# Xanax not working at all except to make me tired **URL:** \ **Category:** Mental health\ **Tags:** Anxiety disorders\ **Created:** [17 March 2016 22:49 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302 "2016-03-17T22:49:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nh\_user\_928974](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nh\_user\_928974](https://community.patient.info/u/nh_user_928974)\ **Post date:** [17 March 2016 22:49 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/1 "2016-03-17T22:49:13Z")
I started taking sertaline and xanax 3 days ago. I am not new to xanax, I had to take it for a while when I was first diagnosed with an anxiety disorder about 10 years ago. I was taking 0.5mg, and It worked wonders on me at the time. This time, it does nothing but make me sleepy, but I'm still panicking and constantly on edge. I don't know if the sertaline is exacerbating my anxiety and making the xanax not work. I'm kind of freaking out. I'm so tired of being on edge and spending all day trying to avoid the next anxiety attack. Should I try a higher dose? Anyone has had that problem before?  ---
**Author:** ![anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/u/anon53727290)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2016 00:11 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/2 "2016-03-18T00:11:40Z")
Have u tried propanolol I think that is best for panic symptoms ---
**Author:** ![anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/u/anon53727290)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2016 00:40 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/3 "2016-03-18T00:40:10Z")
Wean off the xanax very slowly. Tel you doctor when weaning off. Very very slowly.After you are off it for a few months it will work again. You built uo a tolerance. ---
**Author:** ![nh\_user\_928974](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nh\_user\_928974](https://community.patient.info/u/nh_user_928974)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2016 02:08 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/4 "2016-03-18T02:08:14Z")
I have never heard of that medication. I don't see my doctor for another 10 days. I'll ask then. Thank  you. ---
**Author:** ![nh\_user\_928974](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nh\_user\_928974](https://community.patient.info/u/nh_user_928974)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2016 02:09 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/5 "2016-03-18T02:09:16Z")
I have not taken xanax for about 7 years, so there's no weaning off needed. ---
**Author:** ![nh\_user\_907668](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@nh\_user\_907668](https://community.patient.info/u/nh_user_907668)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2016 07:07 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/6 "2016-03-18T07:07:08Z")
Hi, it will be the sertraline as it can make you worse before making you better, I had the same thing but didn't have Xanax I took propranolol which is a beta blocker and really helps, hope you get better ---
**Author:** ![anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/u/anon53727290)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2016 08:34 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/7 "2016-03-18T08:34:57Z")
Sertaline is not the best for anxiety I'm afraid I was changed to another when docs realised what I was on !!! It's a bloody horrid nasty illness do u have phases of anxiety? Sorry to be no help! X ---
**Author:** ![anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/u/anon53727290)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2016 10:05 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/8 "2016-03-18T10:05:32Z")
V right! Propranolol is a god send!! Really is x ---
**Author:** ![nh\_user\_928974](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@nh\_user\_928974](https://community.patient.info/u/nh_user_928974)\ **Post date:** [18 March 2016 22:12 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/9 "2016-03-18T22:12:40Z")
I do have phases of severe anxiety. I found over the years that the more I control external stressors, the less anxiety I have. Unfortunatelly, that's not always possible. I would say I generally have mild to moderate, with now 2 major periods of my life with severe anxiety, this right now being one of them. Is your also cyclical?  ---
**Author:** ![nh\_user\_343414](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f1d935/32.png) [@nh\_user\_343414](https://community.patient.info/u/nh_user_343414)\ **Post date:** [18 January 2017 09:44 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/10 "2017-01-18T09:44:54Z")
Years ago, my first (and only) dose of sertraline (Zoloft) gave me **_my very first MAJOR panic attack_**!! It's been known to do this to a percentage of people to whom it's prescribed (see Wikipedia). I had to go to ER and they had to pump me full of ativan (lorazepam) to stop the panic, hyperventilation, horrible agitation, etc. Sertraline has been put on my "do not administer" record. ---
**Author:** ![anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@anon53727290](https://community.patient.info/u/anon53727290)\ **Post date:** [19 January 2017 08:33 UTC](https://community.patient.info/t/xanax-not-working-at-all-except-to-make-me-tired/503302/11 "2017-01-19T08:33:02Z")
I would HIGHLY suggest talking to your doctor about getting you off the sertaline and using only xanax especially if it worked wonders for you in the past.  Meds together can definitely cause issues with anxiety.  Use what worked in the past.  Hope this helps!