Question 1

how long should i take diphenhydramine (sleep aid) before discontinuing use? what are the impacts on my health if i do not stop taking?

Accepted Answer

Keep the dose small.: Diphenhydramine (brand name Benadryl) is an OTC medication generally considered quite safe except for the drowsiness. When used in appropriate doses it is generally without significant adverse reactions. Remember, any drug used to aid in sleep issues should be used only for a short-term. Using this drug occasionally, i.e. 1-2/week should be fine. If taken occasionally there should be no ill-effect

Question 2

what is a good sleep aid that's safe to take?

Accepted Answer

: Because there are many factors that can impact a patient's sleep, I would recommend that you be evaluated by a physician and that they get a good sleep history, medical history and medication history from you before you try a sleep aid. Medicine is NOT the first line of treatment.

Question 3

is it not good to take unisome sleep aid pills every night?

Accepted Answer

It is better to use: Non-medication approaches to sleep better. Use excellent sleep hygiene. 1. Keep regular bed ; wakening time (includes weekends). Get up same time daily. 
2. Make a regular, relaxing bedtime routine: warm bath or shower, aromatherapy, reading, or listening to gentle music. 
3. Sleep in dark, quiet, cool room w comfortable mattress ; pillows. 	
4. Use bedroom only for sleep ; sex.  Put work material.

Question 4

i take .5 mg ativan (lorazepam).usually only at night because of attacks.  lately i notice i'm using it every day/night as sleep aid.  can't be good? what do i do

Accepted Answer

Not a sleep aid: Ativan (lorazepam) disrupts normal sleep. It interferes with entry into REM stage sleep. Generally speaking as a short acting benzodiazepine it is not a good choice for anxiety disorders. What Ativan (lorazepam) is good for is the ICU treatment of life threatening uncontrolled seizures. It can also be used short term for alcohol withdrawal. Very occasional use for anxiety or panic that is situational is also accepted.

Question 5

what is a good sleep aid that is mostly natural and allows a full night's rest? i currently take ambien (zolpidem) to help ease my insomnia, but there are nights where it doesn't work or affect me at all. basically, it's not very reliable.

Accepted Answer

A few: Insomnia is very annoying. I tell my ADHD patients to try Melatonin and to take chamomile calming tea 2-3 times a day. Personally like Tazo's brand. Stop TV/electronics 30 minutes before sleep. Use machine that makes calming droning sound next to bed. Hot shower and use lavender based lotion and comfy PJs. NO TV OR RADIO to lull to sleep. Use ambien (zolpidem) cautiously as can have some daytime drowsy pblms

Question 6

does health a2z sleep aid work?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no: It will work for a couple of days, then you might need to stop for two days and then restart it again. It is basically benadryl, (diphenhydramine) the antihistamine. You might want to try melatonin 3mg at 2 hours before bedtime. It works more consistently and does not cause the next day impairment and weight gain that Benadryl (diphenhydramine) does. See your doctor if that doesn't work. If you feel nervous or depressed, get tx.

Question 7

can i take a sleep aid if i have a fasting blood test in the morning?

Accepted Answer

Yes: It won't interfere with your testing if that is what you are asking.

Question 8

i have valve disease and not sleeping  is it ok to take a sleep aid?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Yes, the two are unrelated.

Question 9

im on drug court and i want to take a sleep aid because i can't sleep i have a generic sleep aid but it has diphenhydramine hci in it will this make me test positive for anything or will it be ok to take it

Accepted Answer

The : The answer dr. Johnson provided is correct.  There are reports that with very high doses, Diphenhydramine has in rare cases, led to false positive drug screening for benzodiazapines.  However, if this were to occur, normally the sample would be retested using a more precise test and that would clear up the confusion.  It is reported that it could also trigger a false positive for pcp (but this is also very rare).
   Diphenhydramine is not a good choice for chronic problems with sleep. If you are in a program that requires drug testing, you might consider skipping the Diphenhydramine and working on sleep hygiene first.

Question 10

can i take a sleep aid with valerian root with zoloft (sertraline)?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Yes, that should be fine, i could not find any evidence of any drug interactions with the two meds.

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Doctor answers about:

Good health to take a sleep aid

A member asked:

How long should i take diphenhydramine (sleep aid) before discontinuing use? what are the impacts on my health if i do not stop taking?

A member asked:

What is a good sleep aid that's safe to take?

A member asked:

Is it not good to take unisome sleep aid pills every night?

A member asked:

I take .5 mg ativan (lorazepam).usually only at night because of attacks. lately i notice i'm using it every day/night as sleep aid. can't be good? what do i do

A member asked:

What is a good sleep aid that is mostly natural and allows a full night's rest? i currently take ambien (zolpidem) to help ease my insomnia, but there are nights where it doesn't work or affect me at all. basically, it's not very reliable.

A member asked:

Does health a2z sleep aid work?

A member asked:

Can i take a sleep aid if i have a fasting blood test in the morning?

A member asked:

I have valve disease and not sleeping is it ok to take a sleep aid?

A member asked:

Im on drug court and i want to take a sleep aid because i can't sleep i have a generic sleep aid but it has diphenhydramine hci in it will this make me test positive for anything or will it be ok to take it

A member asked:

Can i take a sleep aid with valerian root with zoloft (sertraline)?

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