My midwife says it's safe to take tylenol pm while pregnant. i was not really comfortable with it but have had a really rough week of insomnia and gave in last night. it was honestly the best, most solid sleep I can remember in a long time. I have ENERGY today. I dont want to get hooked on it but it sure was great to sleep - finally. How do others feel about it? What has your midwife said?
tylenol pm
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Tylenol PM is really just Tylenol and Benedryl combined, both of which are safe during pregnancy. I'm usually not one to jump to meds quickly, but I've been taking Tylenol in the middle of the night some nights for my hip pain and it's the only thing that seems to help when it gets bad. I'd take Tylenol PM too if Benedryl didn't make me feel like a zombie for 24 hours.
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I'd feel just fine about it, although if you're using it just for sleep, you can just take a Benedryl. If you're needing pain relief and sleep, then go with the Tylenol PM. But if you don't need to take the Tylenol, then I'd skip it, just because your liver is already pretty taxed at this point in pregnancy. It certainly shouldn't hurt anything, but if you don't need to overmedicate, then you could get the sleep benefits by taking Benedryl as a stand alone.
The really wonderful part of this thread, is that I laid in bed for almost 4 hours debating whether I would bite the bullet and take some Benedryl, because I was stressed and miserable. If I've got partners in "crime," I'm going to go for it the next time my insomnia is so bad. Thanks ladies!
The really wonderful part of this thread, is that I laid in bed for almost 4 hours debating whether I would bite the bullet and take some Benedryl, because I was stressed and miserable. If I've got partners in "crime," I'm going to go for it the next time my insomnia is so bad. Thanks ladies!
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I was alternating benadryl and unisom for five months or so of this pregnancy as it was the only way I would get more than an hour of sleep a day. Then I started feeling different at night and stopped taking it no problem. Pregnancy does strange things I tell ya!
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I know in children it can either cause drowsiness or extreme hyperactivity, as well as night terrors. Despite 3 different docs suggesting we use it for DS for allergies, he's only ever had 3 doses, and I refuse to use it for him (or anyone else in our house) anymore. The sleepless nights for EVERYONE while he's screaming yet not really awake, are just not worth whatever relief it may be providing!Originally Posted by nald1
Are there side effects with benadryl?
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I've taken Benadryl to try to get sleep twice during this pregnancy and it gives me some wicked, vivid nightmares/dreams. It's like pregnancy dreams on amphetamines. It too much for me to handle. Plus, I would wake up so stinking dehydrated. I also have taken Unisom for several weeks at the beginning of this pregnancy for morning sickness, with no side effects. But I was splitting those tablets in half.
Benadryl is diphenhydramine, an antihistamine. The 50 mg gel tabs of Unisom are also diphenhydramine, but the 25 mg tablets are doxylamine. The tablets are the ones women use for morning sickness (along with vitamin B6).Originally Posted by nald1
So, what's the difference between benadryl and unisom?
I've taken Benadryl to try to get sleep twice during this pregnancy and it gives me some wicked, vivid nightmares/dreams. It's like pregnancy dreams on amphetamines. It too much for me to handle. Plus, I would wake up so stinking dehydrated. I also have taken Unisom for several weeks at the beginning of this pregnancy for morning sickness, with no side effects. But I was splitting those tablets in half.
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Both are antihistamines with the side effect of drowsiness, they are different drugs used in each. Some people may find one works better for them then the other because of the different formulas. Personally, Tylenol PM doesn't work on me this pg, it did last pg. Only Unisom and it has to be to the Unisom in the white/orange box, the regular small, blue pill. The gel capsules do nothing as well. It knocks me out. Like any sleep aid, they both have the potential to leave you groggy in the morning but for me, I usually am not now and the benefit of getting some sleep was well worth it.Originally Posted by nald1
So, what's the difference between benadryl and unisom?
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Does it stop you from waking up to pee? I'd be afraid my bladder would explode if I didn't wake up a couple times a night! I was using Rescue Sleep spray and it was helping me to fall asleep, but it seemed to have stopped. I lay there till sometimes 1am, wake to pee hourly, then I'm wide awake at around 5:30. I need something.
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Hmm, this is food for thought for me. Each night (or most nights) I take 1/2 a benadryl pill and 2 tylenol. I've been sleeping wonderfully (as wonderfully as can be expected) since doing this. I still wake 2-3 times a night to pee, but I'm not up for hours like I used to be. I now also keep a cliff bar or something right by the bed so I don't have to wander to the kitchen in case I wake up hungry.
At first I was taking the benadryl bc my allergies were awful. But, honestly, I slept so great I just kept taking it, even if I wasn't feeling allergic.
Maybe instead of the two drugs, I could take one tylenol pm? Hmm. Thoughts.
At first I was taking the benadryl bc my allergies were awful. But, honestly, I slept so great I just kept taking it, even if I wasn't feeling allergic.
Maybe instead of the two drugs, I could take one tylenol pm? Hmm. Thoughts.
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With your current regimin, if you're taking half a Benedryl, and 2 Tylenol, it would mean you're taking 12.5mg of Diphenhydramine and anywhere from 650-1000mg of Acetaminophen (depending on the dosage in your pills). If you switched to taking just one Tylenol PM, you'd be reducing your pain relief (only 500mg of Acetaminophen), but you'd be upping the dosage of sleep (25mg, vs. 12.5 of Diphenhydramine). If the 12.5mg of Benedryl is getting you through the night, be prepared that a full Tylenol PM might make you feel like a zombie due to the doubling of the sleepy drug.Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes
Maybe instead of the two drugs, I could take one tylenol pm? Hmm. Thoughts.
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I still wake up frequently to pee. I am just able to go back to sleep after I pee. Non-medicated, I'm up for hours like you are.Originally Posted by Danielle283
Does it stop you from waking up to pee? I'd be afraid my bladder would explode if I didn't wake up a couple times a night! I was using Rescue Sleep spray and it was helping me to fall asleep, but it seemed to have stopped. I lay there till sometimes 1am, wake to pee hourly, then I'm wide awake at around 5:30. I need something.
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Thank you for this information! You are so helpful, seriously. I'm going to stick with what I'm doing. I don't need any more sleep aid, and the tylenol really does take care of my hip pain thru the night. I definitely don't need to feel like a zombie!Originally Posted by Italiamom
With your current regimin, if you're taking half a Benedryl, and 2 Tylenol, it would mean you're taking 12.5mg of Diphenhydramine and anywhere from 650-1000mg of Acetaminophen (depending on the dosage in your pills). If you switched to taking just one Tylenol PM, you'd be reducing your pain relief (only 500mg of Acetaminophen), but you'd be upping the dosage of sleep (25mg, vs. 12.5 of Diphenhydramine). If the 12.5mg of Benedryl is getting you through the night, be prepared that a full Tylenol PM might make you feel like a zombie due to the doubling of the sleepy drug.
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