Chemmart Alprazolam
Alprazolam (al-PRAZ-oh-lam)
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Chemmart Alprazolam. It does not contain all the available information.
It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking alprazolam against the benefits this medicine is expected to have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with your medicine. You may need to read it again.
What Chemmart Alprazolam is used for
Alprazolam is used to treat:
Anxiety or tension associated with the normal stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with medicines
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why alprazolam has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed Chemmart Alprazolam for another purpose.
Alprazolam belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines. These medicines are thought to work by their action on brain chemicals.
In general, benzodiazepines such as alprazolam should be taken for short periods only (for example, 2 to 4 weeks). Continuous long-term use is not recommended unless advised by your doctor. The use of benzodiazepines may lead to dependence on the medicine.
Chemmart Alprazolam is not recommended for use in children, as its safety and effectiveness in children have not been established.
This medicine is available only with a doctor`s prescription.
Before you take Chemmart Alprazolam
When you must not take it
Do not take Chemmart Alprazolam if you are allergic to:
Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
If you are not sure if you have an allergy to alprazolam, check with your doctor.
Do not take Chemmart Alprazolam if you have:
Do not take Chemmart Alprazolam if the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack has passed.
If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.
Do not take Chemmart Alprazolam if the packaging is torn, shows signs of tampering or if the tablets do not look quite right.
Do not take Chemmart Alprazolam if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed.
Alprazolam may pass into breast milk and cause drowsiness and/or feeding difficulties in the infant. Alprazolam is not recommended for use while breast-feeding.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking Chemmart Alprazolam, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to any other medicines, foods, dyes, lactose or preservatives.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Your baby may absorb this medicine in the womb and develop muscle weakness or breathing problems. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking Chemmart Alprazolam during pregnancy.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any other medical conditions, especially the following:
Your doctor may want to take special care if you have any of these conditions.
Tell your doctor is you plan to have surgery.
If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, tell them before you start taking Chemmart Alprazolam.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and alprazolam may interfere with each other. These include:
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines.
Your doctor or pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Chemmart Alprazolam.
How to take Chemmart Alprazolam
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ to the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the directions on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
The dose of Chemmart Alprazolam will be different for each person.
Take Chemmart Alprazolam exactly as directed by your doctor.
Your doctor will decide the right dose for you.
The usual starting dose ranges from 0.5 mg to 1.5 mg a day. Your doctor may increase your dose, depending on how severe your symptoms are, how you respond to this medicine and whether you are taking other medicines.
Elderly patients and people with liver or kidney problems may need smaller doses.
How to take it
Swallow Chemmart Alprazolam tablets with a glass of water.
Chemmart Alprazolam 1 mg and 2 mg tablets can be divided in half along the scoreline, if you doctor has prescribed half a tablet.
When to take it
How long to take it
If you forget to take it
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
This may increase the chance of an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering when to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
Do not stop taking alprazolam without checking with your doctor.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to the Accident and Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much alprazolam.
Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
Also report any other medicine or alcohol which has been taken. Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.
If you take too much alprazolam you may feel drowsy, tired, confused, dizzy, have difficulty breathing, feel weak, irritable or become unconscious.
While you are taking Chemmart Alprazolam
Things you must do
Before starting any new medicine, tell your doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking alprazolam.
If you become pregnant while you are taking alprazolam, tell your doctor.
If you plan to have surgery, including dental surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking alprazolam.
Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken alprazolam exactly as prescribed.
Otherwise your doctor may think that it was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.
Visit your doctor regularly so they can check your progress and determine whether you need to keep taking alprazolam.
If you are being treated for anxiety, be sure to discuss with your doctor any problems you may have and how you feel, especially if your anxiety attacks are getting worse or more frequent.
This will help your doctor to determine the best treatment for you.
If you have to have any clinical tests, such as an EEG (electroencephalogram), tell you doctor that you are taking alprazolam.
Alprazolam may affect the results of some test.
Keep enough alprazolam to last weekends and holidays.
Things you must not do
Do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are drowsy, dizzy or not alert until you know how Chemmart Alprazolam affects you.
Alprazolam may cause drowsiness, dizziness or light-headedness in some people and therefore may affect alertness.
Even if you take alprazolam at night, you may still be drowsy or dizzy the next day.
Do not take alprazolam for longer than your doctor has prescribed.
Do not stop taking alprazolam or change the dose, without first checking with your doctor.
Stopping this medicine suddenly may cause some unwanted effects, such as trouble sleeping, irritability and nervousness. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount of Chemmart Alprazolam you are taking before stopping completely.
Do not suddenly stop taking alprazolam if you suffer from epilepsy.
Stopping this medicine suddenly may make your epilepsy worse.
Do not take alprazolam to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give alprazolam to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.
Things to be careful of
Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking alprazolam.
Your doctor may suggest you avoid alcohol or reduce the amount of alcohol you drink while you are taking alprazolam.
Combining alprazolam and alcohol can make you more sleepy, dizzy or light-headed. Also you tolerance to alcohol may be lower than usual.
Be careful if you are elderly, unwell or taking other medicines.
Some people may experience side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, dizziness and unsteadiness, which may increase the risk of a fall.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while taking Chemmart Alprazolam.
Alprazolam helps most people with anxiety or panic attacks, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
If you are over 65 years of age, you may have an increased chance of getting side effect.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to the Accident and Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:
The above list includes serious side effects which may require medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
The above list includes some more common or mild side effects of alprazolam. They are usually short-lived.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell when you are taking, or soon after you have finished taking Chemmart Alprazolam.
Other side effects not listed above also may occur in some patients.
After using Chemmart Alprazolam
Storage
Keep your tablets where children cannot reach them.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Keep your tablets in their packaging until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the packaging they may not keep well.
Keep your Chemmart Alprazolam tablets in a cool dry place, where the temperature stays below 25 degrees C, and is protected from light.
Do not store it, or any other medicines in a bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking alprazolam or the tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any tablets left over.
Where to go for further information
Pharmaceutical companies are not in a position to give people an individual diagnosis or medical advice. Your doctor or pharmacist is the best person to give you advice on the treatment of your condition.
Product description
What it looks like
Chemmart Alprazolam 1 mg tablets are blue, biconvex, oval-shaped tablets, scored and marked “APO” over “1” on one side and plain on the other side. They are available in blister packs of 50 tablets.
Chemmart Alprazolam 2 mg tablets are white, rectangular-shaped tablets, flat-faced on one side marked with “APO 2” with centre partial bisect and two bisects, and on the other side, deep centre bisect with sloped faces towards two bisects. They are available in bottles of 50 tablets.
Ingredients
The active ingredient in Chemmart Alprazolam is alprazolam. Each tablet contains 1 mg or 2 mg of alprazolam.
The tablets also contain the following inactive ingredients:
Chemmart Alprazolam tablets do not contain gluten, sucrose, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
Australian registration numbers
Chemmart Alprazolam 1 mg tablets (blister) – AUST R 79801
Chemmart Alprazolam 2 mg tablets (bottle) – AUST R 80917