Sleep medications

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ironviking

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I dont sleep. Better way to say that is I fall asleep quickly but I wake up after about three hours and then I dont fall back asleep. I was taking Ambien but that made me groggy the next day so I switched to Sonata but that only gets me about 4 hours of sleep. Tylenol PM works well but it takes forever to kick in.

My question is does anyone know of any good OTC sleep meds that I can take continuosly? and since most of these drugs are sedatives will they have any effect on strength?


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Sticks

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Only OTC drug I can think of would be melatonin, and possibly ZMA. I used to have problems falling asleep, but since taking melatonin 30 mins before bed I have no problems at all. I've never had problems staying a sleep, but I know this has helped me tremendously in being able to fall a sleep. Might be worth a try.
 

hogiejoe

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do you take naps during the day or anything? your sleep patern could just be off. but if this is not the case, i say go with melatonin but at a low dose. don't go crazy with that stuff cuz if you really want to sleep and you take 3mgs instead of 1, you could have some EXTREMELY vivd dreams. and if it is a bad dream it can mess up your whole day. zma is also a very good relaxant. or just do some intense cardio and i garuntee you will sleep like a baby.
 
DR.D

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Melatonin works for some people, it's hit or miss for me. The ZMA might work due to the Mg content. Ambien never gives me a hang over, maybe you are extra sensitive. Try to take it a bit earlier. Antihistamines put me out, but don't keep me asleep. I like clonidine, but Mg is really a good OTC habit for night pills.
 
wranglergirl

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Well if you go to the Dr , you can get ambien, which I have used, right now i am trying like hell to tough it out, and although sleep is not easy now, I sometimes on nights when i need to be up in the AM and not a zombie, use benadryl, 1/2 dose and it relaxes me enough for sleep to kick in........
 

size

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Ambien works well. Benadryl is another that works.
 
DR.D

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There is no OTC or Perscription sleep aid that one can take continously, or even fairly reguarly, that you won't develop tolerance to. If someone knows different, do tell, I sure could use it. This would include Melatonin, many people get a great initial effect, and then little or nothing.
Rx: 0.3mg Clonidine HCl (Catapres)

or

OTC: 1g Magnesium Oxide + 2g Potassium Gluconate combo
 

ironviking

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I think one problem may be I go to bed at about 8 or 8:30 but Im up by 3:30, that could be throwing my sleep patterns off but due to me having to commute each day there really isnt a way around it.

So for the melatonin what dosages are people taking for it to be effective?

I'll try the 1g Magnesium Oxide + 2g Potassium Gluconate combo.
 

hogiejoe

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damn! thats a lot of melatonin, tolerance or no. i wouldnt wake up for days. that doesn't effect adversly you having that much melatonin in your body? maybe i am just really sensetive to it.
 
DR.D

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Actually, melatonin is a MAOI and can have the opposite effect if taken in excess. There is a window of benifit with it. I once took 30mg and was wide awake well into the next day. At high doses, it's a strong stimulant.
 
DR.D

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12 mgs is excessive, so I don't use that much except on rare, must have sleep now occasions. Melatonin was great at the start, but now,you know the rest of the story.

I've tried not taking it for months and resuming, my tolerance remains high. It's weird, Alcohol is one of the very few substances that my tolerance to has fallen, everything else has increased with use and age.
You have a well educated liver my friend! I'm the same, and I know that the fast response of inducable enzymes plays a big role. I always thought that the 300 mics of T4 every morning had something to do with it also. :) I detox so fast, my drug half lives are cut in half. I bet you have a fast metabolism too.
 

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I've got some sleep problems too. I've got a hard time staying asleep for more than 4 hours at a time. And I'm always still tired in the morning. I'm not sure of the cause. Part of it is that I have to use the bathroom. It might also be because I have a normal schedule during the week, (awake in day, sleep at night) but I work nights on weekends. Sometimes I think its stress. Sometimes I think its sleep apnea, since I'll dream about being underwater, and when I suddenly wake up, it feel like I've been holding my breath for a while.

100mg of 5-HTP will give me a pretty good night of sleep, lets me sleep for about 6 hours. Gives me very vivid dreams. 50mg doesn't seem to do much.
I've tried .9 mg of melatonin, it doesn't do much for me.
Nyquil does a great job of putting me to sleep, and letting me sleep for 8 hours, but I still feel like crap in the morning.
 

Jeff

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melatonin helps me fall asleep, but it doesn't seem to make me sleep better. If i wake up, or one of the kids wakes me up then forget it, I'm up for the rest of the night.
 
MaDmaN

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Stuff like Excedrin pm works but talk about a hangover the next morning,but the biggest problem is tolerence..I find a combination of Kava Kava,5-HTP,Melatonin does the job....
 

200wannabe

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Are there any sides with 5-HTP, i have considered this for sleep problems. I have trouble getting to sleep, once asleep i am usually ok. Its a precursor to melatonin and seratonin isn't it?
 

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Viking, how is your diet? The simple solution for me if I want to sleep soundly and long is to eat a hypercaloric diet high in carbs, making sure to get quite a few slow digesting carbs before bedtime.

Hypocaloric dieting as well as lower carb dieting causes many sleep troubles. Also, I would get rid of all stimulants if you are taking any. Also, try increasing activity somewhat in the day time. I know that when I am a bit worn out sleep comes very easily for me.
 
Sanosuke

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i use a generic Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride(benadryl) i get very cheap... but you do get addicted and the tolerance builds quick.. i need about 75-100mg to get to bed usually...
 
Beelzebub

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agreed, dramamine (benadryl) or melatonin (6mgs) works like a charm for me.
 
DR.D

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Don't forget about Unisom (doxylamine succinate) and Actifed (triprolidine HCl)

They both contain sedative antihistamines that work just as well as Beny. but have shorter half-lives that are less likey to result in residual effects the next day. If I use an antihistamine to sleep, and it's already late, I use one of these.
 

ironviking

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IF YOU MENTION THOSE 3 LETTERS AGAIN, YOU WILL NOT POST HERE!
 
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