These may include :. Doctors usually recommend a gradual dosage reduction schedule for people who become dependent on diphenhydramine. Case reports of adolescents and adults with diphenhydramine dependence highlight how important it is for doctors to ask about OTC medication use, particularly in people with previous or current addictions and psychotic illnesses.
ZzzQuil is a safe and effective medication that can help relieve occasional sleeplessness. However, people should stop using ZzzQuil and see a doctor if sleeping difficulties persist for more than 14 consecutive days. ZzzQuil is not suitable for everyone. Children under 12 years old should not take ZzzQuil, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should speak to a doctor first.
ZzzQuil can also interact with some antidepressants and can worsen certain medical conditions, such as asthma and heart disease. Side effects of ZzzQuil may increase the risk of falls in older people. ZzzQuil is not addictive at the recommend dosage. However, people who take very high doses of ZzzQuil for a prolonged period may be at risk of becoming dependent.
Learn about the types, effectiveness, and safety of sleeping pills here. People have used passionflower for medicinal purposes for centuries. In this article, learn how it may help reduce anxiety and improve sleep. We also…. Melatonin is a hormone that the body produces when it gets dark to signal that it is time to go to sleep. Melatonin supplements can help people with…. A variety of foods contain compounds that can help a person sleep, such as serotonin, melatonin, and tryptophan.
Learn about the best foods for…. L-5 hydroxytryptophan 5-HTP is a naturally occurring compound in the body. It is related to the production of serotonin, so some people think that…. What to know about ZzzQuil. If you are presently taking a prescription drug or other medication, do not take this product without first consulting a physician or pharmacist.
ZzzQuil is different from these products because it does not contain any pain reliever. ZzzQuil: Not for pain. Not for colds. Just for sleep. ZzzQuil LiquiCaps do not contain alcohol. A: ZzzQuil is effective when taken as directed. To ensure ZzzQuil is right for you, always read and follow the label. Do not use if you have: a breathing problem such as asthma, emphysema or chronic bronchitis; heart disease; glaucoma; or difficulty urinating due to enlargement of the prostate gland.
Unless directed by a physician, not to be used by elderly patients who experience confusion at nighttime. These drugs may produce excitation rather than sedation in the elderly. Therefore they should be avoided in this age group. If you know of another effect that commonly occurs while under the influence of this combination, be sure to report it in the comments section below.
There are numerous variables that influence the specific effects, total number of effects, and the severity of effects that occur while under the influence of ZzzQuil and alcohol. These variables include: dosages [of each substance]; administration details e.
The significance of physiologic effect resulting from the simultaneous ingestion of ZzzQuil and alcohol is principally mediated by dosing. Individuals who ingest lower respective dosages of ZzzQuil and alcohol will exhibit a less significant shift from homeostatic physiology as compared to persons who ingest high doses. Put simply, someone ingesting a single dose of ZzzQuil after taking a sip of red wine will experience fewer side effects than someone who ingests several doses of ZzzQuil after a few glasses of rum.
For this reason, it may be challenging to know whether taking 2 ZzzQuil and drinking 1 beer yields a more potent physiologic effect than drinking 2 beers and taking 1 ZzzQuil. If the hypothesis that a single dose of ZzzQuil exerts a more potent physiologic effect than a single standard alcoholic beverage e.
If forced to estimate dosing equivalency in terms of potency, one might speculate that a single ZzzQuil dose is roughly as potent as the number of drinks it takes to reach a blood-alcohol content reading of 0.
In any regard, the greater the amount of alcohol present within the combination, the more severe the alcohol-related side effects will be. The greater the amount of ZzzQuil present within the combination, the more severe the ZzzQuil-related side effects will be. If large amounts of both substances are present within the combination, the more severe the alcohol-related and diphenhydramine-related side effects will be, as well as interaction effects between alcohol and diphenhydramine.
Note : The aforementioned estimations are hypothetical and should not be considered factual. Even after this testing, it would still be difficult to compare ZzzQuil with alcohol due to differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Examples of administration details to consider include: empty vs. In addition to the ingestion of ZzzQuil and alcohol, it is necessary to know whether other substances e. Any additional substance that either inhibits or induces activation of the aforestated enzymes can alter metabolism, potency, and duration of effect resulting from ZzzQuil and alcohol.
For example, the drug Fomepizole inhibits alcohol dehydrogenase which would interfere with alcohol metabolism and potentiate its intoxicating effect if administered with this combination. Other substances may alter metabolism in ways that inhibit the physiologic effect of ZzzQuil and alcohol, thereby decreasing odds of adverse pharmacokinetic-related reactions.
For example, administration of a benzodiazepine along with ZzzQuil and alcohol may potentiate the GABAergic effect of alcohol and synergistically enhance cumulative CNS depression. On the other hand, administration of a psychostimulant like caffeine with ZzzQuil and alcohol may reverse some degree of CNS depression and corresponding effects of drowsiness and fatigue.
Also understand that certain substances ingested along with ZzzQuil and alcohol may have no effect upon physiologic responses to the combination. Note : The greater the number of substances administered along with ZzzQuil and alcohol, the increased likelihood of interaction effects.
It should be noted that some individuals may have a high tolerance to alcohol but not diphenhydramine — or vice-versa. Common sense would suggest that, the larger the dose of the substance ingested to which you have low tolerance, the more significant the effect of that particular substance on your physiology from the combination.
Also worth emphasizing is that the impact of tolerance on responses to ZzzQuil and alcohol is relative to dose. Individual-specific factors play a significant role in determining how someone reacts to a specific substance or combination of substances e. ZzzQuil and alcohol. Examples of relevant individual-specific factors include: age, body type, genetics, preexisting medical conditions, and sex. It is these factors that explain why two persons with the same degree of tolerance who identically administer equivalent dosages of ZzzQuil and alcohol may respond differently.
For example, one individual may report dizziness, hallucinations and vomiting — whereas the other may report fainting with respiratory depression. If attempting to understand a particular reaction to ZzzQuil and alcohol, it should prove useful to account for the individual factors listed below.
A smaller percentage of individuals will have ingested these substances [somewhat] unintentionally — without considering potential interaction effects.
Note : Some may ingest ZzzQuil with alcohol intentionally, suspecting that the combination is safe due to the fact that ZzzQuil is an over-the-counter drug.
If you co-ingested ZzzQuil and alcohol, there are some steps you can take to minimize the likelihood of severe adverse reactions. Most obviously, after simultaneous ingestion of ZzzQuil and alcohol, it is recommended to seek emergency medical care. Failure to seek emergency medical care after ingestion of this combination may lead to long-term physiologic complications, permanent physiologic damage, or death.
Other ways to mitigate adverse reactions include: using activated charcoal; modulating CNS function; avoiding potentiators; and consuming sufficient food, water, and electrolytes.
Also document your reason for ingesting the combination of ZzzQuil and alcohol e. To help others get a better understanding of your experience, mention the respective dosages of ZzzQuil and alcohol that you ingested e.
Moreover, provide some personal details that may have influenced your reaction to the combination of ZzzQuil and alcohol such as: age, body size and composition, gene expression associated with metabolism of each substance , preexisting medical conditions, and usage of other substances e.
For clarification, note whether ZzzQuil and alcohol were administered simultaneously OR if there was latency between dosing e. Reflecting upon your experience, do you regret mixing ZzzQuil and alcohol? Do you plan on ingesting this combination again in the future?
Understand that it is not recommended to co-administer ZzzQuil and alcohol. If you have any questions about ZzzQuil, alcohol, or their combination — contact a medical professional rather than soliciting advice from the internet.
Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Note: The author of this site is not engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained within this work are not intended as a substitute for consulting with a medical doctor. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. I shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestions within this website.
You, as a reader of this website, are totally and completely responsible for your own health and healthcare. Diphenhydramine : The primary active ingredient within ZzzQuil is diphenhydramine, a compound of the ethanolamine class with antihistaminergic and antimuscarinic properties.
Diphenhydramine is understood to act predominantly as a competitive inverse agonist at central and peripheral H1 histamine receptors. Inverse agonism of H1 receptors indicates that diphenhydramine not only inhibits H1 receptor activation, but that it exerts the opposite effect upon each H1 receptor as compared to an endogenous ligand e.
It is the H1 receptor inverse agonism elicited by diphenhydramine that induces sedation, drowsiness and relaxation — all of which promote sleep induction. As a secondary mechanism of action, diphenhydramine antagonizes M1 muscarinic receptors, indicating that it blocks the stimulatory effect of acetylcholine. The M1 antagonism is thought to augment H1 inverse agonism for sleep induction.
Assuming one administered standard doses of ZzzQuil, the H1 inverse agonism and, to a lesser extent, M1 antagonism, account for the bulk of its action. However, if an excessive dosage is ingested such as during abuse , diphenhydramine can: inhibit the norepinephrine transporter NET , antagonize alpha-1 receptors, and inhibit the serotonin transporter SERT. Alcohol is known to modulate a host of neurotransmitters and receptors including: dopamine, GABA, glutamate, glycine, and serotonin.
Though the quantity of alcohol within the aforestated ZzzQuil preparations is considered low, understand that even a seemingly small quantity will modulate neurotransmission.
Individuals who consume ZzzQuil preparations containing alcohol will likely exhibit increased CNS depression and may report a slightly greater hypnotic effect compared to alcohol-free formats.
If an excessively large dose of ZzzQuil is ingested, not only will the secondary and tertiary mechanisms of diphenhydramine yield a more substantial physiologic effect, but alcohol will also.
Allergic reaction : Before combining ZzzQuil with alcohol, most individuals will have used each substance separately to know how they respond. Each of these symptoms may be exacerbated by the effects of alcohol, leading to potentiation of dizziness and stomach cramps. In some cases, allergic reactions may extreme enough to induce coma, fainting, or death. Anyone who suspects they are allergic to either substance diphenhydramine or alcohol or possibly the combination — should seek emergency medical attention.
One cause of balance and coordination deficits from this combination of substances is CNS depression. This CNS depression yields suboptimal physiologic arousal whereby mental alertness is poorer and it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain balance and coordination.
That said, of the two substances, alcohol likely disrupts balance and coordination to the greatest extent. Alcohol interferes with activity in the cerebellum, a region of the brain implicated in the coordination of muscle movements. Furthermore, alcohol decreases connectivity between the supplementary motor area of the brain a region involved in planning an execution of controlled movement and the primary visual and motor areas.
Blood pressure fluctuations : It is possible that your blood pressure may fluctuate while under the influence of ZzzQuil and alcohol. The diphenhydramine within ZzzQuil is not thought to directly alter blood pressure, however, its action as an H1 inverse agonist may block histaminergic effects on vascular permeability to induce hypotension.
As a result, some individuals may report that their blood pressure increases while under the influence of ZzzQuil. Although regular alcohol consumption is associated with increased blood pressure, while under the influence of a moderate dose, most will experience decreased blood pressure due to CNS depression. Better to be safe than sorry. Melatonin is a dietary supplement that many people view as a safer sleep aid than prescription pills.
The combination can cause side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, anxiety, or increased blood pressure. Like sleeping pills, you should choose alcohol or melatonin—not both. With all of this said, Breus says he encourages people to work toward getting good sleep without the use of sleep aids.
Sleep aids have their place, he says, and as a general rule, a three-month course of treatment under the supervision of a healthcare provider can get you on the right track. Instead, he encourages people to improve their sleep habits through cognitive behavior therapy. Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. Is it safe to drink alcohol while taking prescription sleep aids? By Dawn Weinberger Apr.
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