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Vistaril User Reviews & Ratings (Page 2)

Vistaril has an average rating of 5.5 out of 10 from a total of 233 reviews on Drugs.com. 45% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 39% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Vistaril

  • MuhLee
  • June 3, 2008

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."

8 / 10
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  • Pills...
  • March 19, 2012

For Anxiety "I recommend taking as prescribed, and the bottle usually says "take X amount every X hours". I think that having a steady stream of any medication is the only way to have it work. This medication's only side effect I have found is almost exactly like when one takes Benadryl, and only when you are first starting out on it. I am used to it now after 3 weeks and the only effect I notice is that my hands no longer shake and my mind is at ease. Much better and smoother than other meds like Xanax or Tramadol or Klonopin, etc., etc. "

10 / 10
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150 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • April 1, 2014

For Anxiety "I took this medicine for the first time and I ended up dreaming a very romantic dream. It helps me with my panic/anxiety attacks, I would like to figure out what triggers my freaking out. Never Drive when You take Vistaril. It mellows You Out. Thank You."

10 / 10
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130 Report

Frequently asked questions

  • blaze
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • April 30, 2015

For Anxiety "I have been on Vistaril for about a year now and it has helped my anxiety greatly. Not to mention no side effects at all. It also helps greatly with itching and extreme tension. I am taking 200 mg per day in two divided doses. I am very happy with this medication."

9 / 10
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115 Report
  • Aunas...
  • January 12, 2015

For Anxiety "I was prescribed this over Xanax because I breast feed and needed something safe to take for my extreme anxiety. I am bipolar so my levels of energy are usually very high and very anxious. I was unsure of this being able to calm me but it works great. I have experienced headaches from this medicine but I'll take that any day over my "high energy agitative states"."

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Are you taking this medicine?

  • Amee...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 20, 2013

For Anxiety "After having surgery on my wrist, my mother suggested to the doctor to give me something to take the edge off of pain in between doses of hydrocodone. I was given Vistaril (25mg) and told to take as needed for pain with my other meds and that I could take 1-2 of them within every 4 hours or so. The doc also said it should tame down some stomach issue with the pain medicine (it did). I noticed not only were they helping me with the pain but I felt relief from some of the anxiety of being out of work & just not being able to function well without the use of my right arm. I asked him about this at my next visit & he said indeed it was known for help with that and that was in fact part of the reason he added it for me. No side effects for me."

10 / 10
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  • Maksy...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • June 9, 2015

For Anxiety "I had anxiety that I consider inexpressible. It was as bad as it can get. I took Xanax and it amplified my depression substantially, which increased my anxiety. Seeking a long term treatment rather than an addictive short term relief, I was prescribed Vistaril 50mg. This is a drug similar to Benadryl, but a bit stronger. It is nonaddictive, and DOES fight the anxiety without the side effects of Ativan/Xanax. This WILL NOT kill the anxiety alone. You must be on an SSRI such as Lexapro for this drug to fully combat GAD. I urge everyone to try this drug. There are no risks, and it may help you."

8 / 10
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105 Report

More FAQ

  • Cster
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 26, 2013

For Anxiety "I am bipolar and take Celexa and Abilify. My doctor added Vistaril for my anxiety and panic attacks and so far the Vistaril did the trick. I feel human again and not flying all over the place since the Vistaril was added and I haven't had a panic attack for 3 weeks... Hurray for Vistaril."

10 / 10
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116 Report
  • Cjprc
  • September 26, 2016

For Sedation "Taking Vistaril to help me sleep. I work nights, it's particularly difficult to sleep. This med just helps me to doze off & stay asleep. There's no "drugged" feeling when I wake up. I do feel like it takes a little longer to get fully awake, but don't feel hung over like trazodone made me feel. Highly recommend it if you're looking for a very good non-narcotic sleep aid."

10 / 10
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  • sierr...
  • December 23, 2010

For Anxiety "I have generalized anxiety with agoraphobia. I hadn't had an anxiety attack in awhile and hadn't taken medicines for awhile until a few weeks ago when I attempted going to the mall and had a major panic attack. I went to the doctor and she put me on Vistaril. I used to take Xanax but was left feeling loopy and very tired unable to function. Vistaril works very well for me without that drugged feeling and I don't have to worry about becoming addicted. I love it and would recommend trying it before other medication."

9 / 10
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131 Report
  • Steve...
  • February 6, 2015

For Anxiety "I'm glad I was prescribed Vistaril. It relives 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."

10 / 10
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96 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • May 16, 2012

For Anxiety "I have generalized anxiety disorder. I had only been on Buspar before and it gave me horrible side effects. What I find with Vistaril is that it takes the edge off my anxiety, which means I can actually relax now sometimes the anxiety is not as chronic when I'm on it. I can handle high-stress situations better now, too, because the medicine makes it manageable and diminishes the physical symptoms of anxiety. It's been especially helpful in combination with therapy. And no side effects! Although it's not as effective when I start to feel panic symptoms, it has kept me from having full-blown panic attacks on multiple occasions."

8 / 10
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  • Chris...
  • 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 40mg 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."

8 / 10
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103 Report
  • Emeto...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 10, 2012

For Nausea/Vomiting "I suffer from anxiety and I've tried a lot of medicines that just destroyed my stomach. I also have a "sensitive" stomach. Along with a phobia of vomiting. So add that up and stir in insomnia, makes for a very unhappy me. Vistaril has helped with the nervous stomach aches, the anxiety induced vomiting, and my anxiety while helping my Lunesta be more effective. This medicine is awesome."

9 / 10
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107 Report
  • Radio...
  • 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."

8 / 10
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  • 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 how found it very effective so far for immediate relief but it does cause drowsiness."

8 / 10
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  • BJBD
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • September 29, 2015

For Anxiety "This med. is a double edge sword. My Dr. prescribed VISTARIL for my anxiety. It took 3 weeks to wean off Clonopin----never stop cold turkey. By the 3rd. week I was only on Vistaril. At 4 weeks the Vistaril was working better than anything I have EVER taken for acute anxiety. I was truly amazed and happy. So why did I only give it a 5 rating ? ? ? A DRAMATIC increase in appetite and a even more DRAMATIC weight gain. 13 pounds in one month. As good as Vistaril works I am going to have to go off of it. In 15 years I have gained no weight and I have not experienced hunger like this in my life. So, I will ween off, then work like crazy to shed this weight...not looking forward to that. I am sad :("

5 / 10
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83 Report
  • Jessi...
  • May 4, 2019

For Anxiety "For me, after taking this medication as needed for 3 days I had no relief for my symptoms. I felt like this med intensified my panic attacks. It is just gloried Benadryl! Meditation, deep breathing exercises and a long warm bath worked better than this garbage!"

1 / 10
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55 Report
  • honest
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • February 13, 2014

For Anxiety "I suffer from Anxiety, Major Depression & Insomnia I'm taking Vistaril for the Anxiety I'm on 50MG 4 times a day when reading most of you said it made you pretty sleepy... I feel normal for the first time in 40 yrs like maybe I can have a life now... My experience so far has been a great one :o) I DON'T GET Drowsy At All LIKE I SAID THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I FEEL 100% Normal... I take two Seroquel 100MG in the AM For Major Depression... That doesn't make me Drowsy at all when I read about Vistaril and Seroquel people say they are drowsy and lethargic Not ME I Feel Great!!! I Also take Seroquel 300MG at Bedtime along with 30MG Restoril at Bedtime... The only side effects I have is movements in my neck & the chills Yep that's it."

9 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • August 14, 2012

For Pain "I have some conditions and I'm on pain 24/7. I use Fentanyl 100mcg every 72 hours and Percocet 2 each 6 hours. I have others medications; but with Vistaril I don't have to use the dosages of Percocet as prescribe it. I'm a veteran."

9 / 10
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104 Report
  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 16, 2017

For Anxiety "Let me start by with the obvious disclaimer, everyone is different, and your milage may very. Also always follow your doctors advice. I am leaving my experience, as I hope it will help others. I suffer from severe anxiety, not the mild kind of anxiety. For the last month I have been having as many as 3-4 panic attacks a day, when I was prescribed this I was very skeptical. I have been prescribed almost every medication, for anxiety including Xanax, Klonopin , and Ativan. When I first started taking this 50mgs of Vistaril, I didn't feel that It was having any effect. In fact it wasn't until, after I had run out and didn't get it refilled that I noticed it had been making a sizable difference. For me it wasn't a cure, but it was a useful tool."

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  • Anony...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • December 21, 2013

For Anxiety "I have used Xanax for the past 15 years for severe anxiety and panic attacks...recently my doctor wanted me to try Vistaril in stead..it does NOTHING for my symptoms...going to go back to what I know works! "

1 / 10
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94 Report
  • Staci
  • September 16, 2013

For Anxiety "I was having a horrible withdrawal from Cymbalta and was determined to get off it! After my docs only answer was take Ativan (which made me extremely zombified). After two trips to the ER they recommended Vistaril and it calmed the brain zaps, disorientation and extreme confusion. It's been a huge help!"

10 / 10
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93 Report
  • CMano
  • November 23, 2019

For Anxiety "My doctor prescribed this medication as needed for anxiety a few days ago. She told me to take 25 to 50 mg a day, as needed. I took 25 mg and it was horrible. I had chest tightness, felt like I couldn't breathe. Chest pain, the pain was shooting through to my back. I thought about going to the ER. I still had anxiety yesterday, took the vistaril the day before. Still dealing with anxiety today. I don't think I'll ever take it again. The anxiety I had before wasn't this bad. Just to let everyone know, I don't take benzos for anxiety. One of the reviews for this medication made a comment about people taking benzos, it said that's why people don't like Vistaril because they would rather have benzos, that is not the case. This medication doesn't work well for some people. I have better results using my DARE app, and meditation."

1 / 10
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48 Report
  • J P S
  • 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."

7 / 10
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80 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.