carpmart
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:25 PM |
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O/T - Sleeping pills
Guys
I'm off to NZ and Aus on Monday for work so will spend 60 hours on a plane in the next week! I had a colleague who used to travel with me and
he was my 'pusher' for some great sleeping tablets which contained the bodies own sleep hormone. Problem is I can't get hold of him
and I don't know what they are called and where to buy them from.
Any ideas?
Edited to add below;
So - I revise my original question, what over the counter products available in the UK work well as a sleep aid when flying?
[Edited on 17/11/09 by carpmart]
You only live once - make the most of it!
Radical Clubsport, Kwaker motor
'94 MX5 MK1, 1.8
F10 M5 - 600bhp Daily Hack 
Range Rover Sport - Wife's Car
Mercedes A class - Son's Car
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55ant
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:31 PM |
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alchohol.
nah i think it may be valium your after, its got a bit of a kick. i think you have to be perscribed it these days though, or it may even be illegal.
away from cars, now cycling and building TT bikes
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scootz
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:34 PM |
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Melatonin???
It's Evolution Baby!
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:35 PM |
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melatonin is the hormone youre after, should be marketed as such too.
damn you scootz.. 
[Edited on 17/11/09 by cd.thomson]
Craig
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carpmart
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:36 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by scootz
Melatonin???
That's it - where can I get them?
You only live once - make the most of it!
Radical Clubsport, Kwaker motor
'94 MX5 MK1, 1.8
F10 M5 - 600bhp Daily Hack
Range Rover Sport - Wife's Car
Mercedes A class - Son's Car
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:38 PM |
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any good health shops will probably stock it.
ETA - slightly dubious about its ability to do anything though, considering the fact that ingested hormones are pretty rapidly chopped to pieces by
proteases hence why you cant take an insulin pill, you have to inject it.
[Edited on 17/11/09 by cd.thomson]
Craig
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chrsgrain
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:41 PM |
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Well the Cochrane review says it works here
I know you can get is prescribed by your GP, but you may be able to get it over the counter - I'd ask your local pharmacist, they are usually
very knowledgeable and helpful.
Chris
Craig - best to check the evidence before being 'dubious' !! It may be able to survive oral administration as its quite a small
molecule - whatever, it works, but needs to be taken at the right time. (as link)
[Edited on 17/11/09 by chrsgrain]
Spoing! - the sound of an irony meter breaking...
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:43 PM |
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id just started reading that! I take it back, it appears to avoid the normal digestive route of proteins by some sciencey magic
ETA - interestingly it works well in combination with those "wake up" lights too if you have one handy
[Edited on 17/11/09 by cd.thomson]
Craig
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eznfrank
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:43 PM |
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I have real difficutly sleeping about every 6 weeks for some reason. I have 2 - 3 nights on the trot where I'll be lucky if I get 2 hours. I
take Nytol one a night for 3 or 4 nights straight which knocks me out and then I'm right again for another 6 weeks.
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nitram38
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:52 PM |
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You brain interprets daylight and then your body produces melatonin when it gets dark. This makes you sleepy.
We buy ours in the states to make us sleep on the way home.
I don't think you can buy them legally in the UK. Its not that they are un-safe, just not tested here.
Melatonin production on nightshifts is what messes you up and can lead to things like weight gain and high blood pressure......thats my excuse
anyway!
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carpmart
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 04:59 PM |
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So, after extensive searching, I think that I'm stuffed on this one as I need to order from outside the UK and I'm out of time to get them
before this trip.
So - I revise my original question, what over the counter products available in the UK work well as a sleep aid when flying?
You only live once - make the most of it!
Radical Clubsport, Kwaker motor
'94 MX5 MK1, 1.8
F10 M5 - 600bhp Daily Hack
Range Rover Sport - Wife's Car
Mercedes A class - Son's Car
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BenB
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 05:08 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by chrsgrain
Well the Cochrane review says it works here
I know you can get is prescribed by your GP, but you may be able to get it over the counter - I'd ask your local pharmacist, they are usually
very knowledgeable and helpful.
You can get it from your GP but it's only licensed over the age of 55 so unless you're under that age they probably won't prescribe
it...
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chrsgrain
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 05:10 PM |
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If you can get to your GP, they will be able to prescribe it (ETA - thanks Ben, didn't know that and don't have a BNF with me at the
moment); alternatively they might be willing to prescribe you some zopiclone which is good for resynching your sleep patterns....
Over the counter meds are a bit rubbish and usually just snake oil / placebo for this sort of thing... no doubt someone will be along in a minute to
say this or that works for them, but there won't be any proper evidence!!!
Chris
[Edited on 17/11/09 by chrsgrain]
Spoing! - the sound of an irony meter breaking...
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mads
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 05:49 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by chrsgrain
If you can get to your GP, they will be able to prescribe it (ETA - thanks Ben, didn't know that and don't have a BNF with me at the
moment); alternatively they might be willing to prescribe you some zopiclone which is good for resynching your sleep patterns....
Over the counter meds are a bit rubbish and usually just snake oil / placebo for this sort of thing... no doubt someone will be along in a minute to
say this or that works for them, but there won't be any proper evidence!!!
Chris
[Edited on 17/11/09 by chrsgrain]
what Chris said. I'd speak to your GP. You wont get melatonin but may well get a prescription for zopiclone.
If you want to buy something over the counter, then they are all on par in terms of efficacy. Things like nytol and sominex are simply antihistamines
with a side effect of being sedating. Doesnt work for everyone, depends how antihistamines affect you.
I wouldn't bother with the herbal remedies e.g. kalms, nytol herbal etc. I have yet to find conclusive evidence for them from a reputable
source.
We gain knowledge faster than we do wisdom!
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip!"
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A1
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 05:52 PM |
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I always just go for a big night out the night before longhaul flights, then go to sleep when i get on the plane
works a treat every time
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britishtrident
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 06:51 PM |
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Melatonin works in that it helps you drop off to sleep but dosen't make you drowsy and there is almost 100% consensus that it is safe but the EU
banned it and a whole load of other products because no company is willing to pay for officially testing it.
Some people report 5-HTP which is sold by Holland and Barret also helps you drop off.
Some hayfever products (the one that aren't marked "non-drowsy" ) will help sleep but slight drowsiness can last for 24 hours.
With flights to Oz the flight out isn't that bad unless you have a load of noisy kids near your seat but, the return is the killer.
PS I would recommend you don't fly by Garuda
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MikeR
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 06:59 PM |
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I'd also reconmend you're not 6'3" with long legs on any flight - i've yet to be able to fall asleep 
(interesting how many pharmacists we've got on here!)
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Staple balls
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 07:20 PM |
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I personally use 6-9 mg of melatonin and 50-75mg of nytol* fairly regularly to sleep.
I find separately neither work on me, but together it works very nicely, but as mentioned, usually have to buy from overseas, for which I like
www.drugstore.com and friends who travel a lot. 
*actually Diphenhydramine, it's gettable OTC in the US in generic allergy meds, cheap as chips. not sure about here.
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02GF74
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 08:01 PM |
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Night Nurse?
The promethazine in the night nurse capsules is a type of medicine called a sedating antihistamine. It enters the brain in sufficient quantities to
cause drowsiness, and this sedative effect may also help suppress a cough.
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mads
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 09:41 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
I'd also reconmend you're not 6'3" with long legs on any flight - i've yet to be able to fall asleep
(interesting how many pharmacists we've got on here!)
i dont think there are that many on here Mike. I have a suspicion that a few are doctors judging from the responses....
OP - you could always get phenergan tablets. Available over the counter and they are better than nytol, travel sickness tablets etc.
[Edited on 17/11/09 by mads]
We gain knowledge faster than we do wisdom!
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip!"
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BenB
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 09:57 PM |
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Personally I choose a subtle infusion of barley and hops with homeopathic levels of S. cerevisiae. Shed loads of the stuff.
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MikeR
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| posted on 17/11/09 at 11:01 PM |
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See thats where I'm different, I prefer following the doctors advice to get 5 portions of fruit or veg inside me. So i start with apple, move to
pear, then strawberry, then mixed berries and if i'm lucky pineapple.
Oh the veg, errrm ....... ah heck, who cares after that much fruit.
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