Ive been using AHs to help me sleep sometimes & Ive tried a few including Diphenhydramine, Promethazine, & Doxylamine which are all otc here in Australia & I sometimes take more than the recommended dose. Doses of up to 100mg Doxylamine, 100mg DPH or 125mg of Promethazine. Ive only had higher doses of Promethazine & DPH a few times so I dont have much experience with them but have been taken more than the recommended dose of doxylamine about 5 times now. I might add I havnt experienced any delirium. Ive just been able to get to sleep easier.
Is there any health concerns if i start doing this often?
This is a pretty important question because I dont want to be hurting my health to badly.
Does anyone know which are better or worse for ya health to be taken over time?
Seeing as though the recommended 50mg Doxylamine isnt making me drowsy enough Im wondering what u guys think is the most sedating AH so I could change to the one maybe?
Only answer this one if uve actually tried more than 1 & can say that it's more sedating than another. Rating the ones uve tried would be helpful too, or better yet help me find some sources on the net. Please also add any comments like how u feel the next day or how long it keep u asleep compared to the others.
http://voices.yahoo.com/doxylamine-succinate-vs-diphenhydramine-6087586.html?cat=5
This website implies that Doxylamine is stronger than dph but it gives more of a hangover. it also claims that u build a tolerance to doxylamine slower than dph & that doxylamine is longer acting, keep u asleep longer
I looked up the half-life to Doxylamine, Promethazine & DPH at wikipedia:
Doxylamine variable; 6–12 hours
Promethazine 10-19 hours
DPH 5.4 ± 1.8 hours (children) 9.2 ± 2.5 hours (adults) 13.5 ± 4.2 hours (elderly)
Does anyone know what the ± means?
anyways this wouldnt indicate that Doxylamine keeps ya asleep any longer than dph according to the above website.
http://opioids.com/opiates/index.html
This website claims that doxylamine has 65-75% the anticholinergic strength of dph. I know that anticholinergic strength increases it's use as a deliriant but Im not sure if it increases sedation.
It's also a good website about potentiating opiates which brings me to my net question
Which AH do u think is best for potentiating opiates?
again dont answer unless uve tried more than 1 so u can make a comparison or better yet rate the ones uve tried.
Do AHs actually potentiate opiates or is it simply a combo that increases sedation?
When do u take the AH to potentiate opiates?
Im assuming 1/2 before but im wondering if it's as effective if taken at the same time.
Codeine is a bit different so does anyone know when u should take it when using codeine?
Ive heard some ppl say to actually take the AH 1/2 AFTER the codeine
Just out of curiosity has anyone had any delirium from any other AH besides DPH?
Im not really interested in using them for that purpose but I noticed doxylamine unlike promethazine is listed as a deririant at wikipedia & Im yeah, Im just curious.
Has anyone had any experience taking AHs long-term?
I looked for a the longest time recommended u can take doxylamine on the med info that came with the pack but it doesnt say. Ive heard of ppl taking dph for months though.
I just searched google than & found it says you should not take doxylamine to help you sleep for more than 2 weeks without first consulting your health care professional. u shouldnt take promethazine for longer than 7-10 days. I couldnt find how long u could take dph except for one site saying, dont take for more than a few nights in a row. Correct me if Im wrong but im assuming ya grow a tolerance fastest to dph, followed by promethazine & doxylamine which may take alot longer seeing as though it says to see a dr before taking it for longer than 2 weeks
I'll probably just stay with doxylamine as that website says u get a tolerance slow, it's stronger than dph & is safer to take longer. I think promethazine which Ive tried up to 125mg was slightly stronger but made me sleep to long which would make sense according to its half-life but im unsure with this one how quick u get a tolerance. I've only tried DPH a few times so Im hoping to learn if that would be a better option for me because if it's stronger I guess I'm better off taking the recommended dose than a higher dose of doxylamine
Now, I have some further questions on what I should do If I want to stay on a medication long-term.
If I do feel I need long-term treatment is there any better suggestions than low doses of Seroquel?
I already have a script for 25mg Seroquel tablets but have heard good & bad things on this board about taking Seroquel for simply insomnia. This is my most important concern
im probably going to use seroquel if i find i need a longer term sleeping tablet. Obviously I would be taking doses below it's threshold antipsychotic dose where it's still just an AH. Atleast it's been studied for long term use & is scripted for long-term use other than the otc AHs. Ive had seroquel before & would probably take 50mg a night but dont know if it's worth the health risks. Im fairly confident that such a low dose shouldnt be of to much concern. Ive read at doses below 100mg u dont put on weight but ya risk of diabetes is raised 20% if I remember correctly. I'll do some more research & edit this later if that's wrong but that does sound like a concern. Id like to know if taking doxylamine has the same health concerns. Again I'll do some more research tomorrow. or maybe someone can help me with that. Im hoping that someone who has used seroquel for insomnia can give me there opinion on whether it was a good idea.
temazepam isnt an option. 200mg just makes me calm so I would build a dangerous tolerance. Z-drugs im sure u build a tolerance too. zolpidem was weird, mildly psychedelic & too short acting anyway when I tried it. Mirtazepine gave me vivid & strange dreams but It may be worth another try if Seroquel wouldnt be a good idea.
Does Seroquel act the same way as other AHs when used with opiates?
after all it's just another sedating AH at doses under 200mg
Would I be correct in saying that Seroquel is the stronger AH than all 3 listed above?
I suppose meaning I could take higher, more sedating doses if needed without getting delirium & with less side effects. btw I once read that 100mg of seroquel = 75mg promethazine in sedation it was either that or 75mg seroquel = 100mg promethazine. i cant find the source but I guess that answers my own question.
I know I have alot of questions & maybe Ive put to much into 1 thread thread including opiate potentiation & all but basically Im just interested in anything anyone knows that I havnt already written down here. Even if u could just answer a few questions it would be a huge help. I have been diagnosed with GAD & have had insomnia so bad that sometimes the sun would be coming up before I could get to sleep & I just dont function if I havnt slept at least a few hours. I know drugs arnt always the best answer for insomnia but I feel it's my best option & Ive already decided to use medication so Im not really interested in alternatives. So dont waste your time & mine by trying to give me advice on how to get a good nights sleep without drugs. I just want to know information on sleeping aids so I can make the best choice possible whether I be going well & only needin to take something occasionally or needing to take something every night. Well I took 75mg of doxlylamine about 4 hrs ago & im still wide enough to make a thread as long as this. hopefully I can go & get some sleep now.
Is there any health concerns if i start doing this often?
This is a pretty important question because I dont want to be hurting my health to badly.
Does anyone know which are better or worse for ya health to be taken over time?
Seeing as though the recommended 50mg Doxylamine isnt making me drowsy enough Im wondering what u guys think is the most sedating AH so I could change to the one maybe?
Only answer this one if uve actually tried more than 1 & can say that it's more sedating than another. Rating the ones uve tried would be helpful too, or better yet help me find some sources on the net. Please also add any comments like how u feel the next day or how long it keep u asleep compared to the others.
http://voices.yahoo.com/doxylamine-succinate-vs-diphenhydramine-6087586.html?cat=5
This website implies that Doxylamine is stronger than dph but it gives more of a hangover. it also claims that u build a tolerance to doxylamine slower than dph & that doxylamine is longer acting, keep u asleep longer
I looked up the half-life to Doxylamine, Promethazine & DPH at wikipedia:
Doxylamine variable; 6–12 hours
Promethazine 10-19 hours
DPH 5.4 ± 1.8 hours (children) 9.2 ± 2.5 hours (adults) 13.5 ± 4.2 hours (elderly)
Does anyone know what the ± means?
anyways this wouldnt indicate that Doxylamine keeps ya asleep any longer than dph according to the above website.
http://opioids.com/opiates/index.html
This website claims that doxylamine has 65-75% the anticholinergic strength of dph. I know that anticholinergic strength increases it's use as a deliriant but Im not sure if it increases sedation.
It's also a good website about potentiating opiates which brings me to my net question
Which AH do u think is best for potentiating opiates?
again dont answer unless uve tried more than 1 so u can make a comparison or better yet rate the ones uve tried.
Do AHs actually potentiate opiates or is it simply a combo that increases sedation?
When do u take the AH to potentiate opiates?
Im assuming 1/2 before but im wondering if it's as effective if taken at the same time.
Codeine is a bit different so does anyone know when u should take it when using codeine?
Ive heard some ppl say to actually take the AH 1/2 AFTER the codeine
Just out of curiosity has anyone had any delirium from any other AH besides DPH?
Im not really interested in using them for that purpose but I noticed doxylamine unlike promethazine is listed as a deririant at wikipedia & Im yeah, Im just curious.
Has anyone had any experience taking AHs long-term?
I looked for a the longest time recommended u can take doxylamine on the med info that came with the pack but it doesnt say. Ive heard of ppl taking dph for months though.
I just searched google than & found it says you should not take doxylamine to help you sleep for more than 2 weeks without first consulting your health care professional. u shouldnt take promethazine for longer than 7-10 days. I couldnt find how long u could take dph except for one site saying, dont take for more than a few nights in a row. Correct me if Im wrong but im assuming ya grow a tolerance fastest to dph, followed by promethazine & doxylamine which may take alot longer seeing as though it says to see a dr before taking it for longer than 2 weeks
I'll probably just stay with doxylamine as that website says u get a tolerance slow, it's stronger than dph & is safer to take longer. I think promethazine which Ive tried up to 125mg was slightly stronger but made me sleep to long which would make sense according to its half-life but im unsure with this one how quick u get a tolerance. I've only tried DPH a few times so Im hoping to learn if that would be a better option for me because if it's stronger I guess I'm better off taking the recommended dose than a higher dose of doxylamine
Now, I have some further questions on what I should do If I want to stay on a medication long-term.
If I do feel I need long-term treatment is there any better suggestions than low doses of Seroquel?
I already have a script for 25mg Seroquel tablets but have heard good & bad things on this board about taking Seroquel for simply insomnia. This is my most important concern
im probably going to use seroquel if i find i need a longer term sleeping tablet. Obviously I would be taking doses below it's threshold antipsychotic dose where it's still just an AH. Atleast it's been studied for long term use & is scripted for long-term use other than the otc AHs. Ive had seroquel before & would probably take 50mg a night but dont know if it's worth the health risks. Im fairly confident that such a low dose shouldnt be of to much concern. Ive read at doses below 100mg u dont put on weight but ya risk of diabetes is raised 20% if I remember correctly. I'll do some more research & edit this later if that's wrong but that does sound like a concern. Id like to know if taking doxylamine has the same health concerns. Again I'll do some more research tomorrow. or maybe someone can help me with that. Im hoping that someone who has used seroquel for insomnia can give me there opinion on whether it was a good idea.
temazepam isnt an option. 200mg just makes me calm so I would build a dangerous tolerance. Z-drugs im sure u build a tolerance too. zolpidem was weird, mildly psychedelic & too short acting anyway when I tried it. Mirtazepine gave me vivid & strange dreams but It may be worth another try if Seroquel wouldnt be a good idea.
Does Seroquel act the same way as other AHs when used with opiates?
after all it's just another sedating AH at doses under 200mg
Would I be correct in saying that Seroquel is the stronger AH than all 3 listed above?
I suppose meaning I could take higher, more sedating doses if needed without getting delirium & with less side effects. btw I once read that 100mg of seroquel = 75mg promethazine in sedation it was either that or 75mg seroquel = 100mg promethazine. i cant find the source but I guess that answers my own question.
I know I have alot of questions & maybe Ive put to much into 1 thread thread including opiate potentiation & all but basically Im just interested in anything anyone knows that I havnt already written down here. Even if u could just answer a few questions it would be a huge help. I have been diagnosed with GAD & have had insomnia so bad that sometimes the sun would be coming up before I could get to sleep & I just dont function if I havnt slept at least a few hours. I know drugs arnt always the best answer for insomnia but I feel it's my best option & Ive already decided to use medication so Im not really interested in alternatives. So dont waste your time & mine by trying to give me advice on how to get a good nights sleep without drugs. I just want to know information on sleeping aids so I can make the best choice possible whether I be going well & only needin to take something occasionally or needing to take something every night. Well I took 75mg of doxlylamine about 4 hrs ago & im still wide enough to make a thread as long as this. hopefully I can go & get some sleep now.
Last edited:
