help fall asleep with antihistamine but do not want side effect

[young707]

I always have difficulties going to sleep since youngster. I am 65 years old, retired, living in Northern California.

To help fall asleep, I tried Melatonin, but often is not seem effective.
I regularly take antihistamine to help fall asleep. Costco sells Diphenhydramine HCI 25mg at good price.

But if I take this antihistamine 3 nights in a row, I develop this cough, ring in my ear and general not-alertness.

Is there anything similar to antihistamine to help fall asleep out there, but without this side effect?

[dancey41]

5 years since your last post but my reply might be helpful to someone: a non-histamine sleep aid that works well for me is Calms Forte, a herbal mixture. Ask your pharmacist where it is shelved, if not with other  sleep aids.I cut into 1/4 with pill splitter. Only downside  is long half-life.
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[young707]

I do not know why it has always hard for me to go asleep since youngseter. For example, I never able to sleep on those 16 hours international flights.

I have no accidents or injuries or illness that I can think of. No coffee nor tea nor smoking nor hard drinking. No spicey food. No heavy sugar food. Just one or two fruit such as orange, apple, watermellon or grapes. May be a lite beer once a week. Soda is no-caffeine diet type, but perfer 100% juice.

After visited several over the counter drug stores (such as Walmart, CVS, etc) I found most OTC sleep aids (similar to Nytol) are all basically antihistamines - diphenhydramine hydrocholride HCI 25mg or doxylamine Succinate 25mg.

[young707]

ok, thank you. I assume there is no solution for avoiding this antihistamine side effects.

I wonder why all the over the counter drug stores are pushing this "sleep aids" so hard?

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

As mentioned the side effect of antihistamines is sedation. This effect wears away with use over extended periods, a condition referred to as tolerance. You should avoid supplementing medications to sleep and should try to adopt good sleep hygiene measures. These include measures like going to bed at the same time, waking up at the same time, avoidance of alcohol, smoking and caffeinated beverages. Maintain warm, comfortable bedroom environment and engage in relaxing activities like a warm bath before bed time. Hope This Helped

[young707]

antihistamine is over the counter drug for allergy problem, but increasing used for sleep aid

[Chakravarthy Mazumdar, MBBS]

Hi'

Thanks for the query

You shoud avoid these as it is their side effect. You should instead  use safer  formulations after consulting your doctor.  

"Wish you Good Health."