Strongest OTC Sleeping Pill ?

I have bipolar disorder and take Trazodone (100mg) to help me sleep when I'm manic. It works great and knocks me out in less than 20 minutes. The only drawback to Trazodone is that after you first start taking it, you wake up feeling groggy the next morning. However, this side effect gradually subsides over time and shouldn't be a problem 7-14 days after starting the medication.

Here's a suggestion I received from my pdoc (psychiatrist): When starting a new medication, take it on Friday, Saturday or 24 hours before you have a day off from work. This will allow you to know exactly how the medication affects you (i.e. side effects) and to take any necessary steps to address problems should you encounter any difficulty with tolerance.
 
Hear Again said:
I have bipolar disorder and take Trazodone (100mg) to help me sleep when I'm manic. It works great and knocks me out in less than 20 minutes. The only drawback to Trazodone is that after you first start taking it, you wake up feeling groggy the next morning. However, this side effect gradually subsides over time and shouldn't be a problem 7-14 days after starting the medication.

Here's a suggestion I received from my pdoc (psychiatrist): When starting a new medication, take it on Friday, Saturday or 24 hours before you have a day off from work. This will allow you to know exactly how the medication affects you (i.e. side effects) and to take any necessary steps to address problems should you encounter any difficulty with tolerance.
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:gpost:
 
If you HAVE to use an OTC sleep aid, and you aren't having aches or pains that would make you reach for a regular tylenol or advil, do NOT take tylenol pm or advil pm. You are really screwing over your body if you do this, especially on a regular basis.

They are essentially strong (read, do not use often without an rx and damage-preventative measures from your doctor) painkillers, which when used as meant to be used, reduce pain making it easier to sleep. But the real part that makes a person -not- in pain sleepy is the diphenhydramine, or the benadryl. Benadryl is relatively safe to use over long periods of time- in the us, up to 50 mg (there's 25mg/pill in tylenol pm, if i remember correctly) and in some other countries slightly higher doses. Sign off with your doctor about this, but seriously, you're doing yourself a lot less harm self-medicating with benadryl than you will when it's combined with painkillers that offer a host of nasty side effects.

As other people suggested, your problems are greater than not sleeping: it's why you're not sleeping. And taking a benadryl and telling yourself that you 'can't be fixed' isn't going to make things OK, or make it any easier to live with yourself. Get help, because it is utter and complete bs to say "I have been through x trauma, and because of it, I will never get better" Will you forget? no. Can you develop coping skills so you're not feeling hopeless, not being unable to sleep, ect? Yup. Promise.
 
I use lavender to help sooth me to sleep.

I made a lavender sachet & stuffed it into my pillowcase and it helps drift me off to sleep. Oh it's potent stuff!

HearAgain, the picture is a large sized sachet stuffed with strong lavender. The fabric is striped blue and ivory. The sachet is rectangled shaped. Lavender smells like menthol at first but it really helps put you to sleep and cures headaches & ailments.

I sewed this as well.

DSC_0476.jpg
 
Mrs Bucket said:
I use lavender to help sooth me to sleep.

I made a lavender sachet & stuffed it into my pillowcase and it helps drift me off to sleep. Oh it's potent stuff!

HearAgain, the picture is a large sized sachet stuffed with strong lavender. The fabric is striped blue and ivory. The sachet is rectangled shaped. Lavender smells like menthol at first but it really helps put you to sleep and cures headaches & ailments.

I sewed this as well.

DSC_0476.jpg
Click to expand...

Mrs. Bucket,

Thanks for the description. :)

My mother (who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer) used to love falling asleep to the smell of lavender. I tried doing this myself, but I can't tolerate the smell. I have too many chemical sensitivities when it comes to scents and perfumes. :(
 
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