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Does Anyone Use Benadryl For Insomnia?

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Kb3

I was just wondering if anyone has successfully used benadryl for their PTSD related insomnia? I am currently taking 75mgs of Seroquel for sleep and anxiety/depression.

The Seroquel works all night, every night, but let's face it, it doesn't have the world's best side effect profile, so I have been trying to get off of it. Today I read that at the dose that I am at it really is no more than an expensive dose of Benadryl (now I find out:eek:).

It also apparently doesn't have any antidepressant/antipsychotic properties under 200mgs which I find hard to believe because I crashed big time when I went from 75 to 50 mgs last winter. Maybe it was placebo related, but at the time it certainly didn't feel like it.

I have read that Benadryl can cause nightmares which I definitely don't need, and that it stops working after about a week or so - can anyone tell me of their experiences with it?
 
Yes, my T recommended Benadryl to me -- I have a ten+ year history of insomnia and night terrors. It is sold under so many names -- just look for diphenhydramine as the sole active ingredient in 25mg doses. I've used it off and on for the past two months but am now on a three week stint using it nightly. I haven't noticed any wane in its effects. I sleep through the night...which, seriously, I could cry just thinking about how great that is, lol.
 
Thank you!

I'm so happy that you found something to help you sleep - insomnia is the PITS!!
 
I also take diphenhydramine for sleep too!

How well it works for me depends on the day. On some days when I am preoccupied and anxious with racing thoughts, I will take 50 mg and still be wide awake through out the night. Some nights I will get spacey but won't be able to fall asleep - get woken up right when I am about to fall asleep. Other days when I am more relaxed, 25 mg of diphenhydramine will do the job:)

Usually takes an hour and a half to kick in. I also find it to work better if I take acetaminophen with it.
 
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Thanks Bluekitty!

What you describe with the racing thoughts sounds similar to what happens to me. It would take me hours to drop off and then I would wake up around 4:30/5 after a nightmare and have to go through the same process until I would fall back to sleep for an hour or less. I was averaging about 4 -6 hours of broken sleep a night and some nights would be much worse. I'm somebody who loves my sleep and is really badly affected by a lack of it, so when my shrink offered me some Seroquel and it worked so well I was thrilled.

I wonder if I could eventually try to use Benadryl and valerian and have some Seroquel around to put me out if I haven't managed to sleep well for a few nights in a row. It would be best if I didn't have to use anything at all, but realistically speaking, it is unlikely that I will ever really be able to dodge the occasional bout of insomnia.

I'm also trying to do some work with my therapist on trying not to be too bothered when I can't sleep. If I could even achieve just that I would be so much better off:).
 
I take Klonopin for sleep. My mind will not shut off. Benedryl has to opposite effect on me, it hypes me up.

Klonopin is for anxiety, and from what I understand from my T, anxiety is what keeps me awake.

I have to sleep with the TV on. If I concentrate on what I'm watching, usually "Cheers" or something else "safe" on Nick at Night, I can go to sleep for a few hours. I usually have a good night of sleep every 3-4 weeks or so, I guess when my body just gets so exhausted I basically pass out.

I don't do caffeine, it usually sends me over the edge.

And I try not to play the "if I go to sleep in the next 20 minutes I will get X hours of sleep" that just makes me more anxious. I've found it works best not to pressure myself. I know just resting your body helps, and when you need sleep, your body will get it.

I hope this helps, even a little.
 
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And I try not to play the "if I go to sleep in the next 20 minutes I will get X hours of sleep" that just makes me more anxious. I've found it works best not to pressure myself. I know just resting your body helps, and when you need sleep, your body will get it.

I hope this helps, even a little.

It does - thank you!
 
I have tried Benadryl, melatonin, unisom, and now I am on Ambien.

Benadryl works well but my body got used to it over time and I started to see less effect with it. However, it had no side effects that I noticed. I will probably go back to it a bit as the Ambien has started giving me crazy dreams and not keeping me asleep for long enough.
 
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I have found that switching your sleep meds around often, night to night is a good trick. Maybe if you took benadryl last night, take the melatonin and valarian or alteril the next night. On the third night take your ambien, lunesta or restoril. On the fourth night if you have it take a little ativan or xanax or maybe valium.
Jumping around on the meds like this I think works really well and you won't feel as if your body is getting used to the meds. I have managed this for a long time without upping the dose on anything, although I found only 30mg doses of restoril were effective in my case. Maintaining a good sleep schedule has kept the daytime anxiety/panic away pretty well also, so I haven't had to use the xanax during the day so much. I try not to take it for sleep either, saving it for emergencies instead. But working with a few different meds and alternating has worked just fine.
 
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