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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by beckett2 on January 18, 2022, at 20:23:56
Hey, has anyone taken prazosin either for ptsd or night terrors? My sleep has been problematic my entire life. Perhaps the prodrome for bipolar.
I have no idea which of my meds might be causing it (or not). (I've started taking all my meds in the morning. That helps.)
My anxiety is decently controlled.
Thanks.
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 18, 2022, at 20:59:21
In reply to prazosin for night terrors, posted by beckett2 on January 18, 2022, at 20:23:56
didn't do much for me. I tried it, briefly, just on an as-needed basis. my problem wasn't constant, consistent nightmares, but rather occasional bursts of super intense dreams...wake up, go to sleep, repeat...not fun. and...
no go, for me. the super intense dreams took on a different, medicated form and my mood dipped. ugh.
some people do report success, however. I haven't looked at a meta-analysis or anything...I imagine the current practice of poly-pharmacy in a lot of people with these sorts of problems would make meaningful comparisons rather difficult.
Posted by SLS on January 18, 2022, at 21:06:32
In reply to prazosin for night terrors, posted by beckett2 on January 18, 2022, at 20:23:56
Hi.
There is a difference between "night terrors" and the nightmares that are a feature of PTSD.
There is quite a bit of evidence that prazosin reduces PTSD nightmares. I haven't come across anything that would lead me to believe that prozosin is effective for night terrors.
For PTSD, I think prazosin is underutilized in that it can be used to reduce PTSD daytime symptoms, too.
1) 3 mg h.s. - PTSD nightmares only.
2) 10 mg t.i.d. - PTSD nightmares + daytime depression and anxiety.
I tried prazosin at my doctor's urging because of the childhood adversity (emotional abuse / physical abuse / neglect). I was shocked that it helped. Although the improvement was significant enough to recognize, it wasn't enough justify continued treatment. Maybe I should have kept prazosin in place. It wasn't hurting anything. I found it to be a very clean drug with respect to side effects, although my sex drive decreased noticeably - not enough to stop me from having fun, though.
The very first dose of prazosin should be swallowed immediately before getting into bed. Dizziness and fainting can happen on the first night, but not thereafter.
Night terrors? I don't know.
- Scott
Posted by beckett2 on January 18, 2022, at 21:34:40
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors, posted by SLS on January 18, 2022, at 21:06:32
> Hi.
>
> There is a difference between "night terrors" and the nightmares that are a feature of PTSD.
>
> There is quite a bit of evidence that prazosin reduces PTSD nightmares. I haven't come across anything that would lead me to believe that prozosin is effective for night terrors.
>
> For PTSD, I think prazosin is underutilized in that it can be used to reduce PTSD daytime symptoms, too.
>
> 1) 3 mg h.s. - PTSD nightmares only.
>
> 2) 10 mg t.i.d. - PTSD nightmares + daytime depression and anxiety.
>
> I tried prazosin at my doctor's urging because of the childhood adversity (emotional abuse / physical abuse / neglect). I was shocked that it helped. Although the improvement was significant enough to recognize, it wasn't enough justify continued treatment. Maybe I should have kept prazosin in place. It wasn't hurting anything. I found it to be a very clean drug with respect to side effects, although my sex drive decreased noticeably - not enough to stop me from having fun, though.
>
> The very first dose of prazosin should be swallowed immediately before getting into bed. Dizziness and fainting can happen on the first night, but not thereafter.
>
> Night terrors? I don't know.
>
>
> - ScottI'll ask my doc next time we meet/zoom. They're becoming more frequent. It's tough on the family :-)
Posted by beckett2 on January 18, 2022, at 21:36:55
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors, posted by Christ_empowered on January 18, 2022, at 20:59:21
> didn't do much for me. I tried it, briefly, just on an as-needed basis. my problem wasn't constant, consistent nightmares, but rather occasional bursts of super intense dreams...wake up, go to sleep, repeat...not fun. and...
>
> no go, for me. the super intense dreams took on a different, medicated form and my mood dipped. ugh.
>
> some people do report success, however. I haven't looked at a meta-analysis or anything...I imagine the current practice of poly-pharmacy in a lot of people with these sorts of problems would make meaningful comparisons rather difficult.
>
>I've started taking my meds in the morning. That might help. Someone mentioned lamotrigine and nightmares. But these are terrors. You're right that it's difficult to isolate one medication. Thanks :)
Posted by Lamdage22 on January 19, 2022, at 4:27:16
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors » Christ_empowered, posted by beckett2 on January 18, 2022, at 21:36:55
How do you know wether your nightmaires are PTSDish? My blood pressure is higher than it used to be...
Posted by beckett2 on January 20, 2022, at 0:10:07
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors, posted by Lamdage22 on January 19, 2022, at 4:27:16
> How do you know wether your nightmaires are PTSDish? My blood pressure is higher than it used to be...
I don't know. After a while, with all my other issues, I'm just like f*ck it. Deal with the symptoms. Otherwise, I'm less a person and more a catalog of complaints.
My sleep has been whacked since childhood. Probably an early sign of eventual bipolar, so it's likely hardwired although adversity worsened it.
Have you been diagnosed with it or suspect you have it? If I recall correctly you've mentioned childhood adversity of one sort or another.
Posted by Lamdage22 on January 20, 2022, at 0:18:36
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors » Lamdage22, posted by beckett2 on January 20, 2022, at 0:10:07
PTSD? I am not sure. The professional who knows most about me didn't bother to diagnose me with it, yet he isn't unreceptive to the idea when we talked about it. I wan't to gain insight about my psyche though, so I wouldn't try to suppress the dreams, I'd rather talk about it. Yeah I have experienced much adversity in my childhood and I am sure as hell still experiencing it to this day.
Posted by Lamdage22 on January 20, 2022, at 0:21:58
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors, posted by Lamdage22 on January 20, 2022, at 0:18:36
I would say, if that therapy doesn't worsen you, try it. It sounds like analytical therapy. Is it? I don't like the "easy answer" behavioral stuff. Mileage may vary of course.
Posted by Hugh on January 30, 2022, at 15:31:05
In reply to prazosin for night terrors, posted by beckett2 on January 18, 2022, at 20:23:56
NightWare requires a doctor's prescription.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV8tvlvHJwY
Posted by beckett2 on February 7, 2022, at 15:06:52
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors, posted by Hugh on January 30, 2022, at 15:31:05
> NightWare requires a doctor's prescription.
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV8tvlvHJwY
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSAPuclAQNA
>
> https://nightware.com/Thank you :-) If I try this, I'll report back.
Posted by Hugh on February 10, 2022, at 13:08:52
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors, posted by beckett2 on February 7, 2022, at 15:06:52
You're welcome. It looks like a pretty cool tool.
> > NightWare requires a doctor's prescription.
> >
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV8tvlvHJwY
> >
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSAPuclAQNA
> >
> > https://nightware.com/
>
> Thank you :-) If I try this, I'll report back.
Posted by SLS on February 27, 2022, at 14:00:23
In reply to Re: prazosin for night terrors » beckett2, posted by Hugh on February 10, 2022, at 13:08:52
Prazosin produced a mild, but persistent improvement in my depressive state. I stayed on it for several months. At no time did it make me feel worse. I think a collection of anecdotes would be worth examining. It is a very clean drug. The only side effect3 I experienced was a reduction in sex drive. My doctor wanted to try prazosin because I reported a childhood of chronic trauma and neglect. For awhile, this was called "developmental PTSD". Now, it is considered a type of Complex Trauma. I prefer the former description.
- Scott
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