What is Alprazolam?
What is Alprazolam?
Alprazolam is a prescription drug that helps in the treatment of anxiety disorders. It is available as a generic drug and a brand-name drug, including Alprazolam Intensol, Xanax, or Xanax XR. The Alprazolam oral tablets come in immediate-release and extended-release forms and also in orally disintegrating forms. Alprazolam also comes as a solution.
The extended-release drug gets released slowly into the bloodstream over time, whereas the extended-release drug gets released more quickly.
Alprazolam provides short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety and anxiety linked with depression. It belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. This drug is available with a prescription only. You can also order alprazolam online. However, it is dangerous to buy alprazolam online because the medicines may not be genuine.
How to take alprazolam?
People may need to take alprazolam with other medications. The dosage of this medicine depends upon your age, medical condition, the type and severity of the disease. Take this medicine two to four times a day and the extended-release tablets once a day, usually in the morning. You can take the concentrated solution with semisolid foods such as water, juice, soda, applesauce, or pudding.
Alprazolam doses are available in milligrams which include 0.25 mg,0.5 mg,1 mg,and 2 mg. The effects of this drug can be more significant as the dose increases.
Alprazolam can cause addiction, so do not take a larger dose or take it more often or take it longer than the doctor prescribes. Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly or decrease your dosage without talking to a doctor. If you stop taking alprazolam suddenly, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as:
seizures
headache
blurred vision
increased sensitivity to noise or light
difficulty concentrating
nervousness
depression
irritability
aggressive behavior
diarrhea
vomiting
weight loss
Your doctor may decrease your dosage slowly over time to avoid withdrawal symptoms. In case you miss doses or do not take the drug on time, the medicine may not work as well or stop working totally.
If you take too much of this medication, it will lead to an overdose. The symptoms of an overdose of this drug include:
drowsiness
confusion
poor coordination
slow reflexes
coma
What to know before taking alprazolam?
People should not use alprazolam if they are allergic to it or other benzodiazepines. Tell your doctor if you ever have:
glaucoma
depression or suicidal thoughts
alcoholism
lung disease
kidney disease
liver disease
Also, consider the following points before taking alprazolam:
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding because alprazolam may harm the fetus.
Older people should lower this medicine dosage because a high dosage may cause some severe side effects.
You must tell your doctor that you are taking alprazolam if you are having surgery.
High consumption of alprazolam may lead to an overdose. Symptoms of overdose may include:
drowsiness
confusion
problems with coordination
loss of consciousness
What are the benefits of using alprazolam?
Alprazolam helps in the treatment of anxiety and panic disorders.
This drug also helps treat depression, agoraphobia (fear of open spaces), and premenstrual syndrome.
It also helps in the treatment of sleep disorders.
What are the side effects of alprazolam?
Some common side effects of alprazolam include:
drowsiness
light-headedness
dizziness
headache
tiredness
difficulty concentrating
changes in sex drive or ability
dry mouth
nausea
irritability
changes in appetite
blurred vision
memory problems
Some rare side effects of alprazolam include:
shortness of breath
seizures
hallucinations
yellowing of the skin or eyes
confusion
depression
severe skin rash
memory problems
unusual changes in behavior or mood
suicidal thoughts
problems with coordination or balance
How does alprazolam work?
Alprazolam is considered a mild tranquilizer. It helps create a calming effect by boosting the activity of a chemical known as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Alprazolam works quickly and stays in the body long after a person stops feeling its effects. It usually takes 1-2 hours for this medicine to reach its peak level. Most people experience the impact of this drug for two to four hours. How long this drug takes to affect you will depend on your weight and metabolism, age, and other medicines you may be taking.
What to avoid while using alprazolam?
Alcohol: Avoid mixing alprazolam with alcohol because it can lead to severe side effects. The medicine can increase the effects of alcohol, and you may feel more drowsy, dizzy, and tired. Do not operate dangerous machinery or drive a vehicle until you know how this medicine affects you. Side effects of consuming alcohol with alprazolam include:
drowsiness
slurred speech
difficulty breathing
severe weakness
confusion
Grapefruit juice: Grapefruit or grapefruit juice may increase the side effects of alprazolam. People should avoid taking alprazolam with grapefruit juice because it can affect the liver enzymes, which are needed to break down this medicine. Taking this drug with grapefruit or grapefruit juice increases the amount of alprazolam in your blood and may increase the side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, and confusion.
Opioids: Taking opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone increases the risk of severe sleepiness, respiratory depression, coma, and even death. Combining alprazolam with Oxycontin, Percocet, and Vicodin is particularly dangerous because it can make an individual sleep and then stop breathing, leading to death.
Other Drugs: Using this medication with itraconazole or ketoconazole can increase the side effects. It can cause drowsiness, slowed breathing, and confusion. Alprazolam can also interact with other medicines, including:
oral contraceptives
antidepressants
antibiotics
heartburn drugs
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