What Does an Alprazolam/Xanax Pills Look Like?
Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, ‘zanies, or ‘bars’, is an anti-anxiety medication available in different strengths and marketed under different brand names. Wondering what do Xanax pills looks like is a great question, as there are many types of Xanax pills shapes, colors, and sizes.
Xanax most often looks like a light blue oval-shaped pill or can look like a small rectangle pill with indents like a ladder has steps; a few common slang names for these are “ladders’ or “bars”. The oval-shaped Xanax has a flat rim dosage given in ½ mg and 1mg and about 9mm long. One side will be printed XANAX; on the other side can be broken into two halves.; Many manufacturers have the name and strength of the pill imprinted on it.
Alprazolam/Xanax Pill Images
Different Colored Bars and Tablets
Alprazolam pills are available in different types and kinds. This potent medication is classified according to its dose and strength to treat various mental and physical health issues.
Its long and thin pill shape characterizes a bar. It usually contains a 2 mg dose of Xanax, the highest dose of Xanax available in the market, next to the 3 mg extended-release tablet. These bars can be divided into halves or quarters, depending on the dosage required by your treatment. The bar has four smaller sections that users can easily break since Xanax usually has to be taken in higher doses than other medications for anxiety.
Some of the most common names for Xanax are Planks, Zanies, Zanbars, and Zanzibar. Here are the different colors of Xanax bars and how they differ from each other:
Green Xanax Bar:
- Green Xanax Bar: Despite the color difference, the green pills’ potency is the same as the white and yellow bars. The green variant of Xanax comes in different shapes such as round, triangular, rectangular, and oval. They can be of 1 mg to 3 mg. The oval-shaped green Xanax is 1 mg, while the triangular is 3 mg, and it’s the highest dose available. These green bars are produced by pharmaceutical companies such as DAVA, Actavis, Mylan, and Pfizer.
- Pink Xanax Bar: This variant comes in 2 shapes, which are round or oval. It comes in 3 mg doses and is only available via physician-authorized prescriptions. However, many teens purchase this type from the streets or get it from relatives.
- White Xanax Bar: The most common Xanax color for medication. It goes by the name “sticks.” It produces an intense feeling of euphoria a few minutes after intake. The white bar can have 0.25 mg to 2 mg. Due to its high potency, quitting white Xanax bars should be done with extreme caution since it can produce dangerous symptoms.
- Yellow Xanax Bar: As mentioned earlier, this variant of Xanax has the same effect as the green and white bars. The color difference is simply because different companies manufacture the drugs.
- Blue Xanax Bar: This kind of Xanax bar is available in oval and circular shapes. Aside from the 2 mg bar with four divisions, all other blue bar Xanax are 1 mg pills. It is also called the “blue football Alprazolam,” due to the easy-to-consume shape of the 2 mg bar.
- Peach Xanax Bar: Also called “orange Alprazolam,” this variety comes in a low 0.5 mg dose. It typically has an oval or football shape and is used for less severe types of health complications.
Purple Xanax Bar:
This drug has the code A23 imprinted on it. It is a 2 mg pill produced by Pfizer.
Now that you know what the most common Xanax pills look like, let’s understand what Xanax is, and why it’s so heavily abused amongst teenagers. If your adolescent is found abusing Xanax, they might need professional clinical help. Consider looking into an evidence-based programs like a California teen residential treatment or any well-known teen drug rehab.
What is Alprazolam/Xanax?
This pill is prescribed to patients struggling with mental health issues like panic attacks, excessive worry, and even PTSD. Patients with insomnia can also be prescribed this medication. Even though this medication helps individuals suffering from stress, the medicine also has the negative effect of creating problems of withdrawal and dependence.
What to Keep in Mind Before Using Xanax
The proper use of Xanax requires discipline so that the user will not develop a severe addiction. If your doctor has prescribed this medicine for you, make sure to ask as many questions as possible. Note that it is essential to take this medicine exactly as prescribed by the doctor. Do not take more than indicated. Be aware that taking large doses of Xanax or Alprazolam for an extended period will eventually lead to mental and physical dependence and possibly an overdose.
Aside from getting your doctor’s advice, it would be best to have a Medication Guide, so you can follow the specific instructions and read all the warnings.
Precautions When Using Xanax
Xanax or Alprazolam is a medicine doctors have long been prescribing to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks. This specific drug is in the class of benzodiazepines and works by getting rid of abnormal activity in the brain. Despite its helpful uses, the drug can be hazardous. Before taking Xanax, you should talk to your doctor about:
Medicines you are allergic to.
Your list might include chlordiazepoxide, clonazepam, clorazepate, diazepam, lorazepam, estazolam, temazepam, flurazepam and other drugs related to Xanax. You should also be aware of the ingredients included in the Xanax product.
- If you are taking ketoconazole or itraconazole.
- If you’ve taken or are about to take food supplements, vitamins, herbal products, and other nonprescription drugs.
- If you have or had conditions such as glaucoma, seizures, or any lung, kidney, or liver diseases.
- A suspicion that you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding. Xanax can potentially harm your fetus or children.
- Your age. Older people tend to be more vulnerable to the dangerous effects of Xanax.
- Any surgery that you had or will have.
- If you drive or operate heavy machinery. It’s best to get acclimatized to the drug effects first, or you might pose a danger to yourself or others.
How to use Xanax?
Xanax comes in many forms. It comes in a tablet, an extended-release tablet, an orally disintegrating tablet, and a concentrated solution. However, all these forms should be taken differently.
For concentrated solution and orally disintegrating Xanax tablet:
Once to four times a day is the standard intake frequency, but each situation is different and dependent on the persons’ body and doctors advice.
Nothing in this article should be taken as medical advice. This article is meant to provide you with statistics and sourced information.
For extended-release Xanax tablets:
In contrast, the extended-release tablet is usually taken only once a day. However, it depends on your doctor’s prescription and your body type/tolerance. Carefully read the manual the doctor gave you. If you take the tablet or extended-release tablet, swallow it with a full glass of water. Remember not to crush, chew, or break it.
For orally disintegrating Xanax tablet:
When taking the orally disintegrating tablet, be sure to dry your hand thoroughly first. Remove the tablet from the bottle, and place the tablet immediately on your tongue. It will melt quickly and can be swallowed with water or saliva.
For concentrated solution:
To take the concentrated solution, you can utilize the dropper that came with the prescription. You can also use tools such as a spoon, oral syringe, and medicine cup to measure the dose provided by your doctor. You can swallow the solution on its own or mix it with semisolid or liquid food like soda, juice, water, or pudding. Once the solution is mixed with the food, you eat or drink the mixture right away.
Note that your doctor might recommend starting with a low dose and gradually increasing it as you get used to it.
Real vs. Fake Xanax: What's The Difference?
Proper intake of Alprazolam is relatively safe. But no matter how a fake Xanax pill is taken, it is extremely dangerous to one’s health. So, if the real Xanax drug has such risks, what about the fake one?
People buy fake Xanax because it is readily available in the streets and is significantly cheaper than the real thing. However, little do they know that fake Xanax can cause major health issues and even death, since it usually contains Fentanyl.
Fentanyl is an opioid more dangerous than heroin and morphine combined. It is fifty times more potent than heroin and a hundred times more potent than morphine. If fake Xanax bought from the streets contains a significant amount of Fentanyl, there’s a considerable risk of overdosing. Some of the symptoms of fake Xanax are nausea, vomiting, skin turning blue, convulsions, limp body, pinpoint pupils, and other life-threatening issues.
If you want to avoid fake Xanax, the safest way is to buy it from trusted pharmacies or use the ones given to you by your doctor. If you buy Xanax from the streets, it probably contains Fentanyl and other illegal, dangerous substances. Remember, fentanyl is lethal even in smaller doses.
What are Fentanyl Pills?
Fentanyl is a powerful substance used to treat severe pain, usually brought by surgeries or high-risk diseases such as cancer. It is worth repeating that it is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin.
Moreover, it is also a prescription drug only for exceptional cases due to its addictive effects and severe side effects. Some of its commercial names are Sublimaze®, Duragesic®, and Actiq®.
Uses and Effects of Fentanyl
The medicinal way of using Fentanyl is by injection, cough drops, or a patch on the patient’s skin. However, people who illegally sell Fentanyl produce it in powder and pills, then mix it with other substances and label it as if it were a different drug. This is why users who buy medications from the streets may have already taken Fentanyl without realizing it.
The effects of Fentanyl can be moderate to severe, depending on dosage and the amount of time that the user has been using the drug. Overdosing on Fentanyl, especially if it is mistaken for Xanax, is very common. This may lead to hypoxia, and when the low oxygen levels start affecting the brain, the user can end up in a coma or losing their life.
Besides causing addiction, inappropriate use of Fentanyl can result in severe cravings, nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, body pains, and other lethal symptoms.
Other Drugs That Interact With Alprazolam
There are almost 300 more drugs that have minor to severe interactions with Xanax. To give you a better idea, we will list some of them.
Drugs with severe interactions with Xanax are:
- Tipranavir
- Sodium Oxybate
- Ketoconazole
- Itraconazole
Meanwhile, some drugs that have serious interactions with Fentanyl are:
- Carbamazepine
- Cimetidine
- Clarithromycin
- Erythromycin Base
- Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate
- Erythromycin
- Lactobionate
- Erythromycin
- Stearate
- Idelalisib
- Itraconazole
- Ivacaftor
- Ketoconazole
- Nefazodone
- Rifabutin
- Rifampin
- Saquinavir
- St. John’s wort
- Valerian
If your doctor thinks that Xanax would be the best medication for your needs, they will ask you about other drugs you are taking, since the combination might cause health risks. It is important to be honest and let them know your medical history.
Understanding Alprazolam Xanax Withdrawal
If you are experiencing Xanax withdrawal or know someone struggling with adolescent Xanax abuse, finding a safe Xanax rehab detox program near you in Los Angeles would be the best way to quit. Tapering a dosage or using the Cold Turkey method can be dangerous. Our clinical professionals at Key Healthcare are trained to help any teenager struggling with Xanax abuse.
Xanax withdrawal is not as easy as many people think. Depending upon the patient’s dosage, the withdrawal symptoms can be very unpleasant.
The withdrawals from Xanax can be serious, especially if the teenager has been taking Xanax many times a day. Anyone who takes Xanax for more than a few weeks will develop a physical dependence on the pill. Once the physical dependence sets in, psychological dependence follows. Using the help of a professional from a teen Xanax rehab or teen Xanax treatment program to safely quit Xanax dependence is a highly recommended path. Getting off Xanax takes time, requires a life change, determination, and patience. All while under strict structure, so the teen cannot relapse.
Key Healthcare is a teen drug rehab center in Los Angeles which can offer the best possible help by providing to teens so that they can cure their various addictions. Call us now to help with your teen today.
Signs & Symptoms of Xanax Withdrawal In Teens
The signs and symptoms a person will experience during Xanax withdrawal are extremely varied. A study has shown that around 40% of people taking Xanax for more than 6 months will show moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms, while the remaining 60% are expected to show milder signs.
Most people, while quitting Xanax, will report high levels of anxiety for a brief period. The severity of your symptoms will also account for the level of anxiety you will experience. There are several Anxiety treatments available to help your child. People commonly have reported feeling anywhere from sudden feelings of nervousness to feeling on edge all day.
Irritability and agitation are also common symptoms that people may feel while quitting Xanax. These feelings are also aggravated without much warning if you are in a stressful situation.
The teenager may find themselves getting easily annoyed or being short-tempered. Feelings of depression or moodiness are also common. Sleeplessness is another withdrawal symptom of Xanax. As a parent, it’s your duty to know 5 ways on how to get over depression. The teen may feel the physical and mental side effects of insomnia, which can add to agitation and anxiety.
There are a variety of symptoms of Xanax withdrawal. A list of all the common signs are given below:
- Physical symptoms of Xanax withdrawal include insomnia, hyperventilation, muscle spasms, racing pulse, tremors, sweating, headaches, blurred vision, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite, numb fingers, heart palpitations, sensitivity to light and sound, etc.
- Psychological symptoms of Xanax withdrawal include depression, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, delirium, hallucination, panic attacks, feelings of unreality, paranoia, etc.
People who have been prescribed Xanax due to a serious diagnosis of mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, PTSD, panic disorder, or borderline personality disorder shouldn’t quit taking Xanax without first speaking with a doctor. Even those who are prescribed Xanax, if they take it for long periods of time, can become dependent on the drug.
When Do Xanax Withdrawl Symptoms Occur?
The symptoms of Xanax withdrawal occur as early as 8 to 12 hours after the last dose. If you cannot end your addiction by stepping down your dosage, the withdrawal symptoms will grow increasingly.
What is the Worst Day of Xanax Withdrawl?
The Xanax withdrawal symptoms are the worst on the second day, and it improves by the fourth and fifth day. However, the symptoms of Xanax withdrawal can last significantly longer.
Some people also experience protracted withdrawal, which is the prolonged withdrawal experience where people experience mild psychological symptoms over several months that come and go. The protracted withdrawal symptoms of Xanax withdrawal can last up to one year!
Some Ways To Alleviate the Xanax Withdrawal Symptoms
Getting help from a medical professional will be the best way to deal with the Xanax withdrawal symptoms safely. These professionals will be able to help the patient manage the symptoms in the best manner possible. If you are ready to get your teen help, contact us today to speak with our clinical experts about enrolling them in our Los Angeles teen Xanax rehab program (which is part of our Teen PHP / Teen outpatient program). Some of the following are suggestions to make your teen feel comfortable at home when going through a teen outpatient Xanax detox program in Los Angeles.
- Stay hydrated and take part in calming activities like yoga, and relaxation.
- Meditation.
- Several showers or baths per day isn’t a bad idea, to help calm the body and mind.
- Diet rich in minerals and vitamins.
- Make sure the teen has a safe place to relax and feel loved at home.
It takes a mental toll and plenty of physical stress to cope with the teenage withdrawal symptoms of Xanax. It takes time and patience, and should you want assistance for this entire process, we’re here to help. Contact us today for a free and confidential assessment.
