Doxepin and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• Mik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 14, 2019

For Insomnia "Doxepin does keep you asleep, but the majority of the time will keep you drowsy and groggy the whole next day. Isn't that why we are taking it so we don't feel that way the next day? I would sleep over 8 hours and still feel groggy and drowsy and gross the next day. No thanks."

• Mik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 14, 2019

For Insomnia "Doxepin does keep you asleep, but the majority of the time will keep you drowsy and groggy the whole next day. Isn't that why we are taking it so we don't feel that way the next day? I would sleep over 8 hours and still feel groggy and drowsy and gross the next day. No thanks."

• Tod...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 15, 2013

Doxepin for Insomnia "I have been taking Silenor every night for 5 months and love it. It doesn't knock me out or make me loopy like Ambien. Silenor just makes me a bit drowsy, but more importantly is that when I wake up in the middle of the night I fall right back to sleep - which is a lifesaver for me. Since it's non-addictive, this is great for just normal calm times in my life, which is 95% of the time. But when I'm stressing out over something and all panicky, then Silenor does practically nothing for me. I have to take Ambien or Ativan during that 1-2 week period I'm stressing."

• blh...
• May 25, 2017

Doxepin for Insomnia "I was prescribed 3 mg tablets for insomnia. The first night, I took one about 45 minutes before bedtime and did not find it helped me sleep at all. However, I was extremely groggy the next morning and ended up back in bed shortly after lunch, sleeping for almost 2 hours. I tried it two more times, taking it earlier each time, but the effect was the same: it takes too long to work and leaves me groggy and unable to function the next day. I will not be taking it anymore."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2019

For Anxiety "I've been on doxepin 10 mg for insomnia and anxiety attacks. In only three days, it has changed my quality of life for the better. I take it at 9 pm, and I’m asleep by 10:30 or 11 pm at the latest. I sleep all night. I do feel a little groggy in the morning, but it goes away after an hour of moving around. It keeps me centered and functional throughout the day. No anxiety or panic. It has relieved my palpitations too. A bit of dry mouth, but my pharmacist suggested I drink water or suck on ice cubes. It relieves the dry mouth. I was put on sertraline 50 mg and buspirone before this, and that combo totally messed me up. They caused me mild serotonin syndrome (rapid heart rate and high blood pressure). I’m so glad my doctor put me on doxepin. It has helped so much! I will not touch sertraline or buspirone ever again."

• Non...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 4, 2020

For Insomnia "Not sure how some are getting 3, 6 mg doses. Mine are 50 mg, and I take 2 capsules each night and barely helps with sleep. No grogginess next day either. Not sure how such a small dose would do anything at all."

• aqu...
• August 10, 2014

For Insomnia "I started this medication about 10 days ago. Doxepin, 10mg, has been working more days than not. Like most medicines, the first few days it worked like a charm. I took it and I slept about 5.5 hours straight. Sometimes I can go back to sleep for another 1/2 an hour. I do feel a little help in the anxiety category. Not a lot but it does help a bit. The bad thing about this medicine is that you feel very sedated throughout the day. You know you slept because of the vivid dreams and you don't wake up the whole night. Nevertheless, you feel extremely tired the whole day. I wish I didn't have to take medicines. But I'd rather be feeling sleepy and knowing that I slept as opposed to feeling sleepy due to no sleep."

• fay...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 20, 2015

Doxepin for Depression "It works tremendously well on insomnia and really does help in maintaining normalcy in everyday life. Sleeping a lot at first, which in my case was a good thing. It's not the best for uplifting depression and doesn't help in taking away anxiety or panic attacks. The side effects for me were being easily bothered & hostile/angry. Will pass if you continue taking as directed, but each time you stop and then start again, the experience starts over. But keep in mind, side effects vary and it's different for each of us. What works for one might not work for another. I've been taking Sinequan/Doxepin for over two decades."

• MDK...
• January 18, 2013

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I have battled stomach pains so bad it sent me to the ER. Tests were run and always the same thing, liver enzymes up off the chart or sugar levels not right, white blood cell extremely high, but by the next morning everything was back to normal. Sometimes I didn't eat for a day or even weeks. I suffered for 13 years without any doctor saying a word about irritable bowel syndrome. I was the one that took it to my doctor and he put me on doxepin. Within 24 hours, I felt like a new person, can eat a normal diet and go where I want and live life again. Started with 25mg and only because it made me drowsy the second month I went to 10 mg. I love it! Thank You."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 26, 2016

For Insomnia "Ok.... OMG!! Sooo.. let me just say look at all the insomniacs (true diagnosed people by psych docs) that have had a great experience with this.. benzos are terrible for you ... but doxepin has yet to wake me up ... has yet to not work.. and has yet to give me dreams or night terrors... now if you're like me and you can go 3 days with zero sleep ... while trying trazodone and even Seroquel.. you know restlessness and complete misery.. once on doxepin I slept great... didn't get up groggy (8-hour sleep ideal per 25 mg tablet) and it even combats IBS and my case Crohn's"

• Ano...
• June 14, 2014

For Insomnia "I've suffered with insomnia for several years now. At times, sleeping only 1 hour before having to get up to go to work. My Dr. prescribed Silenor, but my insurance gave me Doxepin (25mg). The biggest mistake I made was taking it right before bed because it doesn't help you fall asleep, only helps you stay asleep. Once I fell asleep, I didn't wake up at all until the following morning. If you have children or anyone else to depend on you for care, I wouldn't recommend it. I was actually awakened by my boys, and I felt very drowsy, groggy, and irritable. So much so that I caught myself yelling at my kids. I wasn't able to function 100%. This would ONLY be good if you have nothing to do or no one to care for the next day."

• Ano...
• June 14, 2014

For Insomnia "I've suffered with insomnia for several years now. At times, sleeping only 1 hour before having to get up to go to work. My Dr. prescribed Silenor, but my insurance gave me Doxepin (25mg). The biggest mistake I made was taking it right before bed because it doesn't help you fall asleep, only helps you stay asleep. Once I fell asleep, I didn't wake up at all until the following morning. If you have children or anyone else to depend on you for care, I wouldn't recommend it. I was actually awakened by my boys, and I felt very drowsy, groggy, and irritable. So much so that I caught myself yelling at my kids. I wasn't able to function 100%. This would ONLY be good if you have nothing to do or no one to care for the next day."

• geo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2013

For Insomnia "Did not take too long to go to sleep. Had some dreams but not nightmares. Woke with dry mouth and a little groggy. Within an hour of being up, I feel very alert, almost energetic, not sure how to explain it, just overall feel better than I have in weeks. Last night was my first dose of 25 mg. So we will see how it goes, hope I don't gain weight, as I have read about. I have had sleep issues for years and tried everything, hope this continues to work."

• Bri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 8, 2019

For Anxiety "This drug doxepin has definitely decreased my anxiety and panic attacks. After years of trying nearly every drug out there, I've finally found one that works well (for me). The one downside I have with this drug is the grogginess in the mornings. However, I've been running in the morning to help ease the grogginess, and it certainly helps."

• Pos...
• April 24, 2014

For Insomnia "Developed acute insomnia immediately following a bad concussion. I would doze off, but would wake up within 30 minutes, unable to fall back asleep for hours at a stretch. Tried several sleeping medications (off-label use of trazodone, Ambien, melatonin, OTC sleep aids) with no success for several weeks and was getting desperate. A mere 3 mg of doxepin saved my life. I slept for six straight hours the first night and it only got better and better. I take 3 mg around 9 pm, sleep from 11 pm to 6 am very reliably, and have few side effects besides a small amount of weight gain (about five pounds in my first two weeks) and slight drowsiness in the mornings and mid-afternoons. I'm so grateful to have my sleep back."

• Tir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2019

Doxepin for Insomnia "Have had chronic premature waking for years. Silenor not covered by insurance. $500.00, outrageous for doxepin in a smaller dose. Had a compounding pharmacy make 5 mg caps. Insurance then paid part. I paid 10.00. Last night, 1st trial. Slept...wait for it...9 hours! Felt a little bit groggy, but now feel well and awake."

• Nic...
• June 8, 2013

For Anxiety "Psych keeps trying to replace Klonopin and Ambien with doxepin. It is very dose-dependent. Prescribed 50 mg but take 10 mg, splitting capsules. Great sleep helps with anxiety the next day but is sedating. Non-habit forming - no real 'good' feeling. Took it last night and it worked great for sleep and anxiety. Will see how today goes."

• jbg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2016

Doxepin for Insomnia "I was given a sample pack of 3 mg Silenor to help with my inability to stay asleep. I followed the instructions, and unfortunately, it did not seem to work for me. It made me very anxious and agitated during the night. I did sleep but kept waking up. In the morning, I was very groggy and unsteady on my feet. I felt like I had been drugged and had a minor headache all day. I do not think I will take it again, as it is obviously not the drug for me."

• rho...
• October 5, 2009

Doxepin for Insomnia "Sinequan (doxepin) works very well for insomnia, especially since it not only causes drowsiness, but also because it relieves anxiety. A lot of insomnia is caused by overthinking or not being able to stop thinking or fretting. This is a good medicine for that. The only thing is it has more side effects than some of the newer drugs."

• hec...
• August 29, 2016

For Insomnia "I have tried at least 15 other pills that all come with the groggy feeling if taken too late at night and too high of a dose. While 10 mg is too much for me, it works and works too well and keeps me asleep all night, and I actually feel rested. I had to write this review after seeing so many low ratings."

• CJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2019

Doxepin for Insomnia "Doesn't do much to help you fall asleep, but helps you stay asleep if you wake up halfway through the night or if you wake up too early and can't sleep. I found that 6 mg added a good 1-2 hours to how long I slept, but 3 mg did not do much. I only take as needed (2-3 times per week). Only real side effect is sedation throughout the day if you get less than 7-8 hours of sleep or if your sleep is disrupted."

• Pro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 28, 2017

For Insomnia "Doxepin does not help me fall asleep. It does help me stay asleep. I suffer from anxiety and depression, and that's why I can't sleep. To those people who have experienced extreme tiredness the next day, this also happens to me even though I take it as the manufacturer suggests for sleep maintenance, which is to take it on a completely empty stomach 3 hours after a meal. Otherwise, the onset is delayed even further. By several hours, leading to next-day sedation even more. Even when taking it the proper way, it has a 15-hour half-life, which can still leave you tired and groggy the next day, which I also experience even taking it correctly."

• Old...
• January 24, 2016

For Urticaria "Doxepin is a godsend for hives. But I have found several drawbacks to it. First, drowsiness. You need to take it before you go to bed. Probably even just slightly after dinner. Even then, you will find yourself sluggish in the morning. Second, since it is an antidepressant, I tend to develop an 'I don’t care' attitude with it. My personality is to be that way normally, and this exacerbates it. It isn't necessarily bad, just something to be aware of. Finally, I find it inhibits weight loss. It doesn't necessarily cause weight gain, but it causes me to sweat less when exercising. When I get off it, I tend to lose weight pretty rapidly. But all the side effects are worth it to be hive-free."

• RGa...
• October 11, 2020

Doxepin for Insomnia "I was on Ambien for years. It worked great, but at the time I wanted to get off controlled medications. With Silenor, I actually had no problem falling asleep. Couldn't believe it worked. I've tried about every OTC sleep aid and one non-controlled sleep aid (Belsomra). OTCs did nothing, and the Belsomra I threw in the trash after the first night taking it. I only recommend it if you like feeling drugged and anxious all night. Also, it gave me extreme light sensitivity where I couldn't look at my nightlight. So, in all, Silenor was great to help me sleep."

• Fin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2017

For Insomnia "After the doctor tried other pills on me for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia with horrible nightmares, he decided to try 100 mg of Doxepin in the evenings, saying it was an older pill not used as much anymore. My body is resistant to medications and requires high doses of meds in order to notice any effects. It's hard for them to knock me out for surgery and keep me knocked out. But so far (it's only been about a week), the Doxepin has been working great at making me sleep. It takes several hours to knock me out, but when it does, I'm out without waking up every 10 minutes in misery with nightmares and physical pain. I tend to be groggy in the mornings, though. I hope my body doesn't grow resistant to it."