Effects of Xanax

Effects of Xanax

Alprazolam belongs to a group of medications known as benzodiazepines; it is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.

Benzodiazepines act mainly on the central nervous system (CNS) producing a calming effect. They enhance the effect of a certain chemical substance in the brain called GABA. However, in high doses, they may lead to addiction.

The effects of Xanax vary from one patient to another according to many factors including:

• Age:

The half-life of Xanax in elderly people is higher than that in younger patients. The average half-life is 16.3 hours in elderly people while it is about 11 hours in younger healthy adults.

 

• Weight:

People suffering from obesity will find great difficulty in breaking down Xanax.

The half-life of Xanax is higher than average in overweighed persons. It ranges between 9.9 and 40.4 hours.

• Dosage:

Xanax tablets contain 0.25, 0.5, 1, or 2 mgs of alprazolam.

Generally, higher doses will take a longer time to leave your body.

Taking Xanax on a daily regular basis will keep a higher drug concentration in the bloodstream. The drug will take a longer period to be fully eliminated from the body. However, you may not feel the sedative effects of Xanax due to the drug tolerance.

 

• Metabolism:

A higher metabolic rate may decrease the time for Xanax to eliminate from the body. People having faster metabolism or who exercise regularly may excrete Xanax faster.

 

• Liver function:

People with alcoholic liver disease will take a longer time to metabolize Xanax, with an average half-life of 19.7 hours.

 

• Other medications:

Some medications that increase the time taken by Xanax to leave the body:

1. Antifungal agents as ketoconazole and itraconazole.
2. Antidepressants as nefazodone.
3. Macrolide antibiotics as clarithromycin.
4. Antacids (for heartburn) as cimetidine.
5. Opioids as propoxyphene.
6. Oral contraceptives (birth control pills).

 

• Alcohol use:

The effects of Xanax increase when you consume alcohol.

It takes longer to eliminate Xanax from your body.

Drinking alcohol while using Xanax leads to dangerous side effects.

How long does it take to reah the maximum effects of Xanax?

Xanax is absorbed into the bloodstream after administration by the mouth. The effects of Xanax start to appear in less than an hour.

The drug reaches the peak concentration within one or two hours after ingestion.

Patients who take Xanax for long periods will take a longer time to feel the effects of Xanax or the effects of Xanax may not be as strong as predicted.

How long does it take for the effects of Xanax to vanish?

To know how long the drug lasts in your body we should measure its half-life.

A half-life of the drug is the time taken to eliminate half of the drug from the body.

The average half-life of Xanax is 11 hours in a healthy adult.

This means that it takes 11 hours for a healthy adult to eliminate half the dose of Xanax.

It is important to mention that every patient metabolizes the medicine differently. So, the half-life of the drug varies from one patient to another.

Depending on the person, studies have found that the half-life of Xanax ranges from 6.3 to 26.9 hours.

To fully eliminate the drug from the body, it takes several half hours. For example, Xanax fully clears from the body within two to four days.

Common side effects of Xanax:

• Change in interest in having sexual intercourse.
• Dyskinesia (abnormal movement disorder).
• Trouble breathing.
• Excessive saliva production.
• Insomnia (difficulty sleeping).
• Decreased appetite.
• Weight gain.
• Weight loss.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• General weakness.
• Sleeping for long periods.
• Anxious feelings.
• Hypotension (low blood pressure).
• Liver failure.
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome (skin problem causes peeling of the skin).

• Pain during menstruation.

• Premenstrual syndrome.
• Memory loss.
• Skin allergy.
• Muscle and joint pain.
• Loss of muscle coordination.
• Increased prolactin level.
• Blurred vision.
• Dry mouth.
• Muscle cramps.
• Excessive sweating.
• Muscle twitching.
• Fluid retention in legs or feet.
• Slurred speech.
• Chest pain.
• Painful urination.
• Malaise (feeling of general discomfort).
• Abdominal pain.

Check with your doctor if you have any of these medical conditions to reach the maximum benefits from the effects of Xanax on your body:

• Alcohol addiction.
• Drug abuse.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Wide-angle glaucoma.
• Closed-angle glaucoma.
• Decreased lung function.
• Liver or kidney problems.
• Sleep apnea (breathing stops repeatedly during sleep).
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Withdrawal symptoms that may arise as a result of misuse of Xanax:

• Mild dysphoria (a feeling of restlessness).
• Insomnia (difficulty in inducing or keeping sleep).
• Muscle cramps.

Consult a healthcare provider to start a tapering plan. This means that the dosage is decreased gradually to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

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