Hydroxyzine Oral Tablet: Side Effects, How to Take, and More - Healthline

Find answers to some commonly asked questions about hydroxyzine oral tablet.

Is hydroxyzine used to help with sleep? If it is, what's the dosage?

Hydroxyzine is not approved to help with sleep. But it may be used off-label for this purpose. (Off-label use means a drug is given for a condition it hasn't been approved to treat.)

Hydroxyzine can affect everyone differently. Both sleepiness and insomnia are possible side effects of the drug. (With insomnia, you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.)

So it's possible that hydroxyzine may help you sleep. But the drug may also keep you awake.

You'll know more about how hydroxyzine affects you after you've taken the drug for several days.

To learn more about using hydroxyzine to help with sleep, talk with your doctor.

How long do hydroxyzine's effects last? And how long does it stay in your system?

Hydroxyzine is a type of drug called an antihistamine.

It works by attaching to histamine receptors (binding sites) in your body. This produces a calming effect that helps relieve anxiety and itching.

You may continue to have these effects from hydroxyzine for several hours after you take the drug.

Hydroxyzine's half-life can be used to figure out how long the drug stays in your system. The half-life of a drug is the time it takes for half of a drug's dose to leave your body. Hydroxyzine's half-life is about 14 hours. So it takes about 14 hours for your body to get rid of half of a dose of hydroxyzine.

Typically, it takes about five half-lives for a drug to completely leave your system. For hydroxyzine, this means the drug will stay in your system for about 70 hours after your last dose.

To learn more about how hydroxyzine works and how long its effects last, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

What should I know about hydroxyzine compared with Benadryl, Xanax, Lexapro, or Zoloft?

Hydroxyzine belongs to a group of drugs called antihistamines. It's prescribed to:

  • treat anxiety
  • treat itching
  • help induce sedation (a state of sleepiness and relaxation) before or after you receive anesthesia for surgery

Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is also an antihistamine. It's available over the counter, so you don't need a prescription for it. Benadryl is also used to treat itching and other allergy symptoms.

Alprazolam (Xanax), escitalopram (Lexapro), and sertraline (Zoloft) are prescription drugs that can be used for anxiety. Xanax is a benzodiazepine, while Lexapro and Zoloft are antidepressants.

To learn more about how hydroxyzine compares with these medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Is hydroxyzine a benzodiazepine or other type of controlled substance? Will it make me feel 'high'?

Hydroxyzine isn't a benzodiazepine or a controlled substance. (Controlled substances have a higher risk of being misused compared with other drugs.)

Instead, hydroxyzine belongs to a group of drugs called antihistamines.

You may feel calm and relaxed after taking hydroxyzine. But euphoria (feeling "high" or full of energy) wasn't a side effect reported in studies of the drug. Additionally, hydroxyzine isn't known to be addictive. (With addiction, a drug is taken even if it's causing harmful outcomes.)

If you're concerned about how hydroxyzine may affect you, talk with your doctor.

Does hydroxyzine cause weight gain?

Hydroxyzine probably doesn't cause weight gain. This side effect wasn't reported in studies of the drug.

If you're concerned about weight gain while taking hydroxyzine, talk with your doctor. They can suggest healthy ways to manage your body weight.

Do certain side effects of hydroxyzine affect older people more than younger people?

Yes, hydroxyzine's side effects may affect older people more than younger people.

Older people may have certain health conditions that affect how their bodies respond to hydroxyzine. These conditions include kidney and liver problems. And the conditions could increase the risk of side effects from hydroxyzine, such as sleepiness and confusion.

Because of this, hydroxyzine is not recommended for older people. If older people are prescribed the drug, it's recommended that they start with a low dosage.

If you're older in age, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of using hydroxyzine.

Does hydroxyzine have a certain dosage for panic attacks?

Hydroxyzine isn't currently approved to treat panic attacks. But hydroxyzine may be used off-label for this purpose. (Off-label use means a drug is given for a condition it hasn't been approved to treat.)

Panic attacks are sudden episodes of fear that happen without an apparent reason. They can cause symptoms such as:

To learn more about using hydroxyzine to treat panic attacks and a recommended dosage for this use, talk with your doctor.

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