My nyquil addiction

[Redsox2007]

yeah I know it sounds absurd but for about the past year almost every night I've been taking nyquil to sleep ( minus a few nights here and there) I started off actually awhile before this but I never became really dependent on it for sleep until this past year (I was going through alot of BS with my life) anyways recently, well within the past 3 months I've been having to take 2 1/2 to 3 cups a night to get to sleep. Im just wondering how badly this could possibly be damaging my body and how I can break this dam habit. I dont have insurance so I'd like to avoid paying a doctor a small investment to help me and then dishing out extra money for medicine

[elefrog42]

Hey there,

I had the same problem as you once....ended up moving to the land of the midnight sun and couldn't adjust my sleep schedule.  I ended up going to a doctor who put me on a drug called "amitriptyline"  It's actually an antidepressent, but it has a sedative effect too.  I took one at night before bed and slepted great!  And it isn't addictive (as far as I could tell, I took it for a month and then stopped with no problem).  I would ask a doctor about it.  Stop with the nyquil ASAP though.  Its bad for your liver and the antihistamines in it can cause severe depression.

Oh, and as a new yorker it's my duty to tell you that the red socks s@#k.  :)
good luck!

[GoingToMakeIt]

Here is a partial quote from wired magazine.Acetaminophen
One of the many wonder-pharmaceuticals that can be derived from coal tar, acetaminophen was used for nearly a century as a painkiller and fever reducer before anyone figured out how it worked. We now know that as the drug breaks down in the body, it turns into a cannabinoid: yes, stoners, the same type of compound that makes marijuana so irresistible. Doctors also once thought acetaminophen made users more talkative and outgoing. Current research suggests this idea was half-baked.

Dextromethorphan HBr
A cough suppressant. Well, actually, in the body it becomes dextrorphan, a cough suppressant, and levorphanol, a painkiller five times as powerful as morphine. Like PCP and ketamine, DXM is also an NMDA receptor antagonist, so the National Institute on Drug Abuse lists it as a "dissociative" drug. Twelve times the recommended dose of NyQuil leads to distorted perceptions of sight and sound and produces feelings of detachment — dissociation — from the environment and oneself. For people whose bodies are unusually slow at metabolizing the drug, even low doses of DXM trigger full-blown "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" psychedelic trips.

Doxylamine succinate
Officially, this ingredient is on the label as an antihistamine. But it is equally useful as a sleep aid, providing a nice, convenient one-two... Zzzz.

[GoingToMakeIt]

One thing to worry about is the huge amount of Tylenol your liver is getting. 1 cup of Nyquil has about 8000mg in it!  Get your liver enzymes checked!

[lucyred68]

yes it could be harmful to you.  it contains a decongestant, which could be harmful to your heart and blood preasure when taken in large quantities.  sounds like you may as well get a bottle of wine and have a glass!

[NautyOne]

i would say that about 90% of the Nyquil sold is for people using it for sleep.  It don't think it has alcohol in it, but I used it every night for 10 years for sleep.  I personally don't think its that big of a deal, but 3 cups shows that u are building a tolerance and what do you do when it becomes half a bottle?  OTC are addicting.  Have you tried melatonin?  Not the kind you buy in the drugstore.  GNC has a sublingulal cherry flavored tablet. since your taking such a high dose of the nyquil ......I would probably go with the three milligram tablet or get the 1mg and just play with the dose.  I swear by it.  The drugstore brand is cra p  it doesn't work. When you take the sublingual  tabs.  they work very fast so take about an hour before sleep.  Lay in bed in a room as dimly lit as possible.  It doesnt work for everyone, ,but when it works ......it works.  worth a try?  a more natural alternative also.  Valerian root is also good and you can take them together.....i did that and I was zonked.  I would ask the pharmacist or the person at GNC about taking the two together just to be safe.  They may also have a blend of valerian and melatonin......so ask about that too.  Watch out for the valerian it has a horrible smell like a gas station men's room urinal....just some other safer options for you.  Try to stay away from the prescription sleep aids if possible.  You may have a little bit of a tough time for a week or so, so try to be patient.

good luck,
Nauty............

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

I'm getting over the flu and have used nyquil through the years for flu and colds etc. It is 10% alcohol or the generic brands are. It can't be good for you to take it every night. Can you start weaning your doses down and get off it. Your sleep should return to normal I would think after a few nights without it. I'm just guessing

[flmagi]

I'm not real sure about this problem. I know there is alcohol in nyquil, but I'm pretty sure you've just become dependant on a sleep aid. Have you even tried to sleep without it some nites? I'm sure it will be hard at first and may take a while to fall asleep but after a few days or so, you should be fine. Sorry, I just don't know what to say about this. Someone else will be on in the AM and maybe can help.