Does Nytol actually work?

[Kenanddreary]

I am at the end of my tether with insomnia. I have found old threads and read all the advice. I have tried most things but they don't really do it for me.

I manage to persuade my GP to prescribe me Zoplicone every so often but I try very hard to ration them as I really don't want to become addicted on top of everything else!

One of the best things I had recently was Benilyn 4 flu (which I did originally take for a bad cold) and ended up finishing the bottle over two/three weeks because it was so good. Obviously I don't want to keep doing that either!

I have tried Kalms (one a night) - they do nothing whatsoever and on the bottle it says it may take 2 weeks to have effect!! A more immediate solution is required. I then went to the chemist to get Nytol and on the advice of the assistant actually bought an 'own-brand' version which she said was exactly the same. OMG - it lasted right through the next day - not a nice sleepy feeling but a really terrible hungover and dizzy feeling. I couldn't go through that again - it was really difficult to function.

So - does anyone have experience of Nytol? Perhaps it is better than my own-brand version? Any help gratefully received.

nytol will probably be the same as the own brand version as they are anti histimines I think, the old sort that made you really drowsy. They work on me but do make me feel woozy and I know others who say the same.

I use Doxylamine Succinate which you can buy from amazon - its the same stuff thats in syndol as a muscle relaxant. But check what the active ingredient was in the stuff you bought and google the nytol and check whats in there cos no point buying the same stuff.

Hi, I've used Tesco own brand before. I take it between 8-9pm, to avoid the thick head the next day, no later as in bed at 10pm & up at 6am.

Also a couple of drops of lavender oil or karvol on my pillow, earplugs and a hot water bottle. No t.v or Internet, just read my book for half an hour.

I hope you get some rest.

If you don't have to ask for it from behind a counter, it probably doesn't have anything in it.

Nytol is diphenhydramine. 50mg in a one-a-night pill. Yes, it works. For me anyway.

(and any other brand of anything with diphenhydramine works exactly as well - I find 25mg is enough for me most of the time)

Thank you for all the advice. Yes Trills - the Benidryl had 25mg of diphenhydramine and my version of Nytol had 50mg so maybe I just need a lower dose.

TheArmadillo - will look that up and see what it says. I'm always willing to try something new.

Vintage - I also get up about 6am and try to take any sleeping tablets before 9pm. But I really did feel dreadful the next day! Might try some Karvol though - haven't done that yet.

You could try some Tryptophan as a more 'natural' remedie. Eat foods like bananas, poultry, brazil/walnuts, porridge etc in the evening.
Do you know the cause of the insomnia, stress etc. You need to think of treating the cause not just applying a sticking plaster as it were.
Your GP should be trying to help you in other ways if the insomnia is a chronic condition.
Mine seems to have settled down after about 20 years!!

Nytol does work but the next day I feel terrible! Tired, hungover and really dozy. I don't recommend it at all.

zoplicone is good but loses it's effectiveness after a while.

I am in a terrible cycle of this too. Haven't slept properly in weeks. Am tempted to take a syndol but am not in pain so don't like to

You are right Topsi. I am not the most relaxed of people - although there is nothing to stress about I still manage to be on constant alert!! I find it really difficult to unwind.

Yes - I also noticed that Zoplicone wasn't as effective after a few days.

Really sorry to hear that Noddyholder. I sympathise.

Hadn't thought about syndol. What's that like?

It does make me sleep tbh it has a mixture of things and is amazing for migraines. But I wonder if I take it tonight then back to square one tomorrow!

They have increased the level of caffeine in syndol (did it just before they took it off sale for a while) so it doesn't make you as sleepy in general.

Its a painkiller that contains paracetamol and codiene but they add the Doxylamine Succinate as a muscle relaxant. The Doxylamine Succinate by itself as a sleep aid is around £5 on amazon for 160 tablets.

When I had a spell of insomnia, I found taking one instead of the two recommended worked for me, but I found I was getting terrible nightmares so I stopped taking them.

Vicks Medinite is better. Hard to find though.

I always buy the Boots own brand behind-the-counter sleep tablets. They do two types - 1 a night or 2 a night. I get the 2 a night pills, but only take 1 and find that this works perfectly.

Just so you know - it says over 16s only on the packet, yet has EXACTLY the same dose of anti-histamine as Medised for children . So you can always take that instead.

Promethiazine is available over the counter. I can't remember the name it trades under, It's an antihistamine which has a very sedative affect. I've not tried it but its prescribed quite frequently for patients I work with (mental health nurse).

I find piriton works well for me. It's generic name is chlorphenamine and is much cheaper than the named brand.

My mum swears by the herbal nytol, she occasionally suffers from insomnia, she says she takes it for a couple of nights to get back into a routine and although normal nytol left her feeling sick and drowsy the next day the herbal one allows her to wake up with the alarm feeling refreshed.

I've used Rescue Remedy Night recently with good results. Have you discussed longer term strategies with your GP? Would you consider psychology input? How is your sleep hygiene?

Thank you everyone for all your advice and tips. I will read up on all the info and have a think about what to do.

Good point Lyndie - I think my sleep hygiene is a bit erratic. Will look into that. Thanks again.

I had a period of insomnia as a student and took Nytol,I felt thick headed and woozy all day. Thankfully I seem to have grown out of it - though DD2 stops me sleeping these days!

I think I remember it quietly changed to Dyphenhydramine, but in the first year of production it was something else scary. I say that because I abused the shit out of it, by mistake. Scared my parents something fierce, made me sleepwalk and see shit.