Xanax is a powerful medication and you should always discuss the risks with your doctor who may adjust the dosage or advise alternative therapies for any other illnesses or conditions you have before you take Xanax.
As a general warning, you must not drink alcohol while you are taking Xanax. The mixture increases the risk that you will experience adverse side-effects. In any dose above 0.5mg, particularly when combined with small amounts of alcohol, Xanax can cause significant loss of alertness. You are likely to feel increasingly sleepy. It is therefore dangerous to drive a car or operate any machinery after taking this drug. In larger quantities, alcohol lowers your blood pressure and can decrease your breathing rate to the point of unconsciousness.
Special tests may be required to decide whether you should take Xanax and, if so, in what dosage if you have:
- narrow-angle glaucoma or myasthenia gravis;
- had a stroke;
- multiple sclerosis;
- Alzheimer's disease;
- a history of drug or alcohol abuse;
- a history of depression, mania or bipolar disorder — you should not take Xanax at all if you have had psychotic episodes;
- any thoughts of suicide or you have already made one or more suicide attempts;
- liver disease, particularly if alcohol related;
- kidney disease sufficiently severe to require you to be on dialysis;
- asthma, emphysema or any other problems affecting your breathing.
Finally, you should be aware of the following problems:
1. You must tell the doctor if you have ever had any allergic response to any of the benzodiazepines including Doral (quazepam), Halcion (triazolam), Librium (chlordiazepoxide), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Valium (diazepam).
2 The following drugs and medications represent a danger. You must get medical advice if you are already taking:
- an antifungal product such as Sporanox (itraconazole) or Nixoral (ketoconazole);
- any medication for arrhythmia such as Cordarone (amiodarone);
- antidepressants in the tricyclic class including Norpramin (desipramine);
- antihistamines;
- drugs for the treatment of gastric ulcers including Tagamet (cimetidine);
- medications for mental illness and seizures;
- oral contraceptives;
- any of the standard sedatives, sleeping pills or tranquillisers — the results can be fatal.
This is not a complete list of the drugs that can interact adversely with Xanax. You should protect yourself by giving your doctor a complete list of all the drugs, non-prescription medications, and health and herbal products that you are taking. Then, after starting to take Xanax, do not start to take any new medicine or products (even something as apparently innocent as vitamins) without first consulting your doctor.
3. If you are planning to become pregnant or are already pregnant, you are warned that Xanax can cause damage to your baby while in the womb resulting in birth defects affecting the lungs. Your baby may also be born addicted to Xanax. You should use an effective contraceptive while taking Xanax. If you do become pregnant while taking Xanax, do not stop taking the medication without first talking to your doctor. Further, do not take Xanax immediately after giving birth. It can pass into breast milk and threaten the health of your baby, causing lethargy and weight loss.
4. You should not give Xanax to anyone younger than eighteen years unless a doctor gives specific approval.
5. Older people who take Xanax and the other benzodiazepines find that the sedative effects last longer. It is not uncommon to lose your balance and fall. Take extra care when standing up or moving around. You should only take smaller doses and liaise closely with your doctor if you are over sixty years old.
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