Hydroxyzine and Sleepy: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Kit...
• October 3, 2019

Hydroxyzine for Allergic Urticaria "I have been taking Atarax for the last 3 years, but it really makes me feel I have a lower level of consciousness. I feel extremely sleepy, I feel as if I am high, not entirely in my senses. I do my work, but I don't feel anything. I can sleep throughout the day after taking this medicine, although I don't sleep much. Today, I also took this medicine after lunch as I developed hives due to cold urticaria (AC in the office), and I feel as if I am stoned. People in my office are thinking that I am sleeping for the last two hours since they are not aware of my situation."

• Ary...
• June 2, 2017

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "It's my first time using any sort of drug for anxiety. The doctor gave me a 10mg sized Atarax, and it only made me feel sleepy. I still felt nervous and anxious over my work, and these feelings didn't go away. Maybe I should be taking 25mg like the others here. Either way, these 10mg capsules are supposed to last me until I go for my appointment with a professional psychiatrist."

• gru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 6, 2014

For Anxiety "I'm currently on this medication for anxiety, plus Lexapro, also for anxiety. It just makes me super sleepy, which doesn't work for me with having a 6-month-old and a 6-year-old. I have horrible car anxiety, and I took one 15-30 minutes before I had to go in the car, and I broke down and cried and could not feel anything at all. I was not driving, thank God. It just doesn't work for me, but it does take the numbness, tingly feeling I get from the Lexapro away. About the only good thing."

• Anonymous
• February 7, 2010

For Anxiety "This medication does help with my anxiety, but after about an hour, I'm so tired. I have trouble staying awake, and then I sleep on and off for half the day. On a better note, though, it does help me control my anxiety attacks."

• Rom...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 8, 2021

For Anxiety "Really amazing medicine for anxiety attacks or GAD. Also calms my nervous, nauseous stomach. Makes me mellow and relaxed, occasionally sleepy when my mind needs a reset but can't do it due to anxiety. Would recommend hydroxyzine to everyone struggling with anxiety-related problems. It is also non-addictive, unlike benzodiazepines whose withdrawal is worse than heroin and potentially lethal."

• pur...
• December 20, 2015

For Anxiety "I was prescribed this as needed along with a daily, but the daily made me so sleepy I couldn't get up with my son, so I take this when I can tell it's gonna be one of those days that we all know too well. After taking about 15 of them over about 3 months, I can say it doesn't work for me at all. I continue to have anxiety attacks even when I take it only a couple of hours before I have an attack. I also asked for something that wouldn't make me sleepy or feel weird, and I feel sleepy every time I take it. My hubby tells me that I talk in my sleep when I take it, and I always feel bad the day after."

• Tee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2017

For Anxiety "Well, I have started this medication not too long ago. The first few days, it seemed to have made my body numb and sleepy, which made me sleep a lot. It didn't really help me stay asleep because I still woke up several times at night. Nowadays, when I take it, it makes me extremely drowsy, and I have a dry mouth and don't eat as much. I feel as if though I'm always on the edge. I don't think it got rid of anxiety, and for sure, I am terrified to even go out to places, fearing a panic attack episode. So, this medicine doesn't make me feel safe as I'd wish it to."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2022

For Anxiety "I'm surprised at how low the ratings are for this drug, especially compared to the high reviews for benzodiazepines. I'm a male in my early 70s. I took it for anxiety, mainly because I did not want to have to worry about Clonazepam losing its effectiveness... it's reputed to do this... and me thereby becoming addicted to it. I found that, while the Vistaril (hydroxyzine) made me pretty sleepy... especially the first time I took it... it also helped greatly with my anxiety. Took a little longer to kick in than Clonazepam, but did the trick soon enough. Again, since it's reputed to be non-habit forming, I'd label it a better bet than a benzo."

• Anonymous
• September 18, 2009

For Anxiety "This medicine is very effective if I need to calm down immediately, but it makes me really sleepy and keeps me from thinking clearly. I prefer the feeling of Klonopin because it doesn't make me as tired, but I'm glad I have both because I can take the Vistaril at night to relax."

• Buh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 7, 2019

For Anxiety "I feel taking hydroxyzine for anxiety is like this 90% of a placebo effect. It is basically Benadryl, so it makes you sleepy, which may make you feel more calm. Unfortunately, I can still feel anxious and groggy at the same time, so this was not effective. However, since I am in recovery, benzos are not an option for me, so this is pretty much all I can take besides a maintenance GAD medication. (On that note, I highly recommended Buspirone.)"

• Izz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 14, 2021

For Anxiety "20-year-old female. Been taking 25 mg for about two months, at first, it was somewhat helpful in aiding my sleep anxiety, but now it is causing me to feel extremely tired/sleepy the following day. When I take more than 25 mg, I get heat sweats and find that it doesn’t work as well to help me fall asleep. It really isn’t a cure and doesn’t make you fall asleep, but it relaxes your body, and if your mind is also relaxed, it makes falling asleep easier. Besides making me feel sleepy the next day, I haven’t had any serious side effects."

• Fri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 28, 2021

For Allergies "Had trouble sleeping due to severe full-body itching. Did it make me sleep? Yes. Get rid of the itching? Yes. The problem is that it lasts 24 hours, so you are sleepy all day. Taking less just makes me less sleepy but still lasts 24 hours. It is hard being dopey all day. I just use it when I really need it and then regret it the next day."

• Anonymous
• February 25, 2010

"The pill was prescribed to me for itchy skin, and let me tell you that it works wonders for it, but the downfall is that it makes you extremely groggy. I took one this morning around 7 am, and it is now 1 pm, and I feel sleepy. I recommend you only use this when you're going to bed."

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2021

For Sedation "I was prescribed 50 mg at bedtime to help with difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and to reduce anxiety. The first time I took it, I slept for 13 hours straight and was so sleepy/fatigued all day after waking. I've tried taking it a couple of times since then, but same problem. It knocks me out cold and I sleep, but I have zero energy the next day and feel groggy for hours after waking. I tried taking half the dosage, but the morning hangover and daytime exhaustion were still awful. I am better off just taking Benadryl because then I'm not wiped out the next day. I would only take this again if I desperately needed sleep (and Benadryl wasn't cutting it) and didn't have to get up and do anything the next day. I like how easily it knocks me out but can't handle the zombie side effects the next day."

• Axl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2021

For Anxiety "I deal with anxiety attacks due to intrusive thoughts. At best, this medicine makes me sleepy enough to not panic. I think it’s good in the short term, but I definitely recommend looking into something else, like an SSRI, if you feel like your anxiety is chronic. My psychologist and primary care doctor are asking me to be patient before prescribing me with an SSRI, which I’m dreading because I’ve been suffering for a while now."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2021

For Sedation "Came to this website to see if other people complained of feeling sleepy all day. About a month ago, I was prescribed 50 mg hydroxyzine for sleep along with buspirone for anxiety. Lately, I’ve been feeling depressed and tired all day and don’t even have the energy to get out of bed. It took me a while to realize that this is what’s causing it. I feel like a zombie and can barely function. It’s only supposed to last 6-7 hours, but it lasts about 24 for me. It is really helpful for sleep but not worth the drowsiness. I think I’ll be going back to melatonin."

• mit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2021

For Anxiety "This works pretty fast, within 15-30 minutes. My anxiety has been super bad lately, and I took 50 mg. I think I’m the only one who experiences this with Vistaril. I feel like I can barely feel my heartbeat, which really freaks me out. It has a long half-life of 20 hours with adults too. So, one week, and it’s completely out of your system. It does make me feel sleepy and sedated. After going to sleep after taking this, you might wake up feeling pretty groggy or have a minor headache. I don’t recommend smoking weed when the Vistaril is still in your system, because it slows your CNS. This medicine literally feels like it’s asking you for heart problems. I’m not taking this anymore. Why can’t there be a medicine with not such severe side effects, such as heart problems?"

• meo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2021

For Sedation "I was prescribed this for anxiety and insomnia. Didn’t work at all for anxiety, it just made me sleepy and drained my energy. For sleep, along with the 0.2 mg clonidine, it helped me sleep, but I stopped taking it because my dreams were becoming really mundane."

• mar...
• October 13, 2021

For Sedation "I have been taking this medication on and off. I have anxiety and sleep deprivation. I am also feeling sleepy and fatigued the whole day, but from my experience after using it for a week, my body gets used to it, and I no longer feel sleepy during the day. It is a good medication but needs time. I have been using other medications for anxiety, and I contacted my doctor, and he told me that it is normal at the beginning to last for 5 days or a week, but if it lasts longer, then you probably need other medication. Currently, I drink half of the pill."

• Anx...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2022

For Anxiety "I have been on hydroxyzine since the beginning of August due to my generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. Unfortunately, I have not had a good experience with hydroxyzine; it primarily makes me sleepy and doesn't target my anxiety. My psychiatrist explained that this is their first step in treating anxiety directly, and I was prescribed 25 mg 3 times a day as needed for anxiety. I usually take 75 mg daily and, unfortunately, receive no benefits. I usually only take hydroxyzine during my nightly episodes because it makes me somewhat tired. However, there will be some cases where I simply do not feel the effect of the medication. Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine; it is primarily used to block histamine in the brain, which primarily affects reactions to allergies. Many psychiatrists and primary care doctors seem very cautious and are against prescribing benzodiazepines for anxiety due to their addictive properties (Alprazolam, Clonazepam, Diazepam, etc.)."

• Sat...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 25, 2024

For Anxiety "Hydroxyzine works pretty good for me to help reduce and manage anxiety. I also take it to help me sleep. I don’t take too much during the day because it does make me sleepy. I have 10 mg tablets. I notice I get hungrier after taking, so I have to be careful with my food choices. Also, I have sensitive skin (not sure if I have allergies) and it helps with those discomforts."

• lif...
• July 13, 2019

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "Atarax is very helpful with panic attacks. So far, I take it only when I'm having panic attacks, not at a regular dose. It takes about 30-60 minutes to work and gives me a warm, safe, sleepy feeling."

• Anonymous
• July 28, 2016

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "It made me very sleepy. I didn't like feeling so tired. With other medications for anxiety, I had more sense of calmness rather than just feeling loopy and tired. I won't use it again."

• Sho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2017

For Anxiety "I absolutely love this medicine. It seems like it's the only one that helps, it will make you sleepy, and I also feel less hungry."

• Anonymous
• January 25, 2012

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "It gets rid of the anxiety, but mostly because it knocks me out. One pill makes me sleepy for 2 days."