Drugs other than benzodiazepines can also be used to treat anxiety. They work differently in your body to relieve anxiety symptoms. Examples of these alternatives include sertraline (Zoloft) and buspirone. If you have other questions about what to expect with Xanax treatment, talk with your medical professional or pharmacist. It belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines. Here are some tips for managing the effects mentioned in Xanax’s boxed warnings.
What Does It Feel Like When You Take Xanax?

All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated risk of major birth defects and of miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively. Episodes of hypomania and mania have been reported in association with the use of XANAX in patients with depression see Adverse Reactions (6.2). XANAX is contraindicated in patients receiving strong inhibitors of CYP3A (such as azole antifungal agents), except ritonavir see Contraindications (4). Ketoconazole and itraconazole have been shown in vivo to increase plasma alprazolam concentrations 3.98 fold and 2.70 fold, respectively.
Do Not Give XANAX To Other People, Even If They Have The Same Symptoms That You Have It May Harm Them
If you have withdrawal symptoms after your doctor has reduced your dose or had you stop treatment with Xanax, talk with them. Your doctor may increase your dosage again and then reduce it more slowly. However, if you have serious withdrawal symptoms, contact your doctor right away. If your symptoms feel life threatening, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
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- Your medical professional is there to work with you and help address any concerns you have.
- They include strong prescription pain relievers, such as hydrocodone (Hysingla ER) and certain illegal drugs.
- Optimal antianxiety effect is achieved within 7 days after the start of Xanax-therapy.
- Your doctor can also work with you to find a more sustainable, long-term medication to help soothe any symptoms you’re experiencing and alleviate your desire to use Xanax.
- This depends on how you respond to the starting dosage.
Xanax has a boxed warning for the risk of misuse and addiction. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The warning alerts doctors and patients to side effects that may be dangerous. Xanax is a benzodiazepine drug that has a calming and relaxing effect. Doctors usually prescribe it for short periods of time.
Anxiety or tension related to everyday stress usually does not require treatment with Xanax. Do not take this medication if you have been diagnosed with the eye condition called narrow-angle glaucoma. Data from in vitro studies of alprazolam suggest a possible drug interaction of alprazolam with paroxetine. The ability of alprazolam to induce human hepatic enzyme systems has not yet been determined.

If you feel that the medicine is not working as well, do not use more than your prescribed dose. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
More Ways To Manage Your Symptoms
For some people taking higher doses of Xanax for a while, Xanax can still be as safe and effective at a lower dosage. After Xanax became available, a study found that the drug remained effective for treating panic disorder when lowering the dosage. Xanax is a brand-name oral tablet prescribed for certain anxiety disorders. Xanax contains the active ingredient alprazolam and belongs to the benzodiazepine drug class. Combining Xanax (alprazolam) with therapy can help create a more well-rounded, holistic approach to effectively manage anxiety and panic disorders.
Mild Side Effects Of Xanax
Do not remove the tablets from the bottle until you are ready to take it. Place the tablet immediately on the top of your tongue. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of alprazolam in the pediatric population. With XANAX Mobile, keep your XANAX Savings Card on your phone, refill your prescriptions via text, and more. Only brand-name XANAX and its generic equivalent are approved for medical use.
- Limited data from published literature reports the presence of alprazolam in human breast milk.
- Do not take alprazolam unless it has been prescribed to you by a healthcare provider.
- Do not take XANAX if you are taking antifungal treatments, including ketoconazole or itraconazole.
- Alprazolam should not be taken while you are using certain other medicines.
- These include your age, liver function, and other medications you may take.
- Xanax has boxed warning about the risk of serious side effects or death if used with opioids.
Symptoms Of Overdose May Include The Following:

If you’re considering taking Xanax or are curious about its potential to help you feel less anxious, talk with your doctor. It’s possible to build up a tolerance to Xanax quickly. If that happens, you may begin to notice it takes longer for you to feel the sedative effects of the drug, and the feelings may wear off more quickly. The effects of Xanax become more significant as the dose increases. You should also avoid combining Xanax with drugs — even over-the-counter ones — that can make you sleepy, slow your breathing, or cause extreme lethargy. Many people who take Xanax recreationally, or without a prescription, describe the feeling as sedating or calming.

You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely. To learn more about cannabis and the drug, talk with your doctor. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods.

Xanax Overdose
In many of the spontaneous case reports of adverse behavioral effects, patients were receiving other CNS drugs concomitantly and/or were described as having underlying psychiatric conditions. Should any of the above events occur, alprazolam should be discontinued. Instances of irritability, hostility, and intrusive thoughts have been reported during discontinuation of alprazolam in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Early morning anxiety and emergence of anxiety symptoms between doses of XANAX have been reported in patients with panic disorder taking prescribed maintenance doses.
What’s The Dosage Of Xanax?
The drugmaker reports that overdoses have happened with Xanax alone and when Xanax was combined with other drugs or alcohol. Withdrawal symptoms are side effects that can occur when you stop taking a drug your body has become dependent on. For more information about the risk of Xanax withdrawal and dependence, see the “Xanax and withdrawal and dependence” section.

The continued use of benzodiazepines, including XANAX, may lead to clinically significant physical dependence. Concomitant use of benzodiazepines, including XANAX, and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Because of these risks, reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate.
Generic Xanax is known as alprazolam and is considered to be just as effective as the brand-name version. Both treat anxiety, but Xanax works faster, but doesn’t last as long. Ativan lasts longer, so it’s good for managing anxiety over a longer period. Alprazolam is the generic version of the brand-name drug Xanax. Alprazolam is a fast-acting drug that helps you relax by boosting the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain, which is a neurotransmitter that slows down brain activity. Alprazolam may cause some people, especially older persons, to become drowsy, dizzy, or less alert than they are normally.