What Does Hydroxyzine Look Like?

TL;DR

• Hydroxyzine comes in two forms: hydroxyzine hydrochloride (tablets) and hydroxyzine pamoate (capsules). They contain same active drug but look very different.

• Hydroxyzine hydrochloride tablets are available in 10 mg, 25 mg, and 50 mg strengths. They are typically small, round, and white, orange, or green depending on manufacturer and dose.

• Hydroxyzine pamoate capsules come in 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg strengths. They are two-toned capsules in combinations like green/green, green/white, yellow/pink, or yellow/maroon depending on manufacturer and dose.

• Every legitimate hydroxyzine pill has an imprint code stamped or printed on it. This is most reliable way to confirm what you are looking at.

• Hydroxyzine also comes as an oral liquid (syrup) at 10 mg per 5 mL, which is a clear to slightly yellow solution.

Why Do Hydroxyzine Pills Look Different?

If you have picked up hydroxyzine from two different pharmacies or at different times, you may have noticed pills look nothing alike. That can feel unsettling, but there is a straightforward reason for it.

Hydroxyzine is a generic medication. Multiple manufacturers produce it, and each company uses its own combination of colors, shapes, and imprint codes. The FDA requires every oral solid medication sold in U.S. to carry a unique imprint, but there is no rule saying all generics must look identical. So a 25 mg hydroxyzine tablet from one company might be a small white round pill, while same dose from another could be green and round.

The active ingredient and dose are same. What changes is appearance. This is normal for any generic drug.

What Does Hydroxyzine Hydrochloride Look Like?

Hydroxyzine hydrochloride is tablet form. It comes in 10 mg, 25 mg, and 50 mg strengths. It is also available as an oral syrup (10 mg per 5 mL) for people who have difficulty swallowing pills.

The tablets are usually small and round. Here is what common versions look like across different manufacturers.

For 10 mg strength, you might see a small white round tablet imprinted with "N 003" or a small orange round tablet with "E 159." Both are hydroxyzine hydrochloride 10 mg, just made by different companies.

For 25 mg strength, one of most common versions is a small green round tablet imprinted with "E 160." You may also see a white round tablet with "H 501" or an orange round tablet depending on manufacturer.

For 50 mg strength, a common version is a white round tablet imprinted with "H 502," which is about 9 mm in diameter. Other manufacturers produce 50 mg tablets in different colors.

If you are trying to identify a specific pill and want to compare it against a known reference, NIH DailyMed database lets you search by imprint code, color, and shape for any FDA-approved medication including hydroxyzine.

What Does Hydroxyzine Pamoate Look Like?

Hydroxyzine pamoate is capsule form. It comes in 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg strengths. These are versions often prescribed under former brand name Vistaril, though most prescriptions today are filled with generics.

Pamoate capsules are two-toned, meaning cap and body of capsule are different colors. The exact color combination depends on manufacturer and dose.

For 25 mg strength, one common version has a dark green cap with a light green body, imprinted "IX" on cap and "657" on body. Another manufacturer produces a light yellow cap with a pink body, imprinted "barr 323" and "25." A third version from Sandoz has a light green cap and dark green body imprinted "E 613."

For 50 mg strength, you might see a dark green cap with a white body imprinted "IX" and "658." Another common version has a light yellow cap with a maroon body, imprinted "barr 302" and "50." The Sandoz version is a dark green cap with a white body imprinted "E 615."

For 100 mg strength, a common version has a light yellow cap with a pink body, imprinted "barr 324" and "100."

All pamoate capsules are filled with yellow powder inside. If a capsule accidentally opens and you see bright yellow powder, that is normal for hydroxyzine pamoate.

How to Tell Hydroxyzine Apart From Other Medications

The safest way to identify any pill is by its imprint code. This is combination of letters and numbers stamped, engraved, or printed on tablet or capsule. Every prescription and over-the-counter drug sold in U.S. is required by FDA to have one.

If you find a pill and are not sure what it is, check imprint first. Then look at color and shape to narrow it down further. Do not rely on color alone, because many different medications share similar colors and shapes. A small white round tablet could be anything from hydroxyzine to acetaminophen to dozens of other drugs. The imprint is what makes identification definitive.

If your pill has no imprint at all, it is likely a vitamin, supplement, or a product not regulated as a prescription drug. In that case, it is not hydroxyzine.

For anyone who takes hydroxyzine alongside other sedating medications, it is worth knowing that drowsiness is one of most common effects. This is especially relevant if you also take something like gabapentin. You can read more about that overlap in this on whether gabapentin makes you sleepy and what to watch for when combining sedating drugs.

Does Appearance Affect How It Works?

No. Whether your hydroxyzine is a white tablet, a green tablet, or a two-toned capsule, active ingredient works same way. Hydroxyzine is a first-generation antihistamine that blocks histamine receptors in your body. It is commonly prescribed for anxiety, itching from allergic reactions, nausea, and as a sedative before or after medical procedures.

The hydrochloride form (tablets) and pamoate form (capsules) are therapeutically equivalent. If you have trouble swallowing capsules, hydroxyzine hydrochloride tablets or liquid syrup may be a better fit.

If your pharmacy switches you to a different manufacturer and pill looks different, that is completely normal. But if you ever feel uncertain, ask your pharmacist to confirm. They can verify medication using imprint code in seconds. If you are curious about identifying other commonly prescribed pills, this on how to identify a green Klonopin pill walks through a similar process for another medication people often ask about.

Conclusion

Hydroxyzine looks different depending on whether you have hydrochloride tablets or pamoate capsules, and color and shape will vary by manufacturer and dose. Hydrochloride tablets are small round pills in white, green, or orange. Pamoate capsules are two-toned in green, yellow, pink, or maroon combinations. The imprint code on every pill is most reliable way to confirm it is hydroxyzine. If you are ever unsure about a pill's identity, your pharmacist can verify it for you immediately.