Should you take Xanax when you’re sick?
This is a common question a lot of people have, and there are a few reasons you might consider taking Xanax when sick.

Another reason people might take Xanax when they’re sick is because since it depresses the respiratory system, they might think it could help with symptoms of a cough. This isn’t necessarily something that will happen. In reality, the desire to cough is largely something that’s controlled by the brain, and Xanax isn’t going to do much to help this issue.
Of course, some people regularly take Xanax, and they continue to do it while they’re sick because to discontinue it would lead to uncomfortable symptoms, and depending on the extent of their use it could even trigger withdrawal symptoms.
While you might feel there are a few benefits to taking Xanax when sick, there are many more potential disadvantages that can be dangerous or even deadly.
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Speak to an Intake Coordinator now.352.771.2700For example, common side effects of taking Xanax include diarrhea, decreased appetite, lightheadedness, shakiness, trouble concentrating, and weakness. If you take Xanax when sick and you’re already experiencing these symptoms beforehand, it can become particularly problematic.
Less common symptoms of taking Xanax also include body aches and pains, stomach or abdominal pain, chills, blurred vision, cough, a decrease in urine, difficulty breathing, dry mouth and ear congestion.
Again, these are symptoms that are similar to being sick, so by taking Xanax you might be more likely to experience these symptoms, or they might be worse than they would be otherwise.
Depending on you as an individual, you may also find that Xanax doesn’t necessarily help you sleep when you’re sick, but instead causes sleep problems.
Some of these symptoms can be very serious, such as decreased urine and diarrhea. Xanax can lead to dehydration, which is also something that can occur when you’re sick, and if you do become dehydrated, it can be deadly.
It’s important to realize that when you take Xanax when sick, you may be actually making yourself sicker, or you might be making it harder for your body to recover from the sickness.
FDA reports show that immune system disorder can be found among people who take Xanax, especially among certain groups of people, such as people who have been taking it for more than one month or who also use other drugs such as Lyrica.
Many common cold medicines can have adverse effects when combined with Xanax, and you might not even be aware of these potential risks.
The above are just a few of the things to consider when you’re taking Xanax when sick. It may help you relax or fall asleep, but it can also lead to negative side effects that are compounded by your sickness, it could lower your immune system, and taking Xanax when sick can also lead to deadly drug interactions.
With that being said, you may need to consider whether or not you could have withdrawal symptoms if you were to stop taking Xanax when sick. If you’re a long-term user of Xanax, you could become even sicker if you were to stop taking it because of potential withdrawal symptoms.
If you’re sick and wondering if you can take Xanax, the best thing to do is contact your doctor, who can discuss potential side effects, drug interactions, and withdrawal symptoms. Unless you’ve spoken to your doctor first, it’s not advised that you take Xanax when sick.
Medical Disclaimer: The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.