Hydroxyzine and Nausea: What Users Say

• Yat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 17, 2012

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "I cold turkeyed off Xanax after 16 years of 1 mg a day. I had horrible withdrawal symptoms. At 4 months my MD (not the doctor that suggested I go cold turkey) but the one that helped me through it, put me on Atarax, 10 - 25 mg as needed up to 100 mg a day. It really made a difference in my recovery. I take it as I need, or don't take it at all. It helps with the anxiety, nausea, shaking. I have been on it for 9 months now and really recommend people try it."

• Muh...
• June 3, 2008

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "I have extreme anxiety attacks that make it hard for me to breathe, which makes the oxygen levels in my brain go down. I have found that it helps me calm down to the point where I can rationalize the stress and anxiety that is causing the attack. I also find that when I am nauseous, it helps me not vomit."

• Lea...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 21, 2020

For Anxiety "Wanted to give this drug some credit after reading some negative reviews. For context, I am a male, 175 lbs, and deal with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Bipolar II. I feel the drug hydroxyzine is better as a maintenance drug for anxiety than as an instant response to an acute anxiety/depression crisis. For me, the drug is much milder than, say, Clonazepam. It does alleviate anxiety but still leaves me with a certain degree of control. Clonazepam and Xanax can work great but also make me sluggish and ineffective at work. Hydroxyzine provides me with more zen throughout the day without too much fogginess but is by no means a cure-all for anxiety. Positive side effect: I struggle with my allergies and other physical responses (IBS) to anxiety. I have seen improvement in both. Helps me stay asleep at night. I am fortunate and have not had many negative side effects other than a bit of nausea when I started. It's been a valuable part of my toolkit and has paired well with lamotrigine."

• Ste...
• February 6, 2015

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "I'm glad I was prescribed Vistaril. It relieves anxiety quickly without all the downsides of Klonopin or Xanax. The drowsiness is more pronounced, but I'll take it over a panic attack. This seems like a good medicine to take as needed. Be careful driving, and remember to rely on natural coping skills as well. To the people experiencing an abnormal amount of drowsiness or nausea, just remember it's temporary. It was totally effective for me, and my anxiety is moderate."

• Lea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2019

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "My psychiatrist prescribed me Vistaril for anxiety after trying plenty of other drugs (Celexa, Lexapro, and Klonopin). I was also trying other drugs like Prozac, Ritalin, and Intuniv. The first couple of days it made me tired, but like with all antihistamines I've ever taken, it wears off incredibly quickly, and I build a tolerance quite quickly. I was specifically prescribed it for anxiety, but as far as that goes, I haven't noticed a difference whatsoever. My anxiety is pretty severe, and I've had it since I was really young. Although everyone is different, and this will work differently for everyone, I have been taking it for about three and a half weeks, and the only reason I still take it is because I get nausea and allergies. But I haven't noticed a dent in my anxiety with it. I've always needed something relatively strong for my anxiety."

• lmm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 26, 2019

Hydroxyzine for Nausea/Vomiting "I started getting extremely sick and nauseous (about 5 weeks ago) to the point that I had to go to the ER. IV Zofran didn’t do anything for me. They gave me IV fluid since I was so dehydrated, then I went home, still extremely nauseous. I remember my mom telling me that she used Vistaril for morning sickness while she was pregnant with my brothers (do male babies make people more nauseous?). I take Vistaril for my anxiety so I have it on my 24/7. I pulled over and took 100 mg (I was desperate. I normally took 50 mg). By the time I got home from the ER, I was able to breathe without feeling nauseous. Sadly, after 5 weeks of taking it, it’s stopped working as well, but it still works. Hopefully, it won’t fully stop working because I’m still nauseous if I don’t take it."

• Hap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 24, 2019

For Pain "25 mg of this drug is literally the only thing that helps my migraines. Takes about half an hour to work, and I still am aware of my headache, but it makes the pain much more tolerable and eliminates the accompanying nausea. I’ll take the profound sedation from this over migraine pain any day."

• Ins...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2019

For Anxiety "I was prescribed hydroxyzine for anxiety and sleep issues. My anxiety was really bad; I struggled with racing thoughts, nausea, and vomiting, which kept me from sleeping. My doctor started me out on 10 mg-20 mg a night, which did wonders for my anxiety (and allergies) but didn't help with sleep. She told me to try 30 mg. It didn't put me to sleep, but I felt the quality of sleep was better in the end. The next morning, I had trouble waking up. I couldn't drive to work. I took a two-hour nap and felt fine when I woke back up. Still left me a little tired throughout the day, but it worked. Be aware of drowsiness the morning after taking this and give yourself a little extra time to come around."

• San...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 12, 2018

For Nausea/Vomiting "I sometimes get really bad nausea from anxiety or even the common cold; pair that with a phobia of vomiting, and you have a really bad time. Hydroxyzine seems to help reduce my nausea, although it doesn't have much of an effect on that 'sick to the stomach' feeling. The cruel irony is that I get stomach cramps and diarrhea unless I take this with food. On the bright side, I don't need a lot of food for this; crackers work quite well."

• jus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2013

For Anxiety "I have very severe post-traumatic stress disorder. Well, after my move, my panic attacks spiraled out of control to the point where I was barely sleeping at all. The doctor gave me this, and I slept like a baby, no attacks, no nausea. It's great."

• Tho...
• October 10, 2016

For Anxiety "I have had severe panic disorder and anxiety since I was 18. I am now many years older and still have a lot of problems with it. I was prescribed hydroxyzine and Paxil recently. I take 25 mg twice a day as needed, and overall, I would say they do cut the edge off and allow me to escape the fight or flight feeling of complete panic. The tired, laggy, drained feeling is a definite negative, although I will take that over a trip to the ER any day. Ultimately, I think other medications are far superior in truly calming the symptoms of anxiety, actually calming the mind as well as the body. Hydroxyzine usually seems to just make you sleepy and kind of sleep the fear away, whereas other medications like benzos calm you completely, without the lag."

• mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2012

For Anxiety "I have horrible anxiety problems, so much so it makes me physically nauseous and vomit. My stomach will turn, and no appetite. After taking hydroxyzine 10 mg 4 times a day, my nausea is gone. I feel like I have my life back. I was losing weight and much-needed nutrients. Nothing has helped me like this."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 12, 2017

For Anxiety "It does relieve anxiety associated with severe panic. I have GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), and under duress, I suffer from heart palpitations, dizziness, dermatitis, and nausea. The hydroxyzine pamoate does relieve the nausea and heart palpitations quickly, but it can cause dizziness at times, especially when mixed with caffeine or alcohol, which is not recommended."

• ted...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 8, 2025

For Nausea/Vomiting "Have severe sinus problems which results in bouts of nausea and headaches. This particular drug has zeroed in on my multiple symptoms as well as reducing the stress that came along also. I would recommend giving this a try if you suffer from more than one symptom."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 21, 2012

For Anxiety "I have always lived with anxiety and was taking Zoloft daily. I had a car accident in May that spiraled my anxiety out of control. My doctor put me on this in addition to Zoloft. Not only has hydroxyzine helped with my anxiety, it has prevented me from having panic attacks and allowed me to wean off the Zoloft. My panic attacks used to also make me nauseous, and hydroxyzine prevents that. I have had no side effects at all. Zoloft side effects were weight gain and diarrhea."

• Klo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 3, 2015

For Anxiety "Very underrated medication. I find it to be very helpful with other medications. I do agree that it's not potent enough to treat severe anxiety, but it's very good for mild anxiety. I'm on Methadone (opiate) and Clonazepam (benzodiazepine), and Hydroxyzine makes both of those potent meds I take work a lot better. It takes away the nausea and dizziness from my Methadone, takes away the negative side effects, and adds to the positive. Same situation with my Clonazepam. Hydroxyzine is an excellent medication."

• Anonymous
• May 9, 2010

For Nausea/Vomiting "I have a spastic colon and was prescribed Hydroxyzine HCL 25 mg along with a smooth muscle relaxant. I take one 25 mg Hydroxyzine up to 4 times daily, and it has been the only thing that has relieved my nausea. At times, for pain, I take a 500 mg Oxycodone, which makes me extremely nauseous. I've discovered if I take one 25 mg Hydroxyzine with the Oxycodone, I am left with ZERO nausea and 100% relief. HOWEVER, there have been times when the Hydroxyzine was not enough, my doctor prescribed me Zofran ODT 8 mg for these times. The only time the Hydroxyzine does not work is when I am already profusely vomiting, and due to the vomiting, I am dehydrated, which fuels the vomiting. Hope this helps!"

• CCa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2019

For Anxiety "This is one of the most terrifying drug reactions I have EVER experienced! My Dr. prescribed hydroxyzine to me almost 2 weeks ago, thinking it would help me with severe anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia. Needless to say, this drug did the exact opposite. I wake up sweating, have horrifying dreams, severe dizziness, confusion, and severe nausea. Not tired, but VERY groggy. I haven't been able to go to my classes, the side effects from this drug are unbearable! My chest is tight, I can't catch my breath! My head is spinning uncontrollably! I can't think. I can't get the correct words out to have a conversation! 3-6 migraines a day. I haven't been able to drive, go to work, or school for the last 2 weeks! Been fighting for air in my sleep... wake up feeling like I'm being suffocated! Oh! This made my life 100 times worse than before! Oh! I almost forgot... as I'm writing this review, I'm laying in a hospital bed because of this medication! Please be careful when taking this med!"

• Chl...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 28, 2018

For Nausea/Vomiting "I was first given Vistaril while at a 5-day detox center. I asked them to prescribe me whatever they were giving me at this center to be able to sleep, as well as not feel nauseous and dry heave. I've been on 25 mg a day of Vistaril and noticed that when I stop taking it, I get a nervous, nauseous feeling that doesn't really go away until I take a Vistaril. Has anyone else noticed any issues when stopping this medication? Can I just continue to take it once a day for years to come, or should I wean off?"

• Poo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 16, 2016

For Anxiety "I have been on this medication almost a year and have been experiencing a lot of symptoms which I have thought were due to benzodiazepine withdrawal. I experience grogginess, fatigue, lightheadedness, horrible anxiety, depression, palpitations, tremors, bad dreams, brain fog, cognitive issues, unable to concentrate, I had nausea for 3 weeks, dizziness, feeling weird in and around my eyes, felt mental, no appetite, constipation, stomach issues, fear, weakness, etc. I'm starting to wonder if Vistaril is causing this?!!!! I take 50mg at night before bed and a doctor said I could take another 50mg if I wake, so I have been, and now I'm thinking all my issues are stemming from this junk! I had some issues prior to medication but nothing like this!"

• dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2019

For Anxiety "This drug hydroxyzine worked for my anxiety, however, it caused bad nausea and dizziness the following day, even when taking a half dose. It sucks to find something that works, but the side effects were anxiety-invoking themselves. I had to stop it."

• Use...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2019

For Anxiety "I was prescribed this for anxiety (25mg x 4). I was previously on buspirone. The day after I started taking this, I started to get really sick. I didn’t want to get out of bed, I felt so fatigued, dehydrated, headaches, black diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, and sometimes pains when breathing, nausea, hot and cold chills. I didn’t realize it was the medication at first, I thought I just got really sick, yet nobody else in my household was ill. So it was strange (if one gets it, we all get it). So after the sixth day, I thought maybe it was the medicine. It made me severely sick. I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital, I could hardly eat. The day I stopped taking it, my symptoms subsided substantially. The second day of not being on it, I had no more symptoms and was completely back to normal."

• dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2021

For Anxiety "So, I am trying to stay away from my Ativan because I don’t want to get addicted, so I tried this medication instead. This medication is horrible for me. Thirty minutes after taking it, I’m getting horrible diarrhea, nausea, and my panic and disassociation is through the roof. I get that it works for some people, but please watch out for this drug! Definitely sticking to my Ativan!"

• Edg...
• August 21, 2016

For Sedation "I was first introduced to Atarax when I was having trouble sleeping at the mental hospital/psych ward. I was only prescribed 50 mg a day, and it didn't really help with my sleeping issues. I stopped taking the medicine, but one week I started getting really bad anxiety, to the point where I would feel like puking. I decided to take the pills again at 50 mg. It helped a lot with anxiety and pretty quickly as well."

• mmo...
• July 3, 2015

For Allergic Urticaria "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."