I started out on 0.5 mg, with directions to take it twice a day, one in the morning and one before bedtime. Since I was working with children at the time of my diagnosis, I wasn't able to take the morning dose, because the drowsy side effects would have impaired my ability to drive or function at my job.

Plus, at the time, I was prone to "noctornal" panic attacks...I used to wake up in the middle of the night thinking that somebody had broken into my apartment and was going to rape or kill me. I found out much later why I was having those thoughts, as irrational as they seemed at the time, it all made sense after some repressed memories and family secrets from my childhood came to light later on...but I don't want to steer this thread completely off topic.

After 4 years of taking them, I did manage to "graduate" to a 1 mg nightly dose, but I split it up. I'll take one half about an hour before bedtime and the other half right before I lay down, and I get a good night's sleep, and my nerves are steady during the next day. The few times that I took a 2 mg dose at night, I was knocked out!! So I guess my tolerance to them hasn't increased all that much over the years. I'd like to keep it that way.

Eeyore