I haven't been sleeping very well as of late, I think the time change messed me up some, but even before then I was not sleeping through the night. I realize that castration has caused some of this problem and I know that as people age, they don't sleep as well as they once did. I've heard all of the Ambien horror stories and hesitate to ask my doctor for a prescription of that, plus I'd like to stay with something more natural if possible. I've used the over the counter stuff, but they dry out my sinuses and cause morning nose bleeds. I've read about "L-Tryptophan" and wonder if anyone has tried it? Little help please!

Hash (imported) wrote: Thu Mar 26, 2009 2:05 am I've read about "L-Tryptophan" and wonder if anyone has tried it? Little help please!

I think it's made with an enzyme that's in turkey, in small doses.

It makes you sleepy. Over-the-counter for the longest time in health food stores in the US (might still be) and works very well, with no lingering effects the next morning.

If you have it in your suitcase and travel to France, they'll take it away.

Go figure.

I use Ambien frequently. Works fine. Natural? Try Malatonin

I use over the counter generic doxalymine succinate (1/2 tablet) and it works well for me. I try to take it one hour or 45 minutes before bed to avoid a hangover in the morning and it seems to work fine like that. Asleep in minutes!

Most of the over the counter sleep aids have generic benadryl

(Diphenhydramine hydrochloride ) which I don't think works as good.

"Doxylamine is a member of the ethanolamine class of antihistamines and has anti-allergy power superior to almost every other antihistamine on the market, with the exception of diphenhydramine (Benadryl).[2] It is also the most effective over-the-counter sedative available in the United States,[2] and is more sedating than some prescription hypnotics. In a study, it was found that doxylamine succinate is possibly more effective than the barbiturate phenobarbital for use as a sedative.[2] For this reason, doxylamine has sometimes been used off label in a manner similar to diphenhydramine for the reduction of anxiety symptoms."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxylamine

Since 1971, I have been taking ethinylestradiol, on and off, and I have never slept right through the night since that time. You might think that I would, at least, have slept properly once in all of that time, even if only by accident, but such has not been the case. I have never taken testosterone blockers, I do not want to take testosterone, and for much of the time, I have not taken antidepressants or any other medication.

I have to urinate frequently during the night as well as the daytime, which disturbs my rest. After having a number of tests, I have discovered that my bladder is exceptionally small, which causes me problems, and I am unable to tolerate the tablets that my doctor gave me to try to relieve the urinary situation.

I also feel fairly sure that another reason for my atrocious sleep patterns, is hormonal, but I am unable, also, to react well to the tablets that my doctor prescribed to try and correct these patterns. These problems cause me mental and physical weariness as well as social difficulties, confusion, and a lack of settlement.

My doctor and I have both tried to deal with these situations but are now at a loss as to know what further to do, and so it has seemed that I would have to live with this serious inconvenience for the rest of my life. I do not have any trouble in getting to sleep in the first place, but my difficulty lies in remaining asleep.

Do the L-Tryptophan, Ambien, Malatonin, or Doxalymine Succinate have brand names that would be known and available over the counter within the United Kingdom?

I would appreciate any guidance that anyone feels able to give me in this matter, so that I would at least know that I had tried, yet again, to help myself.

With Thanks,

Solaris.

Doxalymine Succinate is in Nyquil and Unisom (but not the gel caps). It's the stuff in Nyquil that knocks you on your ass... Just look in the sleep aid section of the pharmacy and read the ingredients. MOST will have dipenhydramine HCL which is generic Benadryl which isn't as effective.

Thanks for your reply to my enquiry, ramses, and I will search for the Doxalymine Succinate as soon as possible, and hope that it does me some good.

I thought my sleep problems were just stress!!! I use Melatonin...cheap, from Wal-Mart. It works for me! And it's so cheap, if it doesn't, throw it away!

Melatonin helps you get to sleep, but not keep you asleep.

I used to use generic Tylenol (I hate typing acetawhatthefuckaphin) to help me sleep. It worked very well.