year, I took Temazepam which my former sleep doctor approved since I would be using the machine. She didn't want me to take it for the diagnostic study since she felt it increased apneas.

Wow, that's the first time I have heard of that theory about Temazepam increasing apneas in the diagnostic study. My doctor was totally cool with it for both the study and titration. I'll have to ask my sleep doctor about that at my next checkup. Of course, it's too late now, but I wonder how that affected my number, which was 28.

[49er]

When I had my sleep study last year, I took Temazepam which my former sleep doctor approved since I would be using the machine. She didn't want me to take it for the diagnostic study since she felt it increased apneas.

Wow, that's the first time I have heard of that theory about Temazepam increasing apneas in the diagnostic study. My doctor was totally cool with it for both the study and titration. I'll have to ask my sleep doctor about that at my next checkup. Of course, it's too late now, but I wonder how that affected my number, which was 28.

novatom,

As an FYI, my current sleep doc also didn't want me to taking the T for the diagnostic study but was fine with ambien. Who knows as every doc has their own theory about what meds do and don't do.

And don't forget, I had a variation of results taking ambien as last year my RDI was 23 with an AHI of 5.9. This time, the AHI was 25 with no RERAs recorded.

It will be interesting to see what your sleep doc says about how the drug affected your number.