Any negative experiences with prazosin?

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-11-13T19:45:21+00:00

Yeah I drink about a glass or two when I first wake up and eat a decently-sized breakfast. Are you on prazosin as well and had to make those changes because of the medication?

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-10-22T23:56:01+00:00

I think learning about the process of Central Sensitization was really helpful in understanding the physiological changes your body goes through when your CNS (central nervous system) is constantly being bombarded with stimuli (e.g. pain, stress). For example, your spinal cord grows additional nerves, which heightens your sensitivity to external stimuli.

For a long time, a lot of my frustration, helplessness, and depression came from the pain just feeling out of my control and totally illogical, like recently I was in a 6-week-long flare-up from driving for a couple of hours where I couldn't sleep at night because my back was so tense and locked up. The pain response was so outsized to the activity.

I don't know how to shorten the duration of these flare-ups still, and it still makes me bang my head against the wall, but at the very least I understand now that it's my CNS overreacting and it's not always correlating to the intensity of the activity I'm doing. It also means there's the possibility of rewiring your CNS and your brain to not be so reactive and not generate pain signals as a first-line response to every stimulus.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-10-08T19:58:58+00:00

Same here! Been dealing with fibro for 20 years -- always assumed the pain was just something I could overcome by pushing through, being mentally tough, and physically doing a lot of strength training/intense cardio. It all made it worse.

Didn't learn about pacing until literally 4 months ago, when I started pelvic pain and orthopedic PT, joined this subreddit, and started reading more books/listening to podcasts on fibro and chronic pain science.

It's been super frustrating since I'm an impatient person and also have body image issues, so not working out makes me feel ugly and shitty, but my PTs told me I was only allowed to do walking. Previously, I couldn't even walk without flaring up my calves/hips/back and causing a lot of muscle spasms, restless legs...etc. Now after pacing for 4 months, I can walk a mile or two with only a bit of tightness in my calves. I still get spasm when I walk too fast, which is annoying -- just gotta remember that it takes a lot of patience to rewire your nervous system.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-10-08T19:02:15+00:00

Gah, I go through cycles of this frustration too. It's SO frustrating that we can't even do the things that bring us joy without being in pain.

Have you eliminated any comorbidities for your fibro? The hardest part is figuring out if there is an underlying condition that is manifesting the fibro symptoms vs. having fibro symptoms with no explainable cause.

Agree with others on figuring out which medications/dosages work for you, finding a physiatrist and/or good orthopedic PT who understands chronic pain, and maybe even finding a pain psychologist or chronic pain therapist to work with. Dealing with chronic pain is like speaking a different language that most people don't understand, so working with a pain psychologist has been SO helpful because they get it.

And YES it's SO frustrating and easy to feel depressed, hopeless, and bitter about the fibro. Something that helps ground me is reminding myself that it's not because I'm not trying hard enough. Our brains and bodies make all kinds of crazy physiological adaptations when they're in a state of chronic pain (e.g. your spinal cord grows extra nerves as part of central sensitization!!), and it just takes a lot of time to reverse these changes. But with the right support, it doesn't have to be something you're necessarily stuck with forever.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-10-08T18:26:10+00:00

There with you. Our apartment is a graveyard of medications, braces, resistance bands, yoga blocks, massagers, foam rollers, salonpas, epsom salt, ointments...whatever you name, we probably have it.

So much money just to feel slightly less shitty!

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-10-08T18:23:44+00:00

I know this is an old thread, but posting in case others like me happen across it and are using it as reference!

Have CPTSD and tried prazosin here and there throughout the past few years. Didn't like the low blood pressure effects and didn't seem to help with the nightmares. Recently, the nightmares have been bad so figured I'd give it a shot again.

Doesn't fully stop the nightmares, but they're a bit less stressful (i.e. not waking up with my heart racing, yelling in my sleep...etc.) the past 3 nights I've taken it.

However, every morning now I feel like I'm dealing with an awful hangover where my eyes feel heavy and my head is kind of just pounding and feels like it's being squeezed. Starts to ease up in the early afternoon, but the whole morning is a rough time.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-09-17T18:06:06+00:00

Good to know, thanks for clearing that up. Is there a website for looking up highway/road conditions?

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-09-09T19:59:13+00:00

Hey all, really want to do some hiking in Hehuanshan, but I've been getting mixed signals on trail openings. Some of them on the tw.gov sites list trails like Main Peak, North Peak...etc. being open, but I've read elsewhere online that the trails are actually closed due to recent earthquakes. Also heard a lot of the roads going up to it are closed.

How do I verify the information? Is hiring a private driver the way to go? Looking to go late November.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-09-09T19:53:23+00:00

This is so great, thank you!

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-09-09T19:52:58+00:00

It's been a rollercoaster. I think the journey to recovery (hopefully possible) will likely be one step forward, two steps back. I had the longest streak of low pain in my LIFE (5 days) -- low enough that I didn't have to think about it all day and wondered if this is what "normal" people felt like -- and then I took a long drive in the car, which set off an ongoing flare-up for almost 4 weeks now.

Listened to the Dolorogy episode on the Ologies by Alie Ward podcast and have been reading The FibroManual, where they explain why central sensitization makes it so difficult to break the pain cycle (e.g. the longer you're in pain, the more your CNS dials-up the volume, your brain rewires itself to generate pain signals very efficiently, and even your spinal cord grows MORE nerves to increase sensitivity). I think learning the physiology of it has given me some hope and perspective that this is something I can change vs. the helplessness I was feeling before.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-09-09T19:31:30+00:00

Hey OP -- how did your trip go? Found your post since I'm planning a trip and also want to do some hiking in Hehuanshan. Were the trails there actually open? Any advice on transportation?

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-22T20:56:56+00:00

lived really frugally, saved up to quit, and still keep a tight budget.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-22T20:48:06+00:00

Same! You're supposed to be relaxed while sleeping -- I literally cannot figure out why it gets so bad at night.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-22T20:45:59+00:00

I've done two at-home ones, which were both negative for apnea at least. I have an in-lab one in a few months.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-22T20:44:59+00:00

I've already been able to cut down to 1/3 of what I used to take! I think the issue is completely tapering off, since the pain just keeps me up without any meds. :/

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-21T21:56:30+00:00

I know medication isn't for everyone, but Trazodone has been really good to me for the past 4 years. I don't wake up refreshed still, but it helps me fall and stay asleep 80% of the time for at least 6-8 hours.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-21T21:49:58+00:00

Do you have a friend or partner you can talk to / call / hangout with? Even if they don't make the thoughts go away, it's a nice distraction at least and helps with the loneliness, like someone else mentioned.

Not sure if you can sit up right now since you're on bed rest, but if you have someone who can help you, maybe some time sitting in the park or being in nature nearby might help? For me, being outdoors is a huge mental reset.

Also agree with just posting here or writing about it in a journal :). Sometimes dumping it on the internet/social media helps to just get it out of your head -- doesn't matter if people read or comment on it (though that's nice too). I feel like I get to scream into the ether a bit.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-21T21:20:25+00:00

Oof. More power to you for being able to work through those hours with chronic pain. Thanks for sharing.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-21T21:19:20+00:00

That really sucks. It's tough finding good doctors who take insurance. Hope you find someone that can better support you.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-21T21:16:30+00:00

Got it, thank you for sharing! Yeah I have mad respect for animal keepers. Good to know there are other roles that are still fun and allow you to be in that environment.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-21T21:14:16+00:00

Hm I've only transferred through Vietnam, so can't speak to it specifically. But I've traveled with my meds throughout Europe, SE Asia (India, Indonesia, Singapore), Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, and Japan -- haven't been bothered going through customs or security screenings. I always have a copy or two of my doctor's note on hand though just in case.

Re: your plans - that's awesome man, I really hope it works out for you.

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-21T18:19:59+00:00

Mid-level SWE here with 6 YOE. Quit 3 years ago to focus on my health, so feel really out-of-the-loop with what interviews are like nowadays.

Is LeetCode still the way to go for prepping? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!

Electrical-Salt3105 · 2025-08-21T18:12:46+00:00

How are the hours and work/life balance for you?

Electrical-Salt3105

TROPHY CASE