# OTC sleep aid



## Rebekah (May 16, 2009)

Could someone suggest an over the counter sleep aid that works to calm an active limbic brain system that many of us with DP suffer from? My problem is I can't fall asleep at night since I'm a night person, like to sleep in late in the morning, but must get up early now for my job. I don't want to take addictive pills every night to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. Most sleep aids wake me up rather than sedate me. Melatonin wakes me up tremendously, which seems to be the OTC of choice for sleep at the local stores.


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## Absentis (Jul 10, 2007)

Gravol and Benadryl (diphenhydamine and dimenhydrinate) are both antidistamines and sedating. However, some people say it makes their dp/dr temporarily worse. Valerian is available in health food stores and some pharmacies.

You have to keep in mind that sleeping pills that are effective are typically addicting.


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## jay2008 (Nov 6, 2007)

Yes, most of the "PM" or "Sleep aid" drugs are simply anti-histamines. They work for me in limited fashion but also cause me to feel groggy in the morning if I take them too late. I feel sluggish. I have actually noticed that the PM pills do take the edge off sometimes when I'm anxious.


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## Johnny Dep (Feb 8, 2009)

Rebekah said:


> Could someone suggest an over the counter sleep aid that works to calm an active limbic brain system that many of us with DP suffer from? My problem is I can't fall asleep at night since I'm a night person, like to sleep in late in the morning, but must get up early now for my job. I don't want to take addictive pills every night to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. Most sleep aids wake me up rather than sedate me. Melatonin wakes me up tremendously, which seems to be the OTC of choice for sleep at the local stores.


If melatonin doesn't work for you then I don't know what to say drugwise. Its worth noting that your body has a 90 minute pattern that keeps repeating. If you are on the edge of sleep and fight it off it will take 90 minutes to get back to the time thats easiest to fall asleep. So don't fight it off.


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## Rebekah (May 16, 2009)

Thanks for the advice. I just remembered that a psychologist not too long ago did recommend using an antihistamine, such as, Benadryl, for sleep, and I can get it at the local drug store, and not pay an outrageous sum for it.


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## Absentis (Jul 10, 2007)

Rebekah said:


> I just remembered that a psychologist not too long ago did recommend using an antihistamine, such as, Benadryl, for sleep, and I can get it at the local drug store, and not pay an outrageous sum for it.


You can purchase it at every drug store. You can avoid paying a lot of money for it by avoiding brand names, and instead looking for generic "diphenhydramine" or "dimenhydrinate". The packages that look appealing tend to be expensive, so take your time and find the boring looking bottles. Avoid packages that advertise themselves specifically as sleep aids, since they're the exact same medication, but substantially overpriced.

The last time I purchased dimenhydrinate I saw a brand-name package with 12 tablets and a generic bottle with 100 tablets for about the same price. (I think the generic might have been a dollar more expensive, but you get the idea.)

Wait, I just realized the last half of your sentence was a statement, and not a question. Oh well, I already wrote it so I may as well post it.


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2009)

I took tylenol PM every night for over a year, just had my liver function tested, enzymes are high, so i totally cut that stuf out, now i take simply sleep, its made by tylenol PM but it contains no tylenol, just diphenhydramine, i'd reccomend that just make sure u have at least 10 hours to sleep otherwise u will deff be groggy, 8 hours is bull, its really 10.


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2009)

I took tylenol PM every night for over a year, just had my liver function tested, enzymes are high, so i totally cut that stuf out, now i take simply sleep, its made by tylenol PM but it contains no tylenol, just diphenhydramine, i'd reccomend that just make sure u have at least 10 hours to sleep otherwise u will deff be groggy, 8 hours is bull, its really 10. may have to start going to bed earlier


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## Guest (Jul 19, 2009)

I took tylenol PM every night for over a year, just had my liver function tested, enzymes are high, so i totally cut that stuf out, now i take simply sleep, its made by tylenol PM but it contains no tylenol, just diphenhydramine, i'd reccomend that just make sure u have at least 10 hours to sleep otherwise u will deff be groggy, 8 hours is bull, its really 10. may have to start going to bed earlier


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## Surfingisfun001 (Sep 25, 2007)

Drinking sleepy time relaxing teas at night helps calm me down to where I can sleep better.


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## Rebekah (May 16, 2009)

There's something about Ambien that truly calms down my thoughts at night. I had been using some Xanax to sleep, but I find that it peps me up and sedates me at the same time, which is not good. Also, I feel depressed the next day even on a small bedtime dose of about 1 mg., I feel like I want to cry all day long and feel very anti-social, and I know it's the Xanax, since I'll alternate between Magnesium and Ambien on different nights. I see Xanax as a nasty antidepressant/sedative/sleep aid. I don't think it works very well for DP. I'm mostly recovered from my DP, and find that Xanax makes it come back, since I do know the difference between feeling normal and DP'd now. I know what brings it on and what doesn't, which is a good thing. I'm going to look into the chemical action of Ambien, since it does target the brain where it's needed for DP. I believe I read something about pre-gaba pathways?


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## Rebekah (May 16, 2009)

I found another very good non-prescription sleep aid called Knock-Out, by Schiff--I got mine at the local Vitamin Shoppe (also online). It contains a combo of Vit. B6, Calcium, Magnesium, Melatonin, Glycine, L-Theonine, Valerian Extract, and GABA. I only a small piece of a large tablet, and it really does knock me out, and relaxes me more the next day. It's much better than taking only a GABA.


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2009)

Jgard10 said:


> I took tylenol PM every night for over a year, just had my liver function tested, enzymes are high, so i totally cut that stuf out, now i take simply sleep, its made by tylenol PM but it contains no tylenol, just diphenhydramine, i'd reccomend that just make sure u have at least 10 hours to sleep otherwise u will deff be groggy, 8 hours is bull, its really 10.


This is my concern with the Benadryl and other things. Tylenol can mess with your liver. Isn't that the problem with Vicodin ... it has Tylenol in it or something?

I wouldn't recommend these.

Also, for me, if my anxiety is high, I don't think anything much helps me sleep. I try to have a regular schedule -- and no I don't often practice what I preach... but avoiding naps -- right -- and getting to bed at 11pm. If I'm up after midnight I wake up again, and my thoughts start racing. Then the cycle begins of a bad night's sleep, exhaustion, more DP/DR, needing a nap, etc. :?


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2009)

Rebekah said:


> There's something about Ambien that truly calms down my thoughts at night. I had been using some Xanax to sleep, but I find that it peps me up and sedates me at the same time, which is not good. Also, I feel depressed the next day even on a small bedtime dose of about 1 mg., I feel like I want to cry all day long and feel very anti-social, and I know it's the Xanax, since I'll alternate between Magnesium and Ambien on different nights. I see Xanax as a nasty antidepressant/sedative/sleep aid. I don't think it works very well for DP. I'm mostly recovered from my DP, and find that Xanax makes it come back, since I do know the difference between feeling normal and DP'd now. I know what brings it on and what doesn't, which is a good thing. I'm going to look into the chemical action of Ambien, since it does target the brain where it's needed for DP. I believe I read something about pre-gaba pathways?


Xanax is creepy. Makes me feel lousy the next day. "Hungover" but I don't what a hangover is. And the DP seems worse.

Also, some folks do have help from Ambien, but the side-effects also scare me. Many strange things like sleepwalking, sleepdriving :shock: , eating in one's sleep, hallucinations. IDK about that stuff. But it seems to help some people. We all seem to respond differently.


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