It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment. If your doctor has prescribed Xanax and you’re interested in taking alprazolam instead, talk with your doctor. They may have a preference for one version or the other. You’ll also need to check your insurance plan, as it may only cover one or the other. If your prescription label is hard to read, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Mania XANAX May Cause An Increase In Activity And Talking (hypomania And Mania) In People Who Have Depression
Store alprazolam in a safe place to protect it from theft. Alprazolam should not be taken while you are using certain other medicines. Before taking alprazolam, tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.
What Are The Most Common Side Effects Of Alprazolam?
These may include clonazepam (Klonopin) and diazepam (Valium). Your medical professional can advise you on how much Xanax to take and how often. It’s important to follow the instructions your medical professional provides. Commonly used dosages are mentioned below, but always take the dosage your medical professional recommends.
Therefore, before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the medications you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list of drugs with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your doctor if you have health questions or concerns.
Takes A Dose Greater Than 4 Mg/day For An Extended Period Of Time
A drugs gang produced millions of counterfeit Xanax pills in garden sheds and garages, selling them to customers across the UK and US. Officers executed a warrant at an address in Wednesbury in August 2019 where thousands of counterfeit tablets were in the process of being heat sealed in foil bags. During the same period large quantities of Alprazolam and an analogue, Adinazolam, powder was shipped from China, along with bulking agents and other ingredients to make the tablets in the presses, purchased in the UK. Each press is capable of producing around 10,000 tablets per hour. Global pharmaceutical company Pfizer Ltd started an investigation into ‘Milkman11new’ and ‘UKBK’ who were selling bulk quantities of tablets advertised as ‘Xanax’ on the dark web. It is estimated that more than £4million worth of drugs were sold to customers, primarily in the USA, using Bitcoin to receive payment.
Examples of these side effects are described throughout this article. Whether you or a loved one is struggling with Xanax addiction, there is hope to begin the recovery process with an accredited treatment center like Mountainside. The chemical name of alprazolam is 8-Chloro-1-methyl-6-phenyl-4H-s-triazolo 4,3-α 1,4 benzodiazepine. XANAX contains alprazolam which is a triazolo analog of the 1,4 benzodiazepine class of central nervous system-active compounds.
Does Xanax Cause Specific Side Effects In Females?
The patient should inform the doctor about all the medications he/she is using since the drug can interact with many other medications. Alprazolam is metabolized mainly by the liver, and 80% is excreted in the urine. The drug has a half-life of 12 to 15 hours, but it will depend on whether the patient suffers from any type of renal or hepatic insufficiency.
This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter OTC) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements. It is very important to protect the orally disintegrating tablets from moisture. Remove and throw away any cotton packaging from the medicine bottle when you first use the medicine.
How Should I Store Alprazolam?
The complete flumazenil package insert should be consulted prior to use. There have been reports of death in patients with severe pulmonary disease shortly after the initiation of treatment with XANAX. Closely monitor patients with impaired respiratory function.
Until you know how the drug will affect you, it’s better to take less and build up to a higher dose. It’s possible that your medical professional will recommend that you use Xanax together with other drugs to treat your anxiety. It’s common to have questions about your treatment plan for Xanax. Your medical professional is there to work with you and help address any concerns you have. These side effects can be dangerous if they occur while you’re driving. Examples of misusing Xanax include snorting or smoking the drug.
Slang Terms
He said another drug, a strong synthetic opioid called nitazenes, had also caused fatal overdoses in the UK, including in the Birmingham area last summer. You should not drive or perform other potentially dangerous activities until you know how taking Xanax affects you. This is especially important if Xanax is combined with other central nervous system depressants, such as alcohol and/or opioids. If you have kidney problems and have questions or concerns about taking Xanax, talk with your doctor.
While Xanax can help with short-term relief for anxiety and panic, there are some downsides to be aware of. Understanding the potential risks of dependence and Xanax withdrawal symptoms can help you and your doctor decide if it’s the right option for your treatment. Just like any medicine, there are side effects of Xanax; some are mild, while others are more serious. Xanax, also called alprazolam, is a prescription drug in the benzodiazepine family.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Xanax to treat certain conditions. Off-label drug use is when an FDA approved drug is prescribed for a purpose other than what it’s approved for. You’re more likely to have withdrawal symptoms after stopping Xanax treatment if you’ve been taking the drug for a long time or at a high dose. However, these symptoms can also affect anyone who stops taking Xanax. Xanax has a boxed warning about the risk of severe harm or death if taken with opioids. Alprazolam is a controlled substance because it can be misused or lead to dependence.
XANAX is a federal controlled substance (C-IV) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. It is not known if XANAX is safe and effective in children. When considering the sedative market in other countries, caution needs to be exercised. Norbutas (2018) found that markets are constrained by their wider geography, particularly border controls, and the findings from within the Schengen area countries are complex.
Taking medication may help with symptoms for a bit, but it won’t address and get to the root of the problem, like underlying emotions or stressors, that contribute to anxiety. Xanax is only meant to be used for a short period, because it can lead to dependence and tolerance. Long-term management for anxiety disorders usually includes therapy and other medications, like SSRIs. This medication can help people who struggle with anxiety or panic attacks function better in their daily lives.
- If you’re considering taking Xanax or are curious about its potential to help you feel less anxious, talk with your doctor.
- If you need to stop Xanax treatment, your doctor will taper (slowly lower) your dose.
- Do not change your dose or stop taking this medicine without checking first with your doctor.
- Certain adverse clinical events, some life-threatening, are a direct consequence of physical dependence to XANAX.
- The actual price you’ll pay depends on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.
Related Disease Conditions
If a patient develops withdrawal reactions, consider pausing the taper or increasing the dosage to the previous tapered dosage level. Subsequently decrease the dosage more slowly see Warnings and Precautions (5.3), Drug Abuse and Dependence (9.3). For patients receiving doses greater than 4 mg per day, periodic reassessment and consideration of dosage reduction is advised. In a controlled postmarketing dose-response study, patients treated with doses of XANAX greater than 4 mg per day for 3 months were able to taper to 50% of their total maintenance dose without apparent loss of clinical benefit.
