krs1

Have you ever heard of the otc sleep aid that has diphenhydramine in it to be addictive? The amount taken 50mg at night. Has anyone taken it and did it help you? Just wondering about your opinion on it. Thanks

emhow2

I take melitonin and take 10mg...it works great!

sugarbear1

I let my brain heal without any help to sleep. I just went with the no sleep. I either stayed up until I had to sleep or I just lay still and let my body rest. My brain needed to heal on it's own. This alkie/addict didn't want to replace alcohol with anything else. I have no problems sleeping today and I haven't for most (since month 4) of my 17 months of sobriety!

DisplacedGRITS

i know that it can actually make some people jittery instead of sleepy. i don't believe it's physically addictive but i'm not a doctor. it may become kind of habit forming by us telling ourselves that we need it. i've used it in the past and found that after a few weeks it lost it's punch but it did help for a bit.

lilgolden73

I am so tired at this point, not having alcohol is making me extra sleepy!

RobC420

I never took the sleep "aid", but I did abuse and became addicted to Benadryl, which is diphenhydramine. It is one of my drugs of choice and definitely a no no for me in my recovery.

Since you asked for opinions, it is my opinion that these sleep "aids" are no good. This is a losing mans game. I bet 95% of the people taking them would sleep like a baby if they cut out the caffeine, ate right, and got some exercise. Medication is not what is needed. What's needed is a little bit of health education. I can relate though. I never took care of myself when I was drinking and stuff. I'm really greatful I have a therapist who taught me how to live healthy once I got sober. I'm also greatful that I was patient and willing to do the things he suggested. Now I reap the benefits. I sleep like a baby and don't need pills to do so. Those things can only mess up my sleeping at this point.

Natom

I'm not a doctor and neither is wikipedia but it does have some interesting reading on the drug. Linky:

Diphenhydramine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dee74

I think it's always a great idea to see a Dr if you have trouble sleeping - let them check out and see what they suggest

It's risky to get your advice anywhere else - whats worked for others may not work, or may not be suitable, for you.

D

MythOfSisyphus

I've found over the years with Benadryl that it does less and less the more you use it. For me after a week or two it won't make me drowsy at all. I only use it now for the on-label usage ie. allergies & colds.

ricmcc

I try to avoid any OTC meds that I can (obviously, if I have a headache, I'll take an aspirin or something similar). This is because there are so many Rx'ed drugs that I must take in order to maintain my health, I worry that getting in the habit of taking OTC meds might overload my system. That said, if I had recurrant headaches, I would see a doctor and heed his advise, as they might be a symptom of something more serious. Similarly, insomnia might be tolerated or treated with something like Benedryl if only occasional; however, persistant insomnia is not only tortuous to endure, but a serious health issue that does very much warrant a trip to the doctor. Just make sure that the doctor is aware that you are in recovery, and of all Rx'ed or OTC meds that you are taking (he sould be made aware of this in any case). You don't want to be prescibed something that has abuse potential when you have had addiction problems in the past. The nature of your post makes it obvious that you are aware of this, and I only mention it on the off chance that anyone reading this thread is unaware of the critical importance of keeping your doctor fully informed. Melatonin might be worth considering, as it is a naturally occurring hormore that induces sleep, and that the brain tends to make less of as we age; as well, it seems to have no abuse potential, but again, this is best discussed with your doctor. Best of luck to you, insomnia is a terrible thing to live with----Rick

krs1

Thank you all for the helpful insite I sure appreciate it. Minds made up I'm not losing enough sleep to risk taking any unnatural substance. Hard enough to battle my problem don't want to add to it!! Again thank you so much and have a wonderful sober Sunday!!!!

Sobersunshine

Krs1, camomile tea at night, exercise during the day, relaxing rituals at bedtime (bath, etc.), aromatherapy (lavender!) all help me.

Fandy

I take benydril at night when i'm having trouble with my allergies, but it's not something you use all the time, or it loses it's effectiveness...same with the scrips my doctor had prescribed for me.

a regular routine, a cool dark room and my calcium/mag/zinc supplement usually work (and a small dish of vanilla ice cream)