Xanax: instructions for use, reviews and analogues

One of the best drugs that remove panic attacks is "Xanax". Instruction for use reports that it eliminates depression, insomnia, senile tremor. And what do doctors and patients think about this?

What is the treatment for Xanax?

Usually the drug is prescribed by neuropathologists or psychiatrists. The medicine has an international name - Alprazolam. It's a tranquilizer. It has a mild sedative effect, reduces the excitability of the nerve centers of the thalamus and the hypothalamus. Since these parts of the brain are responsible for the sensory and neuroendocrine activity of the brain, one can guess that their excessive excitement adversely affects the body. "Xanax" helps to suspend the negative process. Instructions for use recommend taking it to people who suffer:

• Depression, during which patients are in a depressed mental state.
• Panic attacks accompanied by unmotivated fears, pronounced anxiety and negative somatic conditions.
• Disorders of the central nervous system.
• Phobias.
• Tremor. The drug "Xanax" (instruction on the use of this item emphasizes especially) increases the duration and depth of sleep, eliminates nightmares, relieves emotional tension.

Who should not take Xanax?

Like any drug, this drug has contraindications. They need to pay special attention to: tablets affect the central nervous system, so their misuse can lead to especially dangerous consequences. Who should not take Xanax? The instruction contains a detailed list of contraindications. The drug is not prescribed for people suffering:

• Hypersensitivity to the components that are included in the composition of tablets, or to the main medicinal substance.
• Myasthenia.
• Glaucoma.
• Various violations of breathing.
• Hepatic insufficiency.
• Movement disorders due to malfunction of the cerebellum or frontal lobes.
• Night stop of breathing.

Some people who are in a state of alcohol dependence, believe that the best remedy for a hangover is "Xanax". Instructions for use, doctors' reviews categorically state the opposite: the drug is contraindicated for alcohol, narcotic or drug poisoning. The combination of this drug with alcohol can lead to death. "Xanax" (the doctors' reviews of the drug indicate that the experts are unanimous in this matter) should be taken with extreme caution in patients with psychoses, depressions and brain structure disorders of organic origin. In this case, the drug can cause a paradoxical reaction, exacerbating the symptoms right up to suicidal tendencies. It is not recommended to use the medicine "Xanax" for pregnant women, adolescents and the elderly.

Where can I buy Xanax?

Very often patients with anxious states ask the question: "Is Xanax for sale on prescription or not?" The answer is unambiguous: only by prescription. Anxiolytic affects the nervous system, can cause paradoxical reactions, so taking it without a doctor's recommendation can not be categorically. This can lead to serious consequences.

The second, no less popular question: "Does the drug Xanax have analogues?" Yes. These include the following medicines:

• Alprazolam. This is not even an analogue, but an international name for the active substance. Sold in the form of tablets and often costs less than Xanax. Reviews of people who take an analogue, say that the difference in price is due not to the difference in the composition of tablets, but to cheaper packaging of "Alprazolam."
• Zolomaks. Has not identical, but similar composition.
• "Nerol".
• "Helex".

Insignificant differences in the composition of tablets, experts say, can cause different reactions to taking the medicine. That's why the doctor also prescribes a prescription for the purchase of an analogue. Replacement of one drug with another in a pharmacy (only at the request of the consumer) is impossible.

What is dangerous "Xanax"?

The opinions of both doctors and patients are unanimous in one: the drug, with all its positive effects on the body, carries two dangers:

• Causes dependence.
• Can lead to death.

Alprazolam belongs to the class of psychoactive substances that are most often used in medicine. Action begins almost immediately after taking the pill and lasts a long time. "Xanax" - the doctors' testimonies confirm this - it does not cause drowsiness, on the contrary, many people feel after it a certain upliftment of mood. This is what determines the desire to take medicine again and again.

Alprazolam and its analogues have one more unpleasant side, doctors report. It is effective, it facilitates panic attacks. The drug acts quickly and so improves the condition that many people prefer to constantly carry it with them and take it even when the bad state of health is not caused by a vegetative crisis. Today, increasingly, "Alrazolam" and its analogs are equated with street drugs.

Attention! Taking medication with other tranquilizers and alcohol can lead to death.

Who else helps the tranquilizer?

The course of "Xanax" is often prescribed for the treatment of social phobia. This is the name of the state of uncontrolled and uncontrolled fear associated with the fear of people performing public activities. Someone can not speak publicly. Someone is afraid of a society of strangers. In more severe cases, social phobia can manifest itself in fear of being in a crowd, traveling in transport or even going out. It is interesting that the majority of those suffering from such pathology perfectly understand the whole causelessness of their fears. However, they can not improve their own condition independently. Phobias can have quite real manifestations:

• A sharp increase in heart rate, leading to shortness of breath, shortness of breath.
• Sweating.
• Chills.
• Frequent changes in the color of the skin: from bright red to cyanotic pale.
• Violation of speech.
• Stupor condition.

"Xanax" (instruction, reviews of doctors and people who accept it, this is confirmed) helps to successfully combat this condition.

In severe cases, a fit of phobia may result in a panic attack or fainting.

How does Xanax work?

For a sense of anxiety and fear in the human body, brain neurons, which in the medical language are called gamma receptors, answer. When they work normally, the fear of a person has a defensive reaction. If, for some reason, gamma-receptors become too active, the fear goes out of control. Man is overcome by unmotivated anxiety, irrational anxiety. The more active the receptors, the greater the anxiety. And the faster the gamma-receptors burn out. An original vicious circle. "Xanax" (instruction on the use of this does not mention, but experts know this feature of the drug) very quickly removes this condition. But there is a downside to the coin.

It is this speed that causes addiction to the tranquilizer. The medicine is quickly excreted from the body, so the withdrawal syndrome often occurs even in those who take the pill according to all the recommendations of the doctor. Dependence can be recognized by the signs that appear in the interval between taking the medication. It:

• Dulling of consciousness and emotions.
• Shaking, trembling.
• Headaches, nausea.
• Hypersensitivity to noise, light.
• Irritability.

In some cases, everything ends in a lethal outcome.

How does breaking from Alprazolam and its analogues appear?

It is important to remember: dependence on the drug can develop very quickly. Dosage, duration of treatment, severity of symptoms depend solely on the particular patient. People say that breaking can come unexpectedly. Here are her signs:

• First, shortness of breath develops, palpitation becomes noticeably more frequent.
• Later, all the initial symptoms returned, for which "Xanax" was prescribed. The instructions for use warn you about this.
• There are problems with speech, coordination of movements.
• Dulling of emotions gradually degenerates into excessive excitability.
• There are psychosomatic disorders: joint pain, burning in the abdomen, a rash on the body.
• Cramps develop.
• The bad mood gradually degenerates into depression. Appear unhealthy thoughts, tearfulness. Often there is a desire for suicide.

To get rid of breaking, detoxification is necessary. The procedures are performed only in the hospital and may take several months.

Side effects of Xanax: effects on the nervous system

At the beginning of treatment in most patients after taking the medication there is drowsiness. At this time, you can not drive vehicles. It is recommended that you be especially careful when crossing streets and in other situations that require special attention. Patients taking this medicine say that it interferes with concentration. According to the patients' reviews, muscle weakness, trembling of the hands or feet can be observed. Over time, some patients have symptoms without withdrawal, but others may stay for a long time. Possible headaches, attacks of aggression or bad mood. In this case, therapy with the drug "Xanax" instructions for use advises to cancel. Otherwise, the development of depression. Sometimes there is a violation of gait, disorientation, tremor, less often - confusion. There are also possible back reactions: euphoria, excitement, irritability. Usually alprazolam improves sleep, but in some patients, they say, drugs on its basis cause insomnia. Uncontrolled treatment - stress doctors - can lead to deep depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide.

Other side effects

The medicine "Xanax" (instructions for use warns about this) can cause other negative reactions. Side effects include the following pathologies and conditions:

• Agranulocytosis, the symptoms of which are a strong intermittent chill, sore throat, fatigue.
• Leuko-, thrombocyto- or neutropenia.
• Anemia.
• Dry mouth or excess saliva.
• Diarrhea or constipation.
• Violation or increased appetite.
• Impaired liver and / or kidney function.
• Nausea, discomfort in the epigastrium, vomiting.
• Violation of women's menstrual cycle.
• Urinary incontinence or difficulty with its emission.
• Change in libido in the positive or negative direction.

Whether it is necessary to cancel a tranquilizer, the doctor solves for each patient individually. However, it must be remembered that both overdose and cancellation of the drug cause a number of unpleasant, and sometimes severe symptoms. Among the most notable patients are depression and breathing disorders. Doctors add more tachy- or bradycardia, less often - a coma.

How to take an anxiolytic

The drug is available in several forms.

Most often, "Xanax" and "Alprazolam" are sold in tablets with the content of the main active substance from 0.25 mg to 1.2 mg. 1 mg of this drug is comparable with 10 mg of "Vallium". The package can be from 10 to 100 tablets. In the prescription, the doctor always indicates how many tablets and in what dosage has the right to buy the patient.

How is the drug taken? "Xanax" (tablets) appoint, focusing on the diagnosis of the patient. The daily rate is divided into several receptions. Begin treatment with minimal doses, then the amount of substance is increased.

• Anxiety, anxiety - up to 4 mg per day.
• Depression is 4.5 mg.
• Panic attacks - the dosage is selected in accordance with the condition and characteristics of the patient. It can be increased by 1 mg every 4 days.

The medicinal form of "retard" can be taken not 3, but 1-2 times a day.

The maximum duration of the drug is 3 months. Otherwise, dependence develops.

Sometimes "Xanax" comes in the form of drops. In Russia, such a dosage form is practically not found.

Special warnings and instructions

• According to doctors' reports, when taking drugs based on alprazolam, the condition of patients with severe forms of depression in half of the cases not only did not improve, but even vice versa: there was a development of manic. For this reason, taking "Alprazolam" (or "Xanax") with this diagnosis is recommended only under the supervision of specialists and in conjunction with antidepressants.
• Patients who have previously taken tranquilizers, antidepressants or other psychoactive drugs, are more likely to respond to this drug.
• If the medicine is prescribed for patients with renal or hepatic insufficiency, it is recommended to monitor their condition on a weekly basis, and collect analyzes.
• If the "Xanax" will be taken by a pregnant woman, the child can be born with an abstinence syndrome, breathing disorders, cardiac activity, muscle tone and other abnormalities - experts warn.
• The medicine can not be prescribed simultaneously with antipsychotic, hypnotic, antiepileptic, narcotic drugs and muscle relaxants. They strengthen each other's action and can lead to complete CNS depression.

Xanax and alcohol

"Alprazolam" and its analogs categorically can not be taken with alcohol and drugs containing ethanol. Their interaction leads to hallucinations, oppression of consciousness, coma.