For anyone whos on prazosin

[Deleted member 47600]

Hiiiiii,
After doing a little research and the help of this forum I asked for the clinical team on the psych ward to discuss putting me on Prazosin for nightmares.
I asked the nurse who was in the meeting what they decided and apparently pdoc C said it doesn't work and it's detrimental to physical health.
Dammiit I had my Hopes up for this.
I've been looking through some threads and a lot of people on here said it helps them.
I have another pdoc from the mh placement I'm at and as I'm being discharged from Psych on Tuesday (whooop) so I was thinking of asking her? Hehe doctor shopping lol buuut I understand it lowers blood pressure but I've also read that it's actually not very good for blood pressure anyway.
Does anyone have any links or anything that proves it helps with nightmares? Surely it's not coincidence that it's worked with so many of you.
Baring in mind I've never actually met pdoc C (bad, I know considering I've been his patient for 4 weeks but nvm) so I'm not sure what hes like as a pdoc - I've heard good and bad things about him, mainly bad, if I'm honest.
Pdoc A might listen to me bc shes pretty sound... I just thought maybe it's worth a shot at least? Prozasin has the potential to eliminate a very scary symptom of mine so I was really excited to give it a go...

 

[Fadeaway]

It works for a lot of people. I have heard that studies aren't so sure, but my experience and reading others testimony suggests different.

I can't take it regularly due to my blood pressure dropping too low. Then again I have very low blood pressure to begin with. It takes about 10 hours after a dose for it to rise again.

I think it is worth a shot if you don't have any conflicting medical issues. Even with the low blood pressure sometimes being lightheaded is the lesser of the two evils when it comes to nightmares.

 

[EveHarrington]

The nightmare reduction is essentially a side effect and this is why some docs are hesitant to prescribe it.

If your nightmares are bad, keep trying until you get a doc that will prescribe it for you.

 

[bellbird]

Prazosin gives me tachycardia, so the two times we've tried it, I couldn't take it any longer than a couple of nights.

I do remember that the first night I took it, I had zero dreams. Bizarre.

Does anyone have any links or anything that proves it helps with nightmares?

Studies don't tend to typically "prove" the efficacy of drugs.
I get the impression that you're wanting to see one or two papers that made favourable conclusions for the use of prazosin in the treatment of nightmares, which I get; we all get hopeful that a drug will turn out to be a "miracle drug" and ease our worst symptom(s).

There are papers out there that have drawn such conclusions, but there are also those that have done otherwise.

I'd suggest doing a search of pubmed with the terms "prazosin" and "nightmare".
You'll find a good range of papers there.

I really don't want to dampen your excitement. And I really do hope prazosin helps you.
But it is so so important to be informed. Of all conclusions.

P.S. congratulations for your upcoming psych discharge :)

 

[shatter eyes]

I take prazosin 2mg and 3mg on rotation now.

I started with 1mg and wow my nightmares decreased in intensity... went to 2mg decrease in frequency...went to 3mg... ZONK SNORE and stayed on 3mg until nightmares came back and i had to cycle off and on.

The nightmares i get are screaming waking up sweating so the reduction helped me. We had to adjust dose many times. It seems like once body gets used to dose the nightmares come back so that is why i am on rotating dose.

A CBT thought was that we have dreams including nightmares as a way for brain to process things we cannot process when alert. Shifting perspectives did help me accept the nightmares better. Most times i get scared to sleep and have them then wake up and get scared to go back to bed. Now when i am able to i try to go back to sleep and hope i am one step closer to completing the "endless" process. Sometimes mystery trauma and other times direct associations. I wish you well and i want to also share what my pdoc told me...something called nightmare rescripting but it has to be done by a specialist. Not all counselors and pdocs can help rescript. Mine cannot.

Prazosin like all drugs affect each person differently. Keep asking docs for opinion and be informed about your care plan options.

(CBD oil from indica strains has helped reduce my thrashing and stopped most of the screaming)

I have looked into prasozin studies also and found it is commonly prescribed for ptsd nightmares. You can search PubMed or NCBI or ResearchGate for articles.

 

[Friday]

In the US it would be unlikely anyone would Rx it for you, since you’re a minor. And most doctors are very very wary of rx’ing Off-Label to children & teens. It’s still done, but it’s fairly rare for anyone under 18 to be prescribed something that hasn’t been sanctioned 6 ways from Sunday for pediatric & adolescent use.

((Especially to adolescents, as psych side efffects get unpredictable -hormones and rapid brain/neurochemistry changes that happen during puberty- beyond massively upping suicide rates. That’s the one durn constant, if there’s going to be a psych side effect? With teens, the suicide rates nearly always spike. Suicidal impulsivity make doctors cautious in any event, regardless of age, but x10 in duty of care aged patients.))

The UK may operate under an entirely different paradigm, though.

 

[shatter eyes]

I agree with Friday and i apologize for not considering your age as your body and brain is still growing repairing healing etc.

There are other ways to manage nightmares you may want to explore too.

 

[frogthroat]

Yes, age is a big deal with that. I'm in my early thirties and I stopped taking as it really didn't do anything for me and made me feel like a zombie during the day.
It's just a blood pressure med that may or may not help people with sleep.
I still have nightmares but I've listening to sleep meditations a half hour to 45 minutes before I go to bed and I don't watch TV or scroll through my phone during this time. That's actually helped quite a bit. It's not perfect but it's progress and with no meds. Do you have a sleep schedule? It might help more than you think. It takes a little bit for your body to get used to the routine but you naturally start to relax little by little.
Of, course I still have PTSD nights where I'm like "never gonna sleep again" but overall sleep has improved.

 

[Deleted member 47600]

In the US it would be unlikely anyone would Rx it for you, since you’re a minor. And most doctors are very very wary of rx’ing Off-Label to children & teens.

Damn you have a good point, would the UK be any different? They'll prescribe premethazine which is meant to be for allergies (?) but they'll use it for sleep.
Thank you though for putting it in perspective (:)

I started with 1mg and wow my nightmares decreased in intensity... went to 2mg decrease in frequency...went to 3mg... ZONK SNORE and stayed on 3mg until nightmares came back and i had to cycle off and on.

This ^^ is why I'd like to try it.

I think I'll talk to pdoc A about it, just in case? But I wont get my Hopes up too much this time. It makes sense why pdoc C wouldn't prescribe it now aha - i guess anything that has the potential to stop me from waking up screaming, in hot sweats etc is worth the ask. Freaking hate being a teen sometimes lol.

Yes, age is a big deal with that. I'm in my early thirties and I stopped taking as it really didn't do anything for me and made me feel like a zombie during the day.
It's just a blood pressure med that may or may not help people with sleep.
I still have nightmares but I've listening to sleep meditations a half hour to 45 minutes before I go to bed and I don't watch TV or scroll through my phone during this time. That's actually helped quite a bit. It's not perfect but it's progress and with no meds. Do you have a sleep schedule? It might help more than you think. It takes a little bit for your body to get used to the routine but you naturally start to relax little by little.
Of, course I still have PTSD nights where I'm like "never gonna sleep again" but overall sleep has improved.

Is there any sleep meditations you reccomend? I know Spotify do some but I dont know how good they are. I have a rough sleep schedule but nothing rigid. - shower at 8/9, make a brew, chill with the YP's, do some reading for college and then switch it up to some reading to relax. I am guilty of watching Netflix until I drift off though.

 

[frogthroat]

Is there any sleep meditations you reccomend?

I just go on YouTube and type in "sleep meditation". I usually listen to Jasen Stephenson or gentlewhispering but if I don't want to listen to people talking I listen to thunderstorm sounds.
Also, there's this batshit crazy lady who talks about speaking to unicorn and fairies etc but she has the most relaxing voice. I'll try to find her again if you're interested.

 

[Deleted member 47600]

Studies don't tend to typically "prove" the efficacy of drugs.
I get the impression that you're wanting to see one or two papers that made favourable conclusions for the use of prazosin in the treatment of nightmares, which I get; we all get hopeful that a drug will turn out to be a "miracle drug" and ease our worst symptom(s).

There are papers out there that have drawn such conclusions, but there are also those that have done otherwise.

I'd suggest doing a search of pubmed with the terms "prazosin" and "nightmare".
You'll find a good range of papers there.

I really don't want to dampen your excitement. And I really do hope prazosin helps you.
But it is so so important to be informed. Of all conclusions.

P.S. congratulations for your upcoming psych discharge :)

Thanks for this ((:

I just go on YouTube and type in "sleep meditation". I usually listen to Jasen Stephenson or gentlewhispering but if I don't want to listen to people talking I listen to thunderstorm sounds.
Also, there's this batshit crazy lady who talks about speaking to unicorn and fairies etc but she has the most relaxing voice. I'll try to find her again if you're interested.

I'll check it out tonight for sure! Haha yeah I'm up for the batshit crazy lady ((:

 

[Deleted member 47600]

(CBD oil from indica strains has helped reduce my thrashing and stopped most of the screaming)

I've been looking into CBD oil especially as it comes from a marijuana plant and all (; - I think I'll give it a go