Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Melatonin
CBD gummies
deep breathing
meditation
reading
getting up
not getting up
black room with black sleep mask
Weighted blanket
You name it. I tried it.
For me, it's hormone blockers. I wake up two or twenty times a night and sometimes have hotflashes. They are not really bad but enough to wake me up.
My doctor gave me Lunesta so I am trying that. 3 x so far, pretty good. I was worried about possible nightmares and so far, none. I am going to not take tonight because some doctors thing a few nights gives you a reset. I literally have not been sleeping for 7 years since I started those da$n hormone blockers. But, apparently you can take it long term.
My physician has given me Zolpidem, but unfortunately, only gives me 30 pills per year...........since they are highly restricted by Pharma.
They are the only ones that work for me............
Quote:
Originally Posted by tasmtairy
I took Ambien for a year, no problem getting refills,, but that was many years ago, now I use Zquill liquid, 60 ml and it works for me, along with 1mg xanax Otherwise I can lay awake till 3 or 4 am.
yeah.. I had a script, and still do, for Ambien/Zolpidem and no real problems on getting it. He basically wrote mine for 1 a night. Here's my recommendations on it.
Note.. This only really works if your problem is falling asleep, not staying asleep.
1) Get the 10mg and split them. This worked great for me and extended my supply.
2) Do NOT get the 'extended release' version. This is the one you hear people having problems with. Roseanne and the people you hear about sleep-cooking and all that.
3) Cycle. Don't take it every night. Or try not to. I wound up taking it every night and got a bit reliant on it.. Once I weaned myself off of it.. I found that 90% of the time, I no longer needed it. I basically used it to adjust my schedule and get my body used to the schedule. Which took a month or so.
At present, I get about 20 pills a year and I don't really need that many. Just every now and again, you come on one of those nights where you're wide awake.. I take half of one at that time, it helps me get to sleep and that's all I really need.
Diphenhydramine works for me. I don't take it every night, but do take it most nights. It helps me to relax. No groggy feeling the next morning. I've tried the melatonin, but as others mentioned, it seems to promote vivid dreams that I would rather not have.
Taking a Tylenol (acetaminophen) pill with the diphenhydramine increases the effectiveness of it. Sometimes I take the Tylenol, sometimes not.
Getting daily exercise certainly helps, but just being tired is not necessarily enough to ensure sound sleep for 6 to 8 hours. You also need to be able to relax, and that's where the diphenhydramine comes in handy. Just my experience over many years. Your mileage may vary.
I worked in an Emergency Room the night shift, and after I retired, I began to see problems with my ability to sleep.
Can someone please recommend good-over-the counter ones. I have used Somnapure and Midnight, neither one has helped me.....
Thank you so very much.....
Third shift for 15 years. I used diphenhydramine to sleep during the day (NOT a night owl). I started with 25mg and, by the time I retired, needed 125mg to sleep.
Once retired, I thought "yaaaay! Night sleep!" That was a total failure. After several years and escalating health issues, I was referred to a sleep doctor. Turns out I had severe sleep apnea and was prescribed a BIPAP machine. Prescribed Amitriptyline, a mild antidepressant, because my sleep was still broken.
It's been a several year journey to get past what was done to my circadian rhythm, working untenable hours. My sleep patterns of youth never returned, but I am in a better place, physically, for having treated this as a health issue.
I highly recommend a sleep doctor. Typically, they have neurological training. Getting into a healthier night regimen is important for aging folks.
Most otc sleep aids rely on dyphenhydramine as the active ingredient. It works, but tends to give some a groggy feeling the next morning.
The one that is different is Unisom, which has doxcylamine as the active ingredient. This works well, but, for me at least, does not have that groggy effect the next day.
Doxylamine Succinate (Unisom) is what works for me - usually take just half a tablet (12.5 mg). Sometimes I combine it with half a tab (1.5 mg) of Melatonin/Dual Release Formula from Swanson Vitamins. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) does absolutely nothing for me.
I don't believe acetaminophen really increases the effectiveness of diphenhydramine. Don't take medication you don't need.
Diphenhydramine and acetaminophen is a common OTC combination in about 25 different brands of sleep medication such as Tylenol PM, Excedrin PM, Midol PM, and about 20 more. It's particularly useful for sleep when a person is also experiencing minor aches or pains. With so many different brands of the sleep/ache/pain combination for sale, it must be doing something useful for people or they wouldn't buy it.
Acetaminophen and diphenhydramine
Generic name: acetaminophen and diphenhydramine [ a-SEET-a-MIN-oh-fen-and-DYE-fen-HYE-dra-meen ]
Brand names: Headache Relief PM, Legatrin PM, Midol PM, Percogesic Original Strength, Tylenol PM, Tylenol Extra Strength PM, Unisom with Pain Relief, Bayer Select Max Strength Night Time Pain, Genapap PM, Mapap PM, Excedrin PM, Excedrin PM Caplet, Sominex Pain Relief Formula, Tylenol Severe Allergy Caplet, Anacin P.M. Aspirin Free, Coricidin Night Time Cold Relief, Tylenol Extra Strength PM Vanilla, Tylenol Sore Throat Nighttime, Tylenol Cold Relief Caplet, Tylenol Cold Relief Nighttime Caplet, Percogesic Extra Strength, Tylenol Cold Relief Nighttime, Tylenol Extra Strength PM Rapid Release Gelcaps, Excedrin PM Express, Night Time Pain, Pain Relief PM Extra Strength, Aceta-Gesic
I don't think the fact that every manufacturer jumps on the bandwagon is proof that there's a scientifically proven reason for it. Often people can't sleep because of pain, so pairing the two remedies would appeal to those consumers. If your problem is "just" insomnia, I don't see why a sleeping aid shouldn't be sufficient.
I've tried chamomile tea, melatonin, valerian root, and cannabis. Sometimes they kind of work, but not reliably. I found the 478 thing annoying.
I used to take Benadryl (diphenhydramine). In 2003, my doctor said it was safe, but a few years later, I read that it may be implicated in dementia. They're always finding out new stuff.
Lately I've been taking a 400 mg tablet of magnesium every day, plus an extra one if I'm having trouble getting to sleep. Big improvement in my sleep.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Otherwise I can lay awake till 3 or 4 am.
