[GreyGoose]

Hi

I was'nt sure wether to post this under "allergies", "anxiety" or "medications" but when I did a search for "Atarax" here in the forums, most instances of "Atarax" turned up here in the anxiety section and since I do suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and also take Atarax, I guess I'll just post my message here.

Anyway, My daily routine is to wake up, take a 1mg Lorazepam (for anxiety), a coffee and then go about my day. Usually, I'll have 2-3 gin and sodas (1 oz of gin per drink) in the late afternoon and finally, an Atarax in the evening to help with sleep. Atarax, as some of you may know is a powerful antihistamine used to treat anxiety (which I have), allergies (which I also have) and sometimes alcoholism (which I may or may not have but probably do and am just in denial).

I have noticed that when I take my usual Lorazepam in the mornings and then have a few drinks in the afternoon (but NO Atarax), I tend to sleep pretty good and wake up feeling normal. Also, if take a Lorazepam in the mornings, DO NOT drink all day but take an Atarx in the evenings, I wake up feeling a bit "drugged" but still feel pretty normal.

However, when I take my usual Lorazepam in the mornings, a few glasses of gin and soda in the afternoons and then an Atarax in the evenings, I ALWAYS have weird things happen to me in the mornings. It seems that mixing alcohol and Atarax is not a good thing!. Here is what I experience when I mix alcohol and Atarax...

* Dozens or very weird and vivid dreams all night
* Jolted awake several times during the night
* "shocking", "popping" or "vibrating" sensation in my head in the mornings.
* Feeling totally dettached, surreal and spaced out in the mornings.
* Talking and arguing in my sleep.
* Weird, panicky feeling that starts out as a "jolt" in my head.
* Hearing someone call my name (not sure if I'm dreaming or what)
* Wake up feeling unsteady, uneasy and very strange in ways I can't even describe.

I guess the simple question here is wether anyone else has ever had a similar experience while on Atarax (or a combination of Atarax and alcohol). I don't have all these strange things happen when I just drink or even when I just take Atarax...it's only when I drink and then later, take an Atarax.

- Thank's again for any and all input!

why are you still drinking?

[wi_fighter]

SIDE EFFECTS: Hydroxyzine can commonly cause sedation, tiredness, sleepiness, dizziness, disturbed coordination, drying and thickening of oral and other respiratory secretions, and stomach distress. Hydroxyzine may also cause confusion, nervousness, irritability, blurred vision, double vision, tremor, loss or appetite, or nausea. Hydroxyzine should be used with caution (if at all) in persons with narrow-angle glaucoma, prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate gland), hyperthyroidism, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and asthma.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: Hydroxyzine adds to (exaggerates) the sedating effects of alcohol and other drugs that can cause sedation such as the benzodiazepine class of anti-anxiety drugs (e.g., Valium, Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax), the narcotic class of pain medications and its derivatives (e.g. , Percocet, Vicodin, Dilaudid, Codeine, Darvon), the tricyclic class of antidepressants (e.g. Elavil, Tofranil, Norpramin), and certain antihypertensive medications (e.g., Catapres, Inderal). Hydroxyzine can also intensify the drying effects of other medications with anticholinergic properties (e.g., Bentyl, Urecholine, Probanthine, Elavil, Thorazine.) When using these drugs, the dose of hydroxyzine may require reduction, therefore.

[Parker10]

GG - WHEN WILL YOU TAKE ANY ADVICE AND PUT IT TO USE? QUIT DRINKING ! You have posted this same stuff over and over and over, and everytime, people tell you the same thing..........quit drinking ! You say you MAY be an alcoholic........denial........oh yeah. You know, Atarax is not the only med for allergies. I take 3 allergies meds, never even KNEW that Atarax was for allergies as no Doc as ever prescribed it for me.

I sometimes wonder if you are just trying to yank our chains here.

[GreyGoose]

To Parker: Yeah, I have nothing better to do than spend all day "yanking people's chains". My question involved the interaction between Hydroxazine Hydrochloride (Atarax) and alcohol. Please don't judge me or imply that I might be playing games or falsely claim that I am "posting the same thing over and over again" - I have NEVER posted about Atarax/alcohol interaction). Sometimes I wonder if you are really trying to help me or if you are playing games yourself. Perhaps you are really trying to be helpful but the way you sometimes go about it leaves me wondering sometimes (and no, I'm not "mad" at you).

To wi_fighter: Thank you. Your information helps me a LOT. I'm probably going to switch to another med and see if that helps.

- Regards, GreyGoose

Parker10 has spent more time trying to help you than anyone else on this site...as least that i know about....she spent hours IMing and PMing with you. you're in denial. the alcohol and your drug combinations will kill you. what else do you need to know about this subject? and i support your getting healthy.

[GreyGoose]

I am not in denial Faye and I realize that I have an alcohol problem but that was'nt what my question was about. I also realize that Parker is trying to help me but that comment about yanking people's chains did'nt exactly seem too helpful to me and it hurt my feelings.

GG, why don't y ou do a search and print out all of your posts? read them, carefully. and then do some soul-searching about why people feel that you are yanking chains.

i'm sorry that you were hurt, but it hurts the people here that advice is never taken and the same problems surface again and again and advice is asked for again and again.

when do you support other posters? i don't recall ever seeing a supportive post to another soul who is in need. correct me and show me, if i'm wrong. most of us post dozens of support messages in a 24 hour period.

now, GG, you can report me to any mod that you want to and say that i'm not supportive. that's your choice. i'll get a PM saying that this is a support forum. this is also, in my view, a forum where the truth should be told. and we're trying to tell y ou the truth.

how about trying the substance abuse forum someday?