hey everyone. i have a question. my insurance dont cover sleeping meds and i was wondering what the cheapest generic one was. thank you so much.
cathy
sleeping pills
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cathy
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Guest
Welcome!
You should probably see your doctor and have him/her prescribe you something. There are lots of reasons why you may have insomnia and you want to be sure you are prescribed the right meds.
There is over the counter stuff (Tylenol PM), but I have never found that stuff to be effective. Melatonin and other herbal remedies help some people.
Search for 'sleep hygiene' for tips on relaxation and good sleep habits.
Good luck!
You should probably see your doctor and have him/her prescribe you something. There are lots of reasons why you may have insomnia and you want to be sure you are prescribed the right meds.
There is over the counter stuff (Tylenol PM), but I have never found that stuff to be effective. Melatonin and other herbal remedies help some people.
Search for 'sleep hygiene' for tips on relaxation and good sleep habits.
Good luck!
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Sleepless on LI
- Posts: 3997
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Long Island, New York
As I have found out, melatonin is very tricky. It was told to me that you can't trust the amount they put in every tablet since it is not a substance that is monitored by the FDA and they can put in way more than what you need, and actually end up causing you a disruption in your sleep cycle. It worked for me for two nights only and then I eventually stopped taking it.
I take Lunesta OCCASSIONALLY, but it is expensive and I don't believe there is a generic. I was told, though, by someone on the site that CVS and other drug stores sells Simply Sleep which is just the sleeping substance that is put into Tylenol PM. Maybe that is something to look into. But be careful you don't psychologically cause yourself to rely on this type of chemical to help you sleep. That is the reason I only take the Lunesta once in awhile. I need a pill addiction like I need severe OSA.
Also, check with your doctor before taking any type of sleeping pill and make sure he/she thinks this is okay to do. We don't know if you have any other extenuating circumstances or medical conditions and it may not be the right move for you. Good luck.
I take Lunesta OCCASSIONALLY, but it is expensive and I don't believe there is a generic. I was told, though, by someone on the site that CVS and other drug stores sells Simply Sleep which is just the sleeping substance that is put into Tylenol PM. Maybe that is something to look into. But be careful you don't psychologically cause yourself to rely on this type of chemical to help you sleep. That is the reason I only take the Lunesta once in awhile. I need a pill addiction like I need severe OSA.
Also, check with your doctor before taking any type of sleeping pill and make sure he/she thinks this is okay to do. We don't know if you have any other extenuating circumstances or medical conditions and it may not be the right move for you. Good luck.
L o R i
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Guest
tylenol pm
Just to clarifyTylenol PM is Tylenol with Benadryl combined in the same pill.
Both are offered as generics:
Tylenol=Acetaminophen
Benadryl=Diphenhydramine
Both are offered as generics:
Tylenol=Acetaminophen
Benadryl=Diphenhydramine
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cathy
Sleeping pills okay to use with OSA?
Hello All,
I'm just curious ... I was told, and I can't remember by who, that persons with OSA should not take sleeping pills of any sort. If I recall, the argument is that they can "relax" the muscles even more and actually make the obstruction in the airway worse. Am I misinformed about this? I was suprised to hear so many folks on this forum talking baout using sleeping pills when I thought they were to be avoided like the plague!
I don't use them often, but there have been several occasions when I wish that I could have. My wife uses the generic (Wal-Mart) version of the sleep ingredient in Tylenol PM as well ... they're super cheap and they're very effective for her. I wouldn't take 'em all the time, but I'd love to know if it's okay for me to take 'em occasionally.
Thanks!
Shawn
I'm just curious ... I was told, and I can't remember by who, that persons with OSA should not take sleeping pills of any sort. If I recall, the argument is that they can "relax" the muscles even more and actually make the obstruction in the airway worse. Am I misinformed about this? I was suprised to hear so many folks on this forum talking baout using sleeping pills when I thought they were to be avoided like the plague!
I don't use them often, but there have been several occasions when I wish that I could have. My wife uses the generic (Wal-Mart) version of the sleep ingredient in Tylenol PM as well ... they're super cheap and they're very effective for her. I wouldn't take 'em all the time, but I'd love to know if it's okay for me to take 'em occasionally.
Thanks!
Shawn
I may be speaking incorrectly, but I would assume that your statement that it makes it worse is likely true in the same way that drinking alcohol makes apnea worse.
But I believe I have read comments that this is the case when not on a CPAP, as a CPAP should prevent it either way. Where I am unclear is if a worsened case due to alcohol or pills requires a higher pressure to correct. I wasn't sure if there was a correlation there or not.
Apnea@22
But I believe I have read comments that this is the case when not on a CPAP, as a CPAP should prevent it either way. Where I am unclear is if a worsened case due to alcohol or pills requires a higher pressure to correct. I wasn't sure if there was a correlation there or not.
Apnea@22
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WillSucceed
- Posts: 1031
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:52 am
- Location: Toronto, Ontario
Any medication that has muscle relaxant properties (the benzodiazapines, like Valium, Serax, Ativan, etc., drugs like Robaxin, Robaxicet, etc.,) as well as alcohol (which does have clear muscle relaxant action) should be avoided as it can easily make the muscles around the airway be floppy, contributing to worsened OSA.
Some of the sleeping medications don't have muscle relaxant action and are, at times, used by people with OSA. I know that I have read on this forum of patients being given sleeping medication for their sleep study. I think I recall the medication name ->Ambien. I'm not sure about this as we don't have Ambien here in Canada.
I know there is a pharmacist that reviews this forum periodically ->perhaps he can offer some insight.
Some of the sleeping medications don't have muscle relaxant action and are, at times, used by people with OSA. I know that I have read on this forum of patients being given sleeping medication for their sleep study. I think I recall the medication name ->Ambien. I'm not sure about this as we don't have Ambien here in Canada.
I know there is a pharmacist that reviews this forum periodically ->perhaps he can offer some insight.
Buy a new hat, drink a good wine, treat yourself, and someone you love, to a new bauble, live while you are alive... you never know when the mid-town bus is going to have your name written across its front bumper!
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cathy
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walleyek
Alluna
I tried Ambien for a while, but like a lot of you, didn't need dependence on a sleeping pill.
I did some research and found an herbal alternative called Alluna. I've used it now for 4 nights and have slept great and not been groggy in the mornings.
Here is a website on Alluna: http://allunasleep.com/
About $8 bux for 24 tablets. Only drawback is they smell bad. The other night after taking the tablets out of the package my 5 year-old told me I had 'really stinky feet', when it was really the Alluna.
I did some research and found an herbal alternative called Alluna. I've used it now for 4 nights and have slept great and not been groggy in the mornings.
Here is a website on Alluna: http://allunasleep.com/
About $8 bux for 24 tablets. Only drawback is they smell bad. The other night after taking the tablets out of the package my 5 year-old told me I had 'really stinky feet', when it was really the Alluna.
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Sleepless on LI
- Posts: 3997
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Long Island, New York
walleyek,
The immediate response I have to this is, it's like taking melatonin. It is not regulated since it's a supplement and you don't know how much you're taking, first off. Second, if it's like melatonin and too much of it can actually cause a disruption in your sleep cycle, then you can't tell what is going to happen. From what everyone told me, since the herbal/natural supplements are not monitored by the FDA, the amount of "medicine" the pill contains may be way more than is supposed to be in each pill and instead of doing its job may end up harming what it is supposed to be helping. I know it sounds crazy, but at least when you take a prescription drug, it is monitored by the FDA and should have the appropriate amount of the medicine in each tablet you take and so if taken as prescribed and not abused, you are on the safe side.
If you don't need the sleeping aids of any kind, don't take them (my opinion, of course). The last thing anyone needs is to become reliant on a sleep aid on top of having OSA. And just because something is non-narcotic doesn't mean you won't develop a psychological dependence on them. If you have to use them, use them sparingly and ONLY when absolutely necessary.
Thanks for the information, though. I had never heard of this before you mentioned it.
The immediate response I have to this is, it's like taking melatonin. It is not regulated since it's a supplement and you don't know how much you're taking, first off. Second, if it's like melatonin and too much of it can actually cause a disruption in your sleep cycle, then you can't tell what is going to happen. From what everyone told me, since the herbal/natural supplements are not monitored by the FDA, the amount of "medicine" the pill contains may be way more than is supposed to be in each pill and instead of doing its job may end up harming what it is supposed to be helping. I know it sounds crazy, but at least when you take a prescription drug, it is monitored by the FDA and should have the appropriate amount of the medicine in each tablet you take and so if taken as prescribed and not abused, you are on the safe side.
If you don't need the sleeping aids of any kind, don't take them (my opinion, of course). The last thing anyone needs is to become reliant on a sleep aid on top of having OSA. And just because something is non-narcotic doesn't mean you won't develop a psychological dependence on them. If you have to use them, use them sparingly and ONLY when absolutely necessary.
Thanks for the information, though. I had never heard of this before you mentioned it.
L o R i
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Guest