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.. SIDE EFFECTS. They may include the following: Reduced physical coordination; Slowed or labored breathing; Heart palpitations or chest pain; Stuffy nose; Blurred vision; Upset stomach or changes in bowel movements; Swelling of hands or feet Common side effects of Xanax include: ataxia, cognitive dysfunction, constipation, difficulty in micturition, drowsiness, dysarthria, fatigue, memory impairment, skin rash, weight gain, weight loss, anxiety, blurred vision, diarrhea, insomnia, decreased libido, increased appetite, and decreased appetite. 1. Because Xanax tends to cause balance problems, especially in older people, the drug increases the risk of falling and being injured. 5. O 0. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use. Side effects often occur at the beginning of therapy and will usually disappear when a person stops taking the medication. All rights reserved. They have a calming effect on the central nervous system (CNS). Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts. 4. What is Xanax or Alprazolam? Side effects and allergic reactions are relatively rare when the drug is used according to the prescription instructions. Alprazolam is prescribed to treat feelings of anxiety, restlessness, nervousness, and unease. Other side effects include: hypotension, sexual disorder, muscle twitching, and increased libido. How Long Does Coronavirus Live On Surfaces? Short-Term Physical Side Effects. Benzodiazepines treat symptoms of anxiety. The second is a situation that many people are familiar with, but not many have seen up close: overdose. The sedative effects of Xanax may last longer in older adults. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 7 Dec 2020), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Dec 2020), ASHP (updated 3 Dec 2020) and others. Along with its needed effects, alprazolam (the active ingredient contained in Xanax) may cause some unwanted effects. Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter, Altered Interest In Having Sexual Intercourse, A Type Of Abnormal Movement Disorder Called Dyskinesia, Inflammation Of The Skin Due To An Allergy, A Skin Disorder With Blistering And Peeling Skin Called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, A Type Of Allergic Reaction Called Angioedema, A Feeling Of General Discomfort Called Malaise, A Form Of Mania That Has A Lower Severity Of Symptoms, A Type Of Speech Disorder Called Dysarthria, An Inability To Completely Empty The Bladder, An Increased Interest In Having Sexual Intercourse, Breastmilk Production Not Associated With Childbirth Or Nursing, Depersonalization, A Disconnection Of One's Own Sense Of Reality Or Identity, Fluid Retention In The Legs, Feet, Arms Or Hands. If you take the medicine and then drink alcohol, you … Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. Issues with attention span and memory are serious long-term side effects when using Xanax. If experienced, these tend to have a Severe expression 1. Some of the sedation and tiredness may improve within a few days. Short term side effects of Xanax: The short term Xanax side effects are often beneficial for an individual as the feeling of anxiety and depression is gone and person feels better. Elderly people tend to become more sleepy than younger people when they take Xanax. Side effects to XANAX Tablets, if they occur, are generally observed at the beginning of therapy and usually disappear upon continued medication. Some side effects may not be reported. 2. Due to concerns about misuse, some do not recommend alprazolam as an initial treatment for panic disorder. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that withdrawal from alcohol or drugs can cause seizures; this is a condition separate from epilepsy and other seizure disorders, although all seizure disorders share some similarities. Available for Android and iOS devices. These side effects include a change in libido (sexual desire) and erectile dysfunction in men. Last updated on Jan 29, 2020. The most common side effects associated with Xanax are sleepiness, dizziness, forgetfulness, difficulty waking, blurry vision and loss of interest in sex. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. When a person takes Xanax for a long period of time, changes occur in their brain chemistry, and they can’t function normally without the drug. Perhaps the most deadly side effects of long-term Xanax use and abuse are seizures. The only safe way to quit is to slowly taper down your dose under the dir… Trouble Breathing If experienced, these tend to have a Less Severe expression 1. Agitation 3. changes in patterns and rhythms of speech, unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination, confusion about identity, place, and time, increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid, seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there, twitching, twisting, or uncontrolled repetitive movements of the tongue, lips, face, arms, or legs, uncontrolled twisting movements of the neck, trunk, arms, or legs, unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness, continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears, fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse, generalized slowing of mental and physical activity, numbness of the feet, hands, and around mouth, shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet, talking, feeling, and acting with excitement, Absent, missed, or irregular menstrual periods, decreased sexual performance or desire abnormal ejaculation, difficulty having a bowel movement (stool), increased in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance, loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance, blistering, crusting, irritation, itching, or reddening of the skin, change in taste bad unusual or unpleasant (after) taste, redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest, bigger, dilated, or enlarged pupils (black part of the eye), feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings, increased sensitivity of the eyes to sunlight, Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, red skin lesions, often with a purple center, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, swelling of the breasts or breast soreness in both females and males, unexpected or excess milk flow from the breasts. Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. Mixing Xanax with alcohol – another central nervous system depressant – can lead to slowed or difficult breathing or liver damage, and places the user at an increased risk for overdose.15 2. Diarrhea 9. Abrupt discontinuation of Xanax after prolonged use can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia , headaches , nausea , vomiting , lightheadedness , sweating , anxiety , fatigue , and in severe cases, seizures . "Product Information. Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Seizures can result in brain damage or death if they occur repeatedly or for last a long period of time. Long-term Effects of Alprazolam. "Product Information. Feeling Anxious 12. [Ref], Very common (10% or more): Sedation (up to 77%), drowsiness (up to 76.8%), impaired coordination (up to 40.1%), memory impairment (up to 33.1%), dizziness (up to 29.8%), lightheadedness (up to 29.8%), headache (up to 29.2%), cognitive disorder (up to 29%), dysarthria (up to 23.3%), abnormal voluntary movement (up to 17.3%), Common (1% to 10%): Abnormal coordination, akathisia, ataxia, attention disturbance, balance disorder, hypersomnia, lethargy, paresthesia, somnolence, syncope, tremor, vasomotor disturbances, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Amnesia, autonomic manifestations, coordination disorders, intellectual impairment, stimulation, Frequency not reported: Concentration difficulties, convulsions, dystonia, loss of coordination, seizures, sleepiness, slurred speech, taste alterations, transient amnesia, withdrawal seizures, Postmarketing reports: Autonomic nervous system imbalance, psychomotor hyperactivity, Very common (10% or more): Sedation (up to 45.2%), tremor (up to 28.2%), headache (up to 26.5%), somnolence (up to 23%), memory impairment (up to 15.4%), dysarthria (up to 10.9%), Common (1% to 10%): Abnormal coordination, ataxia, balance impaired, disturbance in attention, dizziness, dyskinesia, hypersomnia, hypoesthesia, lethargy, mental impairment, paresthesia, vertigo, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Amnesia, clumsiness, depressed level of consciousness, hangover, hypotonia, stupor, syncope, Frequency not reported: Stimulation, withdrawal seizures[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Fatigue and tiredness (up to 49%), Common (1% to 10%): Feeling warm, tinnitus, weakness, Frequency not reported: Rebound phenomena, Very common (10% or more): Fatigue (up to 13.9%), Common (1% to 10%): Malaise, road traffic accident, weakness, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Asthenia, ear pain, fall, feeling drunk, feeling hot and cold, feeling jittery, feeling of relaxation, increased energy, loss of control of legs, pyrexia, rigors, sluggishness, tinnitus, Frequency not reported: Paradoxical reactions[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Irritability (up to 33.1%), insomnia (up to 29.5%), anxiety (up to 19.2%), decreased libido (up to 14%), depression (up to 13.9%), confusional state (up to 10.4%), Common (1% to 10%): Agitation, change in libido (not specified), confusion, derealization, disinhibition, disorientation, dream abnormalities, fear, increased libido, nervousness, talkativeness, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Adverse behavioral effects, altered mood, concentration difficulties, hallucinations, Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Hypomania, mania, other adverse behavioral effects, Frequency not reported: Abuse, aggressive or hostile behavior, aggressiveness/aggression, anterograde amnesia, delusion, depersonalization, dysphoria/mild dysphoria, hostility, inappropriate behavior, intrusive thoughts, nightmares, physical dependence, primary/secondary major depressive disorders, psychic dependence, psychoses, rage, restlessness, suicide, withdrawal symptoms, Postmarketing reports: Abnormal thinking, anger, libido disorder, Very common (10% or more): Insomnia (up to 24.2%), nervousness (up to 21.8%), depression (up to 12.1%), Common (1% to 10%): Agitation, anxiety, confusion, depersonalization, depressed mood, derealization, disorientation, irritability, libido decreased/increased, nightmare, restlessness, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Abnormal dreams, aggression, anger, apathy, bradyphrenia, euphoric mood, hallucination, homicidal ideation, hypomania, impulse control, logorrhea, mania, mood swings, psychomotor retardation, sleep talking, suicidal ideation, Frequency not reported: Adverse behavioral effects, aggressive/hostile behavior, hostility, intrusive thoughts, other adverse behavioral effects, sleep disturbances, rage, withdrawal syndrome[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Decreased salivation (up to 32.8%), constipation (up to 26.2%), nausea (up to 22%), vomiting (up to 22%), diarrhea (up to 20.6%), abdominal distress (up to 18.3%), dry mouth (up to 15%), Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Gastrointestinal symptoms/various gastrointestinal symptoms, Postmarketing reports: Gastrointestinal disorder, Very common (10% or more): Diarrhea (up to 12.1%), dry mouth (up to 10.2%), Common (1% to 10%): Abdominal pain, constipation, dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dysphagia, salivary hypersecretion, Postmarketing reports: Gastrointestinal disorder[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Increased appetite (up to 33%), decreased appetite (up to 28%), weight gain (up to 27%), weight loss (up to 23%), Common (1% to 10%): Anorexia, appetite decreased/increased, weight decreased/increased, Very common (10% or more): Tachycardia (up to 15.4%), chest pain (up to 10.6%), Common (1% to 10%): Edema, hypotension, palpitations, Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain, hot flush, palpitations, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Chest tightness, edema, hypotension, sinus tachycardia, Postmarketing reports: Peripheral edema[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Micturition difficulties (up to 12.2%), menstrual disorders (up to 10.4%), Common (1% to 10%): Incontinence, sexual dysfunction, Frequency not reported: Menstrual irregularities, urinary retention, Common (1% to 10%): Difficulty in micturition, dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome, sexual dysfunction, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Urinary frequency, urinary incontinence, Very common (10% or more): Sweating (up to 15.1%), rash (up to 11%), Postmarketing reports: Photosensitivity reaction, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Common (1% to 10%): Pruritus, sweating increased, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Clamminess, rash, urticaria, Postmarketing reports: Stevens-Johnson syndrome[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Nasal congestion (up to 17.4%), Common (1% to 10%): Hyperventilation, upper respiratory tract infection, Common (1% to 10%): Allergic rhinitis, dyspnea, hyperventilation, nasal congestion, pharyngolaryngeal pain, upper respiratory tract infections, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Choking sensation, dysphonia, epistaxis, rhinorrhea, sleep apnea syndrome[Ref], Very common (10% or more): Blurred vision (up to 21%), Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Increased intraocular pressure, Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Mydriasis, photophobia[Ref], Common (1% to 10%): Muscle stiffness, muscle tone disorders, muscular cramps, muscular twitching, rigidity, Frequency not reported: Musculoskeletal weakness, Common (1% to 10%): Arthralgia, back pain, muscle cramps, muscle twitching, myalgia, pain in limb, Frequency not reported: Increased muscle spasticity[Ref], Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Abnormal hepatic function tests, jaundice, Frequency not reported: Elevated bilirubin, elevated hepatic enzymes, Postmarketing reports: Hepatic failure, hepatitis, Postmarketing reports: Hepatic failure, hepatitis, liver enzyme elevations[Ref], Postmarketing reports: Gynecomastia, hyperprolactinemia, Postmarketing reports: Gynecomastia, hyperprolactinemia[Ref]. 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