over the counter sleep aids?

Question

Is there a side effect of using over the counter sleep aids long term

Answer 1

Yes. They are VERY addictive and can make you drowsy OR very anxious during the day. Don't do it! Call your physician instead.

Answer 2

it is possible to develop a physical and/or psychological dependence on a sleep aid, some more than others. one of the problems with that is that one might find they can't fall asleep without taking the drug, or that a tolerance for the initial lower dose has been built up and it takes more of the drug to get the same effect.

most of the over-the-counter sleepers contain Diphenhydramine, also known by the brand name Benadryl. This is an effective sleep medication if used now and then, but it will make you dopey for several hours, and some people report feeling loggy when they wake up 7-8 hours later.

if the need for a sleep medication is chronic, it might be worth getting a sleep evaluation because there are more serious sleep conditions that warrant a different kind of treatment and taking sleep meds can mask that problem or forestall getting adequate and effective treatment.

[The Information provided in this post has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is not intended to prescribe, diagnose, or cure. Please consult your healthcare practitioner with any questions. The statements regarding any ailments have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These comments are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information on this Web site or in emails is designed for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor.]

Answer 3

Causes a great deal of dependency, also it will make you very groggy in the morning. Shouldn't be used for a long time because it also may cause resistance. If you can't sleep, try to drink a cup of warm milk before you go to sleep or take a warm bath/shower. Do something relaxing maybe even read a book, but don't watch tv because it keeps your brain stimulates. If nothing works, see a doctor, and he may be able to help =)

Answer 4

Try a low dose of Benadryl (it's for allergies - but it's actually the same ingredient that they use in Tylenol pm to make you sleepy. But why get the pain reliever stuff if it's just sleep you need.) If you're feeling hung over you might be taking too much.

Answer 5

I found that, the longer I used them, the more groggy and "out of it" I was the next day. It did get to the point where I felt better off getting only 2 or 3 hours' sleep a night than taking one of them. Also, they're tough on the kidneys.

Answer 6

"I've been using this 5-HTP product for 2 years with great success. As a personal trainer and lifetime student of nutrition I've found this company to produce only the best 5-HTP products based on the best science. Within a matter of 20 minutes, SerotoninFX begins to sooth and calm. My sleep is restful for body and mind.
http://www.herbmark.com/Jarrow-Formulas_5HTP_p1592.html

Answer 7

Their is a new one out, not over the counter but they say it is not addicting... Lunusta...New on the market but you have to have a doctors script

Answer 8

they wont make you sleep after a short time of using them.

Answer 9

Diphenhydramine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Diphenhydramine
Systematic (IUPAC) name
2-benzhydryloxy-N,N-dimethyl-ethanamine
Identifiers
CAS number 58-73-1
ATC code D04AA32 D04AA33, R06AA02
PubChem 3100
DrugBank APRD00587
Chemical data
Formula C17H21NO or
(C6H5)2CHO(CH2)2N(CH3)2
Mol. weight 255.355 g/mol
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 86% bound to plasma protein
Protein binding 98 to 99%
Metabolism Various cytochrome P450 liver enzymes
Half life 1-4 hours
Excretion 94% through the urine, 6% through feces
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat. Class B

Legal status Over-the-counter, non-regulated

Routes Oral, parenteral (IM), suppository
Indicated for:

Antihistaminic
Motion sickness
Sedative
Akathisia
Other uses:


Halting allergic reactions, controlling extrapyramidal side-effects induced by anticonvulsants

Contraindications:

Use in neonates and premature infants
Use in nursing mothers
Use as a local anesthetic
Use in people with hypersensitivity to diphenhydramine hydrochloride and other antihistamines of similar chemical structure

Non-medical use/abuse:

Used as a hallucinogen/deliriant

Side effects:
Severe:

Myocardial infarction (Heart Attack), serious ventricular dysrhythmias, coma and death
Atypical sensations:

Feelings of heaviness, hearing disturbances
Cardiovascular:

Hypertension in sensitive individuals
Ear, nose, and throat:

Dryness of the nose and throat
Endocrinal:

Increased appetite
Eye:

Dryness of the eyes
Gastrointestinal:

Urinary retention, constipation, nausea
Hematological:

Hepatoxicity in extremely large dosages
Musculoskeletal:

Incoordination, slow muscle response, twitching, restlessness, extrapyramidal side-effects, restless-leg syndrome
Neurological:

Confusion, clouded thinking, drowsiness, hallucinations, delirium, euphoria, short-term memory loss
Psychological:

Agitation, emotional lability, depression, excitability (especially in children), paranoia
Respiratory:

Decreased respiration
Skin:

Photosensitivity, flushing
Urogenital and reproductive:

Sexual disfunction, vaginal dryness, decreased libido
Miscellaneous:

?

Diphenhydramine hydrochloride (trade name Benadryl®, as produced by Pfizer or Dimedrol outside the US) is an over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamine and sedative. It is also given in conjunction with typical antipsychotics to prevent akathisia. It is a member of the ethanolamine class of antihistaminergic agents.

Diphenhydramine is widely used in nonprescription sleep aids with a 50mg recommended dose mandated by the FDA. In the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other countries, a 50 to 100mg recommended dose is permitted. In spite of its use and effectiveness as a sleep-inducing agent, when this drug is sold as an antihistamine, warning of the potential loss of alertness is rarely prominently displayed on packaging.

Diphenhydramine works by blocking the effect of histamine at H1 receptor sites. This results in effects such as the reduction of smooth muscle contraction, making diphenhydramine a popular choice for treatment of the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, hives, motion sickness, and insect bites and stings.

Diphenhydramine is a first generation antihistamine drug. Despite being one of the oldest antihistamines on the market, it is by and large the most effective antihistamine available [citation needed], either by prescription or over-the-counter, and has been shown to exceed the effectiveness of even the latest prescription drugs. Consequently, it is frequently used when an allergic reaction requires fast, effective reversal of the (often dangerous) effects of a massive histamine release. However, it is not always the drug of choice for treating allergies. Like many other first generation antihistamines, is also a potent anticholinergic agent. This leads to profound drowsiness as a very common side-effect, along with the possibilities of motor impairment (ataxia), dry mouth and throat, flushed skin, rapid or irregular heartbeat (tachycardia), blurred vision at nearpoint due to lack of accommodation (cycloplegia), abnormal sensitivity to bright light (photophobia), pupil dilatation, urinary retention, constipation, difficulty concentrating, short-term memory loss, visual disturbances, hallucinations, confusion, erectile dysfunction, and delirium.

It is known that diphenhydramine contains sedative properties. Many new antihistamines have been introduced without the side effect of sedation. The drug is also used as a sleep aid and is an ingredient in many sleep aids, most notably Tylenol PM where it is combined with Acetaminophen (Paracetamol), and Unisom which is straight diphenhydramine. Several generic and store brands of antihistamines and sleep aids also contain solely diphenhydramine. No physical addictive properties have been noted to this day.

In the 1960s it was found that diphenhydramine inhibits reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This discovery led to a search for viable antidepressants with similar structures and fewer side effects, culminating in the invention of fluoxetine (Prozac), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). A similar search had previously led to the synthesis of the first SSRI zimelidine from chlorpheniramine, also an antihistamine.

Contents [hide]
1 Recreational Use
2 Side effects
3 External links
4 References



[edit] Recreational Use

Simply Sleep diphenhydramine caplets.Those who use diphenhydramine recreationally take a higher than recommended dose (usually between 225mg and 450mg) for its deliriant effects. The mental effects are described by many as "dreaming while awake" involving visual and auditory hallucinations which, unlike those experienced with most psychedelic drugs, often cannot be readily distinguished from reality. Many users report a side effect profile consistent with tropane glycoalkaloidal poisoning. This is due to antagonism of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in both the central and autonomic nervous system, inhibiting various signal transduction pathways. In the CNS, diphenhydramine readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, exerting effects within the visual and auditory cortex, accounting for reported visual and auditory disturbances.

Other CNS effects occur within the limbic system and hippocampus, causing confusion and temporary amnesia. Toxicology also manifests in the autonomic nervous system, primarily at the neuromuscular junction, resulting in ataxia and extrapyramidal side-effects, and at sympathetic post-ganglionic junctions, causing urinary retention, pupil dilation, tachycardia, irregular urination, and dry skin and mucous membranes. Considerable overdosage can lead to myocardial infarction (heart attack), serious ventricular dysrhythmias, coma and death. Such a side-effect profile is thought to give ethanolamine-class antihistamines a relatively low abuse liability.


[edit] Side effects
It should be noted that taking any medication that depresses the Central Nervous system is not recommended before driving or operating heavy machinery, due to impaired reaction time.

The most common cardiac dysrhythmias associated with diphenhydramine overdose are sinus bradycardia, elongated S-T segment interval, and premature ventricular contraction.

Diphenhydramine is very similar in its effects to dimenhydrinate (Dramamine®), its 8-chlorotheophyllinate salt, although the latter is approximately 60% the potency in terms of required dosage and is slightly less sedating.

The brand Benadryl is currently trademarked in the United States by Pfizer, but many drug store chains and retail outlets manufacture substantially less expensive generic versions under their own store brands, often sold in boxes that share the size, shape and familiar pink packaging and pill color of the original.


[edit] External links
Diphenhydramine Vault - Information on use as a recreational drug.
Prescription Information (PDF)