Anxiety Medication Overview of Xanax
How should this anxiety medication be used?
Xanax or Alprazolam, comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It usually is taken two or three times a day and may be taken with or without food. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take alprazolam exactly as directed.
Alprazolam can be habit-forming. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or for a longer time than your doctor tells you to. Do not take alprazolam for more than 4 months or stop taking this medication without talking to your doctor. Stopping this drug suddenly can worsen your condition and cause withdrawal symptoms (anxiousness, sleeplessness, irritability, and seizure). Withdrawal symptoms may be worse if you take more than 4 mg of alprazolam every day. Your doctor probably will decrease your dose gradually.
What special precautions should I follow?
Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide (Librium, Librax), clonazepam (Klonopin), clorazepate (Tranxene), diazepam (Valium), estazolam (ProSom), flurazepam (Dalmane), lorazepam ( Ativan), oxazepam (Serax), prazepam (Centrax), temazepam (Restoril), triazolam (Halcion), or any other drugs.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone); antihistamines; cimetidine (Tagamet); clarithromycin (Biaxin); cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); digoxin (Lanoxin); diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac); disulfiram (Antabuse); ergotamine (Cafatine, Cafergot, Wigraine, others); erythromycin (Erythrocin); fluoxetine (Prozac); fluvoxamine (Luvox); isoniazid (INH, Laniazid, Nydrazid); itraconazole (Sporanox); ketoconazole (Nizoral); levodopa (Larodopa, Sinemet); medications for depression, seizures, Parkinson's disease, pain, asthma, colds, or allergies; metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL); muscle relaxants; nefazodone (Serzone); nicardipine (Cardene); nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia); oral contraceptives; phenytoin (Dilantin); probenecid (Benemid); propoxyphene (Darvon); propranolol (Inderal); rifampin (Rifadin); sedatives; sleeping pills; theophylline (Theo-Dur); tranquilizers; valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote); and vitamins.
Photo: Pixabay
More Articles
If children perceive that their parents don't show them love, are they at risk for experiencing anxiety later in life? That's what the Surrey...
People with an excess of MeCP2 protein experience anxiety and a range of other behavioral issues, but Baylor College of Medicine scientists have...
This is a topic I have wanted to touch on for a long time. There are so many people that deal with this fear on a day to day basis. Unable to...
Drinking coffee makes you jumpy. Caffeine makes you jittery, it messes up your sleep cycle, and in large enough amounts, it becomes...
Everyone has times when they're more anxious or depressed than usual, but psychologists have found that a person's "usual" level of anxiety or...
