Get Informed: Xanax
Active Ingredient(s)
Alprazolam
What does it do?
This product is primarily used for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorders. It is a benzodiazepine medication, and works at multiple sites in the brain.
- Last Text Update:
- 2010-Mar-20 7:50 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2010-Mar-19 9:03 PM
Other Names
- Xanax
- Alprazolam
- Xanax XR
- Niravam
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- D
- Black Box Warning:
- No
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 16 Oct 1981
- Est US Patients*
- 5,232,000
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Xanax or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Recent alerts for Xanax
There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Xanax during the past year.
Xanax Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
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What is Xanax used for?
iGuard is currently tracking more than 34,800 patients that use Xanax (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety | 90% | 
|
| Insomnia | 19% | 
|
| Depression | 17% |
|
| High Blood Pressure | 3% |
|
| Bipolar Disorder | 2% | 
|
| Other | 4% |
|
How well does Xanax work?
iGuard regularly polls our more than 34,800 users taking Xanax (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 85%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Xanax outweigh the bad things.
- 10%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Xanax.
Common Side Effects of Xanax
iGuard regularly polls our more than 34,800 users taking Xanax (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
26% of patients experience side-effects on Xanax
5% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Xanax
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Drowsiness
-
Grogginess/Confusion
-
Fatigue
-
Memory/Speech Problems
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Constipation, Dizziness, Dryness, Headache, Loss of Libido, Mood/Behavior Changes, Nausea/Vomiting, Palpitations, Restlessness, Weight Gain, Withdrawal Problems
Global Patient Feedback for Xanax (Alprazolam) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I couldn't turn my mind off at night. I got very little sleep. Alprazolam works! I take only 1/2 a pill (.25mg) about an 1/2 hr before I go to bed. It works. I take it almost every night. I haven't had this kind of sleep in years. I do not wake up drowzy or have the hung over feeling like I got from sleeping pills.
65 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-20 22:05:13
Question/Comment:
I made a mistake and am not on xanax - I am on Zantac for my stomach which helps the IBS
74 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-12 11:05:07
Answer/Reply:
I HAVE ANXIETY, I HAVE BEE ON XANAX SINCE 30 YEARS. IT SAVED MY LIFE. I DO NOT GET REAL DROWSEY. AFTER YOUR ON IT FOR A MONTH OR TWO THE SLEEPINESS WHERE'S OFF. IT ALSO HELPS MY ACID REFLUX BETTER THEN THE PURPLE PILL, WHICH THE DOCTOR SAYS MEANS IT'S MORE STRESS THAT'S CAUSING REFLUX AND IBS. I HAD A ENDOSCOPY AND I LOOK GOOD IN MY WHOLE STOMACH AREA.
53 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-12 13:40:39
Question/Comment:
I take .5 of xanax(well the generic) and have been taking it for about 3 years. I have noticed that my anxiety has gotten worse. I went from taking one pill once or twice a week to one or two a day or every other day. I am worried about dependence. I am not taking them for fun, I have panic attacks so severe I can't function at work. Does this sound like I am becoming dependent? Or just that my anxiety is worsening? I am a little concerned....
29 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-11 15:31:34
Answer/Reply:
I have been taking Xanax for about 6 years now. I have severe panic attacks and I have went through what you are going through. Sometimes I may go a week or two or even three without anything and then I may have to take 1-2 pills for two or three weeks (daily). You may want to talk to your doctor because I am not one but I do believe (after talking to my doctor) that it is just the nature of the beast. You will have good times and bad when it comes to the panic attacks and it seems like it doesnt matter what is going on around you. I have had really stressful times (like now) where I would think I would be taking pills daily and am not. Then there are really good times (like when I went on a much needed date with my husband) and ended up in the ER because the panic attack was coming in waves for about an hour and a half and nothing was helping. I really do not think these things are predictable enough (even for doctors) for them to know exactally what or why.
37 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-12 15:38:43
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Dependence does not typically develop when the medication is being taken for a legitimate reason. You probably need to make an appointment with your physician to evaluate your current medication therapy. Your doctor may want to prescribe a medication that you take daily, such as Prozac or Zoloft, that will help with anxiety. There are other methods to get anxiety under control, such as deep breathing and relaxation techniques. Exercise can do wonders for anxiety and so can getting enough sleep. Do not start a new exercise routine without discussing it with your physician first. It would be a good idea to speak with your doctor to talk about additional medications or alternative treatments.
Posted: 2010-02-17 12:15:52
Answer/Reply:
Thanks for the comments. I did talk to my doctor and he prescribed me 100mg of Zoloft which I am going to begin taking once daily. Hopefully this will reduce and eventually eliminate my need for the Xanax. Here's hoping!
29 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-24 11:52:42
Answer/Reply:
I had terrible panic attacks! They were so severe I thought I was literally dying. I would take a Xanax and wait for it to hit which was usually about an hour of what I called "riding the roller coaster from hell". If I was in a hurry or had just eaten I would dissolve the Xanax in warm ater and drink it down to get faster results. I am dependent on Xanax and half increade and decreased the dosage over the years. I am prescribed 3 twomg bars a day but now only take one at night for sleep. My panis attacks have been one for many years and I feel that Xanax has saved my life. The dependency is worth the trade off fo me.
57 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-19 10:11:43
Question/Comment:
I presently take 0.5 mg of Xanax three times a day OR as needed. I think it works very well. I normally take it in the evening and it helps me get a more restful sleep at night. If I happen to get worked up over something during the day, I will take a pill and within 10 to 15 minutes, I feel much more calm.
35 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-01-30 01:45:15
Answer/Reply:
I used to take Xanax for anxiety as needed as well. I used 2.5 mg because I'm very small. However, it made me really drowsy so I cut them in half. Never had any addiction problems, in fact, I so rarely took them that a 30-day script would last for several months. I got off them because of that several years ago. However, since I've been suffering from lack of sleep lately from my latest manic episode (I stay up all night, and maybe get 1-2 hours sleep) my new pdoc started me back on Xanax .5 just to sleep. The first night I slept, but was so groggy for the whole rest of the next day that I never took it again. So if I do take it again, I think I will cut it in half like I used to. (Part of the problem is that I get a lot done when I'm up all night, so I hate to sleep, which is something different altogether.) Just saying I had no problem with Xanax except grogginess, and that's probably because I took too much (I only weigh 93 pounds).
53 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-11 11:22:23
Answer/Reply:
I was prescribed Xanax 0.25 mg. several years ago for sleep related to "hot flashes" at night, can not take any HT because of breast cancer in my family. Three years ago I had to have a heart valve replaced, my MD increased RX to .5 mg which has helped me rest at night. I take it 30 min. to 1 hr before bed time.
62 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-14 20:25:56
Answer/Reply:
A 2.5mg dose is relatively high. I use 1mg XR Xanax 3x a day and is s high as I will go without side effects notably, drowsyness.If you think 2.5mg is a low dose, you are misinformed.
48 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-02 13:58:18
Answer/Reply:
A 2.5mg dose is pretty high.I think that is the issue you have.
48 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-02 14:00:17
Answer/Reply:
At 2.5mg, you are taking a pretty high dose.I take 2mg Xanax XR daily and I am a big man, and it can put me to sleep. If you are small and that dose is not helpful, I suggest you consult with your physician.
48 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-05 19:07:06
Question/Comment:
my current Dr refuses to put me on Xanax. I was prescribed .5mg 3x a day as needed and it worked wonders. I moved to a different state and this Dr won't prescribe it to me. He doubled my dosage of Cymbalta 60 mg 2x a day and added Ativan to it 3x a day. when that 10 prescription was out, he would not refill until i was seen again. I went to be seen and he took me off of the Ativan and put me on generic Elavil(amitriptyline)10 mg 3x a day and this does NOTHING for me. Anyone have a suggestion of how to get my Xanax back?
31 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-01-26 17:59:27
Answer/Reply:
You need switch doctors until you find one that will listen to 'you'...because after all..NO ONE know you better than yourself.
57 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-01-28 11:10:31
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Explain to your current doctor how well you did while taking Xanax. Be very specific in how describing what you have liked and not like about the Ativan and Elavil. Because Xanax is a controlled substance and addicting, it takes time to build trust with some doctors. If you explain specifically what helped with the Xanax compared to the others, it may help. You can also consider changing doctors again, but you may run into the same issue of needing to build trust.
Posted: 2010-01-31 15:21:46
Answer/Reply:
NEW DOCTOR!!!! What a jerk! It's not unusual to have to try a few doctors before finding a good match. Tell him he lost your business, bye bye.
45 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-02 09:01:56
Answer/Reply:
DO NOT get on xanax - I have been on it for 18 years - I cannot get off of it - I took 1 mg am and pm - I am now down to .25 mg am and pm - but so totally hooked on it - I cannot get off of it. Now at only .25 mg - I cannot think, have numbness, still have anxiety, balance is off, just so many reactions from getting off of it. I have been told it "eats away your brain cells". I do believe this as I can't remember "short term" things - I am now filing for SS Disability - it works great - but
61 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-02 12:23:43
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Patient Comments about
Xanax