Two different dr's have prescribed Hydroxyzine HCL for allergies and Hydroxyzine PAM for nausa with my pain meds. My regular dr doesn't believe they are different although they seem to react different in my body and my pharmacist agrees. Are they different?
Do Hydroxyzine PAM and Hydroxyzine HCL work for two different things?
Question posted by lynnkupka on 4 Feb 2013
Last updated on 23 December 2022 by MeDianne
8 Answers
MeDianne
23 Dec 2022
Is your medicine hydoxyz HCL for anxiety an orange round with imprint C 161 or the C looks like a C with a minus sign in the middle what is this pill
Tinh Trinh
4 March 2017
HCL is water soluble so it works faster on peripheral pathway, hence it is for itching. Pamoate is fat soluble so it works better for CNS (central nervous system) pathway, hence it is for anxiety and CNS related symptoms.
Hollyhopdriver
30 Jan 2017
I see this is an old question, however it is also the first Google hit after searching for this subject. The short answer is, yes. The long answer: for a long time they were thought to be interchangeable, but current tests and studies have been showing how different these are. HCL is just a simple salt, but Pamoic Acid is what you should research if you want to see the current information about the PAM form. You can follow the links from Pamoic Acid on wikipedia, all the way to HER2 if you wish, and follow up by doing the same on PubMed.
Officially, it is only a scientific fact that has not yet made it into clinical practice, but if it was my body, I'd stick with the HCL until more studies are completed and the receptor agonist and antinociceptive effects of PAM are clarified. When I took these two drugs, I didn't realize my pharmacist had switched them, and the drug stopped working for the purpose I needed. For me the antinociception was so strong, that it forced me into an awake and zombie state all night, instead of being usable as a sleep drug. It took me years to find two drugs that work for sleep, and if you will notice, the PAM also affects the 5-HT2A receptor. It basically has the opposite effect of seroquel and many other anti psychotic meds that can be used in small amounts for sleeplessness.
I am not a health care worker of any kind. But my inability to sleep for over 5 years has forced me to learn what these receptors do, and in my desperate search for sleep I found the HCL form of Hydroxizine works, and Seroquel at low doses works for me. I don't take them together, but when one stops working, I switch to the other so I don't take larger and larger doses of either. Your experience may be different from mine. As always, discuss this with your doctor, but I think you're free to choose one or the other of them as you wish at this time, until the effects of pamoic acid are better described.
lynnkupka
30 Jan 2017
Thank you. I thought so, but everyone poo-poo'd me. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I'll ck out your links!
mkee0110
7 Nov 2016
I have been prescribed both for anxiety... HCL is much more beneficial for me!! I have noticed when I take more than 25MG at a time, it makes me super drowsy. But, overall, I'm extremely happy with this one.
MomNPop
27 Sep 2016
My husband was prescribed the pam for help with sleep and I was prescribed the hcl for anxiety. They work as prescribed for us
Scoobybabe07
11 Sep 2013
Hydroxyz is how it's spelt on my bottle a well.
PoisonAlice
5 Feb 2013
Hydroxyzine is used for numerous unrelated medical conditions. I had been taking it for quite a while for allergies before finding out that it's commonly prescribed for anxiety! Sometimes it's even prescribed for sleep (though it doesn't personally make me drowsy). But the first commentor is correct. They're the same drug, just in different formulations.
LaurieShay
4 Feb 2013
The active ingredient, hydroxyzine, is the same in both formualtions, though the salt, pamoate or hydrochloride, to which it is attached is different. The pamoate comes as a capsule and the hydrochloride is a tablet. The release mechanism into the body is different between the two and hence why one may work better for you. Both the doctor and the pharmacist are correct. The doctor is looking at the active ingredient, hydroxyzine, which is what controls the symptoms of allergies and nausea, while he pharmacist is looking at the salt formulation which can affect how it is absorbed into your body.
lynnkupka
12 Sep 2013
Most of this I know from having been prescribed both for a long period of time; however, one does work better for allergies and sleep HCL and the other PAM does work better for helping with my pain meds. So, I guess from what you said, my body just must react differently due to either how it releases and the more inactive ingredient. So, THANKS!!! That helps!!
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Further information
- Hydroxyzine uses and safety info
- Hydroxyzine prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Hydroxyzine (detailed)
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