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Halcion User Reviews & Ratings

Halcion has an average rating of 8.0 out of 10 from a total of 31 reviews on Drugs.com. 81% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 13% reported a negative experience.

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Insomnia
8.0
31 reviews for Insomnia 113 medications

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Reviews for Halcion

  • Dad...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 15, 2019

For Insomnia "I am in my mid-forties, am overweight, and have struggled with eating in the middle of the night for decades. I've tried dozens of sleeping aids (natural, meditation, and drugs) and found Halcion (Triazolam) to be the only drug that allows me to sleep completely through the night (6-8 hours). Even when I get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I just want to go back to bed and sleep. I'm a bit groggy in the morning, but fine after a good cup of coffee. Now I'm sleeping better and losing weight! This is a game changer for me and my family!"

10 / 10
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70 Report
  • Sqr...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • March 1, 2019

For Insomnia "I have struggled with insomnia off and on for 25 years. Personally, I have found nothing that works better than triazolam. I have tried everything for sleep, OTC and prescriptions (and then some). For me, benzodiazepines are definitely the most effective, and triazolam is in my top 3 and probably my favorite. It works best if you don't take it every night. If you have to take something every night, switch to a non-benzodiazepine, and cycle the benzos no more than every other night. Remeron is a decent drug for insomnia, but it has a few side effects. Same with Seroquel, trazodone, and most tricyclic antidepressants. Melatonin receptor agonists like ramelteon and tasimelteon have not shown much promise. Z drugs like Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata are effective for some people, but they bind to the same receptors as benzos, with lesser efficacy and pretty much the same side effects. Stick with benzos, just don't take them every day."

10 / 10
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67 Report
  • Mom...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • July 17, 2012

For Insomnia "My PCP switched me from Ambien to Halcion about 5 months ago because I suffer from severe insomnia. I take 2 every evening, fall asleep fast and sleep about 5-7 hours (which is great for me). I recommend this sleep aid over any other."

10 / 10
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96 Report
  • lis...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • February 25, 2016

For Insomnia "I was on Halcion for almost 5 years until I built a tolerance and it stopped working. Since then, I have tried numerous medications of various types, and none have worked as well as Halcion. Most have not even been close or didn't work at all. With Halcion, I fell asleep quickly and naturally, and stayed asleep for at least 6 hours. It was a restful sleep with no side effects like dreams or strange behavior. I had no problems waking up or functioning the following day. It's only now that I can't find a substitute that I really appreciate the benefits of Halcion."

10 / 10
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72 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • May 30, 2015

For Insomnia "I have problems falling asleep and staying asleep. Halcion works really well, and I have been taking 0.25 mg once a night for the past 5 years, and I have never needed to increase the dose. I sometimes only take half a pill, and it works okay. I've tried Ambien and Lunesta, but they didn't work as well. I have noticed memory problems and short-term memory loss over the years and think it may be caused by the long-term daily use, but I'd rather get good sleep. Insurance only covers 10 pills, so I just pay out of pocket to get 30 pills."

9 / 10
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62 Report

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  • Anonymous
  • June 1, 2011

For Insomnia "My problem is not falling asleep, but staying asleep. Halcion is perfect for me. I wake up without drowsiness. I do not take every night...only when I need to break the bad sleep cycle. I have tried almost every sleeping pill over the years and keep returning to Halcion. It is inexpensive (compared to others like Lunesta) and effective...what more can you ask."

9 / 10
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77 Report
  • Suz...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • June 26, 2012

For Insomnia "I was prescribed this medication by my doctor for insomnia and I have to say it works great! Works fast, get a great night's sleep with no hangover effects. Wake up refreshed and ready to go the next day."

10 / 10
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72 Report
  • Ter...
  • February 14, 2017

"Ever since a traumatic experience at a dentist when I was a teen, I have been a mess whenever I went to the dentist. Consequently, I did not go as consistently as I should have. When I made a determination to go back, I wept in the chair. My dentist asked me if anyone has ever sedated me before treatment, and I replied no. He recommended and prescribed Halcion 1 hour before treatment. I am no longer afraid to go to the dentist! I wish this would have been an option sooner than later. Thank you!"

8 / 10
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49 Report
  • Tin...
  • August 21, 2014

For Insomnia "Halcion has been very effective for me. The only problem I have noticed is if I eat late, the medicine is not effective. I take Halcion with trazodone and have never had to increase the dosage on either medicine. I have been using this combination for 5 or 6 years. My insomnia was a result of menopause."

9 / 10
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59 Report
  • Jul...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • October 10, 2019

For Insomnia "I have about 15 years taking different pills by many doctors, and the maximum I could sleep is 2 hours. I feel tired all the time and could fall asleep any place during the day for 5 long minutes, waking up with a huge headache. Anyway, an old doctor told me to try Halcion, he gave 3 pills, 1 tablet for each night, and WOW, first time sleeping 8 hours. I got so happy, so I went back to my doctor and said this is what I need. From there, I took it sometimes over a year of treatment to get better sleep patterns, but I did, thanks to my doctor and Halcion."

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34 Report
  • D-R...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • July 29, 2016

For Insomnia "I was 28 when my doctor wrote my first script. I had just had to put my mother in a nursing home, and that did not go well for her or for me. And I had just taken a job 350 miles from home. I started with a white cap, a 1.0 mg. It worked great for me, but some people had problems with that dose of 1 mg, and the FDA said doctors could not write anything above .50, or two white caps, .25. When I had to reduce my dose, it took me 6 months to get my body adjusted. So, 31 years later, I am 59 now and have to have the .50 to sleep. All my insurance companies through the years would pay for the drug as a bandage for my problem, but would not pay a penny for drug treatment to get off the Halcion. Yes, I know I am hooked on Halcion for life."

10 / 10
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41 Report
  • Fin...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • December 27, 2016

For Insomnia "I started taking this for insomnia caused by PTSD. It has been incredibly helpful. It is literally the ONLY thing that can get me to sleep when I'm having problems. My doc has kept me on it despite the improvement in nighttime PTSD episodes because I still have unrelated insomnia and still have occasional bouts that are related to PTSD. It's been a godsend."

10 / 10
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35 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • May 23, 2014

For Insomnia "I was prescribed 0.25 mg for about 9 months. It worked great. Quick acting and nice feeling. But tolerance did build up towards the end and was not getting as good sleep. I'm on Zolpidem now, which I find great."

9 / 10
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37 Report
  • Jbk...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • January 29, 2018

For Insomnia "I've been on and off Triazolam for 30 years. Take 0.25 mg tablets, one and a half each night. I do the weird food thing that I don't remember in the morning. My biggest problem is not remembering things that happened the day before, like big chunks. My kids are so annoyed with it that they won't remind me of stuff. Like I ask a question and they say we talked about all that last night. If you don't remember, too bad, not going over it again. Anyone else had this happen? By the way, I live in New Zealand, and doctor costs $40 and prescription costs $5.00."

8 / 10
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25 Report
  • Ben...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • May 21, 2019

For Insomnia "For me at the recommended dose of .25 mg, this drug is good for a 2 hour nap. It works to get to sleep, but not stay asleep. The half life is way too short. It wears off too quickly. I have to take .5 mg, (then another .25 - .5 mg when I wake up in 2 to 3 hours) to get a decent nights sleep. There are many better benzodiazepines for sleep. Even xanax (which isn't indicated for sleep) works better, diazepam is better, temazepam is better. Its also fairly expensive (almost $3 per .25 mg pill)"

1 / 10
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19 Report
  • Pat...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • January 29, 2021

For Insomnia "I take 0.50 at night, and it works great. I am also prescribed diazepam 10 mg for regular anxiety. The good thing is that when the diazepam doesn’t work, I substitute 0.25 of Halcion, and my anxiety goes away. I have tried doxepin, Lunesta, Belsomra, Rozerem, and Ambien. The two that work the best for me are Halcion and Lunesta."

10 / 10
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14 Report
  • man...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 26, 2017

For Insomnia "I had insomnia for over 72 hours. Halcion fixed it immediately. The bad news is they only gave a week's worth, and then the Dr. went on vacation, and his stand-in refused to refill. I had 2 days of insomnia after that, and then it passed."

9 / 10
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20 Report
  • Bab...
  • December 26, 2016

For Insomnia "Works well for sleep. However, I'm prescribed it for nocturnal panic attacks (panic that wakes me up), and it definitely does the trick. I gave it 9/10 because I will actually end up having an attack shortly after it kicks in. Usually lasts 5-10 minutes before I fall asleep."

9 / 10
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16 Report
  • ang...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • April 2, 2024

For Insomnia "I've taken Halcion for at least 10 years at this point. I take the lowest dose at 0.125 most. I love that it's fast-acting to put me to sleep and also keep me asleep. The only time that I have ever increased the dose is when I've had an anxiety attack from PTSD... never for sleep. That's always been 0.125. I love that I don't wake up groggy or sluggish. Just awake and fresh and ready to go. Still works after 10 years with no increase for sleep."

10 / 10
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2 Report
  • DAN...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 11, 2021

For Insomnia "This is a dangerous drug for some people including me. I took it one night for insomnia, and it made put me in such a dark place I was worried what I would do to myself. Fortunately I recognised that the halcion must be why I was feeling so bad because I'd never taken it before. It wore off by the next afternoon and I have not let it get near me since then. Personally, I don't think anyone should take it. Doctors may not know it has such a terrible effect on some people because since that time, doctors planned to give me the drug for gall bladder surgery, cataract surgery, and a root canal. Because I always check with the anestheologist in advance of any surgery, I have been able to convince them to use a different drug."

1 / 10
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5 Report
  • Ema...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • July 12, 2021

For Insomnia "I had to have a gum graft surgery and I was very terrified for it, so I was prescribed 0.25mg of it to help me relax and calm down, and if I needed the second dosage, I could take that too. I too both pills (0.25mg) each and felt nothing. It didn’t relax me or sedate me in the slightest. It made the whole surgery a worse experience bc I guess the dosage was too low"

1 / 10
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  • Dod...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • September 12, 2023

For Insomnia "2 things make it the best insomnia med for me 1. Fastest acting, take 2 .25 mg pills, and you will be asleep 15 mins latter. 2 Because it's quickest acting, shortest duration...Meaning it's affect is completely gone when you wake up in the morning. All other sleep meds, left me still feeling groggy in the AM. Not with Halcion. A side note, because it's so quick acting, it's strength is "knocking you out"...not keeping you out. For some people that have trouble staying asleep, this may not be the best med for you. For me, wether I take an insomnia sleeping pill or not, once I am asleep, I never have trouble staying asleep. If I get up to pee, I always fall back to sleep immediately. Again, nothing else will put you to sleep faster, and the only med that will be totally out of your body in the AM, leaving you fresh as a daisy."

10 / 10
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2 Report
  • gch...
  • February 19, 2013

For Insomnia "It is not pleasant if you cannot function in life because you cannot sleep. This medication helped me to get back to my life."

10 / 10
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91 Report
  • Anonymous
  • July 20, 2009

For Insomnia "I use Halcion. It helps for falling asleep. It works great for me. I don't have drowsiness when waking up in the morning."

8 / 10
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91 Report
  • slo...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • March 23, 2015

For Insomnia "Probably one of the best medications for insomnia. It's a shame it's rarely prescribed anymore."

9 / 10
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62 Report
Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.