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Vistaril is a brand name for hydroxyzine, a sedating antihistamine doctors often use for anxiety, itching, and to help with sleep or pre-procedure calm. It works by blocking histamine and slowing activity in the brain, so you’ll usually feel noticeably drowsy after a dose. That drowsiness is useful in the right situation, but it’s also the reason you need to be cautious about driving, alcohol, or mixing it with other sedatives.
Common uses you’ll hear from patients and clinicians: short-term relief of anxiety symptoms, control of intense itching (pruritus), and preoperative sedation. For anxiety or sleep, doctors often prescribe a single bedtime dose. For itching, doses are usually spread through the day. Exact dosing depends on the formulation—Vistaril (hydroxyzine pamoate) is different from hydroxyzine hydrochloride in how it’s given—so always follow your prescriber’s directions.
If you’re starting Vistaril, expect the effect within 30 to 60 minutes and lasting several hours. Older adults are more sensitive to the sedative and anticholinergic effects, so clinicians often pick lower doses for them. If a medication is recommended as a short-term option for anxiety or insomnia, ask your clinician about non-drug alternatives too—therapy and sleep hygiene can work well without sedation.
Common side effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, and constipation. Those come from the drug’s anticholinergic action. Serious but rarer issues include fast heart rhythms or excessive slowing of breathing when mixed with opioids, benzodiazepines, or heavy alcohol use. Hydroxyzine can also affect heart rhythm in high doses or with certain other drugs, so mention any heart medications to your clinician.
Practical safety tips: don’t drive or operate machinery until you know how Vistaril affects you; avoid alcohol and other sedatives; tell your doctor about current medicines, especially antidepressants, antipsychotics, opioids, and drugs that lengthen the QT interval. If you have liver disease, the elderly, or pregnant and breastfeeding people should discuss risks and alternatives with their clinician.
Buying medications online? Only use licensed pharmacies that require a prescription. Our site has guides on how to spot safe pharmacies and avoid scams—check them out before ordering. If you ever suspect an overdose or severe reaction (very slow breathing, fainting, severe rash), get emergency help right away.
Questions to ask your prescriber: why Vistaril for your condition, expected benefits and side effects, how long to take it, possible alternatives, and how it might interact with your other meds. Clear answers will help you use Vistaril safely and get the benefit you need without surprises.
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