Unisom - opinions please

awc1986 · April 2014

I'm currently taking half a unisom about 4/7 nights of the week to help with sleep. I just wanted to canvas opinion on this. Is anyone else here doing the same?

I have a history of dependency on sleeping pills, which I won't go into here, but I'm afraid of becoming like that again (ie, depressed zombie). I want to get off the unisom before baby gets here, but when I feel the need to take it, I can't sleep at all without it.

Should I just go with the flow? I know baby is fine, but I'm worried about my own dependency. I definitely won't touch it when baby gets here because of needing to be up at random times anyway. If you were I, would you carry on taking it until baby gets here or would you quit now?

I'm on maternity leave now, so don't have to drive to work and back each day, which was my main reason for needing to get a good night's sleep. Now I can chill, I can deal without a full night.

All opinions welcome

JAM85 · April 2014

Well I took the 25mg of unisom with b6 from weeks 10-30 for my MS and my ob was fine with it (I hated having to take anything but I had a bad reaction to other meds for nausea and I hate meds) In terms of addiction/dependency, in general I will say that it honestly wasn't hard for me to stop using it and I had tops two insomnia nights weaning. The nausea was the worst in terms of Weaning since that is why I was on it. Other than waking up to pee I get to sleep like I did before taking it and fall back asleep fine BUT I did
Not have sleep issues prior to being preggo so that also factors in. I would of course also confirm with OB that it is ok to take to be safe.

awc1986 · April 2014

@anniemore‌ - I guess you understand the feeling of guilt that occurs when you take something. It's like giving in.
I have to have perfect conditions to sleep, so of course having a live human bouncing around my insides is playing havoc.

haylo33 · April 2014

I took it during first tri with b6 for morning sickness. My OB was fine with it so you are safe from that standpoint. As far as dependency, maybe try cutting back until you are able to stop. Take it once a week less than twice a week less until you stop. I don't think it is strong enough to cause a physical dependency (but I'm sure a mental one) so you could try cold turkey and see how it goes

Nikkipal82 · April 2014

Unisom has the same active ingredient as Benadryl. I take Benadryl more nights than not, and it really helps me sleep (at least until four am or so when I'm wide awake for no reason). It also helps with my allergies, and my docs are good with it, so I am too. I think not sleeping would do more harm to me personally. I understand the guilt, but I'm pretty much over it.

amroke · April 2014

I also take benadryl, pretty much every night.

demofea01 · April 2014

I take half a Unisom on most nights unless I'm completely worn out, and then I don't have any trouble getting to sleep without it. Could you try a couple nights a week without it? I usually don't take it on weekend nights since I don't have to be up at a certain time for work.

jenb_99 · April 2014

It's not biologically possible to become physically dependent on antihistamines. Mentally maybe, but I'm not very knowledgeable on the psychology of addiction. Chemically, no.

I take 3 different antihistamines daily -- cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton) -- for allergies, not sleep, but they are in my system 24/7 nonetheless. My OB approves of all of them. I took them when I was pregnant with DS too, with no ill effects to either of us.

Get some sleep, mama. Guilt free!

nickinbrandon · April 2014

I've been weaning myself from unisom this past week, I took it nightly to help me fall asleep and then I figured out if I didn't take it for around 2 days then I would start to feel nausea all day. I think I'm on day 5 or so without it, I'm not feeling as sick today but I have been awake from 2 am on the rest of the night EVERY night! I don't know if I should keep trying or cave in to get some rest before baby comes

Ersulli · April 2014

I've been taking the unisom b6 combo since very early in my pregnancy. When I stop I puke. My guess is the exhaustion of a newborn will wean me off of it pretty quick.

momthatlifts · April 2014

I've been taking benadryl for sleep for some time now. If I don't I'm literally up until the sun comes up. I was suggested unisom by my new ob too. I used to be prescribed ambien. If you can't sleep you can't sleep. Some people just have a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep and it can screw up your day.

ETA: my husband, for example, is always falling asleep before me and nothing can wake him. I've gone to sleep without benadryl before and wake up all night. I'm an extremely light sleeper. It helps me relax. I feel bad sometimes but I hate going to bed so late and sleeping my day away

ThereBeDragons · April 2014

I've been on diclegis (prescription form of the Unisom/b6 combo) every day since 17 weeks to help keep nausea and vomiting at bay. And because its slow release and doesn't really knock me out, sometimes I also take a regular Unisom or benedryl also to help me drop off. Doc is a-ok with it.

Interestingly enough, I actually like Unisom better than benedryl- it helps me sleep but if I do happen to wake up to pee I'm not so out of it I'm a falling hazard on the way to the bathroom. If I need help sleeping after baby I think that's what I'll stick to- benedryl makes me sleep like the dead,

awc1986 · April 2014

I'm so glad I'm not the only one on the unisom/bendryl wagon. I don't mean that in a harsh way, because we'd all rather be without it. It's just nice to know I'm not alone, which is one of the hardest things about insomnia. I'm gonna try weaning gradually. My insomnia is normally psychological rather than physical and that's where the tendency for dependence comes from.

The good news is that I persisted last night and went unisom-free. I got to sleep around 2:30-3am, but DH didn't get home until 1:30 and I can't sleep until he's home safe, so that didn't help. I'm pretty glad i did it though.

oscarwao · April 2014

jenb_99 said:

It's not biologically possible to become physically dependent on antihistamines. Mentally maybe, but I'm not very knowledgeable on the psychology of addiction. Chemically, no.

I take 3 different antihistamines daily -- cetirizine (Zyrtec), fexofenadine (Allegra), and chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton) -- for allergies, not sleep, but they are in my system 24/7 nonetheless. My OB approves of all of them. I took them when I was pregnant with DS too, with no ill effects to either of us.

Get some sleep, mama. Guilt free!

This. My OB approves of benadryl. If I don't take it I get zero sleep and my day is horribly stressful. I'll stop taking it when I stop working, or when I go into labor, whichever happens first.

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