Sleep Aid

[Jafib]

Anyone use children’s Benadryl or Unisom to help sleep? Or another remedy? My doctor actually suggested the children’s Benadryl but it was the first time I ever saw him, he is a family med doc and may not have been aware yet that I have controlled afib…

[jeanjeannie50]

My GP prescribes me a low dose of a sleeping pill called Zopiclone. It's awful not to have a good nights sleep - I can remember the days before it was prescribed, not sleeping would make me feel like I had flu. How I envy those who can sleep naturally. Years ago I would occasionally take Night Nurse Liquid, that really knocks you out, but I don't know if it reacts with any pills you may be on. At the time I didn't take any.

Jean

[actionteddy in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Yes I have been on a low dose of zopiclone for many years as have had sleep problems including panic attacks for a long time.,still don't get a full night's sleep but without them would get none at all.Funny thing is I doze of in the evening,very annoying

[Desanthony]

My niece used to take it when her little boy - now 30 was poorly and keeping her awake at night. It was a case of one spoonful for him and two for her

[DawnTX]

I have used it for years and years mainly for allergies when I have itching that will not stop but yes it also knocks me out. I am a lightweight when it comes to meds so do not want to take a regular sleeping pill. I have anxiety pills but I am gone for the rest of the day if I take one of those. You can always run it by your doctor to make sure it’s OK.

[10gingercats]

Pholcodene worked for me.Only one teaspoon gave me a few hours sleep if not a whole night when i had all night coughing .Used it too for insomnia. Also had Zopiclone on prescription but not for long term But it does help... without addiction in my case.

[SeanJax]

if you are on flecainide you cannot take either one of them since it will cause QT issues. Go to drugs.com to check the compatibility between your current treatment and the two sleeping aids.

[Jafib in reply to SeanJax]

Great site - thanks for the lead! Anyway, I looked at flecainide and unisom sleep tabs and there was no interaction listed. Did you find something different?

[SeanJax in reply to Jafib]

I would go with clonazepam and magnesium at bed time to stay on the safe side. Lunesta might be another alternative option and both of them are controlled substances so you need a PCP with DEA number to prescribe it. Magnesium at bedtime is a marvelous supplement to calm your anxiety and give you a deep sleep as we said sleep like a baby. I would not take Benadryl or Unisom under any circumstances if I had Afib. There is current ongoing study to establish relationship between Unisom and Afib. I would even avoid Temazepam.

[Gilli54 in reply to SeanJax]

can you tell me more about what dose and type of magnesium. Can it be taken with flecainide and bisoprolol? I also take levothyroxine as I have no thyroid and warfarin.

I take vitamin D daily and a calcium tablet from the Vitabiotics Osteocare brand. Usually the effervescent or chewable one. I take those 4 hours away from my levothyroxine.

I’ve heard about magnesium at bedtime and also foot soaks and would love to try it.

[Poochmom in reply to Jafib]

I commented above but I’ve used sleep aid comparable to Unisom for years. I took flecanaide as a PIP before my mini maze and I never had any interaction with the sleep aid.

[Jafib in reply to SeanJax]

SeanJax, can you guide me to an article or paper on the QT issue you mentioned? Thank you!

[mcpacs in reply to SeanJax]

"either on of them"....which drugs are you referring to that interact with Flecainide?

Thanks

[mav7]

Consult with your GP. Drugs with antihistamines are not always best. Side effects of some afib medications can cause insomnia.

Have you tried Melatonin ? Good starter drug for sleep aide but check with your GP.

Went to GP recently with this issue (among others) and was prescribed Mirtazapine. Have not yet tried as I have been sleeping fairly well.

[Cassag in reply to mav7]

I was also prescribed mertazapan but didn't take when I read the side effects. Also a friend tried it and could not tolerate it.

[mav7 in reply to Cassag]

Will check that out

Thx !

[Poochmom]

I use a Costco brand sleep aid that is comparable to unison. Used it for years. It has never affected my AFib.

[PollyDoodle]

I suffered for many years until I read about the effects of caffeine. I cut out all tea and coffee after 1pm. I used to take Chlorophenamine, a generic version of Piriton, which is in Nytol, sold to aid sleep. Now I only take it occasionally. Hope this helps

[Ppiman]

The usual suggestion from doctors, so unwilling as they are to prescribe a prescription sleep aid, is to advise people to buy, over-the-counter, a product based on an older antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (e.g. Benadryl and Nytol) or chlorphenamine (e.g. Pirition). It's actually much cheaper to buy the generic tablets from a pharmacy or online. The problem with antihistamines is that they can leave you feeling dopey the next day; also, they are very variable, I would say poor, at getting you to sleep. I’m not convinced that they are entirely safe in the long term, either, just because they are sold OTC.

With the general unwillingness to prescribe temazepam and nitrazepam, the older benzodiazepine sleeping tablets, probably the most effective sleep aids currently prescribed are the "z" drugs, zolpidem or zopiclone. These bring on sleep very quickly and need to be taken once you’ve settled down to sleep, but have a very short duration of action of 2-4 hours. They are very mild in effect such that if you are disturbed you will wake up normally and feel no more groggy than if you hadn’t taken them, meaning also that you are much less likely to feel any effects the next day. In many years of intermittent use myself, and knowing a few other people over the years who have used them, I know of no one who has become addicted to this type of tablet or whom they have stopped working for, nor who needed to increase their dose over time to keep them working (all arguments often given against them). They seem, apart from their short duration of action, to be rather good at what they do. They do not make me generally feel groggy the next day and can be taken during the night (up to say 3.30am) if need be. They would be ideal if they had a slightly longer duration of action as they get you to sleep rather than keep you asleep.

Steve

[BrotherThomas]

I also use zopiclone and have done for a number of years without problems. How3ever, my GP claims that they are addictive and lose potency if you take them for a long period and, for that reason she will only let me have 7 pills a month. I have found that I can cut them in half and a half-dose, 3.75mg, will give me about 5 hours sleep and occasionally 6, which I can manage on quite easily.

Although, I can only take half a tablet 3 or 4 times a week, I'm certainly not addicted to them despite taking them for several years now. On the nights I don't take any, I wake up after about 2 hours sleep, am awake for about 2 hours them usually manage another hour of sleep before I wide awake and get up.

I take bisoprolol, amiodarone and apixaban for Afib, allopurinol for gout, atorvastatin and Ramipril too.

[Maggimunro]

hi Jafib

My best sleep aid is listening to audio books on Audible. I wake in the morning several chapters on, but that is fine.

However, on those nights when nothing seems to work, I take Zopiclone 3.75 and it works a treat. I get through about one and a half packets a year, so the medics aren’t concerned that I am habituated to it.

[Linkj]

As a lifelong insomniac I find acupuncture really helps. Also the Calm app sleep stories. I think it is a bit like reading bedtime stories to your children, it stops my mind gymnastics at night, especially useful when I wake after a few hours and can’t go back to sleep. I have terrible back pain at the moment and Co-codymol with CBD oil and I am sleeping like the dead!! Only a short term solution I know.

[fairgo45 in reply to Linkj]

How much CBD oil do you take ?

[Linkj in reply to fairgo45]

I have only just started, I buy it in Holland & Barrett, subliguinal 25mg. Evidence wise the jury is out, not much research done. I think it helps

[Danceawaytheblues]

I take Piriteze when I have trouble sleeping, I find that I get a good 10 hours sleep with it. I don`t take it every night but if I have had a run of 2-3 bad nights it`s my go-to.

[Peacefulneedshelp]

my Dr also said to use Benadryl which I do on occasion. But I am on only 1 medication. I take 20ml of melatonin which does nothing for me but since we need melatonin anyway I still take it. Melatonin is the Ying to Vitamin D. Lots of research has been done on this.

[DesertTrailRunner]

decades ago I used it. It’s OK for adults mainly because it’s safe for children.

However, if the adult who wants to use Benadryl has any kind of a prostate problem, he should not use Benadryl because it can cause difficulty in urination.

[Jafib]

Thank you all for your experiences, suggestions, etc. Very helpful!

[Jafib]

Asked my PCP and Cardiologist and got these responses:

PCP: "I would stick to things like melatonin and antihistamines to avoid complications with your arrythmia as most others are going to be sedatives which can adversely affect those."

Cardiologist: "Over the counter melatonin is ok. Otherwise, you may want to discuss with your PCP."

Not quite the responses I was expecting...