Hydroxyzine help!

[Marebear913]

So, my doctor prescribed me hydroxyzine for panic attacks because she doesn't like the idea of anyone taking benzos and I went home and read reviews on hydroxyzine and I read more bad things than good so now I'm afraid to take it when I'm having an attack. I'm supposed to take them as needed for anxiety attacks but I'm afraid to... Anyone ever take this medicine and does it work well for you?? I read about peoples anxiety becoming worse after taking it and feeling like crap when all it is supposed to do is help you calm down... I don't want worse anxiety on top of the attack I'm having in the moment.

[bridder01]

Hiya Mary! I haven't heard of this drug specifically, but if you're unsure of a drug or you have reservations about a drug, tell your doctor immediately. There are many other drugs out there that he/she can try you on instead. I also would like to say congrats for actually looking up info and reviews on the drug. Not a lot of people bother to do that and just trust that their doctor knows what they're doing. That is a big step and I think that's awesome! You are your own best advocate, so if you're unsure or apprehensive about a drug your doctor prescribes for you, tell them you would like to try something else. They can't know your concerns unless you tell them

A friend,

Brian

[Marebear913 in reply to bridder01]

I literally research EVERYTHING! lol, I'm weird with pills in general so I am always googling things. Some people love it and a lot of them hate it so I really don't know what to do I want immediate relief from my panic attacks but I'm scared of bad side effects. It's supposed to be a sedating medicine without the addiction. A lot of people compare it to Benadryl but I have never taken Benadryl so Idk what that means lol

[bridder01 in reply to Marebear913]

I hear ya Mary lol. As I said, when in doubt - talk to your doctor. Back when I was in my early 20's (the mid-to-late 1990's), there were fewer drugs available and some of those were used for other problems but could also be used for depression. Nowadays, the field has expanded so much that the number of drugs available to treat specific parts of anxiety and depression (and mental illnesses as a whole) are almost limitless. One idea I have is to look up drugs that are similar to the one your doctor prescribed you and compare them. I have a feeling you've already done this lol, but it never hurts to go back over the field and see if anything new has come down the pipeline recently. Who knows, you may come across a different drug that ticks off all (or most) of the boxes that concern you. But, above all, tell your doctor your feelings and thoughts. They're very easy to talk to (at least, in my case lol) and are always willing to try a different approach if needed. Hopefully you can get everything worked out to your satisfaction And as always, if you need to vent or just talk, my door is always open for you and we're all here to listen as well

A friend,

Brian

[Marshall64]

You can also talk to your pharmacist. That is part of their job (answering questions). Plus, they are available when your doctor is not.

Reading people's reviews can be frustrating. You will hear some people thinking the drug is great and then turn around and hear someone else saying how bad it is to them.

[Hidden in reply to Marshall64]

Some reviews can also be fake.

[melbrown]

Hi Marebear. I would suggest talking to your doctor about what you've read & your concerns. I was put on a new med a couple months ago. Went home & read stuff online, got so scared I didn't take it. My therapist once I told her I was scared to talk it, suggested I email my doctor. Which I did, nervous about a lecture... but he was very understanding. He called me & we talked about my concerns. Our doctors do have our best interest at heart, they can't help us if we don't communicate with them. I am sorry, I haven't heard of Hydroxyzine, so can't give you any information about it. I hope you & your doctor figure everything out.

[Marebear913 in reply to melbrown]

thank you! I will call my doctor.

[MelissaC13]

Jave you tried the Inhale (nose) for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale (mouth) for 4 seconds and repeat until it passes? My awesomely, fantastic therapist taught me this when I was waking up with nocturnal panic attacks. And I use it during the day if I start to feel overwhelmed.

Regarding your question about the medicine. My sister and brother in law take it and it seems to help them both. This is the antihistamine medicine, correct? They take it at scheduled times each day.

Thankfully the breath (yogic breath I believe) is what has been working for me for the short term. In the long I use meditation to counter act the over active amygdala I have. 😆😆😆 The University of Southern California has a Mindfulness website that has free pre-recorded meditations. When in a sticky situation I do the 19 minute one at night and in the morning. Otherwise, I do the 19 minute one each morning. Hope this helps!! Keep us posted please!

Regards,

Melissa

[Marebear913 in reply to MelissaC13]

Yes, it's the antihistamine. I tried that exercise and it does help calm me down but it doesn't take away the shortness of breath feeling that I have all day long. I'm nervous about taking any medicine in general because of the side effects, which makes my anxiety worse.

[icDavey in reply to Marebear913]

Funny, I frequently have the shortness of breath feeling and I never connected it to anxiety. Can you have anxiety and not know it? I have actually tested low on anxiety in the past. Hmmm.

[Marebear913 in reply to icDavey]

You absolutely can have anxiety and not know it. Talk to your doctor and see what they say.

[Lu2356 in reply to Marebear913]

I was wondering do u do any walking or exercising? What has helped me is walking outside for 10-15 and focus on the things around me. Staying still with my thoughts makes me more anxious and petrifies me, but I move and admire nature, I am taken away by the magnificence around me. 😊

[Marebear913 in reply to Lu2356]

I used to walk in the mornings while my husband watched the kids and it did help the edge off but not completely. I have a hard time going for walks lately with both of my kids and it raining for a week straight :/ At this point it is hard to find anything that will work

[Hidden]

Didn't work for me. I thought maybe it was a new- med thing and would get better. Just makes me feel really weird. Everyone responds a little differently!

[Marebear913 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah, I'm afraid of having all of the side effects and my anxiety being worse. She prescribed me 10mg so I just cut it in half and took 5mg so I could see if it takes the edge off so hopefully, it doesn't make me freak out

[Lm92]

Hydroxyzine is essentially like a stronger Benadryl. That's how my psychiatrist refers to it. I was super afraid to take anything to help me sleep (my anxiety comes at night and keeps me awake) and that's how he helped me feel calmer about taking it. He also had me start with taking only a 1/4 tablet the first night to prove I'd be fine, 1/2 the next night, 3/4 the next and then a full one. It really helped me get good rest. That's the one caveat is that it will make you very sleepy, so reserve it for when you don't have to drive or such. I only take it now when I have trouble sleeping, but it's been a wonderful tool to have in my belt.

[Marebear913 in reply to Lm92]

That’s good to hear! She prescribed me 10mg and for over a month I was so afraid to take it because of reviews on the internet 🙁 but today is a bad anxiety day. I feel breathless and dizzy so I cut the pill in half and took it about half an hour ago.. I do feel a little sleepy but nothing too bad and I still have the shortness of breath but I’m not as panicky so we will see what happens.

[Hidden]

Yes as Lm92 said it will just make you sleepy and feel a bit spacey too. I’ve taken hydroxyzine to sleep when I had horrible insomnia from poison oak. I don’t know how you’ll like it but it won’t hurt to try it, it’s very well tolerated meaning low chance of some really awful side effect. The dose you take will make a big difference so start small. It maybe a good temporary solution for you but for everyday I don’t know, feeling sleepy all the time isn’t a great feeling.

[Want2BHappy3]

Hi Marebear, I was prescribed hydroxyzine also . For me I don't feel it helped. matter of fact I tried to get hold of my doctor to see if she can increase the dosage or give me a different kind? So far she hasn't responded. I use Mirtazapine for depression to help me sleep, works great for my sleep, not so much for my depression. I've been using it for over a month. Sleep was a BIG problem for me. When I used hydroxyzine I didn't experience any side effects. But everybody's different? Good luck

[dukenu]

Was recently given that med, I had no success that I could tell. In fact, I felt more anxiety. Its hard to tell whether it works though, I had other things going on and maybe It wasn't that med that caused my iss. I might try it when Im doing well, just to see if I feel panic again. Its always a pain to feel out of control anxiety, but when you know what causes it (like if I take that med and I feel panic) I don't worry too much because I know it will go away by simply not taking again.

[Ashley1489]

I was proscribed the same thing and im afriad to take it as well hun

[Marebear913 in reply to Ashley1489]

I finally took it yesterday. She prescribed me 10mg so I actually cut it in half and took it. Made me a little sleepy but not to the point where I wanted to take a nap. So I guess it was a little effective.

[dukenu in reply to Marebear913]

That makes sense, If its the same thing as benedryl but twice as potent...as someone above said, then thats would be expected. It shouldn't have any addictive or serious consequences. Maybe I'll try it now since I have a massive allergy cold going on

[Agora1 in reply to Marebear913]

Good for you Marebear since it doesn't do any good sitting on the shelf. That was a good idea to start with half a dose. I know how difficult it is for any of us to start on a new medication. Let us know how you do as you continue your med. Good Luck xx

[dukenu in reply to Ashley1489]

Did you ever get over your vertigo/dizziness? My sister had a bad case of vertigo once and was freaking out...the doctors and meds were not helping. She found relief after going to a chiropractor that did an adjustment. I go to chiropractors as a matter of course anytime Im having an issue...it might not help but it eliminates that possibility and that brings some relief in and of itself. I experience dizziness/a sense of imbalance with my anxiety too...but Ive gotten better in that regard over time.

[Marebear913 in reply to dukenu]

I didn't even think about going to a chiropractor. I get dizzy sometimes still. I had a stroke and it hit my center balance so I'm still healing from that. I should look into a chiropractor and see if that will help with anything. I just want to feel normal again!

[dukenu in reply to Marebear913]

Some people don't believe in them..but I've had so many back problems that sometimes I wonder whether some of my ibs isn't related to nerves in my spinal cord. When ever I go, I come out of there feeling so much more relaxed...like my intestines are relieved and I just feel more 'stable' don't know how to describe it. Im so sorry you had a stroke, my mom had one and she became paralyzed on her right side...the most traumatic thing I've ever seen happen to someone I loved so much. It was so difficult. God bless you, hang in there.

[Marebear913 in reply to dukenu]

Thank you so much

[Discomushroom]

There's a ton of ways to treat the anxiety. A few years ago I've decided that meditation is a great idea. I had been punishing myself for a year or something like this with no result at all. At the and only Valium gave me tangible results. Try it right away worldpharm365.com/product/a....

[Makguyver]

I suffer from severe anxiety. My doctor prescribed a 10mg. dose that I can take up to 4 times a day. I SWEAR I must be taking a placebo! I feel NO DIFFERENT! It does absolutely NOTHING FOR ME. I am going to have my doctor prescribe something else. Don't be afraid to take it. It's basically a allergy medicine meant to make you feel drowsy. Heck, I don't even get that effect.