Experience with sedating antihistamines?

Posted , 3 users are following.

hi all i am 4 and a half weeks in to second time of citalopram. i cant get to sleep at the moment without taking 0.5mg of lorazepam and really worried about addiction and withdrawal so need to try something else. we cant get hydroxyzine here so its basically diphenhydramine (benadryl or unisom sleep gels) or phenergan (promethazine). Anyone taken these to help with anxiety/sleep? thanks heaps

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    i take benadryl for sleep with no problem.melotonin gave me a bad headache.

    • Posted

      oh great thanks Lois - how much do you take and how long have you been taking it ? i have unisom sleep gels which have the same stuff in them. they are 50mg. do they make you sleepy the next day? im thinking i shoukd try them instead of the lorazepam as im so worried about the withdrawals. ive taken 0.5 daily for 12 days now so could already have withdrawal issues according to some other people

    • Posted

      i take 20milli.of benadryl .been taking it for one year.when needed.

    • Posted

      at first they made me drowsy .but that was only for the first week of taking the benadryl.after that no drowsiness.

    • Posted

      HI tamsin, you are very wise to try stop benzo, coming off zopiclone caused my current problems. I occasionally take phenergan, but I do find it wacks up the anxiety the next day. I did get hydroxyzine from private scrip but didn'T make lot difference. Think the anti-histamines are Ok occasionally but not good too often can have side effects long term. When i was taking citalopram i found switching to taking it a night eased the sleep problems. i drink chamomile tea in the evening that helps. Not sleeping is horrible whatever you try think the main thing is not too take it too often even anti histamines. Wouldn't think after 12 days the benzo would cause you too many problems if you taper off.

  • Posted

    i take benadryl for sleep with no problem.melotonin gave me a bad headache.

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