Other symptoms may include abdominal cramping, bloating, or whitish mucus in your stool. You also may feel like you haven’t finished a bowel movement. As the acute withdrawal phase subsides, individuals may enter the protracted withdrawal phase, which can last for months or even years. During this stage, symptoms may be less severe but can persist for an extended period. Common symptoms during the protracted withdrawal phase include anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating. Benzo withdrawal can manifest in a wide range of symptoms, both physical and psychological.
FAQs about side effects of Xanax
Tapentadol may also be easier on your intestines than oxycodone. They’re the same meds that anyone with constipation might use. Your doctor may suggest you take one before you even have the problem to prevent it. Benzodiazepines can pose a threat without you ever knowing it. Taking precautions is one of the best ways to protect yourself from unknowingly taking these drugs.
More about alprazolam
To reduce your risk of dependence and withdrawal symptoms, your doctor will lower your dose of Xanax slowly when stopping it. How slowly your dosage will be lowered and when you can stop Xanax depends on how you react alcohol and aging effects to dosage changes. If withdrawal symptoms appear, your doctor will slow down your taper of the drug. Overdoses can occur when taking Xanax alone, but they commonly occur when people combine Xanax with alcohol.
Alcohol use and Xanax
You can reach out to your doctor or pharmacist if you have additional questions. You should take Xanax with Adderall only if your doctor has prescribed them. 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.
This process can help minimize the severity of withdrawal effects. If you have experienced these or any other concerning side effects as a result of withdrawing from Xanax, seek medical attention right away. Side effects to Xanax Tablets, if they occur, are generally observed at the beginning of therapy and usually disappear upon continued medication. In the usual patient, the most frequent side effects are likely to be an extension of the pharmacological activity of alprazolam, eg, drowsiness or lightheadedness.
Taking Xanax with food
Xanax is FDA-approved to treat panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, in adults. The half-life of a drug is the length of time it takes for half a dose of the drug to be removed from your body. It typically takes between four and five half-lives for a drug to fully leave your system. Yes, it’s typically safe to take a mild pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), while you’re taking Xanax.
The onset of withdrawal symptoms typically begins between 2 and 24 hours after cessation of benzodiazepines. Their severity can depend on numerous factors, such as the duration of use and the specific benzodiazepine medication involved. Constipation is more common in adults over age 65 who take medication to treat psychiatric disorders. This side effect occurs because alprazolam suppresses the production of natural fluids in the intestines that help with digestion and bowel movements. A recent study found that alprazolam was an effective treatment for both GAD and IBS. Patients had a significant reduction in symptoms of both conditions.
Benzodiazepines such as Xanax are included in guidelines for managing GAD. The drugs are recommended for short-term treatment to help ease anxiety symptoms. It’s typically used to help ease the symptoms of anxiety while other treatments for GAD, such as how does increased alcohol tolerance affect a person antidepressants, are taking effect. Adderall is a stimulant medication that’s prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Doctors may sometimes prescribe Xanax with Adderall for people with ADHD who also have anxiety.
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. If you’ve had problems with drug or alcohol misuse or addiction in the past, you may have an increased risk of these problems with Xanax. Your doctor will assess your risk of misuse and addiction before determining whether Xanax is right for you.
The psychological aspect often involves problems with concentration, which can exacerbate the distress caused by the physical symptoms. Other than constipation, Xanax can also cause digestive system side effects such as nausea and changes in appetite. Xanax does not react with laxatives and thus can be taken when you have Xanax-induced constipation. However, you can combine a laxative with natural ways of treating constipation discussed above. You can manage Xanax-induced constipation by using laxatives such as stimulant laxatives (sennosides) or stool softeners like docusate sodium. Stimulant laxatives work by causing the colon to empty more frequently.
That’s because some medications may interact with benzodiazepines or worsen withdrawal symptoms. Non-pharmacological strategies such as hydration, gentle exercise, and stress-reduction techniques are also recommended to support the body’s recovery during withdrawal. That means healthcare professionals rely on patient history and symptom presentation rather than specific laboratory tests.
Xanax is not known to interact with amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall). However, taking these medications together may not be safe. The active drug in Xanax is alprazolam, while the active drug adult children of alcoholics in Ativan is lorazepam. Then they’ll adjust it over time to reach the amount that’s right for you. Your doctor will ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect.
- Non-pharmacological strategies such as hydration, gentle exercise, and stress-reduction techniques are also recommended to support the body’s recovery during withdrawal.
- You may have another issue like IBS that requires treatment.
- In some situations, death has been reported in people who had severe lung conditions and took Xanax.
- Clinicians also prescribe it off-label to treat depression.
Yes, a side effect of Xanax is sleepiness, which can occur even with typical doses. To prevent excessive sleepiness, be sure to take Xanax exactly as your doctor prescribes. They may recommend that you avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how this drug affects your body. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And do not stop taking Xanax unless your doctor recommends it.
However, the use of flumazenil must be carefully considered due to the risk of precipitating withdrawal symptoms or seizures. Recognition of the condition is vital for proper management, as abrupt cessation of benzodiazepines can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms. A structured tapering plan under medical supervision can mitigate these psychological symptoms and ensure a safer withdrawal process. The prevalence of benzodiazepine prescriptions has led to a greater incidence of benzo belly among individuals attempting to discontinue use.
These symptoms result from the body’s adjustment to the absence of the benzodiazepine medication and the brain’s attempt to reestablish normal neurotransmitter function. Withdrawal symptoms often include gastrointestinal disturbances such as constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating. These symptoms can adversely affect the gut microbiome and lead to long-term digestive issues.
If you have depression, taking Xanax may worsen the condition or cause hypomania or mania. Before you start Xanax treatment, let your medical professional know if you have depression. Xanax may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. It’s important to talk with your medical professional about your health history before you take Xanax. While you take Xanax, you may want to write down information about any side effects you develop.