Prazosin and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Jen...
• May 13, 2013

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I have post-traumatic stress disorder, and started having nightmares about 2 months ago. I was so afraid to go to bed at night because I did not want to relive this experience. My dreams were happening 3-4 times a week, and my neighbor actually called the police one night as she thought I was being attacked. I finally went to my therapist asking for sleeping pills. She gave me Prazosin, which I begrudgingly took. Thank God! I am no longer afraid to sleep. No more flashlights or bats in my bed! I do have a few side effects of being tired and an upset tummy, but I'm sure it will taper off. Love it, love it, love it."

• ido...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2020

For Nightmares "Jesus Christ, I'll keep my nightmares I had before taking this. 1 mg a night, and each night I took it, he said give it another try, and when I did, I couldn't wake myself up. It was like Freddy Krueger's nut house. I thought my nightmares were bad before and not being able to sleep or just drop from exhaustion, but I couldn't wake myself up. They were intensified! I am scared now they'll stay with me. Now that I have stopped taking it, I have some like that from time to time. So essentially, it made them worse."

• Wil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 24, 2013

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "They do work to stop nightmares, all dreams in fact, but the dose of 3 per night before bedtime makes me sluggish and tired in the day, lack of energy. If I come back to 2 at bedtime, I lose the tired feeling in the day but have nightmares, not every night but sometimes. I do think this is a pretty good medicine for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, though, as there are not many side effects. I read where like 7% experience what I do in being tired, lack of energy. If it were not for that side effect, this would be wonderful for me. This is by far one of the best meds I have received from the VA for PTSD, even with the side effects."

• Esc...
• October 16, 2015

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I use this for nightmares related to C-PTSD. I was getting nightly terrors, just screaming nightmares every night related to flashbacks, I couldn't tell the difference between being asleep or awake and would wake up exhausted and stay that way throughout the day. With this drug, my nightmares have stopped, but I feel very dizzy and lethargic the next morning, and often more depressed. My sleep is much better, but the mornings are a write-off as I end up in tears for hours after waking. I guess the stress needs to escape somehow, and instead of through sleeping, I get more of an effect upon waking. The drug does work to get rid of the nightmares, though."

• jay...
• July 17, 2013

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I have been on the prazosin for 4 weeks. I started on 1 mg, and after the first week, I went to 2 mg. I'm still having nightmares, and I'm exhausted during the day. I've also gained 9 lbs since starting it. I'm very frustrated. I haven't had any other side effects, like dizziness."

• Eli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2019

For Nightmares "I was put on prazosin for my PTSD, nightmares, and night sweats. I was put on 1 mg daily for 3 days, and the nightmares and sweats were gone. I was getting more restful sleep, and then my prescription had me increase to 2 mg, but it made me so tired I wanted to sleep all day, and my eyes wouldn’t stay open. So last night, I only took 1 mg and the nightmares came back and were absolutely horrible. Guessing you have to keep upping your dose for it to work, but I’m honestly scared to never not have this medication before sleeping. It changes my sleep world and my anxiety while dreaming."

• myd...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2017

For Nightmares "I have been on Subutex for 4 years, and my doctor gave me prazosin for the nightmares. But the first night, I don't remember anything... Not even sleeping, so I awoke feeling tired and confused... But like any drug addict trying to change, I am willing to do anything. Now the therapy is making me relive so many things I kept hidden by drugs. And as I relive more, I worry and think about things more and more, it isn't good, and I am trying so that I can live again."

• 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."

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "I have schizoaffective disorder, OCD, panic attacks, social phobia, and emotional abuse from my peers, along with being into Satanism when I was 16, which eventually led to nightmares. Now, at 34, I am a Christian and still haunted by my past. I was prescribed this prazosin, and it was the worst thing ever, it didn't help my nightmares, and it made my OCD worse than ever. I haven't left the house in one month because I'm so tired, weak, and shaky, my blood pressure constantly dropping, so I dropped it cold turkey. You can forget that stuff, I don't want anyone to go through what I went through :("

• Cro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 1, 2021

For Nightmares "This is a great med with little side effects. Prazosin helps a lot with nightmares, especially ones with flashbacks from a traumatic experience, which I sometimes have when I dream. It will make you a little tired, but calms you down in a way. Works well."

• AJA...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 20, 2022

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "Great for non-combat PTSD and nightmares, but developing side effects over time. I developed terrible insomnia and was getting low-quality sleep of an hour or two a night if I was lucky. A daily 1 mg dose solved that problem quickly. I love that I sleep a solid 7 to 9 hours a night. Rarely do I have a nightmare anymore, weird dreams, yes, but no nightmares. An added bonus is that I also have low blood pressure now, which is so welcome from the previous usual state of stress and frustration. It helped with me letting things go and relaxing a lot more. Because of the negative consequences of consuming the drug with alcohol, I chose to give up alcohol because I was so desperate for sleep, I don’t regret it. I love the feeling of knowing exactly when I’m going to fall asleep and waking up well-rested. It may be in my head, but I feel like the prazosin made this a little easier too. Side effects 2 years in: tiredness, low energy, and slight depression, but still would choose to take it."

• ssr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2022

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "It helps. I’m on 2 mg, and it helps me not remember the dreams in the morning, so I’m not stuck thinking the dream was real and in psychosis in the morning. It makes me less scared while I sleep and helps reduce the nightmares. I still have them, but not terrible, and I have more regular dreams now. But it makes me horrifically tired in the morning. I take a lot of naps. It’s hard to wake up. I shake a lot, and my heart beats faster, it feels. Worth it for the nightmare relief compared to when I forget to take it."

• Cig...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 24, 2019

For Nightmares "I was prescribed prazosin, but I still have extremely vivid dreams. My wife tells me that I toss around and jabber in my sleep. I wake up dizzy and tired for most of the day."