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[Closed] Best over the counter sleeping tablets...

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Any recommendations, anxious mind vs jet lag, need to get into it quickly so would like a good first nights sleeps...


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 5:42 pm
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Not tablets, but when required I use Covonia cough mixture night time formula. Not sure what the active ingredients are that make you drowsy but an hour or so after taking it I definitely sleep easier.


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 6:47 pm
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Night Nurse works for me!


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 6:51 pm
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Night Nurse contains promethazine - you can buy promethazine tablets (often branded 'phenergan') over the counter.

I used them for seasickness - works for me by making me very drowsy. If you are heading to US, then you could pick some melatonin there from large grocery stores, CVS pharmacy etc. Works for some people. IANADr.


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 6:59 pm
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Cheeky chug works well


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 7:03 pm
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I used to find Nytol helped after a night's clubbing. Not the herbal stuff, the proper chemical ones.


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 7:09 pm
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Herbal nytol work a treat for me.
Could be the placebo effect, but I can’t stay awake after a couple of those, and get a proper deep sleep too. (I like normal where I wake up at least 3 times a night)

(Edit- Apple Watch sleep tracker confirms the difference in sleep quality)


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 7:09 pm
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Just ask for the “own brand” ones, they’re cheaper and the same thing.


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 7:34 pm
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Read it as " bent over the counter"


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 7:48 pm
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Where are you flying to? That might have a bearing on what drugs should or should not be in your system when you get there! Gabapentin knock me for six if you have any!


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 7:52 pm
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Horlicks works for me usually. However when Ill night nurse knocks me for 6,!


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 8:08 pm
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Where are you flying to?

Orlando for work tomorrow.   Thanks for the tips, looks like night nurse on the way through the airport.

Boots do own brand Valerian - any good?


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 8:13 pm
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Sominex is really good, takes two/three hours to get over the grogginess though


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 8:25 pm
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Can you get melatonin in the UK ? That works very well, and is cheap as chips in Holland.


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 8:33 pm
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Ambien if you can get it, but it's usually US prescription only.  Otherwise Boots over the counter works well - just accept it's going to work and then go back to sleep.


 
Posted : 05/04/2019 9:01 pm
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Actifed decongestant works for me. Drys you a bit though.


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 9:19 am
 MSP
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Melatonin works for jet lag and shift work sleep problems, it doesn't work for other kinds of sleep problems.

St Johns wort and/or htp5, for anxiety sleep problems (ie racing mind while trying to sleep), but only to take the edge of mild cases.


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 9:30 am
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Any old fashioned antihistamine (diphenhydramine). This is what Nytol is. They charge about £7 for some obsolete hayfever treatment that probably costs about 1p a tab. That's pharma...


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 11:36 am
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Argentina had some good over the counter sleeping tablets, basically diazepan. I struggle to sleeping on planes usually but they did the trick.


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 1:30 pm
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Can you get melatonin in the UK

script only on australia. dont buy homeopathic version as it's like weak as.

phenergan works. 25mg would be a good start. i sonetimes take 50mg after a night shift but it leaves to feeling a bit hungover when you wake so i prefer not to use it.

ive just got 20 diazepam which is for a neck injury that flares up. relaxes me and side effect is makes me sleep great. im flying to uk from oz so i'll take a couple and have 5mg each leg of the journey and a large brandy. thanks emirates!


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 1:39 pm
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enable the blue light filter on your phone too as the blue light stimulates your pineal gland and basically prepares your body to rise n shine


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 1:41 pm
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Ambien

Personally I'd avoid this. Read up on it. Too many horror stories of people sleep walking to the extremes. One guy cooked a dinner, ate it, went to bed. Woke up next day with wife saying WTF were you doing. He had no recollection. It's called zolpidem in Aus.


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 1:44 pm
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Melatonin is the only "over the counter," thing that's worked for me, swear by it for jetlag. Not available here but may be over the counter wherever you are flying to, alternatively Lloyds online doctor will give it to you via an online prescription, though it's pricey this way.


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 4:21 pm
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Been watching this thread with interest and decided to try some HTP5 tablets, I'll report back if they do any good.
I have no trouble getting off to sleep (usually by 10 pm) but due to my 43 year old bladder I wake up every night between 2 and 3 am. I then have a less than 50% chance of getting back off to sleep. Seems to be mainly work stuff keeping me awake, mind racing about what I need to do the next day and what's been happening the previous. I know it's much better when I'm off. Although I'm a bit of a coffee fiend I mostly avoid it after 12 so I don't think its a contributory.
It's having a massive impact on my quality of life and on the days I haven't been able to nod back off I'm knackered by midday and have virtually no enthusiasm for anything.


 
Posted : 06/04/2019 4:40 pm
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Good sleep hygiene is vital. Limit screen time, or use blue light filter. Milky drink, warm shower, lavender oil. Exercise in the day so you're not activated later at night and your body is physically tired. Meds are such a subjective field as what works for one does jack for another. Often meds that get you to sleep can leave you feeling like you've slept too much and hungover / groggy in the morning.

Mind racing is common and thinking about stuff that happened 20 years ago is a litle trick your mind does and you lie there thinking why can't I sleep. Good luck with the htp-5. One of the psychiatrists I work with swears by Circadin (melatonin). Mirtazapine is also good. It's essentially and anti-depressant but also can work wonders for sleep.


 
Posted : 07/04/2019 5:09 am
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I've tried them all except htp 5 . As mentioned above the older sedating antihistamines like promethazine, diphenhydramine , doxylamine succinate, etc work quite well particularly if you double the dose but you'll probably want to sleep longer in the morning due to finally being tranquilized! melatonin not so effective for me except in higher dosages like 10mg and I felt was less effective than the the histamines...also felt a bit dodgy afterwards.
Very strong home made Valerian root tea with hops etc has little effect personally ..YMMV. Same with any of the herbal tablets but again it's probably down to the individual. Finally ...a substance called Phenibut ( legal status debatable ) is readily available and VERY effective ..make you feel great too the first few times but you have to be careful about taking too regularly.( same goes for antihistamines but for different reasons ).


 
Posted : 07/04/2019 9:26 am
 DezB
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Sominex contains the same ingredient as Night Nurse. They work.
I’ve stopped taking all pills now, was becoming reliant on them so have a spare few Zopiclone if you want me to stick them in the post. Don’t tell anyone though 😉
Nytol also work well for me, but don’t do anything for others.


 
Posted : 07/04/2019 9:42 am
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Exercise, nice meal (No alcohol) and pre sleep coitus. Or a whank.

Works a treat.


 
Posted : 07/04/2019 10:46 am
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Well sat here in Dubai after an 11 hour flight from Perth. Had a couple of Hennessey's on the plane. Sat next to an auld couple who began eating boiled sweets the moment they sat down. Crunching loudly I decided it wasn't going to be long until the diaz came out. Managed the meal even though I was last to be served as the couldn't find my diabetic meal. Watched the movie Gotti and really enjoyed it. Then decided to take 10mg of diazepam. Worked a **** treat. Woken by the steward waving breakfast in my face. Now satin Dubs with an 8 hour flight next. So, personally speaking, diazepam worked a treat.


 
Posted : 08/04/2019 4:52 am
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Or a whank

whats this? An upper class pleasure technique?


 
Posted : 08/04/2019 5:40 am
 DezB
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diazepam worked a treat

this available "over the counter"?
Is a coitus or a whank, for that matter? (both of which actually keep me awake with feelings of guilt and shame 😆 )


 
Posted : 08/04/2019 11:59 am
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whats this? An upper class pleasure technique?

Naw, swear filter avoidance.


 
Posted : 08/04/2019 12:14 pm
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Thread update! for anyone who's interested.

I have no trouble getting off to sleep (usually by 10 pm) but due to my 43 year old bladder I wake up every night between 2 and 3 am. I then have a less than 50% chance of getting back off to sleep. Seems to be mainly work stuff keeping me awake, mind racing about what I need to do the next day and what’s been happening the previous.

I started taking HTP5 off the back of this thread, 400mg a night for the last 3 weeks. I've put off replying in case I was just experiencing a placebo affect but I've only had 2 bad nights sleep since I started taking them, a massive improvement.
I sometimes feel slightly groggy in the morning but I think this is just because the quality of the sleep I'm getting is so much better.


 
Posted : 02/05/2019 8:43 am
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We used to eat that stuff back in the day to help is get off to sleep after a weekend bender.

Check your dosage if you're using regularly, maybe speak to your GP. serotonin syndrome looks pretty nasty


 
Posted : 02/05/2019 8:53 am
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Horlicks with nightnurse


 
Posted : 02/05/2019 8:57 am