Prazosin Making Anxiety Worse

[Keisha Taylor]

My psychiatrist recently prescribed me prazosin to see if it will help me sleep and help with the flashbacks and nightmares but when I take it before bed it makes my anxiety act up a lot worse than it usually does, the flashbacks get stronger, and I can't actually get to sleep for 5-6 hours after.

 

[desiderata310]

I can actually understand that.
When you first start taking it, it's not unusual for your BP to go UP for a while when you first start taking it. I remember feeling weird and giddy on it as well but it made me so freaking dizzy and nauseated that it knocked me out.

I dunno. Do you think you can hang with it for a little bit to see if your body will adjust? Maybe take it a little earlier in the evening (I would take it around 6. Now I'm fine as long as I take it by about 9:30/10:00)

oh!!
one other thing I did that helped!I halved the dose. Yes, I know it's a capsule. I pulled it apart and dumped about half the powder out. I did that for about 3-4 months and finally went up to a whole 1mg
Also good to note: DO NOT dump that stuff on your tongue and take it without the coating. Something about the way its absorbed. I had a TERRIBLE night that night.

 

[futurefocussed]

I was prescribed it recently to then discover that i was allergic to it and ended up in hospital

 

[Snowflake]

How much do you take? At first I felt off but now I love it!

 

[joeylittle]

What @desiderata310 said.

Common mistake is taking it way too late. Go for that 3-4 hours before bed. And pair it up with serious sleep hygiene. Most importantly: screens. No screens for 2 hours before ideal bedtime. No phone, computer, tablet, TV.

If you think 'not possible' - then at a minimum get a blue-light filter app for your devices and start using it all the time, not just at night.

They don't really know exactly how all this increased screen-time interferes with our bodies - but prelim studies show interesting (if not obvious) data.

Worth a read, (esp. if info about eye damage will help limit screen time): Effects of blue light on the circadian system and eye physiology

A good overview on blue light and sleep: Q&A: Why Is Blue Light before Bedtime Bad for Sleep?

 

[Fadeaway]

oh!!
one other thing I did that helped!I halved the dose. Yes, I know it's a capsule. I pulled it apart and dumped about half the powder out. I did that for about 3-4 months and finally went up to a whole 1mg

That is exactly what I did. Low blood pressure can make you feel very anxious.

I know it helps with nightmares but i have not heard about it helping with flashbacks.

 

[james huber]

My psychiatrist recently prescribed me prazosin to see if it will help me sleep and help with the...

It did the same thing to me.

 

[GhostedGirl]

Prozosin was awful for me. It had the unfortunate side effect of giving me a stuffing nose so I woke up feeling like a I had a terrible head cold every morning. It was supposed to help me sleep, but it kept me up all night!

 

[KariLC]

My psychiatrist recently prescribed me prazosin to see if it will help me sleep and help with the...

Hello. I too was recently prescribed prazosin for my violent nightmares and sleep issues. I have not noticed an increase in my anxiety, but my anxiety and depression are currently high and they have increased my Lamictal and buspar to address it. I have not had any violent dreams so far, the TV, my dogs and my kids are safe from the ninja I become during my nightmares. I hope that your anxiety decreases.