Sleep meds getting scarce?

Any other insomniacs having trouble finding OTC sleep meds? I have gone to several stores in the last two months and for the first time in recent memory the shelves are consistently bare. This came up as a side topic in a different thread and apparently I'm not the only one who noticed it.
Generic for unisom max or equivelent. 50mg Diphenhydramine.
I know they use it in cold meds but those products are on the shelf so it doesn't appear to be a shortage of ingredients.

reply to post by Trublbrwing


yeah my dad takes sleep meds and they always have at least 10-15 bottles. But he called me yesterday and said they were out. They've never been out before...

Just buy the store brand of the benedryl type drug. It's just diphenhydramine. I have "Rite Aid Allergy Medication" right here..."Antihistamine diphenhydramine HCI .25 mg" 200 tablet bottle cost me about 5 or 6 USD.

I take 2 almost every night and sleep fine.

I'd have to find a link but if I recall there was a recall of diphenhydramine recently. A good substitute is doxylamine succinate - which is available as a generic at Wal Mart. Or you could try melatonin for the interim.

~Heff

I had to wait 5 days for the pharmacy to fill my ambien CR script. They were out!

Never had more than a 24 hour tourn around before.

Originally posted by MzMorbid
Just buy the store brand of the benedryl type drug. It's just diphenhydramine. I have "Rite Aid Allergy Medication" right here..."Antihistamine diphenhydramine HCI .25 mg" 200 tablet bottle cost me about 5 or 6 USD.

I take 2 almost every night and sleep fine.

Just don't take them if you have HBP!

They make the issue worse over time.

Magnetic anomalies may cause sleep disturbances so, read into that what you will...

I haven't noticed a shortage here in Minnesota i see tons of it on the shelves.. I take ambien but that's a Dr script ..

reply to post by Hefficide


Are you sure you don't have that mixed up? The dramamine stuff is easier to find than the doxysu,,, stuff. At least that's been my experience. I could not find the doxy, and the benadryl with dramamine in generic was more available here. Maybe the big pharma is pushing for the prescription meds like Lunesta and Ambien (scary stuff)...I'm not sure what's going on but yes, I have noticed it here.

I wonder if they're trying to make access harder for some reason, maybe make people have to get a prescription? If they do that, the price will go up too.

I used to go to sleep on Gravol pills.
Just one, two maximum, and they're over the counter medication.
Other motion sickness pills often work just the same.
They also help hangovers (if ever necessary )

Best not to take every night, only when you really need the extra help falling asleep.
Taking your calcium supplement at night helps too.

Information regarding the Benadryl recall by the FDA.

Originally posted by queenofsheba
reply to post by Hefficide

 

Are you sure you don't have that mixed up? The dramamine stuff is easier to find than the doxysu,,, stuff. At least that's been my experience. I could not find the doxy, and the benadryl with dramamine in generic was more available here. Maybe the big pharma is pushing for the prescription meds like Lunesta and Ambien (scary stuff)...I'm not sure what's going on but yes, I have noticed it here.

edit on 11-3-2011 by queenofsheba because: spelling

Why is Ambien scary? I ahve taken it for about 5 years on and off give or take and have had no issues. It helps me sleep with the CPAP machine on since I am prety claustrophobic.

The only issue I have heard of is the munchies but you should follow the directions and take it and go TF to bed not stay up anyway. Also, there is a chance for you to have a sleep waking incident of lost time in the morning - I never had one but my wife did she couldn't remember driving to the store shortly after waking up. There are the freaky dreams for some people but I have also never had any of them.

reply to post by sugarcookie1


Hi sugar,
I had a really bad experience on Ambien. I took one before bed, and I got up in the middle of the night two times and took two more, for a total of three (it was after my brother died) and I woke up woozy and started throwing up, had to call in sick that day. I know it affects people differently but it was scary for me, I ended up throwing them out.

reply to post by Valendian

please i need someone to make this as a thread for me because i have only a new account and cannot... i think it may be a vision its really scaring me. It might Asteroid 2000 PN9 (Blue Kachina) and of Comet Elenin aka Nibiru (Red Kachina) PLEASE I BEG YOU can you post this as a new thread.. i am desperate for answers if anyone has had similar experience to this!!!!!!

Have you seen the dreams and predictions forum? There are threads that you can post your dream on, along with other people dreams and someone is likely to talk to you about your dream


Now, I am going to go google Asteroid 2000 PN9 to check it out.....

reply to post by Golf66


I can't take Ambien either. I am one of those people who blacks out on it. I'd take one, black out, and then remain awake for hours - apparently very buzzed and unaware - often taking more Ambien.

One night I took 16 of them, woke up the next day with my hear cut in half... Went to get stitches and threw away the Ambien.

~Heff

Originally posted by kosmicjack
Magnetic anomalies may cause sleep disturbances so, read into that what you will...

That's kind of what I'm fishing for here, I think there is a very recent, very significant increase in demand.
I'm sure there's sales data out there but it will be months before it gets posted, if at all.

reply to post by Golf66


Haha...No I don't; but thanks for the thought.

I hate taking pills though...I recently found out that one of my house plants was what they originally derived diphenhydramine from...but I don't know how I should prepare...I DO know that it can be toxic if you take too much, so I'm not messing with it till I know more.

reply to post by snowspirit


Hi! Taking a Calcium suppliment at bed time can lead to waking up with the leg cramps of agonizing proportions...
Try meletonin for becomming sleepy. It's an herb?

reply to post by Hefficide

That would certainly explain it, unfortunately the ones I buy are usually generic and only have the name of the retailer/ distributor and not the manufacturer, which would create a problem in the event of a recall since I have no idea who actually manufactured the product.