Vistaril and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• Spi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 15, 2019

For Anxiety "Listen Vistaril is pretty decent for anxiety! I was on this 25mg 3x daily, and it has helped take off the edge. It doesn't stop it 100%, but with other medication and proper anxiety relief techniques, this will help you immensely with anxiety. However, since I'm a teen dropout (due to anxiety), I can sleep 9 hours and then sleep another 9 hours without feeling tired at all (great side effect - I like). I highly recommend this for people with panic attacks! Don't listen to the scary reviews. If you've truly tried everything except meds, try this and don't be scared..."

• Dal...
• February 16, 2014

For Anxiety "I would like to say that I have taken all the big medicines for my depression and anxiety, panic. To be truthful, this medicine has worked for me. I had issues with a lot of things - getting mad, wanting to argue all the time, and just could not deal with feeling that way. I have always had a great outlook on life, even if life was horrific. Since I have been on this medicine, it has helped me. Yes, the medicine makes you want to sleep more, and sometimes you feel groggy. But I noticed that if I start taking it in the evening and close to bedtime, it works best. Just don't take it when you wake up or in the afternoon because it will make you drowsy. I would say if you have some of the problems that the rest of us do, I would say it would not hurt to try it."

• Dal...
• February 16, 2014

For Anxiety "I would like to say that I have taken all the big medicines for my depression and anxiety, panic. To be truthful, this medicine has worked for me. I had issues with a lot of things - getting mad, wanting to argue all the time, and just could not deal with feeling that way. I have always had a great outlook on life, even if life was horrific. Since I have been on this medicine, it has helped me. Yes, the medicine makes you want to sleep more, and sometimes you feel groggy. But I noticed that if I start taking it in the evening and close to bedtime, it works best. Just don't take it when you wake up or in the afternoon because it will make you drowsy. I would say if you have some of the problems that the rest of us do, I would say it would not hurt to try it."

• ser...
• November 20, 2019

For Sedation "My doctor prescribed me this drug Vistaril as I have trouble sleeping. I was getting around 5 hours of sleep, and with Vistaril I am now getting 3 hours. It makes you feel drowsy, but not in a good way. Falling asleep on this drug is very difficult. I wake up several times during the night, and the next morning I don’t know if I was asleep or awake during the night. I feel the side effects of this drug a whole 24 hours after taking it. The next morning after taking it for sleep, my muscles do not work properly, and I feel like I’ve lost motor function in my limbs and fingers. My brain is not comprehending information quickly, and I have a hard time typing and reading. I was out and felt like I had to be taken to the emergency because of how much anxiety I was feeling with my body feeling limp and weak. Everything about this drug affected me negatively. Didn’t help with my anxiety. Didn’t help me fall asleep. I’ve only taken this drug 3 times (not even in a row) and will not be taking it again."

• Bey...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 24, 2015

For Anxiety "Of the non-benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agents, Vistaril is my first choice. Vistaril separates itself from the others by rapidly inducing a pleasant & warm feeling. By comparison, things like Compazine and clonidine are much colder and more harsh in side effects. Although Vistaril is gentle & easy-going for the first hour or so, a strong drowsiness will come on by Hour #2. But overall I'd still rank it as a side-effect-free type of medicine when compared to other non-benzo anxiolytics."

• anx...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 19, 2014

For Anxiety "I took a 25 mg dose of this medicine for the first time last night. It took about 45 minutes to an hour before it made me sleepy, although I was calmed within 15 minutes. I slept great-I usually wake up around 2 am every night, but not last night. I slept until 9:30 am, which is rare for me. I did feel like a zombie for about an hour or two after I got up, but I didn't have any panic feelings during the day. I didn't feel 100% normal, but this was a pretty good start. I'm hopeful that the sleepiness is a transient effect and that some of my other physical symptoms go completely away."

• Jil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 27, 2017

For Anxiety "I've struggled with anxiety my whole life. I've tried SSRIs and benzodiazepines. The SSRIs made me sick and sluggish, and benzos are severely addicting, and I refuse to become addicted to something. Vistaril works great for me. As you take it longer, you won't be very sleepy. I take 10mg at night and only need it at night, sometimes in the day, and it lasts. I have no panic attacks, hardly ever. I went from having panic attacks daily to one every once in a while. I love this medication."

• Chr...
• November 7, 2013

For Anxiety "I have been taking 25 mg of Vistaril once per day for about the past month. I take it at night. I have depression and anxiety pretty bad with the anxiety being the stronger of the two issues. I can't handle stress very well at all either. I am taking 40 mg of Prozac a day also. The Vistaril at first made me drowsy and lethargic. It took me about a week to adjust. Now I feel much better. I can sleep at night and feel decent when I wake up. It's not perfect but I am not getting any side effects and it's improved my life. I would recommend trying it but I would only take at night and do not drive after taking it until you get used to it."

• Anonymous
• October 12, 2011

For Anxiety "I have moderate to severe anxiety associated with a very unhealthy self-esteem. It is a terrible thing because I am generally a very rational person. As a result, I have extreme difficulty telling someone how I feel and of hurting another person's feelings. (I would never want another person to suffer the way I do). My symptoms usually begin with increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, nausea and pain in the chest/throat area, hyperventilation which will sometimes throw me into panic mode and extreme negative thinking that I am unable to deviate from. I was prescribed Vistaril 25mg up to 4 times daily as needed. I have found it very effective so far for immediate relief but it does cause drowsiness."

• Ste...
• February 6, 2015

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."

• J P...
• July 9, 2015

For Anxiety "This is great for general anxiety. Calms you down fairly quickly and makes you 'zoned out', mildly sedated and definitely less anxious. Not as strong as a benzo and will not stop a panic attack, but is great for when you are feeling panicky or generally anxious. Another plus is that it is not addictive. Absolutely no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. This DEFINITELY raises my resting pulse about 15 beats per minute and also raises diastolic blood pressure about 10 points even at a small dose. Even with these raises, mine is still within normal range, but just a word of caution."

• Rad...
• June 2, 2014

For Anxiety "I was prescribed Vistaril for bad panic attacks, as needed. I was put on Celexa, and less than an hour after taking it, I felt extreme fear and had the worst panic attack I've ever experienced. I called my doctor immediately and was told to go ahead and take the Vistaril. It calmed me down in less than 15 minutes. It did, however, make me so drowsy that I found it impossible to stay awake. Thank goodness I have it on hand for my next attempt with Wellbutrin."

• Tin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 17, 2018

For Anxiety "I’ve taken this medication on and off. I take it whenever I feel overwhelmed and I’m filled with anxiety. This medication helps me relax my mind. It’s also good when I can’t sleep at night. My doctor had told me to try it, and I have a lot of allergies to medication, so this medication has helped me with a lot of different uses: allergies, anxiety, and sedation. So I’m gonna say 10 out of 10. I recommend."

• bre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2016

For Anxiety "This stuff is like an OTC version of Benadryl (it's an antihistamine). It has been helping me wean off of the Klonopin I've been taking to help me sleep for the last 2 years. This stuff takes almost an hour to kick in, but when it does, it almost always kills my anxiety at times when benzos didn't. If you're gonna take it for sleep, take it at least an hour before you plan on going to bed and make sure you have 8 to 9 hours to sleep because it will knock you out. Grogginess is its biggest negative, along with tolerance building up fast, so I try to take every other day if I can, though it's non-addictive and safe to take regularly at least far safer than a benzo."

• Ica...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 17, 2016

For Anxiety "I used to take this medication for panic attacks, and it worked absolute wonders. It took about 30 minutes to kick in but really calmed me down and it wasn't at all addictive. I later found out I have severe hereditary liver problems and it has a bad interaction with what I have to take to keep my liver in check, so I can no longer take it. With the medicines combined I just felt foggy and had to sleep for at least 15 hours if I had to take a Vistaril, I couldn't keep my eyes open and function until I'd slept it off. I'm now trying out Xanax, and I don't really like it, Vistaril kept me calm longer and was just amazing when I needed it. With Xanax the half-life is just terrible and I end up with a worse panic attack than I began with."

• Roa...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 5, 2013

For Allergic Urticaria "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."

• Bre...
• May 8, 2014

For Anxiety "My experience with it. The medicine works great for itch relief (pruritus) and anxiety. I have Graves' Disease, this was to treat anxiety temporarily after a thyroid storm. The problem I had with it was it made me too drowsy to function normally. I stayed tired and experienced grumpiness and lack of patience. I've taken Xanax and Elavil before and definitely was able to work and socialize normally, unlike with this medicine. There is no way I can take it every four to six hours and function throughout the day. I've never been one to tolerate antihistamines very well, I get the shakes, etc., and experienced the same with Vistaril. All that aside, at night, it did help me sleep and ease the anxiety as it's supposed to."

• Anonymous
• July 11, 2019

For Anxiety "This is really not a drug for people with serious, long-term issues with anxiety. But it's also the lowest-risk prescription a doctor can write, so expect to get this as a first-line treatment in lieu of any personalized care. I have taken Vistaril on and off for nearly 10 years, and while it does help in some specific circumstances, it's just not a particularly effective drug. It basically produces a mild sedative effect that can take some of the edge off of background anxiety. If you take it on a daily basis, expect the benefits to fade somewhat. Increasing the dosage just makes you more drowsy and the side effects worse. If you can identify in advance circumstances that make your anxiety worse, taking a Vistaril before that can help alleviate things a bit. This drug will not stop or even really affect an imminent anxiety or panic attack, and even at its most effective, it won't help with many of the side effects of anxiety (rapid heartbeat, trembling, numbness, etc.)."

• Nik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2019

For Anxiety "This drug is amazingly sedating. After reading the reviews, I was reluctant to take it, thinking it would not work. Boy, was I wrong. Sadly, I am starting antidepressant therapy, and my anxiety is through the roof. I was given Ativan but am reluctant to take it often for fear of tolerance and addiction. The Vistaril has really worked at calming me down after increased anxiety, especially when worrying when trying to fall off to sleep. It shut down the worry and made me slow down, which in my case is what I needed. I only took 10 mg and caution against driving or other activities until you know how it will affect you."

• Mac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 18, 2019

For Anxiety "I have severe anxiety. My first psychiatrist prescribed this to me for anxiety. It did not help but did make me sleep. Now I am going to a new psychiatrist, and he is insisting I try it again! So now I am back on it. The only way it helps relieve anxiety is by knocking you out to sleep! Sure, I’m not anxious when I'm sleeping, but I can’t sleep 24/7!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 7, 2013

For Anxiety "My doctor had prescribed this for me because my anxiety ramps up when I'm trying to sleep. He started me out at 25 mg/day. While on it, I would sleep 16 hours, be a zombie for the 8 I was awake, and have really trippy dreams and terrifying nightmares-both of which felt 100% real, and some of them I had to ask if they happened. I was cut back to 12.5 mg/day, and I'm only sleeping 12 hours and groggy for four. I still have weird dreams, but they don't seem completely real as often. I have not been on it long enough for my body to adjust, so this may lessen as time goes on. It does help with the anxiety and panic attacks, although I won't drive after I've taken it, so I can only take it at home."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 7, 2013

For Anxiety "My doctor had prescribed this for me because my anxiety ramps up when I'm trying to sleep. He started me out at 25 mg/day. While on it, I would sleep 16 hours, be a zombie for the 8 I was awake, and have really trippy dreams and terrifying nightmares-both of which felt 100% real, and some of them I had to ask if they happened. I was cut back to 12.5 mg/day, and I'm only sleeping 12 hours and groggy for four. I still have weird dreams, but they don't seem completely real as often. I have not been on it long enough for my body to adjust, so this may lessen as time goes on. It does help with the anxiety and panic attacks, although I won't drive after I've taken it, so I can only take it at home."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2012

For Anxiety "I have been on 20mg of Lexapro and 0.5mg of Xanax for about 4 years. It wasn't until last year that I have been vomiting for no reason every morning, even if I wasn't doing anything. After avoiding food and drinks, nothing helped. So, I talked to my doctor, and he got me set up on this medicine. I've never heard of it, but for the past week, I haven't thrown up since. I figured it was due to my anxiety when nothing helped. And no, I'm not pregnant, I'm a male. The only downside for me is the drowsiness, which, like my other pills, my body needs to get used to first before I can actually function. All in all, this medicine kept me from throwing up for about a week, and I'm happy for that."

• soc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2012

For Anxiety "Made me very tired and sedated, slowed heart beat and felt like I forgot to breathe. I took one 50 mg pill and it didn't kick in for 45 mins. I'd rather take a 1 mg Xanax for my panic attacks. Woke up in the morning extremely tired and foggy."

• Anonymous
• February 9, 2016

For Anxiety "I have anxiety/panic attacks. Was using Ativan, and it was great. Calmed me immediately, didn't make me drowsy or out of it, but the psychiatrist told me some people's depression gets worse. Mine didn't, but she made me switch to Vistaril, which does nothing for me. I've tried taking several at a time, and it still doesn't help. I really wish I could go back to Ativan. Hopefully, next appointment she'll let me. I cannot stand feeling like I'm having a heart attack anymore!"