Dosage
Much like all medicines, patients should follow their prescription instructions exactly. Xanax comes in two formulations:
Xanax Tablet: It is taken orally 1-3 times daily with or any other liquid. These tablets are available in 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, and 2mg dosages.
Xanax XR: It is taken once daily in the morning with water or another liquid. Tablets are available in 0.5 mg, 1mg, 2mg, and 3mg dosages
Do not consume alcohol while taking this medication. Also do not take it after eating a fatty or oily meal.
The maximum dose is typically 4mg daily for treatment of anxiety disorders. Treatment of anxiety attacks may require a higher dose, of up to 10mg per day. When going for a higher dose, the patient should meet with his/her physician regularly to consider dosage reduction. Doctors may recommend you start with a lower dose for elderly patients with advanced liver or other debilitating disease who may be particularly sensitive to benzodiazepines.
Precautions and Safety
Patients should store this drug in a secure place out of reach of children, and at room temperature. If you’re taking the quick-dissolving tablet, keep the tablets in the blister product packaging and hard travel case or carton until you are ready to take it.
You should not take this drug if you are sensitive to benzodiazepines, or have severe narrow angle glaucoma. In addition, If a patient is thinking of becoming pregnant, she shouldn’t take this drug, since there is a high prospect of fetal damage and increased risk of congenital abnormalities, when taken during the first trimester. This drug is passed through breast milk. So nursing moms are recommended not to nurse while taking it.
Side Effects
Unwanted effects may manifest during the adaptation to the medicine in the forms of somnolence, dizziness, lack of awareness, ataxia, apathy, head ache, euphoria, myasthenia, extrapyramidal disorder.