Author: Gary Jackson

Xanax: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Warnings

It may not be safe take Xanax while you’re pregnant. The drug may cause sleepiness and trouble breathing in newborns who were exposed to the drug during pregnancy. If you develop serious side effects while taking Xanax, it’s important to call your medical professional immediately. Alprazolam is a controlled substance and may be misused or lead to dependence.

For healthcare professionals

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Professional resources

Swallow the Xanax XR extended-release tablet whole. It eases anxiety by boosting the effect of GABA, a type of neurotransmitter in your brain. If you’re not sure whether you’ll need to get prior authorization for Xanax, contact your insurance company. The active ingredient in Xanax is alprazolam, while the active ingredient in Valium is diazepam. Xanax can interact with several other medications.

  1. Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you.
  2. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to Xanax, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.
  3. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods.
  4. The connection between anger and mood disorders, such as panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, isn’t well studied.
  5. Do not stop taking alprazolam without talking with your healthcare provider.
  6. People often misuse drugs to produce a pleasurable, calm, or high feeling.

What are the symptoms of a Xanax overdose?

This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information about how to dispose of your medication. You should store Xanax tablets at room temperature in a tightly sealed container. Avoid storing this medication in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as bathrooms. Before approving coverage for Xanax, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization.

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. Xanax can cause similar side effects in older and younger adults. However, older adults (ages 65 years or older) may have a higher risk of side effects with Xanax. This is because older adults don’t clear the drug from their bodies as well as other adults.

What are the most common side effects of alprazolam?

And it’s possible these side effects won’t go away with time. We discuss the risks of misusing Xanax in more detail in the see “Side effects up close” section above. The drug can pass into breast milk, which can cause sleepiness in a child who is breastfed. To learn more about the registry and whether Xanax is right for you while pregnant, we encourage you to talk with your medical professional. If you do take Xanax during pregnancy, you may want to enroll in a pregnancy registry. These registries collect details about the effects of a drug when used during pregnancy.

Serious side effects of Xanax

Also, be sure to contact your doctor as soon as possible if you have any symptoms of misuse or addiction, or any concerns about them. Panic disorder is a common mental health condition that can affect your daily life and impact your relationships with others. Xanax is FDA approved to treat panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, in adults.

Other possible severe side effects include coma and, in certain cases, death. Misusing alprazolam can lead to serious side effects like coma or death. Misuse means taking a medicine in a way other than how it was prescribed.

Xanax and opioids can both cause sleepiness and slowed breathing. Xanax may not be safe to take during pregnancy, depending on how far along the pregnancy is. This is called neonatal sedation and withdrawal syndrome (NOWS).