Medicines are being developed to protect humans from a wide range of illnesses. What if the negative effects of such medications outweigh the benefits we possess?
It is a growing concern in the modern world that many medications have lethal side effects in addition to their potential benefits. Xanax is one such medication with a number of severe side effects.
This blog carries all the crucial information about Xanax that the general public should know, whether or not you have consumed Xanax.
Before getting into that, know about the medical record review, which will be a crucial document for people who are experiencing the side effect of Xanax.
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What is Xanax?
Xanax is a benzodiazepine, which is a class of medication that includes the active ingredient alprazolam. Xanax is available as an oral pill. There are four dosages available for it: 0.25 milligrams (mg), 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg.
Xanax is a brand-name prescription medication. According to the FDA’s approval, adults with anxiety, depression or panic disorders can use it.
How does Xanax work?
Xanax and similar drugs can help patients with rebalancing chemical levels in the brain when brain chemicals fall out of balance. This can then provide relief from symptoms and improve quality of life.
Xanax is often used in combination with other medications for mental illness or treatment, and it is only intended to be prescribed for short periods of time.
Xanax history
Alprazolam, which is the generic name for Xanax, was issued a patent in Germany in 1970 to J.B. Hester of Upjohn Co., which is now a subsidiary of Pfizer.
The first US patent for Xanax was issued in 1976, and since then, it has been the most frequently prescribed benzodiazepine medication.
On October 16, 1981, the FDA granted Xanax its initial approval. Throughout the 1990s, Xanax was one of the most popular psychiatric medications.
According to the FDA, it is now classified as a Schedule IV Controlled Drug, which means that there is a few chances of abuse or addiction.
Xanax is now licensed for the treatment of anxiety and panic disorders, but physicians may also recommend it off-label for ailments including sleeplessness and depression.
Xanax: Is it detrimental to health?
Possibly, it frequently increases gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical in the brain that slows down nerve cell activity.
The side effect of Xanax on children under the age of 18 is unknown. It is not preferable for pregnant ladies.
Side effects of taking Xanax while breastfeeding
Can you take Xanax while breastfeeding? Early studies suggested that mothers who take alprazolam during the first trimester might be more likely to give birth to children with cardiac issues, cleft lips and palates, and other birth defects.
Drug use by mothers during the third trimester appeared to increase the likelihood that their unborn babies would experience withdrawal symptoms or serious birth abnormalities like floppy infant syndrome.
Before attempting to take alprazolam, discuss with your doctor whether you are pregnant or might become pregnant.
Moreover, it is not advised to breastfeed when using alprazolam. Children who were breastfed by drug users experienced negative effects, according to reports. Loss of weight and low energy levels are two of them.
Xanax birth defect lawsuit
Mothers prescribed anti-anxiety medication Xanax (alprazolam) may be warned by their doctors about potential Xanax birth defects.
But those taking Xanax together with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant may not be warned of a new risk for heart defects or persistent pulmonary hypertension of a newborn (PPHN). Such cases of combined Xanax birth defects may be viable in a Xanax lawsuit.
If your child was born with a birth defect like PPHN or a heart defect, and you took Xanax or Xanax combined with an SSRI during your pregnancy, a Xanax lawyer may be able to help you win compensation for medical expenses.
Make your medical records perfect for fair compensation.
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FDA’S black box warnings on Xanax
Boxed warnings are forceful warning statements made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the potential adverse effects of any medication.
Xanax boxed warning: There is a boxed warning concerning the dangers of combining opioids with alprazolam IR oral tablets, including Xanax. The risk for severe Xanax effects, such as:
- Severe tiredness or difficulty staying awake
- Respiratory depression (severe breathing difficulties)
- Coma
- Death
Common Side effects of Xanax
Apart from the above-mentioned negative side effects of Xanax, there are also other side effects. Some of them are,
- Sleep problems (insomnia)
- Memory problems
- Trouble concentrating
- Drowsiness
- Loss of interest in sex
- Muscle weakness
- Tiredness
- Increased sweating
- Dizziness
- Poor balance or coordination
- Slurred speech
- Irritability
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Upset stomach
- Blurred vision
- Appetite or weight changes
- Swelling in your hands or feet
- Dry mouth
- Stuffy nose
Alprazolam may cause certain adverse effects, some of which are frequently treatable without hospitalization. When your body becomes acquainted with the medication, these side effects could go away throughout therapy.
Also, your healthcare professional might be able to provide you with information on how to avoid or reduce some of these adverse effects.
As these side effects of Xanax are common and don’t hurt people a lot, there are some other deadly side effects.
Dangerous side effect of Xanax
Addiction and a rise in patient suicide rates are two deadly side effects of Xanax. When a patient’s medicine has the opposite impact on their brain, amplifying their anxiety or despair instead of reducing it, this possible increase in suicidal thoughts or attempts might occur.
Therefore, throughout the medical world, Xanax is recognized as a medication with potentially harmful side effects.
Unfortunately, patients who are not properly monitored or whose dosages are too high may not only have suicidal thoughts but also act on them, inflicting pain or even death upon themselves.
Families of patients who committed suicide after a psychiatrist or other medical professional prescribed them Xanax may be capable of seeking legal options.
Is it possible to sue a doctor who overprescribes Xanax?
If the over-prescription of Xanax resulted in harm to you or a loved one, you might be entitled to sue the physician.
When a patient overdoses on a medication that was prescribed for them, a physician might be held accountable for negligence if they did not dispense it carefully.
Those working in the medical field are expected to provide excellent care for the people they treat. Thus, you are able to sue the doctor for medical malpractice.
Patients simultaneously sued 117 general practitioners and 50 health authorities, in an effort to obtain compensation for the side effects of Xanax.
Sadly, there was no resolution or decision in the lawsuit.
Medical malpractice lawsuits
Several patients in the US and overseas who meet the legal deadlines and whose circumstances fulfill the requisite requirements have been successful in suing their prescribers for injury caused by benzodiazepines.
Kathi Donald, a pediatric critical care nurse in the United States, settled with her medical provider in 2023 for benzodiazepine harm that rendered her unable to work. Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring testified as an expert witness in her case.
Wrongful death lawsuit
Sammy Fuad Becdach, 56, worked at Clearview Cancer Center on 14th Avenue Southeast in Decatur. He specialized in oncology and hematology.
When a patient who was 21 and whom he was having sex with passed away on December 18, 2020, due to a drug overdose, his license was suspended in June and revoked on December 31, according to an administrative complaint made by the Board of Medical Examiners.
Kimberly Shea Goldstein, the mother of the deceased Katelyn Nicole Whitworth, filed the wrongful death lawsuit in Madison County.
Becdach, a resident of Madison, as well as Walgreen Co., are both named as defendants in the lawsuit.
According to the complaint, Whitworth filled the prescriptions she received from Becdach at Walgreens pharmacies in Decatur, Birmingham, and Huntsville.
There has been no response to the allegation from Bechdach or Walgreens, and neither company’s legal representatives have shown up in court.
Her biological father is still imprisoned following his conviction for the offense, which occurred while Whitworth was a kid, according to the lawsuit.
Her past led to her being diagnosed with mental health issues and receiving benzodiazepine prescriptions, a family of medications that includes Valium and Xanax.
Is there any lawsuit against Xanax?
In accordance with a 2011 court decision, generic manufacturers cannot be held liable for failing to issue warnings. Thus, neither Xanax nor the company that makes it is the subject of any lawsuit.
Medical board report
In the hope of preventing future harm to others, and in an attempt to force benzodiazepine education on the prescriber that harmed them, some patients take a medical complaint route.
Filing a complaint about negligent medical providers with your State Medical Board (or another prescriber regulatory agency, depending on where you live) may be an appropriate way to bring to your doctor’s attention the harm you have experienced from benzodiazepine prescribing or irresponsible cessation.
Doctors prefer to avoid formal complaints, so such a complaint could be a significant motivator.
Xanax and Snapchat
The recent concern about Xanax is that drug dealers through online platforms like Snapchat, sell the drug. Without knowing the alprazolam side effects, many teenagers order the drug and consume it without the prescription of healthcare professionals.
Ciara Gilliam, 22, is known as a cheerful, gregarious girl who could make friends wherever. After taking a Xanax medication that turned out to be laced with fentanyl in August 2022, she passed away.
According to a complaint brought on behalf of Gilliam’s family, the 22-year-old developed an infatuation with using Snapchat and had problems falling asleep as a result.
Moreover, it is alleged in the lawsuit that Snapchat helped her find a dealer that allowed her to start buying Xanax just to help with her sleep. The lawsuit alleges that one of those tablets, which she didn’t know was laced with fentanyl, was what killed her.
Furthermore, it alleges that she met strangers using the app who later attacked and mistreated her. According to the lawsuit, one of those persons was a drug dealer from whom Gilliam purchased Xanax to aid her sleep.
Am I eligible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the physician?
Yes, if you believe your doctor overprescribed you Xanax and you are suffering from Xanax side effects, you can sue your doctor for medical malpractice.
Find the best Xanax lawsuit attorney, he will assist you in the success of your lawsuit. You must ensure that your medical record is error-free.
If your attorneys are having difficulty analyzing your medical records, recommend top medical record review firms like LezDo TechMed.
Need Quality Medical Record Reviews?
Whether you win or lose your lawsuit, it is critical to educate the public and physicians about the dangers of Xanax and other prescription medications.
As a result, in addition to lawsuits and medical boards, the FDA is an important place for patients to anonymously report any harm caused by drugs.
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