Posted by King Vultan on May 6, 2004, at 12:20:56
In reply to Tylenol PM and Simply Sleep?, posted by rianny on May 5, 2004, at 20:00:18
> I have insomnia, and I wonder which med would be best to stick with. I have prescription drug, Zoplicone and over-the-counter drug Simply Sleep from maker of Tylenol. Is Simply Sleep just antihistamines?
>
> I'd like to take one with the least side effects.
>
> Also, is Tylenol equal to Simply Sleep?
Tylenol = acetaminophen, which is a pain killer and fever reducerTylenol PM = acetaminophen + diphenhydramine (Benadryl). The latter is an antihistamine that has been also used as an OTC sleeping aid for decades.
Simply Sleep = diphenhydramine by itself. This is equivalent to Benadryl or generic diphenhydramine tablets.
I have been using 2 x 25 mg/night Benadryl myself for my MAOI related insomnia. I got this on sale at a grocery store for $3.17 for 24 tablets = 13.2 cents/tablet. On my recent trip to Target, I got their generic store brand of diphenhydramine, which is drastically cheaper--$4.47 for 100 tablets = 4.5 cents/tablet. I don't know how much Simply Sleep costs, but I have to believe it's more.
I share some of linkadge's philosophy regarding Tylenol/acetaminophen, but the truth is that some of these other common pain killers also have potential side effects from long term use. Aspirin is probably the most beneficial one overall to be taking, but I find it makes my ears ring, and it has a negligible effect on my headaches. I use ibuprofen myself, but this is a member of the NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) class, which can cause upper gastrointestinal and kidney problems with long term use.
I avoid using Tylenol/acetaminophen because of the underpublicized (IMO) but well documented liver problems it is associated with. A former co-worker's sister-in-law actually came close to requiring a liver transplant after taking large amounts of Tylenol, along with a smaller amount of alcohol. For people taking Tylenol, I would advise strictly adhering to the dosage recommendations and limiting alcohol usage while taking it.
Todd
poster:King Vultan
thread:343800
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040505/msgs/343992.html