Doxylamine for Insomnia User Reviews (Page 2)

• 3rd...
• January 15, 2020

Doxylamine "I have tried melatonin (3 mg) to help sleep during the day, as I work 3rd shift, but it doesn't work as well as I'd like. So, I figured I would give Unisom a try. My head feels like a pressurized can ready to explode, headache, diarrhea, a slight labored breathing/weight on chest feeling, and completely lethargic. Missed work as a result. Won't be taking this again."

• Be...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 7, 2016

"I can only encourage everyone to be very careful with this stuff. There's a recent study from the University of Washington that shows how antihistamines and their anticholinergic effects are essentially a potential cause of dementia. They block the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain and body. 800 out of the 3,500 participants in the study developed early-onset dementia! I've been very successful using good herbal sleep aids."

• Cat...
• January 28, 2015

"I suffered from early waking insomnia for about twenty years. It mattered less when I was younger, I could always keep going. In the last few years, it became a problem to the extent that I refused invitations and avoided travel because I knew I would be sleepy, and the anxiety of having to do something the next day made the insomnia worse. I could fall asleep quite happily at 9 pm but then woke four hours later and often could not fall asleep again. I tried sleep restriction, zopiclone, and various natural remedies. Nothing worked. I have now been taking doxylamine succinate for 5 weeks, and it has been life-changing. I take half a 25 mg tablet when I wake at 1 am. It takes about an hour to kick in, but then I get a further 3-4 hours of sleep. Heaven."

• Sop...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 24, 2019

Doxylamine "I have insomnia from sinus surgery that was botched, resulting in empty nose syndrome. It screws up the internal sleeping clock. Awaiting surgery to fix it. My doctor recommended Unisom. I get the gel 50 mg pill, wow, that knocked me out cold. I was shocked. I decided it was too much since I'm a small person, so I got the 25 mg tablet. The next day I felt sleepy, dropsy all day, so I cut the tablet in half and will try that to see."

• Pau...
• December 5, 2015

"I've been taking doxylamine succinate for about 10 years, and it works great, much better than diphenhydramine and other over-the-counter aids, and at a much lower cost than prescription sleep aids. I used to work the graveyard shift for years and found that when I got a 'regular' job, I just couldn't sleep all night. Tried everything, this one's the best. Take a half pill if it makes you feel groggy, but I can shake off the grogginess more easily than I can shake off exhaustion from lack of sleep."

• nje...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2017

"I started experiencing insomnia after separation and subsequent divorce. Had 'back-end insomnia.' Basically, I could fall asleep for 2-3 hours but then would wake up. Suffered from this for 3 years. Basically, I have an underlying anxiety that nothing could overpower. Not Ambien, Lunesta, Zquil, melatonin, alcohol, valerian, etc. However, I got a cold and took Vicks nighttime decongestant. Slept like a baby. Awoke euphoric. It had doxylamine in it: 25 mg. Been on for 6 weeks. 25 mg a night. Sleep 7-8 every night. Often awake feeling great. Euphoria is the only side effect! Doxylamine is really good for me."

• Akm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2016

Doxylamine "Couldn't sleep last night. Finally at 3 am, I looked in the cabinet and found this. I took 2 blue tablets. 30 mins, I was asleep. A friend texted at 10 am, woke up, and I was extremely groggy, unsteady, and had heavy eyelids. Just felt weird. I drank a cup of coffee and was still groggy. Hours later, I still felt bad. Went back to bed at around 2. I decided to check out what the heck happened. Looks like I took too much. It did put me to sleep at the expense of my Saturday off feeling like crud. Will try 1 next time. 2 was too much for sure."

• Big...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 25, 2015

"I go right to sleep upon getting in bed about 11:00 PM, but without any sleep aid, I usually awake around 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM. For the past five years, I usually take half of a 25 mg doxylamine succinate tablet before going to bed, and that keeps me asleep until shortly before the 6:00 AM alarm goes off. No side effects. Solid sleep. Worth its weight in gold!"

• Pau...
• April 28, 2014

"Taking Doxylamine Succinate for insomnia and to help reduce alprazolam dose (anxiety) from 2 mg to 1 mg or less. Following the advice of the pharmacist, I took about 3/4 of a 25 mg tablet and that dose has allowed me to sleep well without any of the associated morning-after drowsiness. It has also enabled me to eliminate the night dose of alprazolam without difficulty (tapered down over 2 weeks, long-term user for 14 years). I am pleased with this progress and would say that Doxylamine Succinate has been a good choice for my needs. Time will tell."

• Aus...
• October 8, 2016

"I am a nurse and struggled with sleep while on night shift. I took half a Doxylamine (Restavit) and slept well. An hour after waking, I then went into fast atrial fibrillation (HR 160 - 200). I ended up in emergency, needing D/C cardioversion to revert me back to a normal rhythm. Though I have colleagues who have had good results with this medicine, I had a terrible experience and will never take it again. POTENTIALLY a very dangerous drug!!!! Be careful."

• Non...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 17, 2017

"My bedtime got later and later until it was early morning as I wasn't tired and never fell asleep when I went to bed. Brain was overactive continually. Bought a packet of Doxylamine and took one tab an hour before bedtime. Relaxation kicked in one and a half hours later, and I slept solidly for 12 hours! Totally useless the next day as groggy and no energy. The next night cut the tab into quarters, but that proved too little as I had no effect. Will take half a tab tonight, which hopefully will be the right amount. It relaxed tension and brain activity and teeth gritting, so for me, seems a muscle relaxant enabling my mind to let go and shut down. Subconscious anxiety is my problem that prevents sleep. I am a worrywart."

• Deb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 12, 2019

Doxylamine "Started taking doxylamine succinate (aka Unisom) for occasional sleeplessness about 6 weeks ago. I'm a 59-year-old woman, healthy, menopausal. Box says the dose is 25 mg. I started with 12.5 mg because I'm sensitive to most meds. It worked VERY well. I fell asleep fast and stayed asleep, no issues except maybe a mild drowsiness feeling during the day here or there. Fast forward to last week, I'm experiencing dizziness, mild balance issues, headache. Don't know if it's because I took it 3-4 days in a row sometimes and stopped for a day or two? I just know it's a bummer because it works, but this stupid dizziness and balance thing is hanging on into day 2, and I don't want to take it anymore because of that. They say it's 'not habit-forming.' I think my body got used to it and I'm 'withdrawing.'"

• Tar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 23, 2019

"This is the only sleep aid tablet that helps me after trying so many. Only take 1/4 about two hours before bedtime and puts me to deep sleep from 11 pm to 7 am with no side effects at all. Highly recommended to anyone that has a problem falling and staying asleep. At the counter, they tell you not to take for more than 10 days in a row, but I have taken it every day for months at a time and it still works. This was recommended to me by a pharmacist who said it was the best thing ever, and I agree."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 10, 2015

"Diphenhydramine didn't work for me, so I tried doxylamine. First night, took one 25 mg pill and was out within the hour, got a full eight hours, but woke up super groggy. The groggiest lasted most of the next day, definitely wasn't worth it. I tried it again two days later with only half a pill. Had the same great sleep with only minimal grogginess. I've continued to take 1/2 of a 25 mg pill 2-3 times a week when I know sleeping will be a struggle, with great results. I'd recommend anyone who experiences the sleep hangover to try a lower dose before writing it off."

• geo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 21, 2020

Doxylamine "Use this quite frequently. Helps me fall asleep fast and stay asleep for about 4 hours before a bathroom break. Occasional bad dreams, but not near as bad or frequent as other sleeping pills. Great price at Costco also."

• Doo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2016

Doxylamine "I am 24 years old. I had to stay awake during the nights of the last week due to a university exam. Four days after the exam is finished, I cannot sleep well because my bedtime has changed, and I feel so tired during the day. Last night at 2:45 am, I took one (50 mg) tab, and after 30-40 minutes, I slept deeply. At 9:00 am (after 6 hours), I woke up feeling a little bit heavy and sleepy, so I went back to sleep for another 2 hours. After that, I woke up feeling fresh and energetic, like I had a good continuous sleep through the night."

• Kka...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2020

"Doxylamine definitely knocks me out, but I feel odd the next day. My anxiety is through the roof and almost on the verge of panic attacks while feeling very irritable. I believe it stays in your system for quite some time, so this effect lasts all day. Probably not ideal for someone that already has anxiety."

• Gyp...
• September 14, 2019

"Introduced to this sleeping aid by a shift work nurse. Honestly, it is fabulous and benefits me tremendously, with only half a tablet. I wake mid-morning, 3 a.m., visit the bathroom, and fall back asleep again. Don't feel any side effects and feel so refreshed. Most taken 2-3 consecutive nights and ensure I do a lot of physical exercise or gardening to return to my natural sleep pattern. Honestly, folks, anything is worth trying before resorting to the more serious sleeping meds."

• Bug...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 8, 2017

"I have had sleep disorders all my life since I was about 12. I am now 60. I have sleep apnea and have been using a sleep machine now for 10 years. I, too, am a worrywart, and when my cortisol kicks in, I'll go for weeks without sleep. I've always used over-the-counter sleep meds, 25 mg. Doxylamine off and on for 25 years, afraid of addiction to them. I FINALLY asked my doctor about the usage, and he gave me 100% ok on this stuff. Now I take one pill every night- get my 8 hrs., which is a new and wonderful experience for me! I prefer taking a little blue pill every night and sleeping great than to spend one more night awake. I can only recommend doxylamine. Much less dangerous than taking prescription drugs for sleeping."

• Emr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 10, 2024

"It's kinda funny. I was able to get this from pharmacies prescription-free when I was 19 years old. I was suffering from insomnia related to depression and anxiety. It helped me a lot. It had 0 side effects. I used it long-term, 25-50 mg daily. I'm 23 years old now. It's been 4 years since I've touched this medication. I'm currently on Seroquel 50 mg for sleep. I can't sleep without it. It makes me gain weight though. I gained so much weight with even 50 mg Seroquel. I've tried trazodone but it gave me a clogged nose. I had to use nasal spray to be able to breathe from my nose. Other antihistamines such as Atarax left me in a zombie state the next day. Mirtazapine caused intense weight gain. I think I'm gonna go back to using this because it worked like magic. Within 30 minutes of taking it, I used to fall asleep. I miss that feeling. Probably the best medication I've ever used for insomnia in my life. Didn't try stuff like Ambien yet. Just reporting my past experience with Unisom tablets."

• PMD...
• April 10, 2015

"I've been using Kirkland brand doxylamine succinate now for many years. I take only 1/2 a 25 mg pill and find it works just as well as a full pill, without making me drowsy the next morning. Here and there I find myself without a pill if I'm out of town and forget them or run out, and what happens is I just go back to the same insomnia I had for ten years prior to taking these. Therefore, I don't think they're addictive in my case, rather, if I don't take them, I'm back where I started. Insomnia was a problem I suffered from for years, not just a temporary deal."

• Tai...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 21, 2015

"I've suffered with insomnia for many years and have tried various remedies, including yoga-based approaches and treatments using natural products like valerian. Unfortunately, none of these has had any lasting effect. Usually, I will manage to get to sleep but will wake up three or four hours later and then have a real struggle to get back to sleep, no matter how relaxed I am. Consequently, I'm absolutely shattered the next day and find it very hard to function properly. With doxylamine, however, I usually enjoy a good night's sleep (6 to 7 hours) and feel energized the next day. I've been taking them for over three years now and don't appear to have any side effects. I take about half a tablet each night and drift off to sleep about an hour later."

• Boo...
• December 9, 2009

"Apparently, a side effect not reported is that the metabolic by-product of doxylamine will possibly test positive in a urine drug test as an amphetamine. It is not listed in the literature, so I had a hard time explaining it when it was the only medicine I had taken before a job drug test."

• Dre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 12, 2021

Doxylamine "I used to wake 4+ times a night with hot flushes. So I started using half a tablet but found I was still waking. For the last 30 nights, I've been taking one whole tablet and rarely waking. I get a good 8-10 hours of sleep and haven't had one hot flush since taking the tablet. I also have great vivid dreams. I look forward to sleeping now. Some mornings I feel a little washed out, but after a coffee, I'm good to go."

• bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2019

"This drug, Unisom with doxylamine succinate, has really helped me to get good sleep for the past two months. I take from 1/3 to 1/2 of a pill because taking an entire pill makes me really groggy the next morning. Prior to this, I was waking up every hour or two and was experiencing anxiety, and I really appreciate this sleep aid so much as I sleep straight through the night now."