Sleeping pills night before wedding

Question:

I’m concerned that I’ll have trouble falling asleep the night before the wedding, and since I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. I don’t want to turn out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen Candles!" Anyone have these experiences to share? Analda

Response:

>Most OTC sleeping pills use the same stuff as in Benadryl to get you >to sleep, so they are pretty safe. They aren’t really "sedatives" per >se. You could just take a Benadryl and get the same effect.

I took benadryl a lot to help me sleep when I was planning our wedding, and I found that it helped a lot. The key was to allow myself plenty of time to sleep after taking it. If I got about 7-8 hours of sleep, I was fine the next day, but, if I tried to get by on 6 hours or so, I was groggy from the medicine the next morning. Jennifer

Response:

I think it all depends how your react to those kinds of medications. (all OTC sleeping pills make me very groggy the next day) I would suggest talking with your physicians about possibilities. Mine has prescribed me a drug called "Ambien" on several occassions..and plans to for a few days before the wedding as well. It’s non-addictive, non-narcotic, and I’ve spoken with many people who have tried it, and none have had that "morning after" feeling with it. LisaMari (&Ken) May 25,97

Response:

: I’m concerned that I’ll have trouble falling asleep the night before : the wedding, and since I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, : I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. : I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the : combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. I don’t want to turn : out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen Candles!" Anyone have : these experiences to share? I’ve tried prescription sleeping pills and hated them. They made me feel more tired than if I had just not slept well. (I took them for 5 nights, and threw the rest away). I however will take a mild tranquilizer, which will help me relax enough to sleep, but won’t leave me tired the next day. But if I don’t sleep, well, then I’ll just be a little tired. I’ve found that if I don’t sleep well one night, I’m fine. If I don’t sleep well for more than two nights, then it becomes a problem. I would suggest that the day before the wedding, that you make sure you have time to go for a brisk walk, bike ride, or run, then before bed, have a glass of wine, take a hot bath, and then curl up with a boring book for a little while. Also, the bride in _Sixteen Candles_ was on her period, and had taken too high a dose of muscle relaxers to combat her cramps. Her situation had nothing to do with not sleeping. Cathy Byland

Response:

otc sleeping pills (just buy generic benadryl to save money) are pretty harmless when used short term, in my opinion. to be safe, make sure you take them early enough to sleep off any grogginess. that being said, i will add that i have taken non-otc sedatives b/c i get insomnia at the merest sign of stress. i have worried about "next day" effect from this. however, i have found that adrenaline ALWAYS comes "to the rescue." thus, even when i have waited to take a sedative (b/c i really hoped i could relax and get by without it), i have been able to rise maybe 5 hours later, and perform as necessary (b/c of adrenaline). thus, i don’t think the 16 candles worry will actually happen (unless you are taking super heavy stuff–which you aren’t)! good luck! francy (finally off the sedatives for sleep! but willing to take one on the wedding eve if i start to panic!)

: >Most OTC sleeping pills use the same stuff as in Benadryl to get you : >to sleep, so they are pretty safe. They aren’t really "sedatives" per : >se. You could just take a Benadryl and get the same effect. : I took benadryl a lot to help me sleep when I was planning our : wedding, and I found that it helped a lot. The key was to allow : myself plenty of time to sleep after taking it. If I got about 7-8 : hours of sleep, I was fine the next day, but, if I tried to get by : on 6 hours or so, I was groggy from the medicine the next morning. : Jennifer

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I’m concerned that I’ll have trouble falling asleep the night before >the wedding, and since I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, >I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. >I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the >combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. I don’t want to turn >out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen Candles!" Anyone have >these experiences to share? > Most OTC sleeping pills use the same stuff as in Benadryl to get you > to sleep, so they are pretty safe. They aren’t really "sedatives" per > se. You could just take a Benadryl and get the same effect. > Colleen

I find that a glass or two (no more) of a decent wine will make me sleepy, and it tastes better than Benadryl. Of course, how much will put you to sleep depends on your tolerance for alcohol, and you certainly wouldn’t want to go overboard and wake up hung over or smelling like a winery. Two glasses or so is about all I’d hazard. Pamela (and Paul, who will become a sacrifice upon the altar if he shows up at our wedding hung over or reeking) July 6, 1997

Response:

: I’m concerned that I’ll have trouble falling asleep the night before : the wedding, and since I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, : I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. : I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the : combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. I don’t want to turn : out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen Candles!" Anyone have : these experiences to share? I don’t think the combination of sedatives and nerves would be a problem; the problem would be if the sedative’s "normal" effect interfered with your plans. So the trick is to keep track of what would be "normal" (e.g., are you still affected after 8 hours? 10?) and arrange your schedule accordingly. Personally, I question whether it’s worthwhile to bother with sleeping pills if you normally sleep well and you are able to "get by" on a slightly shorter night. I have a lot of trouble getting to sleep (I don’t consider it a "bad" night unless I’m lying awake for more than an hour) but I have found that OTC sleep aids knock me out for 10-16 hours, and it is *much* easier for me to get through a day if I’m tired from lack of sleep than it is if I’m waiting for medication to wear off. It would have been horrible to go through my wedding day without getting enough sleep, but it would have been *much* worse to feel like I had missed the whole thing because I was, well, like the older sister in "Sixteen Candles". Karen — Karen L. Greenberg

Response:

> I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. > I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the > combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. > Analda

Analda, If you have concerns over the possible side-affects, then don’t take the pills. If you have questions about the affect and you stress level, consult a Pharmacist they are probably the best source of information on drugs and how you react to them. For some easily obtained information on-line, go to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) web site and find the closest Regional Poison Center to you. Regional Poison Centers are very often affiliated with universities and pharmacy schools. They also deal with these kinds of questions on a regular basis. I used to work at one and had resources or the ability to refer you to the best source of information available. And frankly would much rather answer a question now then the night of, or morning of you wedding. They should even be able to tell you which of the OTCs would be best for you (Benadryl vs. Melatonin vs. ***). Good luck Scott C. Donohue, BS, NREMT-P Howard County, Maryland UMBC EHS DEPT Masters Candidate Station 1, Elkridge

Response:

This is a multi-part message in MIME format. Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <a href="http://pages.prodigy.com/warhawk">My Web page</a> – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > : I’m concerned that I’ll have trouble falling asleep the night before > : the wedding, and since I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, > : I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. > : I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the > : combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. I don’t want to turn > : out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen Candles!" Anyone have > : these experiences to share? > I don’t think the combination of sedatives and nerves would be a problem; > the problem would be if the sedative’s "normal" effect interfered with > your plans. So the trick is to keep track of what would be "normal" > (e.g., are you still affected after 8 hours? 10?) and arrange your > schedule accordingly. > Personally, I question whether it’s worthwhile to bother with sleeping > pills if you normally sleep well and you are able to "get by" on a > slightly shorter night. I have a lot of trouble getting to sleep (I don’t > consider it a "bad" night unless I’m lying awake for more than an hour) > but I have found that OTC sleep aids knock me out for 10-16 hours, and it is > *much* easier for me to get through a day if I’m tired from lack of sleep > than it is if I’m waiting for medication to wear off. It would have been > horrible to go through my wedding day without getting enough sleep, but > it would have been *much* worse to feel like I had missed the whole thing > because I was, well, like the older sister in "Sixteen Candles". > Karen > — > Karen L. Greenberg

Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><head></head><BODY bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF"><a = href=3D"http://pages.prodigy.com/warhawk">My Web = page</a> Karen L Greenberg <> wrote in article <>… > John Anglin (<font =

trouble falling asleep the night before > : the wedding, and since = I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, > : I’m thinking of = taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. > : I’ve used = them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the > : = combination of nerves and sedative could be bad.  I don’t want to = turn > : out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen = Candles!"  Anyone have > : these experiences to = share? > > I don’t think the combination of sedatives and = nerves would be a problem; > the problem would be if the = sedative’s "normal" effect interfered with > your plans. =  So the trick is to keep track of what would be "normal" = > (e.g., are you still affected after 8 hours? 10?) and arrange = your > schedule accordingly. > > Personally, I = question whether it’s worthwhile to bother with sleeping > pills = if you normally sleep well and you are able to "get by" on = a > slightly shorter night.  I have a lot of trouble getting = to sleep (I don’t > consider it a "bad" night unless I’m = lying awake for more than an hour) > but I have found that OTC = sleep aids knock me out for 10-16 hours, and it is > *much* = easier for me to get through a day if I’m tired from lack of sleep = > than it is if I’m waiting for medication to wear off.  It = would have been > horrible to go through my wedding day without = getting enough sleep, but > it would have been *much* worse to = feel like I had missed the whole thing > because I was, well, = like the older sister in "Sixteen Candles". > > = Karen > > – > Karen L. Greenberg > > > </body></h= tml>

Response:

I asked your question of a friend of mine who is a Doctor of Pharmacy, here is his answer… If someone is concerned about the combination of nerves and a sedative the night before their wedding, might be easier to "just say no". Sometimes people do react to drugs differently when their mood and/or stress levels change. Example: if you drink, have you ever noticed that sometimes you seem to feel the effects of alcohol differently? Sometimes you’ll feel really buzzed after only a moderate amount of alcohol and there are other times when you feel like you’re not getting the desired effect despite more intense intake? Same thing can happen with other drugs. Most people do not sleep well the night before their wedding. Yet they usually are so overstimulated during the day that they don’t think about how tired they are (at least till it’s over!). Personally, I wouldn’t want to take a chance on taking something the night before the BIG DAY exactly because it’s a big day. Wouldn’t want to have any possibility of screwing up my own wedding. This also is true for the groom: would not suggest the bachelor party the night before the wedding. I’ve heard about and have seen too many grievously ill people on their wedding day. It’s not the best way to start out one’s marriage. Bruce D. Anderson, PharmD, ABAT Maryland Poison Center UMAB School of Pharmacy 410-706-7604 fax 410-706-7184 Scott C. Donohue, BS, NREMT-P Howard County, Maryland UMBC EHS DEPT Masters Candidate Station 1, Elkridge

Response:

: I would suggest talking with your physicians about possibilities. Mine : has : prescribed me a drug called "Ambien" on several occassions..and plans to : for a : few days before the wedding as well. It’s non-addictive, non-narcotic, : and I’ve : spoken with many people who have tried it, and none have had that "morning : after" : feeling with it. If you go the sleeping pill route, I’d be sure to try it long before the night before the wedding. I tried Ambien, and it was awful. It made me more tired than if I had just not slept well. I walked around in cloud of exhaustion, though I had had 4 wonderful nights sleep in a row with the help of Ambien. I ended up throwing the rest of the prescription away. I ended up starting to exercize, eating right, and doing relaxing things before bed, and that made a big difference. Cathy Byland

Response:

>I’m concerned that I’ll have trouble falling asleep the night before >the wedding, and since I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, >I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. >I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the >combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. I don’t want to turn >out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen Candles!" Anyone have >these experiences to share? >Analda

We reccommend building a tolerance a few weeks before the wedding. Start out by taking one a night, and add one each night cumulatively. This will build your tolerance properly, and you will feel fine. Paul The Gang of Steves

Response:

>: I’m concerned that I’ll have trouble falling asleep the night before >: the wedding, and since I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, >: I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. >: I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the >: combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. I don’t want to turn >: out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen Candles!" Anyone have >: these experiences to share?

I haven’t tried sleeping pills, but I am thinking of using them the night of the wedding. I am going to talk to my uncle about it first (he has a Masters in pharmacology and works as a pharmacist so I figure he should be able to give me some good advice!). Check with a pharmacist or doctor before you take them…some of them may conflict with other medications (or alcohol which can be a deadly mix apparently). Pam

Response:

> >: I’m concerned that I’ll have trouble falling asleep the night before >: the wedding, and since I’ll have to get up rather earlier that day, >: I’m thinking of taking an over the counter sleeping pill to help me. >: I’ve used them before with no troubles, but I’m worried that the >: combination of nerves and sedative could be bad. I don’t want to turn >: out like the older sister on the movie "Sixteen Candles!" Anyone have >: these experiences to share?

My suggestion is to try something homeopathic. Here in Germany you can buy tablets containing valerian (think thats the right translation) and hops over the counter. They take about an hour to get to work. I’ve used these on many occasions (also for long-haul) without feeling the slightest bit groggy afterwards.

Response:

I am planning on taking an over the counter pain relievers with a night time sleep aid. (Tylanol PM or Advil PM?) I have taken them when I travel internationally and they worked well. I’ve also taken it the night before an interview, when I was really nervous and I woke up refreshed. (I also use a CD of ocean waves to help me relax) I always make sure I have at least 8 hours before I have to wake up so that the "grooginess" is gone. I’m not sure how this compares to sleeping pills. Now, I recommend trying before you wedding day to ensure that you react the same way. And this is not a long term solution, but for those of us who normally can’t sleep when well, this can be a godsent in a time of need..

Response:

If you haven’t taken sleeping pills before, don’t try them the night before your wedding. You could feel and look like a zombie at your wedding the next day. If you want to try sleeping pills, to be safe take them two or three times when you feel anxious months before the wedding as a trial to see if they work. Sleeping pills don’t work for me. They zonk me out the next day, even the latest developed sleeping pills that are meant to not make you drowsy in the least. Needless to say, I don’t take sleeping pills anymore. It’s better (like I did) to cope with the situation without relying on pills to get you to go to sleep. Try deep breathing, a warm glass of milk, distracting yourself by reading or doing something you like to do, something relaxing the day before your wedding. You’ll be glad you did something relaxing that’s natural rather than zonking yourself out on your wedding day. Marla

: I am planning on taking an over the counter pain relievers with : a night time sleep aid. (Tylanol PM or Advil PM?) I have : taken them when I travel internationally and they worked well. : I’ve also taken it the night before an interview, when I was : really nervous and I woke up refreshed. (I also use a CD of : ocean waves to help me relax) I always make sure I have at : least 8 hours before I have to wake up so that the "grooginess" : is gone.

Response:

> : I am planning on taking an over the counter pain relievers with > : a night time sleep aid. (Tylanol PM or Advil PM?) I have > : taken them when I travel internationally and they worked well. > : I’ve also taken it the night before an interview, when I was > : really nervous and I woke up refreshed. (I also use a CD of > : ocean waves to help me relax) I always make sure I have at > : least 8 hours before I have to wake up so that the "grooginess" > : is gone.

Whatever you choose to do, DON’T TAKE ADVIL! Anything containing ibruprofen is Dangerous to your health!

Response:

> Whatever you choose to do, DON’T TAKE ADVIL! Anything containing > ibruprofen is Dangerous to your health!

So are most things under some set of circumstances (Vitamin A comes to mind). Any justification for this one? — Ryan McCabe Falling on your face is not so bad… At least you’re moving in the right direction!

Response:

> Whatever you choose to do, DON’T TAKE ADVIL! Anything containing > ibruprofen is Dangerous to your health!

Sorry – I know this is not wedding related (I could probably come up with something farfetched to be related!!) but what is wrong with ibuprofen? I know that some people who have allergies to aspirin cannot take it, and obviously pregnant or nursing mothers should not take anything w/o dr’s consent, but what else would be the problem? Personally, I have to take prescription ibuprofen of two 800 milligram tablets 4 times a day, for about 5 days a month, for endometriosis pain….. kellie (who believes that Advil is better than chocolate)

Response:

I take ibuprofen or Motrin which is harmless two days out of every month for the same reason as Kelly. Ibuprofen is almost always harmless. I’ve even taken it in high doses for endometriosis. Women take ibuprofen often for endometriosis, and there’s no problem with that. I’m sure ibuprofen is okay for men. However, ibuprofen is NOT a sleeping pill. Ibuprofen is a pain reliever only. Sleeping pills can make you drowsy the next morning. Ibuprofen just relieves pain and does not make you drowsy when you take it (hardly at all) and certaily doesn’t make you drowsy the next morning. Marla : > : > Whatever you choose to do, DON’T TAKE ADVIL! Anything containing : > ibruprofen is Dangerous to your health! : Sorry – I know this is not wedding related (I could probably come up : with something farfetched to be related!!) but what is wrong with : ibuprofen? I know that some people who have allergies to aspirin cannot : take it, and obviously pregnant or nursing mothers should not take : anything w/o dr’s consent, but what else would be the problem? : Personally, I have to take prescription ibuprofen of two 800 milligram : tablets 4 times a day, for about 5 days a month, for endometriosis : pain….. : kellie (who believes that Advil is better than chocolate)

Response:

Filed under: Aids

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <q cite=""> <strike>

TrackBack URL | RSS feed for comments on this post.

Aids HIV FAQ