Alprazolam

Alprazolam is an anti-anxiety agent – a benzodiazepine. It is used for short-term relief of moderate anxiety and nervous tension. It is also effective in the treatment of panic attacks.

It is not often prescribed as often in the UK as in the USA due to its potency and high risk of addiction.

Benefits Seen

• From first day to a week.

Missed Dose

• If within one hour take, if over an hour skip and then continue on your normal schedule. Never Take a Double Dose!. Mostly this medication is prescribed on an ‘as required’ basis to be used for severe and sudden panic only and not for continual use for longer than 3-4 weeks due to the potential addictiveness.

If Stop Taking

• Do not stop without consulting your doctor and never abruptly if you have been taking it for over three weeks. It should be weaned or tapered off if use has been continual.

Overdose symptoms include

• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness, or sleepiness
• Can be fatal in extreme cases.

Warnings

• Do not stop taking abruptly.
• Do not use this drug if you are psychotic.
• Narcotics may increase the sedative effects of this drug. Do not take other sedative, benzodiazepines, or sleeping pills with this drug. The combinations could be fatal. Do not drink alcohol. Alcohol can lower blood pressure and decrease your breathing rate to the point of unconsciousness.
• The habit-forming potential is high. It is possible to become dependent in the first few days. Do not stop taking this drug abruptly, this could cause psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms.

Do not use if

• You had adverse reactions to other benzodiazepines
• You have a history of drug dependence
• You have had a stroke
• You have multiple sclerosis
• You have Alzheimer’s disease
• You are seriously depressed or if you have other brain disorders
• You have myasthenia gravis or acute narrow-angle glaucoma
• You are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
• You are breast-feeding
• You are under eighteen and only in small doses if over sixty with very close monitoring

Inform Doctor

• If you have a seizure disorder
• Impaired liver / kidney function
• History of alcoholism / drug abuse
• Psychosis
• Palpitations
• Tachycardia

Symptoms or Side Effects

Common

• Clumsiness
• Sleepiness

Rare

• Abdominal cramps
• Blurred vision
• Dry mouth
• Racing heartbeat
• Palpitations
• Shaking
• Slurred speech
• Urination problems
• Convulsions
• Hallucinations
• Memory loss
• Trouble breathing
• Staggering
• Trembling
• Headache
• Confusion
• Sore breast
• Milk secretion
• Irregular menstruation

See doctor with

• Abdominal cramps
• Blurred vision
• Dry mouth
• Racing heartbeat
• Palpitations
• Shaking
• Slurred speech
• Urination problems
• Convulsions
• Hallucinations
• Memory loss
• Trouble breathing
• Staggering
• Trembling
• Headache
• Confusion
• Sore breast
• Milk secretion
• Irregular menstruation

See doctor if severe

• Clumsiness
• Sleepiness

Get medical advice from NHS direct now

• Convulsions
• Hallucinations
• Memory loss
• Trouble breathing
• Staggering
• Trembling