Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent form of mental illness in the United States. Each year, they affect 40 million adults in the United States who are 18 years of age or older, accounting for 18.1% of the population. Even though anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only 36.9% of people who suffer from them get treatment for them.
Even though there are many different ways to treat anxiety, one of the treatments that most people choose to try is taking oxazepam. Curious about how this thing operates? Keep reading this article if you want to learn more about this topic!
What is Oxazepam?
Oxazepam, which is the generic name for the antianxiety medication Serax, is typically prescribed for only a few days to help ease anxiety symptoms. Additionally, it assists in relieving sleeplessness that is brought on by anxiety. Oxazepam is a metabolite that is produced from several different benzodiazepines.
In addition, Serax effectively treats conditions such as depression, insomnia, psychosis, and the suppression of transplant rejection. It can also be administered in adjunctive therapy as an alternative drug of choice for alcoholics dependent on alcohol and going through alcohol withdrawal.
Oxazepam is a benzodiazepine. If you use the drug too frequently or for too long, like with any other medication that belongs to that class of drugs, you risk becoming addicted.
Factors to Keep in mind Before Using Oxazepam
Some medicines are not appropriate for people with certain medical conditions, and others can only be used with caution. For these reasons, you must tell your doctor before you start taking oxazepam:
- If you’re expecting a child or are breastfeeding
- If you’re having trouble breathing
- If you have any issues with the way your liver or kidneys work, you should seek medical attention
- If you are suffering from a mental illness. Psychosis, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias, and personality disorders are all great examples
- If you have ever been addicted to drugs or alcohol
- If you have myasthenia gravis(a condition that causes severe muscle weakness)
- If you’ve ever had a bad reaction to a medication
- If you take or use any other medications, including any non-prescription medications you’re taking and herbal and complementary medicines
How Should you Take Oxazepam?
- Before starting the treatment, read the manufacturer’s printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will provide you with more information about oxazepam and a comprehensive list of the potential side effects of taking it.
- Take oxazepam exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will tell you how many and how often to take the tablets. These instructions will also be printed on the pack’s label to remind you of what you were told. As a general rule, one or two tablets three times a day are recommended for anxiety. If you’re taking oxazepam for sleep problems, your doctor may prescribe a dose that you take only at night. The prescribed treatment plan will be as brief as possible.
- Try to take your oxazepam doses simultaneously each day, as this will help you remember to take them. With a glass of water, swallow the tablet(s). Oxazepam can be taken with or without food.
- If you forget to take a dose when you’re supposed to, take it as soon as you remember. Make an effort to take the correct number of doses each day, but do not combine two doses to make up for a missed dose.
Oxazepam Side Effects
Like all other prescription medications, Oxazepam has the potential to cause adverse effects, some of which could be quite serious.
Oxazepam users frequently experience drowsiness or lethargy, particularly when they initially begin taking the medication. This is the most common negative reaction to the drug.
Talk to your primary care provider about decreasing your medication’s dosage if the problem is severe or if it persists for more than a few days (which almost always solves the problem).
Some of the less common adverse effects of oxazepam include the following:
- Headache
- Tremor
- Swelling
- Vertigo (trouble with balance or the sensation that the room is spinning)
- Slurred speech
- Nausea
- Changes in your sex drive
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
Getting the Most out of Your Treatment Using Oxazepam
The Oxazepam brand name has become a well-known anxiety medication. However, there are a few things to remember in order to get the most out of your treatment. Let’s take a look at these:
- Keep any follow-up appointments with your doctor in mind. This allows your doctor to monitor your progress.
- Oxazepam is likely to impair your reaction time and driving ability. Driving while impaired is illegal. Do not drive until you better understand your reactions, especially when you first begin treatment. You should have proof that the medicine was prescribed for you – a repeat prescription form or patient information leaflet from the package is usually sufficient.
- While taking oxazepam, avoid drinking alcohol. It raises the possibility of sedative side effects.
- Oxazepam is only used for a short period, usually a few days. It will not be for more than four weeks because you may become dependent on it. Also, your body quickly adapts to it, and it is unlikely to have the same effect after a while.
- If you are having surgery or dental treatment, please inform the person performing the procedure that you are taking oxazepam. This is because oxazepam enhances the effects of some anesthetics.
- When it’s time to stop taking oxazepam, your doctor may advise you to reduce your dose gradually. This is to lower your chances of experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Any instructions your doctor gives you should be carefully followed.
Anxiety Treatment Options in Southern California
Because of its low side-effect profile, Oxazepam may be a good option for acute treatment of anxiety and alcohol withdrawal. Benzodiazepines, however, are powerful drugs with the potential for abuse and serious side effects, both from the drug’s side effects alone or in combination with other drugs, as well as from the withdrawal side effects when the drug is discontinued.
A professional can help tremendously in this regard. If you’re in Southern California and have questions about oxazepam or other anxiety treatment options, please don’t hesitate to call (866) 476-2823 and contact Story Wellness. We’d be happy to assist you with all of your mental health treatment needs!