Product Details

What you need to know before you take Xanax

Do not take Xanax: – If you are allergic to alprazolam or other similar benzodiazepine medicines, or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). – If you suffer from a disease called ‘myasthenia gravis’ where you suffer from very weak and tired muscles. – If you have severe chest problems or breathing difficulties (e.g. chronic bronchitis or emphysema). – If you have ‘sleep apnoea’ – this is a condition where your breathing becomes irregular, even stopping for short periods, while you are asleep. – If you have severe liver problems. – If you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant now, are planning to become pregnant or if you are breast-feeding (see also the sections on ‘Pregnancy’ and ‘Breast-feeding’ for more information). Page 2 of 8 2020-0065511 Warnings and precautions Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Xanax if you: – Have ever felt so depressed that you have thought about taking your own life. – Have ever suffered any mental illness that required hospital treatment. – Have problems with your lungs, kidneys or liver. – Have abused drugs or alcohol in the past or find it difficult to stop taking medicines, drinking or taking drugs. Your doctor may want to give you special help when you need to stop taking these tablets. There have been reports of death when Xanax is abused with alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs. – Have been prescribed medicines for severe anxiety before, because your body can quickly become used to this type of medicine so that it no longer helps you. Benzodiazepines and related products should be used with caution in elderly, due to the risk of sedation and / or musculoskeletal weakness that can promote falls, often with serious consequences in this population. Children and adolescents Do not give this medicine to children and adolescents below the age of 18 years because safety and efficacy have not been established. Other medicines and Xanax Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, especially medicines listed below, as the effect of Xanax or the other medicine may change when taken at the same time: – Any other medicines to treat anxiety or depression or to help you sleep (e.g. nefazodone, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine). – Some strong pain killers (e.g. opioids such as – morphine, codeine or propoxyphene). – Antipsychotic medicines used to treat mental illnesses like schizophrenia. – Medicines to treat epilepsy. – Antihistamines for relief of allergies. – Medicines for treating fungal infections (e.g. ketoconazole). – Oral contraceptives (‘the pill’). – Certain antibiotics (e.g. erythromycin). – Cimetidine (for treating stomach ulcers). – Diltiazem (used for angina and high blood pressure). – Digoxin (used to treat various heart conditions). – Ritonavir or other similar medicines used for treating HIV. If you are going to have an operation where you will be given a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or anaesthetist that you are taking Xanax. Concomitant use of Xanax and opioids (strong pain killers, medicines for substitution therapy and some cough medicines) increases the risk of drowsiness, difficulties in breathing (respiratory depression), coma and may be life-threatening. Because of this, concomitant use should only be considered when other treatment options are not possible. However if your doctor does prescribe Xanax together with opioids the dosage and duration of concomitant treatment should be limited by your doctor. Please tell your doctor about all opioid medicines you are taking, and follow your doctor’s dosage recommendation closely. It could be helpful to inform friends or relatives to be aware of sign and symptoms stated above. Contact your doctor when experiencing such symptoms. Page 3 of 8 2020-0065511 Xanax with food, drink and alcohol It is important not to drink any alcohol while you are taking Xanax, as alcohol increases the effects of the medicine. Please refer to section 3. Pregnancy and breast-feeding If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. Do not breast-feed while taking Xanax, as the drug may pass into breast milk. Driving and using machines Xanax can make you feel sleepy or woozy and make you lose concentration so it is very important you do not operate machinery until you know how the tablets affect you. Xanax can affect your ability to drive as it may make you sleepy or dizzy. • Do not drive while taking this medicine until you know how it affects you. • It is an offence to drive if this medicine affects your ability to drive. • However, you would not be committing an offence if: o The medicine has been prescribed to treat a medical or dental problem and o You have taken it according to the instructions given by the prescriber or in the information provided with the medicine and o It was not affecting your ability to drive safely Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure whether it is safe for you to drive while taking this medicine. Xanax contains Lactose and Sodium Benzoate Lactose – If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product. Sodium Benzoate – this medicine contains 0.11mg Sodium Benzoate in each tablet. Information on sodium content This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.