Prazosin and Fainting: What Users Say

• Lau...
• May 23, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "This medication has been so helpful in my ability to sleep and stay asleep, no nightmares, and waking up in a calm and peaceful state. I had no idea that this medication for HBP could have such a positive effect on my severe PTSD and anxiety. My only concern is that I believe that doctors should require people to take this medication only at nighttime. I took 2 capsules during the day, and when I got up about 20 minutes later, I fainted right to the floor. I am not even sure how long I was down. It scared me very much. Be careful! That warning in the directions is very true."

• Baw...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2019

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I have suffered from traumatic PTSD nightmares, or just generally depressing and sad dreams for over 8 years. I was self-medicating with marijuana for a very long time because it removed all dream recall for me, but my quality of sleep was not good. Immediately upon the first night of taking this (1 mg), it was an immediate improvement of no nightmares. I have since gone to 5 mg due to a few nights of bad dreams at the 1 mg dose and it being more vivid than ever before. But since increasing the dose, no nightmares regularly. Maybe one every so often, but the difference in my sleep and sleep quality cannot be overstated. If you suffer from any type of nightmarish sleep or bad dreams, PLEASE ask your doctor about this medication as it may give you your life back. I do feel faint and dizzy at times if I get up at night to use the restroom, but I already have low blood pressure as it is. But I don’t care - it’s a trade-off I will make."

• pts...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 23, 2014

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I have been taking 2 mg prazosin for a month. My nightmares have decreased and I'm actually having dreams unrelated to trauma. I do feel dizzy and feel a bit faint, my hands are shaky and I'm experiencing constipation, but nothing I can't handle. The fact that my daytime flashbacks have decreased and I can sleep and am without nightmares is worth the risk."

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "I was given prazosin for PTSD and anxiety. Childhood trauma and 4 recent family deaths that traumatized me again. Took first last night, and stood up an hour later and felt very faint, been up all night on and off, and when I did sleep, I had a huge nightmare with my screaming again. This morning, I feel very hung over with a headache and still some shakiness - this is all because I had to move out of state and my new family doctor stopped my lorazepam and made me suffer needlessly (everything else has massive side effects and all SSRIs cause heart palps). Good luck, this stuff is too scary."

• ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 21, 2019

Prazosin for High Blood Pressure "Minipress was the first drug they tried for high blood pressure back in the late '80s, when I was in the Army. I felt like it would be the end of me. First of all, it made my BP higher than lower. My heart sometimes felt like it was going to pop out of my chest. I fainted a few times. I would wake up at night, and my back would fall asleep. I had some sexual problems from it too. They eventually had me on the max dose, and my BP was sky-high. Finally, they weaned me off it and put me on lisinopril, which works really well for me. My BP is now normal."

• Lac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2018

For Nightmares "I started on one mg of prazosin two months ago. My PTSD is slightly better, however, my nightmares became more vivid. I do feel better throughout the day but have fainted twice from the drug lowering my blood pressure. I’m also taking ten mg of Lisinopril each evening. The fainting experiences were frightening as I hit my head and awoke with blood coming from my right eye area. Left a scar. I could not move but lay shaking, sweating, sick to my stomach. Second episode I fainted, but I knew I was going to, so I tried to sit down on my couch. I did faint, but what woke me was I was vomiting profusely. That scared me as I could have died from my own vomit had I been flat on the floor. I’m weaning myself off of it as this drug is too much for me. It is very powerful. Granted, we are individuals who have different reactions. It’s great that it works for some, but I’ll take the nightmares over the drug as I am very frightened of it. Just not for everyone."

• Hal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 21, 2021

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I started taking prazosin to help my nightmares caused by PTSD. It does help me not feel as panicky or wake up having a panic attack, but the side effects never went away for me. I’ve been taking it for 9 months, and I still feel faint every time I wake up in the morning, even though I’m only taking 1 mg at night before bed, and I’ve never increased the dose. It’ll make me nauseous if I don’t eat before taking it, and I’ll have full hangover symptoms the next day. Talking to my provider ASAP to switch to a new medication."

• Dah...
• March 3, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "Not a good med. Drops BP to very low levels like 70/45 and lower. Caused dizziness, very hard pounding of heart, very close to passing out, drop in oxygen levels, tiredness. This all comes on suddenly."

• Mai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 11, 2020

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I took prazosin for about a month and found I felt most disturbed after waking up from my dreams, given the loss of time I felt from not being able to recall my dreams. It felt like somebody reached into my brain and took my memory from me. I also increasingly passed out as I took it, even at a low dose."

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 17, 2022

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "Absolutely horrid medication for PTSD! I had normal BP prior to starting prazosin. It lowered my BP too low; dizzy, blackouts, passing out just from standing, caused constant heart palpitations and pains even when resting! Night terrors worsened. Raynaud's became extremely painful and hasn't gotten better since stopping the prazosin!"

• 2ad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2022

For Nightmares "I was given 2 mg of prazosin for screaming in my sleep. The next morning, when I got up to feed my cats, as I was standing at the kitchen counter, I felt very faint... and then I did faint. In the process of fainting, I collapsed, crushed one ankle, and sprained the other. I went through months of not being able to take care of myself. I'll just keep screaming."