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Alprazolam is an oral tablet that is available in the form of a generic drug in the United States. The brand name of Alprazolam is Xanax and is a bit higher in rate as compared to the generic version. This medication falls under the category of drugs that are called Benzodiazepines. Alprazolam is a short-acting drug that stays effective for a brief period of time.
Most commonly, Alprazolam is taken by patients suffering from anxiety or panic-related issues. It is a short-term treatment, especially for panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Apart from this, there can be other off-label uses of Alprazolam such as – chemotherapy-induced nausea along with other treatments.
How to Use Alprazolam?
This drug, Alprazolam, is used for managing the symptoms of anxiety and panic disorder. The work of the drug is to act on the nerves and the brain to help get relief from panic and anxiety that is occurring in the mind of a human. Alprazolam is responsible for producing a calming effect inside the brain that enhances the normal functioning of a human mind. This drug is used in accordance with increasing the effect of naturally occurring chemicals called GABA in the body.
What are the side effects of Alprazolam?
The category of drugs under which Alprazolam falls are termed as Benzodiazepines. They are highly effective, and being an effective drug; it will certainly have side effects on a person’s health. Thus, there can be some side effects of Alprazolam that may affect a person’s health.
List of side effects of Alprazolam are –
- Drowsiness
- Mild headache
- Blurry vision
- Memory problems
- Trouble in concentration
- Problem in sleeping
- Feeling lightheaded
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Mouth gets dry
- Increase or decrease in appetite
These are some of the mild side effects that may occur at times when a person is not using the drug as per the prescription. They will wear off in a few days without harming your system. In case if you see these side effects getting worse, inform the health expert, and then take the necessary steps that are needed to overcome the side effects.
What are the precautions that one should take prior to the intake of Alprazolam?
While you buy Alprazolam in order to get the drug delivered with feasibility, there are some precautionary measures that you need to take so that the side effects do not occur. Prevention is better than cure, i.e., taking precautions prior to the use of the drug is better than getting affected by the side effects of the drug.
Below are listed the precautions while taking Alprazolam –
- Do not take Alprazolam if you are using any other drug alongside the medication. Doing so will result in harmful side effects of the drug interaction.
- Always take Alprazolam as per the guidelines provided by a health expert. Taking Alprazolam without a prescription may affect your health and also result in an injurious risk to your physical and mental health.
- Alprazolam is a drug that can be habit-forming. Do not misuse it in any form. The drug can be addictive if taken for a longer time period.
- Do not overdose on Alprazolam as it can have deadly side effects on your health. Always follow the time and dose, as mentioned in the prescription.
- Alprazolam is also not advised to women who are pregnant as the content of the drug may get into the body of the unborn. Further, it will affect the health of a person.
- Alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited while using Alprazolam or any other drug. Interaction of drugs with alcohol may result in life-threatening issues. Alprazolam ought to be seen, increasing the effect of alcohol on a person’s mind.
Use Alprazolam to get relieved from Anxiety and Panic Disorder –
When a doctor prescribes you for the use of Alprazolam, it is mainly for the treatment of anxiety or panic issues. Usage of Alprazolam is only for a short while to treat the symptoms of anxiety or issues linked with depression or so. Anxiety is a disorder that occurs due to tension that causes stress in your day-to-day life.
Sometimes, people do not know if the symptoms that they are suffering through really need to be treated with a drug. Stress is a regular emotion that can take place in any person’s mind due to the lifestyle they have attained over time. Taking a drug like Alprazolam for stress or anxiety is not healthy. However, when these symptoms seem to be occurring on a regular basis, then you can take the drug after getting a consultation from your doctor.
Patients are advised to take Alprazolam for treating anxiety and panic-related disorder. Furthermore, taking Alprazolam, along with a prescription, is necessary for your health. People need to understand that Alprazolam can be harmful to their system if misused or overdosed. Using it as per the prescription will help you take the drug with maximum benefiting effects.
Alprazolam vs. Clonazepam –
Both Alprazolam and Clonazepam are categorized under Benzodiazepine medicines. They act as CNS depressants and are often taken to treat anxiety disorder and panic attacks. Clonazepam as well Xanax is equally effective on a person’s health and starts showing their effect within 30-60 mins. Working of a drug may differ from person to person depending on their metabolic rate and how fast their body reacts to the medication.
Talking in terms of comparison, Clonazepam stays effective in your system for a bit longer as compared to Xanax. It is concluded by calculating the half-life of both the drugs separately. For Xanax, the half-life lies between 6 to 25 hours. On the other hand, the half-life for Clonazepam is between 22 to 54 hours. Hence, the person who takes Clonazepam for anxiety or panic issue need not take the dose as frequently as Xanax is taken.