Hydroxyzine User Reviews & Ratings (Page 3)

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2019

For Anxiety "I suffer from severe anxiety attacks that sometimes turn into panic attacks. I suffer from major anxiety every day of my life. It’s been debilitating. I went to the doctor and was given this to combat my anxiety & panic attacks. I took my first pill last night and after an hour, I felt very tired. I slept for 10 hours. Helped calm me down, and I slept great. Woke up feeling a bit groggy, but the anxiety is non-existent for me this morning. That NEVER happens. I was given 50 mg to take every 6 hours as needed. I’m 5’4 and 115 lbs, so I can’t imagine how groggy I’d feel taking more than one a day. I am glad I have found something that isn’t addictive as a benzodiazepine, and helps me sleep while helping my anxiety tremendously. Just be cautious and follow your doctor's orders. Just wanted to share my experience in hopes it may help someone. Stay encouraged!"

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

Hydroxyzine 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."

• anx...
• February 28, 2020

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "My doctor prescribed me Vistaril, and I hate it. It does absolutely nothing for panic attacks. It didn’t even make me drowsy like Benadryl does. I upped the dose, and nothing happened. Pretty pointless medication."

• Wyn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2024

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "Look, this medicine either works for some people or doesn't. All medications are like that, it's very personal to every individual. However, I don't understand why some reviews just talk about how it made them gain weight, therefore, it's an awful drug... Many, MANY mental health (and other) medications make you gain weight. Not sure how that's relevant to their effectiveness. I'd take being 50lbs bigger any day if that meant not dealing with panic. That being said, for me, like many others, Vistaril works GREAT for anxiety. I've taken Xanax before, so I can wholeheartedly say that a 25mg pill works JUST as well, if not a little bit better than a low dose of Xanax. Even the next day, I have almost no anxiety in my body. However, like another review stated, I am in a terrible mood the day after a dose. Just something I'm gonna have to learn to work around. Honestly, if you are prescribed this, just give it a try. Those it works for, it can work wonders."

• Min...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2020

For Sedation "I was given hydroxyzine 25 mg to help me sleep due to increased stress. I was told I could take it during the day as well if it didn’t make me drowsy. I tried it for a week at bedtime only with poor results. Let’s face it, if you’re not sleeping because you are stressed, you need something to block those constant thoughts that are keeping you awake. This doesn’t do that. I called and my PCP was out of the office, and a different doctor said to take 50 mg, which frankly just did two times nothing for me."

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

Hydroxyzine 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."

• Anx...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 19, 2017

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "Amazing. Absolutely give this a chance if you suffer from anxiety. On Prozac 20mg daily, Ativan as needed, and Vistaril. When my anxiety skyrockets and my mind races so fast I don't know what I'm thinking, Vistaril has brought my mind and anxiety to a calm state within minutes. Life-saving."

• 3pc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2024

For Anxiety "Hydroxyzine is a unique anxiolytic, distinct from benzodiazepines, targeting anxiety at its source. It's more akin to atypical antipsychotics than benzodiazepines. 70% metabolizes into non-drowsy cetirizine, lacking anxiolytic effects, but the rest acts as an antagonist on serotonin 5-HT2A, dopamine D2, and α1-adrenergic receptors. The drowsy nature of the drug initially caused me to believe that hydroxyzine was 'SUPER-BENADRYL.' Yet, after combining hydroxyzine 25mg with 1/2 Nodoz (100mg caffeine), my anxiety dissolved in front of me. All the years of overthinking just stopped for a moment and I could just sit with my thoughts. I know a lot of the reviews say that this just put you to sleep, but I implore you to try the combination because it has spared me so many panic attacks. I questioned why I hadn't tried it sooner. Please give it a chance!"

• C11...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 6, 2020

For Sedation "I've taken hydroxyzine for about 3-4 years and while it hasn't made a massive difference in my sleep, it does help me wind down and ease into bed. I've dealt with sleep apnea, insomnia, and hypersomnia for a long time. To explain how I have both, it's hard to fall asleep, and when I do, I sleep for much longer (about 10-14 hours on average without taking stimulants that help was prevent hypersomnia). But I take this about an hour before bed to help calm down and it's been beneficial. I think that after trying so many medications that this has been the one that works best, doesn't make me feel sluggish or groggy and doesn't affect my sleep negatively."

• Cra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 22, 2013

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "I have weaned off of Effexor 150mg and 75 mg over the past 3 weeks. I started Cymbalta 30 mg 2 days ago and was still having horrible adverse effects coming off of the Effexor. Effexor worked great for my anxiety and severe PMDD, but was making me extremely sluggish. I have also had chronic back pain for the past 7 years, and my doctor wanted to switch me to Cymbalta. Well, the transition/withdrawal has been terrible. A lot of crying and panicking for no reason, crawling skin, etc. I took one Vistaril and found it very helpful. My doctor has prescribed Vistaril 25-50 mg every 6 hours as needed. It has been a godsend to help my anxiety during this transition. It has also been very helpful for my son's anxiety as well."

• Pea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 18, 2020

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "Hydroxyzine 25mg, EQU Atarax. If your doctor prescribes you Atarax for anxiety, tell them you’ve already taken it and all it does is make you sleepy. I had a hot flash within 20 min of taking it, and my chest, dead in the center, feels like someone is sitting on me. I slept for 12 hrs and at times felt like I wasn’t breathing. Yeah, maybe my anxiety did decrease because I was asleep... This is the WORST medication I’ve ever tried. I’d rather take Benadryl, at least I don’t get hot flashes with it."

• Anonymous
• October 18, 2011

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "I have severe anxiety, agoraphobia, and OCD. I am taking 50mg of Vistaril along with 1mg of Xanax 4 times a day, and I haven't felt this good since I was a kid. I love it, and more importantly, I am able to live a normal life! It's a lifesaver in my opinion."

• Pil...
• March 19, 2012

Hydroxyzine 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."

• Mbm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2019

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "I was given Vistaril for severe GAD with panic attacks. Very soon after taking the first one, my anxiety tripled, and I began having back-to-back panic attacks. After a call to the doctor, I was told to take a higher dose. Long story short, for whatever reason, I cannot take this medication. It has the complete opposite effect on me as it should."

• TDi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 25, 2015

For Sedation "Having tried everything over the counter, the 'Z-drugs' which had no effect, seroquel which left me in a constant daydreaming state with terrible hangovers and not wanting to take more benzos, I asked to try hydroxyzine since it's essentially an allergy pill. I suffer from a slew of anxiety disorders and I would normally toss and turn in bed for 3-5 hours before getting a couple of hours of sleep. But taking 100mg of hydroxyzine when I brush my teeth, by the time I'm in bed I can fall asleep in under 15 minutes. Its subtle anxiolytic effect and sedation is a perfect combination that allows me to feel I am falling asleep instead of being knocked unconscious. I wake up refreshed with no hangovers consistently."

• ava...
• March 20, 2008

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "I take this along with Lexapro. I was having such hard times falling asleep due to nine million things going on throughout the day. Then the anxiety kicked in. Sometimes I would be up for hours while everyone is sound asleep. When I started taking this, I fall asleep within thirty minutes and usually sleep sound. It is not addicting and a good price for the good things the meds do."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2020

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "Was prescribed 10mg Atarax tablets with directions to take 1-2 every 6 hours as needed for anxiety and panic attacks. Taking 1 pill did nothing, so I took 2 the next time I felt anxiety creeping in. It made me very tired and dizzy, then sent me into a panic attack. I am better off not taking this medication when I feel anxiety coming on because it usually does not develop into a panic attack, let alone as worse as this one got."

• Eva...
• October 1, 2019

For Sedation "I was prescribed this 2 years ago for insomnia side effects of Zoloft, but found that while it helped me sleep, I was so drowsy for most of the morning, so I stopped. Almost 2 years later, even though I was off Zoloft, my insomnia was at its peak and I was awake every morning around 4 am. For 11 months, I was also suffering from 10-15 migraines per month with multiple auras per day. Both my doctor and neurologist tried preventative medications, but I am sensitive to most meds and did not react well. To counteract insomnia, I went back on Hydroxyzine, and wow, this stuff works wonders! I sleep so much better now, and after being on it steadily for a month, I haven't had a single migraine! I thought it was my imagination, decided to do more research, and sure enough, this is used for migraine prevention! Honestly, this is my wonder drug! I am less irritable now, getting amazing sleep, and not a migraine in 4 weeks! I will gladly put up with being tired for a few hours in the mornings."

• 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."

• syd...
• November 23, 2019

For Sedation "I'm an 18 y/o girl who hasn't been treated for anxiety, but recently hasn't been able to function because of anxiety caused by stresses in life and Emetophobia. Prescribed hydroxyzine 25mg before bed for sleep/anxiety, and out of all the things I thought would happen, I didn’t expect for it to not work. So my doctor upped it to 50mg, which thankfully does work for me, but only if I am already drowsy, and let it work by laying down and just trying to fall asleep, which can be difficult because it triggers my phobia. But I’ve found when I can do that, it works perfectly and I sleep well and through the night, while still being able to wake up and function normally. I’ve been able to catch up on sleep and eat more which feels amazing. The only downside is that it doesn’t always work to put me to sleep because it does little for my anxiety. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone. I absolutely hate taking drugs and will avoid them if I don’t truly believe I need them, but these have been amazing."

• dru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2019

For Anxiety "I think that this is an amazing drug for individuals who have yet to be on a Benzo. I am seeing a lot of reviews by people who have previously been on Benzo, and it's hard to compare the two because Benzos have addicting properties. As an individual who hasn't been on one, I think Hydroxyzine is absolutely amazing. I will say that this is not a medication that you can take throughout the day unless you want to be extremely tired. However, this medication has helped me fall asleep at night, and has lessened my anxiety. You can literally feel the tension being lifted out of your body as the medication is kicking in. I would recommend this drug! It's genuinely been a game changer for me."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 1, 2014

Hydroxyzine 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."

• Anonymous
• July 19, 2019

Hydroxyzine for Anxiety "I love this medication!! I take it for PTSD-related sleep disturbance. It literally cured my insomnia. It works like a charm, and I only take it probably once a week now. It feels good just to have it as my security blanket though. It does make me feel a bit drowsy the next day, but it’s so worth it to not have a night when I’m up until 3 am with insane anxiety. It’s also safe for people who are in recovery! Huge plus!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 7, 2025

For Anxiety "I would be careful with this medication. A lot of doctors swear that it causes no withdrawal when stopping suddenly. My doctor told me to do this. When I did, I had some of the craziest headaches and crying spells I’ve ever had. I was shaky and panicky and overall felt really horrible. I requested a refill because I couldn’t take how I felt and knew it was because I stopped this. Well, what do you know, as soon as I took the medication, about 30 minutes after, I felt back to normal and myself again. I’ve decided to wean myself off this since doctors have no clue what they are talking about!"