Do you feel the temperature of your body rising at the thought of giving a speech? Or does your hand randomly start to shake with sweats all over your body? These are the signs of anxiety, and if you are facing these issues, then you must also be facing anxiety disorders. Feeling anxious is quite common and normal, but if you feel the symptoms growing and starting to interfere with daily life, consider visiting a doctor. Your doctor may provide you with some benzodiazepines, especially Xanax, to help lessen the symptoms. But if you are someone with low tolerance toward high-potency drugs, then Hydroxyzine is the one for you. In this blog, we will be discussing Xanax vs Hydroxyzine, i.e., how both of these drugs differ from each other.
This blog aims to provide you with detailed insights about all the factors that make them apart, such as drug class, dosages, which is stronger, and which is better between the two.
Comparing Xanax and Hydroxyzine: Dosages, Side Effects, Drug Interactions, & Alternatives
What are Xanax and Hydroxyzine?
Xanax is the brand name for Alprazolam and is mostly used for treating anxiety disorders. It activates certain neurotransmitters that provide a calm sensation to the body. Xanax is available in the form of tablets and solutions, which are generally taken without food because they lead to quicker absorption and the beginning of action. Xanax is a Schedule IV drug, which is an indication that although the dependency can be low initially but continuous exposure will lead to addiction.
Hydroxyzine belongs to the group of antihistamines and is primarily used for the treatment of allergic symptoms. It is available in the market for sale under the brand names like Atarax and Vistaril. Hydroxyzine is available in capsule, tablet, and liquid solution forms and can be administered either orally or by injection. This drug can be taken with or without food, but if you have must be taken with food if you have an upset stomach. There are various other uses of Hydroxyzine, like panic attacks, difficulty in sleeping, and alcohol withdrawal.
What’s The Difference Between Xanax and Hydroxyzine?
There is a wide range of factors that make Xanax and Hydroxyzine apart from each other. The factors like dosages, side effects, type of disease they are used for, and which is the better option among the two are some are the points that make them apart from each other. Let’s discuss each of them in detail.
Drug Class
Xanax belongs to the class of Benzodiazepines, which are well-known anti-anxiety medications. They act upon the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which produces a calming effect on the body and mind. This helps to relax and thus decreases the symptoms of anxiety.
Hydroxyzine belongs to the group of antihistamines that prevent the release of histamines during allergy. The allergic symptoms, like swelling, itching, and redness that the body was supposed to show, are reduced when the flow of Histamines is decreased. Apart from the allergies, Hydroxyzine is also sometimes used for anxiety disorders.
Dosages of Xanax vs Hydroxyzine
The initial doses must always be lower to help the individual’s body adjust to the drug. Later, the doctor can either increase or decrease the amount depending on the condition.
Xanax
- Anxiety disorder: The starting dose is 0.25 mg to 0.5 mg, for 3 times per day.
- Panic disorder: The initial dose is 0.5 mg three times per day.
Hydroxyzine
The recommended doses for adults are:
- Anxiety: The starting dose is 50 mg 4 times a day, which can be further increased to 100 mg as per the need.
- Itching: The recommended dose for adults is 25 mg by mouth 3 to 4 times a day.
- Sedation: 50 to 100 mg of Hydroxyzine is given to individuals before and after general anesthesia.
The recommended doses for children are:
- Anxiety: For children younger than 6 years, 50 mg is the required dose, and for children older than 6 years, the recommended dose is 50 to 100 mg.
- Itching: The dose is similar to that of anxiety, both in those less than 6 years and those more than 6 years.
- Sedation: 0.6 mg per kg of body weight is the recommended dose for sedation.
Drug Interactions
Two drugs are said to have an interaction if their combination does harm to the body. It’s important to be aware of such drugs so that you can avoid mixing them and save yourself. Let’s look into the drugs that interact with Xanax vs Hydroxyzine.
Drug Interactions of Xanax
Drug Interactions of Hydroxyzine
Side Effects
There are wide range of side effects noticed in individuals taking these drugs. The range of the side effects can go from mild to severe. The common effects noticed in both drugs are:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Constipation
- Weakness
- Cough
- Fainting
- Vomiting
In addition to all these, there are certain effects noticed in an individual taking a specific drug. For Xanax, a person can face shakiness, seizures, and hallucinations. Similarly, people taking Hydroxyzine can face troubled breathing, severe sleepiness, and decreased responsiveness.
Which is Stronger, Xanax or Hydroxyzine?
Among the drugs Xanax and Hydroxyzine, Xanax is usually considered to be more potent than Hydroxyzine. As discussed, being a benzodiazepine makes Xanax more prone to dependence and addiction. This is also the reason why it is a controlled substance. On the other hand, the potency of Hydroxyzine is very less. It is also non-addictive, and the dependency rate is almost zero. Therefore, Xanax can be considered to be stronger as compared to Hydroxyzine.
What is Better For Anxiety: Xanax or Hydroxyzine?
Since xanax is primarily used for anxiety, we can consider it as a first option to treat patients dealing with the symptoms. But, as discussed above, the high potency nature of Xanax can make it unsuitable for some patients. Not everyone can tolerate the powerful benzodiazepines, and their symptoms may worsen if they are prescribed with drugs like Xanax. Hydroxyzine comes to the rescue for such people and helps them with their symptoms without having to deal with many after effects. We can say that choosing which is better between Xanax and Hydroxyzine is highly subjective, and the ultimate decision should be of the doctor and the condition of the patient.
Precautions Before Taking Xanax or Hydroxyzine
It is always better to check certain factors before taking any of the drugs to save the body from harm. Let’s discuss those essential factors.
- Allergies: Tell your healthcare providers if you have any allergies and are already taking medicines for that. This would help them to provide drugs that won’t have any interaction with each other.
- Planning pregnancy: If you are planning pregnancy or are already pregnant, then these drugs are not suitable for you because they can cause harm to the baby.
- Using other anti-anxiety medications: It’s better to inform if you have already been using other medications for your condition, since those must still be present in the body, and suddenly changing to new ones can be harmful.
- Using alcoholic beverages: Do not take any alcoholic beverages during the course of medication without consulting your healthcare provider.
- Other medical conditions: Certain underlying medical conditions can also make a person unsuitable for the drug. People taking antifungal medication and with alcohol addiction must avoid Xanax, and similarly, people with heart problems should avoid Hydroxyzine
Can You Take Xanax and Hydroxyzine Together?
No, it is not recommended mixing Xanax and Hydroxyzine since they possess a high risk of interacting with each other. Xanax, in general, has a high risk of getting people potentially addicted to it, and if you mix Hydroxyzine, then the risk may be increased twice. You can only take the risk of trying their combination if your doctor prescribes them.
Alternatives To Xanax and Hydroxyzine
For the people who cannot be prescribed either Xanax or Hydroxyzine, there are certain alternatives available for them to help with their symptoms. Let’s see those.
Alternatives for Xanax
- Zoloft
- Buspirone
- Propranolol
- Klonopin
- Ativan
- Ambien
- Fluoxetine
- Diazepam
Alternatives for Hydroxyzine
- Buspirone
- Zoloft
- Lexapro
- Effexor XR
- Cymbalta
- Ativan
- Xanax
- Propranolol
Conclusion
We can conclude that both Xanax and Hydroxyzine are effective in their own way to deal with anxiety. At the end, it all depends on the condition of the patient to choose which drug is most effective. Remember to stick to the prescription of the doctor and never try mixing Xanax and Hydroxyzine, or adjust the level of dosages according to your own will. Take all the precautions mentioned and call the doctor immediately if you face any adverse effects after taking the drug.