When I was inpatient in a National Trauma Center (specific PTSD Unit), I was put on Prazosin to help deal with my flashbacks & nightmares. It really helped in decreasing those symptoms. I know a few others who were put on it for the same reason, and it's seemed to help them also.
After discharge I did stay on the prescription for quite a few months. I would probably still be on it, however, my blood pressure was dropping too low & I was frequently experiencing orthostatic hypotension(even after significantly reducing the dose) so I had to be taken off of it.
Here's further information regarding Prazosin used as a psychopharmacological method in the treatment of PTSD:
Prazosin is an {alpha}1-receptor antagonist. Raskin and colleagues (47) studied the efficacy of prazosin for PTSD among ten Vietnam combat veterans in a 20-week double-blind crossover protocol with a two-week drug washout to allow for return to baseline (47). The CAPS and the Clinical Global Impressions-Change scale (CGI-C) were the primary outcome measures. Patients who were taking prazosin had a robust improvement in overall sleep quality (effect size, 1.6) and recurrent distressing dreams (effect size, 1.9). In each of the PTSD symptom clusters the effect size was medium to large: .7 for reexperiencing or intrusion, .6 for avoidance and
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I currently take Prazosin (1-2mg before bed) for flashbacks/nightmares. in my experience it's pretty boss; the very first night I took it it helped. it doesn't stop my nightmares but it makes them less emotionally resonant and they wear off quickly if I don't immediately forget them. before, I was having nightmares that woke me up in full-blown panic attacks and stayed with me all day, making me feel horrible and anxious and depressed. I was off it for a couple of months when my symptoms improved, but they returned so I got back on it.
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Here's further information regarding Prazosin used as a psychopharmacological method in the treatment of PTSD:
Prazosin is an {alpha}1-receptor antagonist. Raskin and colleagues (47) studied the efficacy of prazosin for PTSD among ten Vietnam combat veterans in a 20-week double-blind crossover protocol with a two-week drug washout to allow for return to baseline (47). The CAPS and the Clinical Global Impressions-Change scale (CGI-C) were the primary outcome measures. Patients who were taking prazosin had a robust improvement in overall sleep quality (effect size, 1.6) and recurrent distressing dreams (effect size, 1.9). In each of the PTSD symptom clusters the effect size was medium to large: .7 for reexperiencing or intrusion, .6 for avoidance and ( ... )
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it doesn't stop my nightmares but it makes them less emotionally resonant and they wear off quickly if I don't immediately forget them.
before, I was having nightmares that woke me up in full-blown panic attacks and stayed with me all day, making me feel horrible and anxious and depressed.
I was off it for a couple of months when my symptoms improved, but they returned so I got back on it.
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