Prazosin Causing Insomnia?

[Panda Bear]

Can it cause insomnia? I can't sleep worth beans! I'm awake 3-4hrs after taking it and then only get 4-5hrs of sleep before I'm awake at the ass crack of dawn and can't go back to sleep! No nightmares...just awake!

I'm still on 2mg and working up the dose. But the inability to fall asleep is getting worse.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

I have never been on prazosin, but I took chlonidine which is in the same category of medications that can be used to help with nightmares. I had very bad insomnia with it. I took if for a short time and then was re-challenged, so to speak, and took it again with the same effect. So my best guess is that yes, prazosin could have the same side effect as the chlonidine had on me. Definitely worth getting in touch with your doctor about.

 

[Neverthesame]

Anything is possible. Hell, sedatives often make my anxiety worse.

Are you finding that you are still really tired during the day?

You might want to try going to bed a bit earlier. When you wake up, maybe try getting up for an hour or so, then try to sleep again.

 

[Panda Bear]

I'm exhausted during the day :(

Last night I went to bed at 9 and was still awake till after 12. Then was awake and not able to go back to sleep at 5am. I can't get up at five and then go back to bed, the day starts at 6:30 to get kids ready for school.

 

[Neverthesame]

Hmm. Then I would go with what @JEKBreatheandBelieve said, and talk to your doctor about it. Might be a dosage thing, or your may just be having a contradictory reaction to it.

Too bad though, for the people it works for, it works great.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

@Panda Bear , my experience with the clonidine was so similar to what you are experiencing. It's been a real struggle for me to find any meds. that might help. I have adverse reactions or allergic reactions to just about everything! It's tricky. Also, just because the prazosin doesn't appear to be helping you, that doesn't mean something like clonidine wouldn't and there is one other med. in the nightmare-prevention kind of category. It's all a matter of finding our what works for you and it may take several trials of different things before you find one that works. I have tried 6 anti-depressants and have been allegric to 5 and had adverse reactions to 1 and am still searching for something that might work!

 

[Panda Bear]

Sigh....

I called my doctor to let her know what was happening. Unfortunately, I'm not likely to explore other options. I hate meds to begin with. Guess I'll see what she says. Thanks for your help.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

@Panda Bear - I am right there with you on hating meds. I resisted for quite some time. Then, I decided to see if they could help. Hope you find something that works for you, whether it be another med or a special routine or skill. Good luck!

 

[Panda Bear]

@JEKBreatheandBelieve

I think I figured something out! I took the Prazosin much earlier in the evening. By about 7pm and the when I was ready for 10:30-10:45, it seemed to have brought me to the point of sleeping.

It's very weird. It makes me dizzy and my heart pound like I'm having a panic attack(but not too bad) my eyes get a little blurry and cold too. But when all that passed? I slept fairly good.

 

[Neverthesame]

Those side effects are fairly normal with that drug (insert I am not a physician, pharmacist, all medical training I have is a decade old now and probably out of date caveat).

The only thing to wary of is the possibility of cyncopic hypotension (fainting due to low blood pressure). From what I remember from taking it, I just had to be careful when standing.

First time I took it, I went outside for a cigarette and had to stop and sit three times, kept seeing stars. Lol probably looked pretty strange plopping down on the lawn halfway to the garage.

The pounding heart thing if I remember correctly (see earlier caveat), is called reflex tachycardia. Harmless but can be unnerving. Just the way the body attempts to raise the blood pressure against the vasodilation effect of the drug.

All the mumbo jumbo aside I am glad you are getting some sleep. I'm all too familiar with the misery of insomnia.

 

[Laverna]

I used to have the same issue with prazosin actually, and I've found for me taking it at around 7-8pm gets me asleep about 11 or 12. My T thought my previous issues were perhaps shitty metabolism? Either way, I wish you luck on meds and the like, figuring out the right ones can be a huge pain in the but... but least for me, worth it.

 

[TT1981]

I had this same problem when I first started taking Prazosin. My psychiatrist figured it was my day time meds that were contributing to the insomnia as I was on Wellbutrin which is known to energize you. I take my 450mg of Wellbutrin first thing in the morning now and my 5mg Prazosin around 9pm and I fall asleep around 11, nightmare free. I also take 2mg of Loazepam at bedtime though so I'm sure that helps me sleep too. Best of luck and monitor your blood pressure closely until you're at a stable dose