What Happens If I Overdose
Symptoms of a Xanax overdose include:
- antifungal medications, such as miconazole or voriconazole
- antidepressants, such as fluoxetine or nefazodone
- some barbiturates
- some seizure medications
This list is not complete, and other drugs may interact with Xanax. A person should tell their doctor about all the medications they use. This includes prescription, OTC, vitamin, and herbal products.
People should not start a new medication without telling their doctor.
It is important to taper off Xanax gradually. Otherwise, there is a risk of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome.
Tapering & Treatment Medications
Withdrawal can be safely controlled and side effects reduced with a slow and controlled tapering schedule set up by a professional. By gradually lowering the amount of Xanax taken over a safe period of time, the more severe withdrawal symptoms may be largely avoided. At times, a longer-acting benzodiazepine, like Valium , may be substituted for Xanax during detox. By keeping a small amount of a benzo in the bloodstream, drug cravings and withdrawal may be controlled for a period of time until the drug is weaned out of the system completely. Adjunct medications like antidepressants, beta-blockers, or other pharmaceuticals may be effective in treating specific symptoms of Xanax withdrawal.
Professionals tend to agree that the best and safest way to conduct benzodiazepine detoxification is through a combination of psychological support and gradual dose tapering, the journal Current Opinions in Psychiatry states. Therapy sessions that include stress management techniques and relapse prevention tools may be helpful, preceding the initial physical detox from Xanax. For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, assists individuals to find the link between their thoughts and actions and work to make them more positive in nature.
An individual may notice a change in appetite and weight loss during Xanax withdrawal as well, making eating healthy and balanced meals during detox especially important.
Clinical Contributors To This Story
Sarah L. Timmapuri, M.D. contributes to topics such as Cardiac / Heart Health, Exercise / Fitness.
If your heart is racing as youre sitting reading this article, its possible your body is trying to tell you something. A high resting heart rate, or a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute, means your heart is working extra hard to pump blood through your body. And, that extra effort could result in a wide range of negative effects on your overall health, including feelings of dizziness and fatigue and most seriously blood clots, heart failure and, in rare cases, sudden death.
Normal resting heart rate is anywhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute, and its simple to check how fast yours is beating. While idle, hold your pointer and middle finger between your bone and tendon on the thumb side on your wrist until you feel your pulse, and count the number of beats for a minute that is your resting heart rate.
Certain aspects of someones resting heart rate are directly connected to uncontrollable factors, such as age and genetics, however there are certain actions that be taken to help decrease heart rate and improve overall wellbeing for those whose resting heart rate is above normal.
Here are six proven ways to lower your resting heart rate:
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Medical Detox For Xanax Dependence
Since Xanax withdrawal can be difficult and even dangerous without proper care,;medical detox is the optimal choice. During medical detox, an individual will likely stay in a specialty facility for an average of;5-7 days. Depending on the person and their specific circumstances, detox may be slightly longer or shorter in duration.
Vital signs can be closely monitored during medical detox, and;trained professionals;can ensure that the person remains safe and comfortable. As with all benzodiazepine, a tapered approach is usually employed for Xanax withdrawal. Since Xanax is short-acting benzodiazepine, it may be replaced with a longer-acting one during this tapering process. The;World Health Organization; publishes that diazepam is often used during benzodiazepine detox for this purpose. During a taper, the drug dosage is slowly and safely lowered over a set amount of time, in a secure and closely monitored environment, to keep withdrawal symptoms from being as significant.
Once the physical side effects of Xanax withdrawal are managed during medical detox, the psychological symptoms that may linger a little longer can then be addressed. Medications and therapies as part of a comprehensive substance abuse treatment program directly following detox are the optimal course of action.
Concurrent Alcohol And Hydrocodone Abuse
The Problem of Alcohol and Hydrocodone Abuse Both alcohol and hydrocodone are relatively safe when used appropriately and in moderation. When used excessively or when combined, these substances can create volatile and unpredictable outcomes. Alcohol …
Slowed heart rate. SlowedSlowed
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The Risks And Symptoms Of Withdrawal
The addiction symptoms caused by suddenly stopping benzodiazepine medications are usually difficult to manage. Withdrawal symptoms are often indicators of;drug tolerance and dependence on the drug.;
When you discontinue taking Xanax, you might experience a rebound effect since it works by suppressing anxiety and panic. This means your brain might attempt to restore balance, and the old feelings may respond with an act of revenge.
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors may also be a condition of benzodiazepine withdrawal, as withdrawal from Xanax can result in intense distress, fear, despair, cognitive difficulties, and sleeplessness. Several of these patients also experience physical symptoms like tremblings, uncontrolled movements of the eyes, sweating, abnormal pulses, nausea, decreased appetite, headaches, and diminished reflexes.
Medical professionals should manage benzodiazepine withdrawal and reduce withdrawal symptoms by tapering off the drug in a controlled and gradual manner. Permanently longer-acting benzodiazepines may be used in specialized detox facilities with 24-hour medical monitoring and care provided by consulting physicians.
Best Ways To Use Xanax
Before you begin taking alprazolam, make sure you read over the medication guide provided by your pharmacist. If you have any enigmas, make sure you ask your physician or pharmacist.
The dosage for this Xanax medicine will depend on the severity of your therapeutic health, age, and how well your body responds to the medication. Your physician may gradually increase the dose until it begins to work well. Follow the directions provided through your physician carefully so side effects can be reduced.
In severe cases, a patient might experience withdrawal manifestations including seizures, so your doctor may slowly reduce your dose to prevent them. A person is most probably experience withdrawal if he or she has taken alprazolam frequently or in large quantities. If you experience withdrawal symptoms, let your physician know on the spot.
Even though it helps many people, the drug can sometimes cause addiction. This risk may be higher if you have a substance use disorder . Follow the directions on your prescription bottle precisely to reduce addiction risk.
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How Does Xanax Work
Xanax along with Valium and Ativan is part of a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, or benzos, a group of medicines that produce a state of calm in users.
There are around 13 types of benzos that are approved for use as prescription medications by the FDA. Some are prescribed to treat anxiety disorders, but they can also be used for other conditions like seizures, panic disorder and alcohol withdrawal.
Benzos arent designed as a long-term treatment option. Instead, these medications are prescribed and intended for short-term use for acute symptoms, such as rapid-onset anxiety or panic attacks. This is because tolerance develops with long-term use, meaning that a person needs higher and higher doses to achieve the same effects.
Risk Of Overdose With Xanax
Theres a risk of overdosing on Xanax. This is especially true in those who combine benzos like Xanax with other substances like opioid pain relievers or alcohol. The FDA has a Black Box Warning about using benzos and opioids together for this reason.
Since substances like alcohol also act as depressants of the central nervous system, benzos and alcohol can slow the bodys essential functions so much that the person goes into a coma or dies from an overdose.
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Xanax Withdrawal: Physical And Psychological Symptoms
Depending upon the user, weaning off medications can be a tricky process. As a drug is used more and more, the body becomes more reliant on the drug, which can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms when the drug is no longer present. To better understand the effects of Xanax withdrawal, learning about the drug itself is critical.
When Xanax Is Used Recreationally How Does It Feel
It is commonly believed that during the first few hours following the first shot, Xanax will make you feel relaxed and calm. Xanax customers report feeling more relaxed, calm, and tired than they would if they took other marijuana, cocaine, or liquor. You might pass out for hours as a result of these feelings. A higher dose is likely to have stronger effects. Those who have blacked out or lost memory of what happened reported that they forgot what happened for several hours.
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What Are The Drugs That Interact With Beta Blockers And Xanax
Beta blockers
- Combining propranolol or pindolol with thioridazine or chlorpromazine may result in low blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms because the drugs interfere with each other’s elimination and result in increased levels of the drugs.
- Dangerous elevations in blood pressure may occur when clonidine is combined with a beta blocker, or when clonidine or beta blocker is discontinued after their concurrent use. Blood pressure should be closely monitored after initiation or discontinuation of clonidine or a beta blocker when they have been used together.
- Phenobarbital and similar agents may increase the breakdown and reduce blood levels of propanolol or metoprolol . This may reduce effectiveness of the beta blocker.
- Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may counteract the blood pressure reducing effects of beta blockers by reducing the effects of prostaglandins, which play a role in control of blood pressure.
- Beta blockers may prolong hypoglycemia and mask symptoms of hypoglycemia in diabetics who are taking insulin or other diabetic medications.
Xanax
Art Music Or Another Creative Activity
Want an excuse to make a mess or turn up your favorite music? A 2015 study that compared participants cortisol levels before and after 45 minutes of art-making recorded improvements occurred in three-fourths of them.
The participants in this study worked with paper, pens, and modeling clay, but I wouldnt worry too much about which type of art you focus on. Music, photography, model-building, wood carving, writingjust do something creative. Interestingly, the strategy was especially effective in younger people, so if youre a parent who struggles with helping a child relax, you may want to try this as a way of rerouting their energy.
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The Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol And Xanax
Both alcohol and Xanax have individual sets of side effects that impact an individuals behavior and mental state. Because of this, the two should never be used together as it can cause life-threatening consequences. When used with alcohol, the introduction of Xanax to ones body can cause ones heart to stop beating, hamper neural activity, or slow your breathing to the point of respiratory failure, permanent brain injury, coma, or death. It also increases the likelihood of a Xanax overdose, which can lead to respiratory depression, seizures, and potentially even death. An abundance of Xanax and alcohol can relax and slow body functions to the point that the users heart stops beating or they stop breathing, again resulting in a coma or death.
How To Lower The Heart Rate
Practicing meditation or yoga may help to lower the heart rate.
If the heart rate is suddenly spiking in response to issues such as emotional stress or environmental factors, addressing the cause is the best way to reduce the heart rate.
Ways to reduce sudden changes in heart rate include:
- practicing deep or guided breathing techniques, such as box breathing
- relaxing and trying to remain calm
- going for a walk, ideally away from an urban environment
- having a warm, relaxing bath or shower
- practice stretching and relaxation exercises, such as yoga
Many lifestyle habits can contribute to lower the resting heart rate in the long term.
They may also improve a persons ability to maintain a healthy heart rate during physical activity and stress.
The following tips may help to lower the heart rate in the long term:
1. Exercise: The easiest and most effective way to achieve a lasting lower heart rate is to do regular exercise.
2. Stay hydrated: When the body is dehydrated, the heart has to work harder to stabilize blood flow. Throughout the day, drink plenty of sugar- and caffeine-free beverages, such as water and herbal tea.
3. Limit intake of stimulants, such as caffeine and nicotine: Stimulants can cause dehydration, increasing the hearts workload.
4. Limit alcohol intake: Most forms of alcohol dehydrate the body. Alcohol is also a toxin, and the body must work harder to process and remove it.
Heart-healthy nutrients include:
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What Are Beta Blockers And Xanax
Beta blockers are drugs that block the effects of stress hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine . These hormones are what cause the physical symptoms of anxiety and blocking them reduces these effects, helping control some of the physical symptoms of anxiety.
Xanax is an anti-anxiety medication in the benzodiazepine family, similar to diazepam , clonazepam , lorazepam , and others. Xanax acts to enhance the effects of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain, reducing the stress response and helping the body relax.
What About People With Previous Blood Pressure Or Heart Issues
Doctors can take the right precautions if they have a full understanding of a persons medical history. Even so, patients who have been prescribed Xanax should pay attention to its common side effects and talk to a doctor about alternative treatments if they notice certain symptoms such as:
- Slurred speech
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Potential Side Effects Of Xanax And Exercise
Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, there are a number of factors to keep in mind. Xanax is effective at curbing anxiety for the same reasons it can make working out more difficult or even dangerous: It makes you sleepy and less coordinated, which can be compounded by exercising. Its important to make sure you dont overextend yourself, even if youre a seasoned gym-goer.
also decreases energy, increases muscle relaxation, and may cause drowsiness due to its sedative effects, Crystal Clark, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern Medicine explains. These side effects can impact your ability to work out safely and effectively and should be discussed with your doctor first.
Common Xanax Side Effects
Alprazolam is one of the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines in the United States. However, there are still many side effects associated with it. If you are taking Xanax, you may experience any of these common side effects:
- Increased anxiety and depression
- Social phobia
If you experience these, contact your healthcare provider, who can help you taper off Xanax safely. Alprazolam has been found to have the most severe withdrawal effects of all benzodiazepines.
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Dangers Of Xanax Addiction
Xanax works by increasing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain. The more that Xanax is used, the less the brain regulates this chemical on its own. This causes fluctuating rates of GABA, which is why seizures may occur from either abusing Xanax or abruptly stopping Xanax use.
When a person stops taking Xanax, the brain has to readjust to producing GABA naturally. This can mean a period of time in which brain activity is increased and anxiety is higher because the brain is no longer as efficient at self-regulating. This is what leads people to develop a Xanax addiction.
While physical dependence is the bodys reaction to prolonged Xanax use, an addiction develops in the mind. Changes in brain function can cause a person to crave Xanax and continue taking it even when it no longer makes them feel good.
Addiction is a chronic mental disease that can take over a persons life. When someone loses control over their drug use, Xanax becomes the most important thing in their life. Their priorities are realigned, and the result is often detrimental to their relationships, productivity, and health.
What Is Alprazolam And How Does It Work
Alprazolam is a prescriptionmedication indicated for the treatment of anxiety disorder , or the short-term relief of symptoms of anxiety. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by unrealistic or excessive anxiety and worry over circumstances of life for a period of time. Anxiety or tension problems associated with the stress of everyday life usually do not require treatment with this drug. Alprazolam tablets are also indicated for the treatment of the panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia. This drug is also used as a treatment for anxiety associated with depression.
Alprazolam belongs to a class of medications called benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are medications that have anti-anxiety-producing properties.
This medication must be prescribed by a doctor and is available by prescription only.
This medication should not be used by patients who are pregnant. The use of this drug may affect the health of the baby.
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Why Reducing Your Cortisol Level Is Important
Its one thing when your cortisol surges over the course of an hour or soas the result, say, of a near miss on the roadway or from trying to stop a child from running into traffic here and there, its no big deal.
Problems begin when stress is constant everyday, and your sympathetic nervous system is always on. I call this being in a state of sympathetic overdrive.
Once you go into the overdrive state, the stress-related changes become inflammatory and can lead to arterial damage, atherosclerosis, and even heart attacks. In fact, a study published in the journal Stress reported that men who have heart attacks are likely to have elevated cortisol levels during the three months prior to their event.
Of course, heart disease isnt the only health concern associated with higher cortisol levels. The hormone has also been linked with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, suppressed immune function, weight gain and depression.