Alprazolam

Alprazolam is a drug often used for the treatment of a wide range of conditions such as panic attacks and anxiety disorder. Any medical conditions you have or used to have are also supposed to be communicated to your doctor, as your dose may need to be adjusted or some other changes will have to be made to your treatment schedule. The following ones are especially important to mention: lung disease, glaucoma, kidney disease, depression, and liver disease. Your doctor is also supposed to know as much as possible about the drugs you are taking at the moment, as interactions have been reported. Drug interactions should be avoided as they may affect the success of your treatment and make alprazolam less effective. The following medications are known to cause interactions and should be discussed with your health care provider in advance: sertraline, medications for mental illness, isoniazid, nifedipine, cyclosporine, diltiazem, nicardipine, oral contraceptives, amiodarone, propoxyphene, ergotamine, cimetidine, erythromycin, antifungals, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antihistamines, seizure medications, clarithromycin, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, sedatives, and antidepressants. Alprazolam is generally very well tolerated with just a few side effects likely to occur at the beginning of the treatment, such as tiredness, drowsiness, dry mouth, difficulty urinating, weight changes, irritability, changes in appetite, light-headedness, changes in sex drive, and talkativeness. You also need to know about the possibility of more serious side effects. They occur only in a small number of people but need to be reported to your health care provider as soon as possible. The following serious side effects have been reported so far: problems with coordination, severe skin rash, confusion, hallucinations, memory problems, yellowing of the skin or eyes, and seizures. This medicine has been reported to form an addiction in some people taking it. The risk is higher if you already have a history of drug or alcohol addiction. Withdrawal symptoms are possible if you suddenly stop taking alprazolam. The following ones are possible but can be avoided if you stop taking alprazolam gradually after talking to your health care provider: irritability, sleeplessness, anxiousness, and seizures. Talk to your health care provider if you think you have contraindications for taking this medicine to see which options there are for you.