Hydroxyzine for Allergic Urticaria User Reviews

• Itchy...
• January 21, 2013

Atarax (hydroxyzine) "I was diagnosed with Urticaria at the age of 16 (in 1985 which just came out of the blue) and took an Atarax pill every 3-4 days when I felt the itchiness coming on. It worked 100%. Later in life they suggested I try some other antihistamine (Claritin), which I did and it worked but I have to take a pill every day so I went back to Atarax as I did not suffer from drowsiness (after taking it for so many years). Fortunately in 2011 the Urticaria disappeared and I no longer need any meds for it. If ever I get itchy skin again, Atarax will be my choice."

• Hivey
• May 29, 2009

Atarax (hydroxyzine) "I've had seriously awful hives and angioedema for 3 months and tried everything on my own to lessen my symptoms, even taking Benadryl around the clock. I went to my doctor who prescribed this and warned it would make me drowsy when I took it. For the first time in 3 months I've had hardly any hives (though they aren't completely gone, but much easier to handle) and I wasn't drowsy at all (maybe because I'm used to taking all the Benadryl and fighting drowsiness). I haven't had any side effects."

• Roachie
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 5, 2013

Vistaril (hydroxyzine) "Have taken Vistaril for nearly 30 years for hives that seem to be associated with exposure to hot/cold temperatures or emotional stress. A 5mg dose rapidly eliminates hives and has a lasting effect for 2-3 days. My doctor gives me an annual prescription for 30, 25mg tablets which I cut into four pieces. I only take 1/4 tablet therefore this very small dose completely resolves the hives for several days with minimal side effects consisting of slight drowsiness. For me, it is a marvelous medicine. Cost, even without insurance is extremely small."

• Ryan...
• April 21, 2014

"Had extreme hives all over my body from an allergic reaction. Took a single 25mg tablet of hydroxyzine about an hour before I went to sleep, and I was no longer itching by bedtime. When I woke up, there were no hives. They started to return at night time, so I took another tablet, and the cycle continued."

• Lizzi
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 24, 2014

"Right after my 2nd child was born in 1969, I found myself scratching till I bled and I was diagnosed with Urticaria I was prescribed hydroxyzine 10mg (Atarax) 3 times a day at first, but was soon able to pare that back to 1 x 10mg pill a day which I take in the morning. I have never had a problem with drowsiness. The only time I realize I have this condition is if I run out of the medication and don't take it for a few days, then the itching comes back, usually starting on the palms of my hands. I will probably take this medication for the rest of my life, but for me it has been a Godsend."

• John
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 12, 2018

"Periodically I get hives. This time I was prescribed the standard prednisone pack and Hydroxyzine. I took the prednisone but not the antihistamine. Dumb me. The rash got better but the back of my head began to itch terribly. As a result large welts began to form. My hands itched and other welts on my legs and chest began to form. So, I decided to take my hydroxyzine. I took it right before bed. When I woke up all the welts were nearly all gone. My hands stopped itching. This drug works wonders. Yes, it made me a little sleepy. Who cares. It knocked my hives out like a heavyweight boxer."

• FeyFey
• September 30, 2016

Atarax (hydroxyzine) "I took 1 tablet of Atarax last night for my HIVES. I asked for an anti-histamine that can also help me to sleep bcos I have not been sleeping for 4 nights straight due to the itchiness from my hives. So this was suggested by my doctor. I managed to sleep through the night for over 9 hours - the alarm didn't manage to wake me until my 2nd super loud alarm! I was awake BUT I wasn't really AWAKE! I felt like I can doze off any second. Unless you want to sleep thru 24-hours maybe this is good for you but I won't be taking it the 2nd time. I felt horrible for the whole day! My mind was not functioning, I felt groggy, not alert at all, walk like zombie, it was just bad for me. I like to feel AWAKE! Not like this. My suggestion: Take with CAUTION!"

• Corb
• July 7, 2017

"I had chronic ideopathic urticaria for a 6 months before I found anything that remotely helped. Once I got on a cycle of of 40 mg hydroxyzine before bed and 150 mg ranitidine +5 mg of levocetirizine in the mornings I started to have noticeable improvement. After another 4 months my hives were completely gone. Of the three medicines, the hydroxyzine by far provided the biggest impact. This medicine stopped hives from forming during sleep and the anti-anxiety component definitely helped sooth my mood and get me to sleep more quickly. I will say that this medicine gives you some really wacky and vivid dreams. It also makes you feel very groggy after taking it, lasting well into the next morning. Those symptoms are worth it though."

• Alex
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 18, 2019

"I have chronic hives (unknown cause) and I’ve been on this since 2016. I take 100 mg a day and I keeps me from being COVERED in large red welts all over my body. Of course, if benadryll makes you sleepy and you hate that, don’t take this (I feel like that should be common sense but whatever)."

• Janedev
• March 28, 2016

"My Dr prescribed Hydroxyzine for my allergic reaction to dust mites and hives and began taking them at night. Best sleep I had in years but it actually increased my hives. It took me a month to figure out it was the Hydroxyzine that was causing my hives. Two days after I stopped taking it my hives subsided. After 4 days they are almost all gone. It may work for many people but not everyone."

• Anonymous
• June 6, 2010

Vistaril (hydroxyzine) "My Doctor diagnosed me with dermatographia, and prescribed Singulair and Alavert. The condition lessened, but did not go away. I would still break out into hives on a daily basis, though they were not as frequent and covered a smaller portion of my body. After a few months, she prescribed Vistaril in place of Alavert, and kept me on the Singulair. Almost immediately, I noticed a significant change! For the first time in months, I went an entire day without any hives - though I had to take the capsule four times a day. If I took fewer capsules, my hives would come back. I did experience severe drowsiness and a slight "euphoric" feeling, but it lessened over time."

• 2sleepy
• December 28, 2011

"I was prescribed hydroxyzine 25 mg (one or two tablets at bedtime) for a very itchy rash. I have also had insomnia for years, it is not unusual for it to take 3 or 4 hours for me to fall asleep. The first time I took this medicine I was sound asleep within an hour after taking it, and I slept through the night. I have been taking it for about 2 months and wish I had known about it sooner."

• Anonymous
• May 28, 2010

"This medicine saved my sanity, if not my life! Months of unexplained pressure hives all over my body had my nerves absolutely shot. I won't go into the details, but after MANY doctors and countless tests, I finally found a doctor who wanted me to try Atarax, 50 mg 4 times a day. I was willing to try anything!! The drowsiness was difficult to deal with for a long time but the hives had pretty much met their match. I can tell if I'm late taking one or if I've forgotten altogether. I can't live without them!"

• Anjie...
• January 10, 2018

"I've been taking this for about a year and I wish I had found out about it ten years ago. In the past I've had debilitating hives and rash no matter what I was doing. It could be from showering or clothing myself to running on a treadmill. They were painful and felt like I had been dipped into a vat of itching powder. It could last hours to days. Summer and Winter were brutal for my skin. It has literally changed my life. Yes the first week or so, it made me super drowsy. Doctor recommended to take it at night instead of morning and night. I take one pill in the morning now that it doesn't make me sleepy. I would love to find a natural remedy but haven't been successful yet."

• Mimi
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 28, 2020

"I always had allergies but recently developed have whole body allergic reactions, from foods and food additives. Such as hives, face and lips, swelling, red skin, rashes and diarrhea. I had to take daily numerous does of Benadryl and Zyrtec. From the very first dose I took at night of 50 mg hydroxyzine I got a wonderful deep and restful full night of sleep. Instead of having my allergic reactions waking me up after a few hours of sleep."

• Anonymous
• August 11, 2010

"I have been suffering from rashes, bumps, and itches on my hands and legs for about 15 years during which time I have been to 7 skin specialist and allergists: nothing except palliative (and messy) creams and covering my hands with 6-8 bandaids at a time. Then I found a new doctor who prescribed hydroxyzine and fexofenadine. Two days later 99% of the problem was gone. It flares up when I eat any meats with preservatives (sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate) and berries with small seeds (figs, raspberries, strawberries, blue berries, etc). Drowsiness was never a problem but it would have been a worthwhile trade-off not to spend most of my waking hours itching, creaming up and then covering with bandaids."

• Itching...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 26, 2015

"My itching just kept coming so bad it would keep me awake all night. Even increasing the dosage didn't stop it. I have had no rash just itch from head to toes. I have had to deal with this for over two years and it's driving me nuts constantly itching. Hydroxyzine don't work and neither does Benedryl."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 20, 2020

"My dr prescribed 50 mg hydroxyzine for itchiness. Didn't seem to help much at all. Benadryl worked just as well. But my goodness, the awful drowsiness the next day was crazy! I took it at 8pm and the next morning at 8am couldn't open my eyes. Went back to bed at 10am and slept till afternoon. Got up after 12 but was still so sleepy. I am a homeschooling mom with 4 boys. I definitely cannot take this again."

• Jen
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 27, 2020

"I have chronic hives and have been taking this for over 5 years. I got my first outbreak of hives 17 years ago and they have never gone away. Biopsies, testing, blood work, and multiply doctors to no avail. I am prescribed 25 mg as needed but only go through 60 pills a year. They immediately take that deep itch away, so I’m not making myself bleed and driving myself crazy. The downside is you do stay groggy for over 12 hours but sleep like a baby. I will take that over the itching and rash any day. I highly recommend this. The doxepin I was on prior made me so mean and I didn’t even care."

• Soso...
• March 19, 2017

"This medication is only a sleeping pill and doesn't stop the itch, but gives you an itch all day. If you don't take zyrtec or similar med doing the day, you'll still be itching. This medicine is useless."

• Trent...
• December 4, 2009

"Hydroxyzine has been the magic bullet for my skin allergies. I've tried every over-the-counter option, as well as a couple of prescriptions. I was warned that hydroxyzine might make me more sleepy and wiped out than the other drugs, but for me it has nearly no sedative effect. My hives, which used to appear over much of my body for several hours a day, stay away almost completely."

• Henry
• May 10, 2020

Vistaril (hydroxyzine) "About 2 or 3 weeks ago, I started to get itchy after taking bath, I was very very itchy. My whole body was itchy and I was about to go crazy, It was like thousands of ants were running in my skin. It was very awful. I ran to the drug store and bought Hydroxyzine 25mg and hopefully this medication helped me. I've been taking it daily."

• mmont
• July 3, 2015

"Itching, sick to my stomach, blood constantly in my nose, shakes, sore throat feel like I have a cold now. Cannot take antihistamines told doctor still insisted. My bites still itch and now I feel ill on a daily basis."

• Lesli...
• August 23, 2017

"So I started taking this medication to help with poison ivy spreading and not being able to sleep because of it. I was prescribed for 5 days on the pill and on my 4th day I woke up to hives all over my stomach and pelvic area. I didn't think it was from the medication so I took it for the last day and it just got worse. It's not been a week and they hives haven't gone down, just got worse and spread more over my body. Really bad reaction and I never get allergic reactions to anything!"

• Avanthi
• April 10, 2009

"1 tablet 25 mg of hydroxyzine can control urticaria for a minimum of 3 days but for 2 days I have to sleep. Very effective for urticaria but the drowsiness side effect is hard especially for active, working women."