I've posted this here because I want a decent scientific answer that I know you guys can provide for me. I've been using promazine for the last few nights, as I've had trouble sleeping. A dose of 100mg has me out like a light. I am not prescribed it. I was given it. It does seem to help my pretty severe anxiety at night before I fall asleep, however. I know that it is a strong anticholinergic and dopamine antagonist, and that's why it's so good for sleep, and possibly anxiety. Is there any problem with using it in this fashion? Would there be any withdrawal symptoms from one dose per day? The only side-effects I've noticed have been a very dry mouth on waking, and foggy headedness that wears off as the day goes on. Any information would be helpful, as there is hardly anything about it on here. Cheers.
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N&PD Moderators: Skorpio
Promazine
- Thread starter Treacle
- Start date
/navarone/
Bluelighter
Why do you use an antipsychotic as an anxiolitic or insomnia treatment?
I would recomend some specific benzos or zolpidem for that.
/navarone/
Bluelighter
Even if wikipedia doesn't say anthing about it, looking it up on google gave a lot of information.
Antipsychotics it's nothing you should play around with if you arent experiencing any kind of psychosis or nevrosis, it could affect ur neurotransmitter levels pretty bad and give persisting side effects even after discontinuation.
Sturnam
Bluelighter
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I think that it might be ok to use this for anxiety, but definitely get a doctor on board. I'm sure you've looked up some of the side effects of antipsychotics, and the older ones are definitely worse than the newer ones when it comes to side effects. You need someone to help oversee this so any potential problems are dealt with quickly.
Just saw you were using this for sleep. Honestly, terrible terrible idea. There are many more substances which are much safer that will knock you out. Cyclobenzaprine would be a better choiceMurphyClox
Bluelighter
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^Especially the classic neuroleptics, including the phenothiazine-class (promazine, chlorpromazine, ...) cause extrapyramidal disorders, especially when used in the long term. Even worse, they can cause irreversible (!) dyskinesia after prolonged use. I would strongly discourage any off-label use of neuropleptics, in particular the older ones!
- Murphy
kakti
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Don't use anti-psychotics unless absolutely necessary. Period. End of story. Try an OTC anticholinergeric like diphenhydramine or doxylamine. Try melatonin, try valerian root. Try a sleep pillow. Try meditating, try working out.
Don't use anti-psychotics unless you absolutely have to.MurphyClox
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^Absolutely seconded!!! Couldn't have said it better.
And if the OP still wants to know why: Just google for the sideeffects of promazin, haloperidol & Co. This worried me most:
You better stop this immediately.
- Murphy
/navarone/
Bluelighter
Absolutely agree, please listen to this guy. Discontinuaton effects could be horrible.
Some people got psychologiclly even 'Madder' while being trated with cetain antypsychotics.
Durng a severe depressiona doctor prescribed me to olanzapine (thinking i was skizophrenic). the psychological effets where awful and after discontinuation severe psychological impairment,mind numbing, extreme confusiona states and a temporary parkinson syndrom.
Trust me...it's not cool when u cant hold a pen in your hands.Discontinuation effects from one single dose a few nights running? Surely not.
I read up plenty on the side effects, and I've not noticed any of them. Also, diphenhydramine is a waste of space, as far as I am concerned, and I don't want to use benzos for sleep every night. I have read of people being prescribed this stuff just for anxiety, so I still don't see why it's such a big no-no. I will take your advice and stop, however.MurphyClox
Bluelighter
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The big no-no stems (IMHO) mainly from the sideeffects that may occur long after a therapy with these compounds has stopped. This can happen even years later. The longer the use, the higher the risk for such sideeffects to appear. Rare use doesn't pose such a problem, but once somebody started to take neuroleptics as sleeping aid (WTF!), I can see clearly the difficulty to stop them.
Neuroleptics should strictly be used only with clear, medical indication!
- MurphyI see. So there's a possibility for them to cause changes that aren't apparent for a while after stopping. I see the concern in that respect. The thing about getting withdrawal effects after a few days of use, I assume is not possible? About the difficultly stopping - yes, I could see that as a real danger. However, I don't have access to any more than what I have, and I won't be taking it as a sleep aid any more. I had no idea that antagonising dopamine could have such a serious effect. Shame about about the side effects, really, because it's the best sleep aid I've ever taken.
Just so there's no confusion, extrapyramidal side effects and Tardive Dyskinesia are 2 different things. TD is permanent.
Leukopenia is also a concern, and there is at least one documented case of promazine-induced agranulocytosis in 2007.
Also, pronghorn refuse to eat bait containing doses of promazine hydrochloride greater than 17 mg/kg body weight (in case you ever need that information).I stopped the promazine, and this evening I had a dose of a popular dopamine agonist, instead. Well, the promazine has certainly made my receptors a bit more sensitive, as it was about ten hours ago that I took a very moderate dose of this particular agonist, and I could seriously go for a run, and redecorate the house, even though it is 06:46am. Amazing for sleeping, and good for boosting stimulants, if you miss a dose. It sounds perfect to me.
Before you jump down my throat, I know it's not perfect, and I know it's not good for you, but I don't see why. Why does antagonising DA receptors cause such issues? Does anyone even know? I've been told that it can cause permanent changes; but what changes? Do anti-psychotics just fuck the receptors beyond repair, in some way? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm very interested in the way drugs work within the brain, and I'd like some knowledge on this particular subject.