kiva49Please please explain the physiological basis for how, after 40 plus years of trying every concievable anti-anxiety med there is that this simple BP lowering med (which I understand isn't even a first line option) has immediately and almost completely eliminated my startle responses, fight/flight PTSD, chronic hypervigilence, etc in less than a week. And please tell me why more docs are not prescribing it. Someone needs to shout it from the roof tops--not just clinical trials in VA hospitals in Oregon--but I really want to know the medical details--how and why this is working so well. Thanks.
Why is Prazosin not being used more often for anxiety and PTSD?
- Posted:
- 19 Aug 2010 by kiva49
- Topics:
- post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, prazosin, raynaud's syndrome
Details:
Responses (3)
masso416919 Aug 2010
Good morning,
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), your body may release too much adrenaline. Adrenaline is a hormone that can make you feel stressed and have nightmares.
Prazosin blocks some of the effects of adrenaline released in your body. This may help reduce the nightmares and sleep problems you have with PTSD.
By keeping you from having nightmares, prazosin may help you get better sleep. With better sleep, you can feel healthier and more alert. This may help lower your stress and help you feel more in control of your life.
Research shows that prazosin may help reduce nightmares, one of the symptoms of PTSD.1 More research is needed to confirm its effectiveness for treating PTSD.
Side effects include:
Delila27 Oct 2010
Hi, side effects for Prazosin are as follows;
Low blood pressure (hypotension) causing dizziness and fainting
A slow heart rate (bradycardia).
A cough or wheezing, which means the airways that carry air to the lungs are narrowing (bronchospasm).
Thinking and acting more slowly.
Stuffy nose, headache, and swelling in the legs.
Prazosin may help reduce your nightmares, but it is not a cure for PTSD. Nightmares and anxiety may come back if you stop taking your medicine.
I guess this is why its use had been reduced?
Quetiapine is a similar drug/used for the same symptoms, and it appears the side effects aren't as serious? But i wouldn't guarantee that.
I hope this helps?
Choclablo...25 Aug 2012
I have been on several meds for nightmares related to PTSD.We recently changed to Prazozin. I've been on this one a while and my dr just increased the dosage to 2mg since i was still occasionally having nightmares. I feel it's helping .You do have to be careful since it drops your bloodpressure when u get up and down you can get dizzy.
I haven't had any major side effects with it.
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Thanks
Hello,
Commonly this medication is for CPTSD (Combat Post Traumatic Stress Diosrder), you need to know this.- But it can also be effective in the treatment of PTSD.-
Prazosin can occasionally cause sudden fainting after the first dose and anytime that your dose is increased. To reduce your risk of fainting, the first dose prescribed by your Doctor will be the smallest dose available. And for this reason you must talk to your Doctor to start a safe treatment for you.-
I can not tell you what dose you must take, as I am not a Doctor, every organism reacts in a different way to medications, therefore a dose that might be right for someone else may not be the adecuate one for you, we are all unique, but again I am not a DOCTOR nor pretend to be one. All this must be discussed with a proffesional, your Doctor.-
Please make and appoinment with your DOCTOR and discuss this further, never self medicate.-
All the best and take care.-
Thanks, Actually it is helping with my PTSD sx. In addition I take it
for severe diaphoresis. It is that dosage that my doctor and I are
titrating regarding effectiveness - just wondered what dosage experiences
others were having. Again, thanks