Alprazolam (Oral Route)

Side Effects

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

1. Being forgetful
2. changes in patterns and rhythms of speech
3. clumsiness or unsteadiness
4. difficulty with coordination
5. discouragement
6. drowsiness
7. feeling sad or empty
8. irritability
9. lack of appetite
10. lightheadedness
11. loss of interest or pleasure
12. relaxed and calm
13. shakiness and unsteady walk
14. sleepiness
15. slurred speech
16. tiredness
17. trouble concentrating
18. trouble performing routine tasks
19. trouble sleeping
20. trouble speaking
21. unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
22. unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common

1. Blurred vision
2. body aches or pain
3. burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles, or tingling feelings
4. changes in behavior
5. chest tightness
6. chills
7. clay-colored stools
8. confusion about identity, place, and time
9. cough
10. dark urine
11. decrease in frequency of urination
12. decrease in urine volume
13. diarrhea
14. difficult or labored breathing
15. difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
16. difficulty with concentration
17. difficulty with moving
18. dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
19. dry mouth
20. ear congestion
21. environment seems unreal
22. fainting
23. feeling of unreality
24. feeling warm
25. fever
26. general feeling of discomfort or illness
27. headache
28. inability to move the eyes
29. inability to sit still
30. increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid
31. irregular heartbeats
32. itching or rash
33. joint pain
34. lack or loss of self-control
35. loss of bladder control
36. loss of coordination
37. loss of memory
38. loss of voice
39. mood or mental changes
40. muscle aches, cramps, pain, stiffness, or weakness
41. nausea
42. need to keep moving
43. painful urination
44. problems with memory
45. restlessness
46. runny or stuffy nose
47. seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
48. seizures
49. sense of detachment from self or body
50. shaking
51. shivering
52. sneezing
53. sore throat
54. sticking out of the tongue
55. stomach pain
56. sweating
57. swollen joints
58. talkativeness
59. trouble with balance
60. twitching, twisting, or uncontrolled repetitive movements of the tongue, lips, face, arms, or legs
61. uncontrolled twisting movements of the neck, trunk, arms, or legs
62. unpleasant breath odor
63. unusual dullness or feeling of sluggishness
64. unusual facial expressions
65. unusually deep sleep
66. unusually long duration of sleep
67. vomiting of blood
68. yellow eyes or skin

Rare

1. Actions that are out of control
2. attack, assault, or force
3. chest pain
4. continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
5. decreased awareness or responsiveness
6. deep or fast breathing with dizziness
7. ear pain
8. false or unusual sense of well-being
9. fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
10. feeling jittery
11. feeling unusually cold
12. generalized slowing of mental and physical activity
13. hearing loss
14. hoarseness
15. lack of feeling or emotion
16. loss of control of the legs
17. loss of strength or energy
18. nightmares
19. numbness of the feet, hands, and around mouth
20. severe sleepiness
21. shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet
22. sleep talking
23. swelling
24. talking, feeling, and acting with excitement
25. thoughts of killing oneself
26. uncaring
27. unusual weak feeling
28. voice changes

Incidence not known

1. Light-colored stools
2. upper right abdominal or stomach pain

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

1. Agitation
2. change in consciousness
3. changes in patterns and rhythms of speech
4. confusion
5. lack of coordination
6. loss of consciousness
7. loss of strength or energy
8. shakiness and unsteady walk
9. slurred speech
10. sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
11. talkativeness
12. unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
13. unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness
14. unusual excitement, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability
15. unusual weak feeling

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

1. Absent, missed, or irregular menstrual periods
2. decreased appetite
3. decreased interest in sexual intercourse
4. decreased sexual performance or desire abnormal ejaculation
5. difficulty having a bowel movement (stool)
6. inability to have or keep an erection
7. increased appetite
8. increased in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
9. increased interest in sexual intercourse
10. increased weight
11. loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance
12. stopping of menstrual bleeding
13. watering of the mouth
14. weight loss

Less common

1. Blistering, crusting, irritation, itching, or reddening of the skin
2. change in taste bad unusual or unpleasant (after) taste
3. cracked, dry, or scaly skin
4. double vision
5. feeling of warmth
6. heavy bleeding
7. menstrual changes
8. pelvic pain
9. redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
10. seeing double
11. stomach bloating and cramping
12. sudden sweating
13. unexplained runny nose or sneezing

Rare

1. Acid or sour stomach
2. belching
3. bigger, dilated, or enlarged pupils (black part of the eye)
4. change in color vision
5. difficulty seeing at night
6. feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
7. feeling of relaxation
8. heartburn
9. hives or welts
10. increased sensitivity of the eyes to sunlight
11. indigestion
12. redness of the skin
13. sensation of spinning
14. stomach discomfort or upset

Incidence not known

1. Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
2. red, irritated eyes
3. red skin lesions, often with a purple center
4. sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
5. swelling of the breasts or breast soreness in both females and males
6. unexpected or excess milk flow from the breasts

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Precautions

Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024

Copyright: © Merative US L.P. 1973, 2024. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.