Promethazine and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• October 2, 2019

For Sedation "I'm getting prescribed promethazine for insomnia, which is caused by bad social anxiety (I get the feeling someone is watching me while I'm sleeping, and generally, when I leave my house, I get really anxious. Which sometimes leads to me not leaving my house for months, other than when I have to work, etc.) I'm taking 25-50 mg half an hour before I go to bed. It really does help me with my sleep as well, which kind of lowers the anxiety that also was caused by my lack of sleep, but it doesn't completely kill the anxiety. Just a tip from me: if you want to get rid of your anxiety, stop taking stuff like benzos or so and quit doing drugs if you currently do any. Start meditating, it really can calm you down and helps you get along with yourself! I didn't believe it until I tried it! Promethazine is good for sleeping, and that's it. Last thing I want to say: it sometimes doesn't help my insomnia as well, but that really rarely, though! I've been on this medication for almost three months now!"

• iro...
• September 2, 2015

For Sedation "I am a 53-year-old male. I hurt my leg during an accident cliff jumping in the lake, causing severe leg damage. The doctor gave me promethazine for nausea, but I found that it really helps me sleep during pain episodes from the operation. I have been taking 25 milligrams before sleeping. It's like placing a warm blanket over you, reducing anxiety and coping with pain, allowing sleep."

• Equ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2020

For Sedation "I was prescribed promethazine for insomnia due to tinnitus. I took 25 mg doses before bed when needed. Within about 30 minutes, I felt exceptionally drowsy and in a very relaxed state. Any anxiety I was experiencing was gone. I slept solidly for about 10 hours and then would wake up feeling pretty drowsy. I also cautiously took it when I had a chest infection and an asthma flare-up. I got a great night's sleep and woke up feeling far less wheezy and with far less sputum. After six weeks of taking it nightly, it took a bit longer to make me sleepy, and I woke up after less time. Then, suddenly, I found that taking the promethazine gave me extreme bouts of sleep apnea. I repeatedly woke, choking and breathless. I immediately stopped taking the promethazine. I am now two days into withdrawal, waking up in the middle of the night, feeling sweaty and finding it hard to go back to sleep. Overall, the drug really helped me, but the apnea and the withdrawal I had were a bit unpleasant."

• Sho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2015

For Light Sedation "I came across this by accident, and after two tablets, all my medical ailments disappeared (anxiety, stress, and IBS-D). Off diazepam and Imodium now. Amazing, after 40 years of misery, that I can now enjoy life. Plus, no sleeping tablets now either --- result!!!"

• Sho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 25, 2015

For Light Sedation "I came across this by accident, and after two tablets, all my medical ailments disappeared (anxiety, stress, and IBS-D). Off diazepam and Imodium now. Amazing, after 40 years of misery, that I can now enjoy life. Plus, no sleeping tablets now either --- result!!!"

• Mag...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2019

Promethazine for Light Sedation "My sleep is terrible. Phenergan helped, but it made me anxious and shivery if I didn't take it and jump into bed straight away to settle. I'd sleep well but wake the next day feeling like I'd been hit by a truck and low in mood. It does help with sleep, but it's not for me. Back to insomnia for me."

• Meg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2020

For Sedation "Horrible: Did its job for sedation but knocked me out for 16 hours after I had already had a full night's sleep. I ended up going to the hospital because it was such an adverse effect, my neighbors couldn't wake me up properly when they came to check on me. I couldn't hear them calling me. The hospital added it to my allergy list. A few days after, I started having extremely strong panic attacks. I had never had them before and put it down to Phenergan. I've read other reviews mentioning increased anxiety after taking it. It doesn't work for everybody."

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2019

For Allergic Reactions "My husband used Phenergan 25 for an itchy reaction to another drug, caused nervousness, dizziness, insomnia, anxiety, confusion, anger, nightmares, and thought he was going mad. (I did too!) After 2 nights, I realized what it was doing, he slept it off the next day, never to use it again! There is no warning of these ill effects on the packet! Only may cause drowsiness, well, it did, about 16 hours later!"

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 24, 2019

For Allergic Reactions "My husband used Phenergan 25 for an itchy reaction to another drug, caused nervousness, dizziness, insomnia, anxiety, confusion, anger, nightmares, and thought he was going mad. (I did too!) After 2 nights, I realized what it was doing, he slept it off the next day, never to use it again! There is no warning of these ill effects on the packet! Only may cause drowsiness, well, it did, about 16 hours later!"

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2022

Promethazine for Light Sedation "Phenergen is the only medication I can use to help me sleep that works. I can't use it every night, as it stops working within a few days of continued use, so I can only use it every now and then when my insomnia is really bad. The major downside is it makes me very depressive and anxious for 2 days after I've taken it. I cry a lot and lose all my self-esteem. It's a really rough time. If my insomnia wasn't so severe, I probably wouldn't touch the stuff. On another note, it's amazing for allergies and hay fever. Again, I just wish it didn't affect my mood."

• Kee...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 8, 2014

"I see others call this their miracle and lifesaver, and so do I. I have no idea what is wrong with me, but since an antibiotic reaction a few years ago, I have become sensitized to a million things. I get what I call 'body storms,' with anxiety, gut issues, heat flutters, loss of temperature control, strange skin and internal sensations, and hallucinations. For some reason, Phenergan seems to fix the lot! I don't think I'd still be here without it! I take 10 mg if I feel the reaction mildly, and have occasionally gone as high as three 10 mgs in one night. On one 10 mg, I sleep well but don't have any dopiness the next day. On 20 mg, I do feel a bit sleepy, and my mood is down in the morning, but it beats the body storms!"

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 29, 2022

For Sedation "Have been taking this drug for a month for insomnia. The first couple of nights, I was excited to experience getting off to sleep, which was a relief! After about a week, despite sleeping, I was feeling very tired during the day with a very low mood. After a couple of weeks, its effectiveness in helping me sleep had reduced, and I was feeling more nervous during the day. Now, after a month, I wake up if I do sleep with intense feelings of nervousness for hours, which never really goes, and experience dreams at night that cause anxiety. I intended to reduce the dose and come off these pills."

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 29, 2022

For Sedation "Have been taking this drug for a month for insomnia. The first couple of nights, I was excited to experience getting off to sleep, which was a relief! After about a week, despite sleeping, I was feeling very tired during the day with a very low mood. After a couple of weeks, its effectiveness in helping me sleep had reduced, and I was feeling more nervous during the day. Now, after a month, I wake up if I do sleep with intense feelings of nervousness for hours, which never really goes, and experience dreams at night that cause anxiety. I intended to reduce the dose and come off these pills."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2022

Promethazine for Sedation "I only take Phenergan for sleep as a last resort, and only the low dose. Phenergan does help me sleep, but it gives me intense nightmares and leaves me feeling really stressed and anxious. It also makes me drowsy the next day, so I basically can't function. Even for sleep, though, it only works for a few days and then wears off. So, only good for the short term in my case. I wouldn't dare try the stronger stuff, I think it would be too much. As for allergies, it works well and instantly. So there's that at least. Still get the side effects, though."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2022

Promethazine for Sedation "I only take Phenergan for sleep as a last resort, and only the low dose. Phenergan does help me sleep, but it gives me intense nightmares and leaves me feeling really stressed and anxious. It also makes me drowsy the next day, so I basically can't function. Even for sleep, though, it only works for a few days and then wears off. So, only good for the short term in my case. I wouldn't dare try the stronger stuff, I think it would be too much. As for allergies, it works well and instantly. So there's that at least. Still get the side effects, though."

• Anonymous
• July 4, 2010

For Nausea/Vomiting "This medication is amazing! For the past year, I have been feeling nauseated and sick, so my doctor prescribed me promethazine. It takes about 15-20 minutes, and I feel a lot better. The only side effect is the extreme sleepiness I feel afterward. I will go to bed and sleep for hours. Lately, I also developed some anxiety to feel nausea, and I take half a 25 mg pill of promethazine in advance, and usually, it works great. I'm a little tired, but I can still function. This medication works amazingly!"

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2022

For Sedation "This drug has ruined my life. I have been researching it since... I’ve been on a psych ward as a direct result. I woke up extremely trippy and started trying to kill myself. My son had to go with my parents, he is heartbroken. I was fitting in the hospital as well. I am now paranoid. I never sleep, and my life as I know it is over. My whole personality has gone. I’m paranoid, and after almost two months, I can still feel it in my face, brain, and body. My tongue swelled up and was hanging out, I couldn't breathe. I hallucinated and lost my cognitive abilities and my personality. I know my son can’t come home as this has not gotten better. I cannot organize myself. I have autism and ADHD, generalized anxiety. I felt dizzy, everything wobbled, and I now don’t know what to do with myself. All I could say when I woke up was 'it just won’t go' - and it still hasn’t."

• use...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2021

For Nausea/Vomiting "I was worried before taking this medication that it would affect me like Reglan (sheer anxiety attack) from the reviews I read here. Somebody even passed away possibly from this. Knowing, I was afraid I tried to not let that affect the outcome from being biased. Zofran wasn't cutting it anymore. I had to take a 25 mg suppository expecting the worst, come to find out I'm barely even tired. I'm about 2 hours in and NOTHING, very irritating. I'm 23 female if that helps and about 125 lbs. I can't say my stomach is ripping itself apart though. I am just very hungry and the pain of that is always around. I can't eat anything and hold it down. But I would consider my case a dud. blah."

• Wal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2023

Promethazine "I have suffered bouts of severe stress, anxiety, and being unable to sleep on and off for years, sometimes a year being okay then ill again. Recently, I started taking Phenergan to help me sleep (10 mg tablets). I started off with one tablet in the daytime to see how my body reacted to it. Within 20 minutes, my anxiety reduced and my nausea went completely. In an hour, I was very tired but stayed awake. At night, I then took two (10 mg) tablets, I slept great and woke up without a headache. I still had anxiety and nausea, so I took one tablet in the morning, it worked within 10 minutes (for nausea and anxiety). Then at night, I took only 1 tablet instead of 2, I still slept great with no side effects and it took 1 hour 30 minutes to get me to sleep. I totally recommend them, BUT read the leaflet, it does say to start off low and then increase if need be. You must also be careful if you are taking other drugs, even herbal pills! And I wouldn't drive if you are taking them during the day for hay fever, etc."

• Cel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2021

Promethazine for Allergic Rhinitis "I take this when my hay fever is really bad. Works amazingly well for relieving hay fever symptoms and also as a mild sleep aid. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and unfortunately, this drug makes my anxiety 100% worse the next day, like I'm going to have a psychotic break or something. Disappointing as it works so well for sleep and hay fever."

• Chr...
• July 19, 2023

For Light Sedation "I was recommended this by a pharmacist to take with 200 mg sertraline because the sertraline was causing insomnia. I live alone, and when I started taking one promethazine at night to help me sleep, I didn't recognize that I was feeling strange. After 4 days of taking it at night, I had been seriously hallucinating (visual and audio). Paranoid and feelings that my hallucinations (family, friends, and colleagues) were all against me and that everyone in the world hated me. At one point, I believed something was so real and that I was in danger that I called the police. It wasn't until I'd messaged a close friend with my concerns for my safety and my explanations and claims that I actually realized something was wrong with my head/mind. I'd been seeing things coming out of my wall, hearing people talk about me (while I was alone), creepy music playing, and much more. I was taken to the hospital. The docs and psychiatrists told me it was the mix of promethazine and sertraline. I thought I'd gone insane! It was petrifying :("

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2021

Promethazine for Sedation "I take Phenergan, but they are making me feel nervous."