Doxepin and Brain Fog: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2019

For Anxiety "I started on doxepin 75 mg 15 days ago. I have noticed a decrease in my anxiety, excitability, and obsessive thinking and thoughts. I used to have a problem sleeping. Not anymore!! I am asleep in about 20 minutes, and I stay asleep. I used to be such a light sleeper and never got more than 5 hours of sleep. I used to take Gabapentin for nerve pain. However, I haven’t needed it since taking doxepin. I noticed it also takes my appetite away. Now for the horrible side effects... I have to force myself up. It takes me a few hours to fully be awake. I was in a horrible brain fog for the first 10 days. The first four days I felt like I had the flu. Now I am still dealing with the tiredness. I don’t want to stop it. However, I will if the tiredness doesn’t subside. I am glad I have had no headaches on the medicine, as other meds have given me."

• Buf...
• June 23, 2014

For Anxiety "My doctor prescribed me Doxepin 10 mg for depression, anxiety, and insomnia. So far so good, calms me down wonderfully when my three kids or my husband cause me to have an anxiety attack, and is working well with my depression. Only things it isn't doing too much for my insomnia, I still go to bed at about 9 pm and fall asleep around 2:30-3:00 am. I have also taken Lexapro, which worsened my depression, Zoloft just made me feel like a zombie or like I was wired out of my mind, and Prozac, which worked great on me, but since I have insomnia my doctor gave me Doxepin."

• met...
• September 17, 2016

For Anxiety "This drug was terrible. I would take it at night and fall right to sleep, and when I got up in the morning, I'm completely exhausted and dizzy. My balance is off and I feel like I'm in a daze. I was extremely irritable. The entire day I was depressed and in a very, very bad mood. Everything bothered me. My anxiety was terrible. Tremors in my hands and just feeling kind of loopy. Nightmares when sleeping. This drug did nothing of any benefit for me. I was taking it to help with my social anxiety and panic attacks."

• mil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 1, 2017

For Anxiety "I was prescribed Doxepin for anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I took it last night and slept great, but this AM I could NOT open my eyes, and all day I have been beyond drowsy, even spaced out and exhausted. I took 10 mg at bedtime last night. I am going to try taking it at dinnertime tonight around 7 pm. I am glad I slept great, but I cannot function on this exhaustion. Please tell me these side effects go away. Also, could one pill do all this? Last night was the first time I tried this :-(. Thanks"

• Mmb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 18, 2023

For Anxiety "This medication has been beneficial in treating my anxiety, depression, migraines, sleep, mood, and allergies. I have not tolerated SSRIs, SNRIs, and benzodiazepines in the past, and have found them addictive even when prescribed and taken as directed. Currently, I take this medication with gabapentin for cyclothymic disorder and anxiety. I am very happy with the results. Doxepin can increase your appetite and make you a little impulsive, be aware of your food intake. I have had no side effects like brain fog or issues with memory. Highly effective for those who can’t tolerate other antidepressants."

• Dis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 14, 2023

For Insomnia "I was looking for a change from Trazodone, which had worn off its effectiveness after several years. Doxepin did not help me at all. Made falling asleep nearly impossible for me and made me feel like a wide-awake zombie the rest of the night."

• Squ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2017

For Insomnia "In my never-ending quest for migraine prevention, my doctor decided to try doxepin to try to take out the migraines, the anxiety, and the insomnia all at once, figuring it 'couldn't hurt.' Well, it hurt. No effect on migraines, sleep, or anxiety. None at all. It did, though, drop my blood pressure so low I couldn't walk for long, needed to lean on walls to stay upright, couldn't carry a cohesive conversation because I was too foggy to remember what I'd already said - in short, it did no good and left me unable to function at work, safely drive, make it up the steps to my bedroom, etc. Pulse also became erratic. And? I was only on half the child's starting dose. It was bad enough that I stopped it and then told the doctor."

• Cav...
• April 30, 2018

Doxepin for Insomnia "I've been using Silenor on and off for about 6 months now. I haven't taken it every night; I find what works best is to cycle it on for 2-3 days, with 2 days off where I supplement melatonin (3 mg to 5 mg) on the days off if needed. I initially started using melatonin 3 mg, but I found I was waking up about 1-2 hours into the night with mini panic attacks and hallucinating; but once the anxiety settles and I recognize I'm hallucinating (within a couple minutes), the effect wears off and I am able to return to deep sleep for the remainder of the night. I now cut the dose in half (1.5 mg) and I've noticed I don't experience the anxiety/hallucinations anymore. I have also noticed that the morning brain fog/temporary memory loss does not bother me nearly as much with the half dose. As for the sleep; once I am able to fall asleep, it usually keeps me there. If you wake up, it's only for small intermittent periods, which is minor compared to what I used to experience when I wasn't using the medication."

• gol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2018

For Insomnia "Foggy, yep! Sleep, yep! Wake up, pee, back to sleep! Took off 2 days, got less sleep, but okay. Now I know why I am eating! Doctor didn't tell me. Didn't tell wait 3 hours after eating either. Anyway, maybe lower dose. 1 week done. I wish it would help with nerve pain."

• Em ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2021

For Insomnia "Awful experience and now I look crazy. I took this medication for sleep. Next day, I kept zoning out, completely unfocused and uncoordinated, sidetracked when trying to tell someone my number and email address, terrible nightmares, woke up to panic attacks, started hearing things that weren't real (I was the only person in the library, but I heard intense typing. I checked all the desks and behind the counter, and I was the only person in there), I also kept hearing a gong sound. Several people were staring at me. One person said I must be manic. I am furious at my doctor. Worst experience. The following days were like I was schizophrenic."

• Em ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2021

For Insomnia "Awful experience and now I look crazy. I took this medication for sleep. Next day, I kept zoning out, completely unfocused and uncoordinated, sidetracked when trying to tell someone my number and email address, terrible nightmares, woke up to panic attacks, started hearing things that weren't real (I was the only person in the library, but I heard intense typing. I checked all the desks and behind the counter, and I was the only person in there), I also kept hearing a gong sound. Several people were staring at me. One person said I must be manic. I am furious at my doctor. Worst experience. The following days were like I was schizophrenic."

• Tri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 20, 2019

For Neuropathic Pain "Craving for sweets, but otherwise no appetite. Increased dry mouth, sore and bleeding gums, vivid dreams, brain fog the next day. I was given Silenor because I wake up every 2 hours. While I sleep, I’m told I thrash about, “seize” my leg muscles, and am very loud and verbal during sleep. Even though I still wake every 2 hours, half the time I go back to sleep for an hour. Still only getting about four hours, but not in a row."

• Ade...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2018

For Urticaria "I was prescribed Doxepin for relief of an itchy skin condition. I suppose you could say it temporarily relieved the itch because I was completely unconscious for the next 12 hours and unaware of everything, itchy and otherwise. I was groggy and zombie-like for the next 12 hours, and occasionally had to reach for walls or furniture to keep from falling over. I feel like I lost a day of my life. Verdict: NOPE."

• Com...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 24, 2020

For Insomnia "I slept after taking doxepin, that's for sure. The problem is that it's a TCA and they always put me to sleep even when I'm awake, and so saps the world of color. It's kind of a Spock syndrome sort of thing except even my thinking is muddled by inexplicable fogginess. I've been taking bupropion, which is the total opposite, it's said to be kind of like a lesser form of Adderall, and I'd believe it. This totally counteracts that newer stuff I've been on, though, so I simply can't take this stuff."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2018

Doxepin for Insomnia "Worst drug ever. Brain fog for days after. Sent me into deep depression from one dose. Extremely expensive for a very old drug. NEVER AGAIN."

• Geo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 11, 2016

For Insomnia "Horrible drug. Felt like a zombie for about 14 hours after taking 1/2 of a 25 mg capsule. Never again."