hydroxyzine

[mgoday2003]

Has anyone tried the hydroxyzine for anxiety?  I took the pill today and feel weird as heck.

[greenlydia]

I am familiar with this drug from it's use at the hospital where I work. I know it by the name "Vistaril" and it's most commonly used PRE-operatively for anxiety and POST-operatively to prevent nausea, vomiting and to potentiate opioid analgesics. I've seldom heard of it being used as a first line for anxiety outside a hospital setting. I'm not a doctor, so I can't second guess why yours would put you on this particular med. Did he/she explain why they chose this med for you over the more commonly prescribed antianxiety drugs? If it was me, I'd certainly ask.
That you feel "weird as heck" is a pretty good description of how many meds make us feel when we first begin treatment. Let your doctor know about that as well.
Peace
Greenlydia    

[Ryan7591]

Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine, similar to Benadryl and Phenergan, but more sedating. It has a powerful sedative effect in dosages above 25 milligrams.

Sedation, however, is not true anxiolysis (relief of anxiety), and while Hydroxyzine Hydrochloride (Atarax) or Hydroxyzine Pamoate (Vistaril) may "take the edge" off, it isn't a very good choice for moderate-to-severe anxiety states (or "panic"). In 1972, the FDA categorized Hydroxyzine as "less than effective" for the treatment of anxiety states.

The main use of Hydroxyzine today is for the treatment of immunological (allergic) conditions. In the early 1950's, it was commonly used to treat mild anxiety, as not much was available at that time other than Barbiturates. Today, the Benzodiazepines, SSRI/SNRI, Tetracyclic and Tricyclic based agents are the front-line drugs for the treatment of anxiety.

The "weird" feelings are anticholinergic side effects. Typical side effects would be extreme sedation, blurred vision, urinary retention, and perhaps a bit of "euphoria". If taken daily, Hydroxyzine will not lose its antihistamine effect, but the sedative effect will fade. When it does, it will no longer continue to "relieve anxiety".

-Ryan