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Suggest Alternate Over The Counter Medication For Ambien

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Posted on Sun, 10 Jan 2016
Twitter Sun, 10 Jan 2016 Answered on
Twitter Tue, 9 Feb 2016 Last reviewed on
Question : Need a non prescription equivalent of ambien
I cannot afford to pay for an answer
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
sorry no equivalent available,but yes alternative- OTC drugs are there

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for writing to us.

Ambien is a prescription non-benzodiazepine drug for sleep problem/insomnia. It acts through GABA receptor.No drug with such mechanism and efficacy is available without prescription. However some other options are there for sleep problem.

Some OTC medicines:

Anti histamine (anti-allergy) drugs: benadryl, cetirizine, avil can help in sleep. However regular use is not recommended as it alters quality of sleep.

Melatonin: It is a natural hormone and available as herbal supplement. 5 mg 3-4 hours before sleep or you can use controlled release preparation.

Behavioral Approach:

Some measures called 'sleep hygiene' which would help in sleep. You can find the same in below link.

sleepfoundation.org/ask-the-expert/sleep-hygiene

Drinking a cup of warm milk before going to bed helps in 30-40% of patients and they do not need medicines as per my clinical experience.


Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 2407 Questions

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Suggest Alternate Over The Counter Medication For Ambien

Brief Answer: sorry no equivalent available,but yes alternative- OTC drugs are there Detailed Answer: Hi, Thanks for writing to us. Ambien is a prescription non-benzodiazepine drug for sleep problem/insomnia. It acts through GABA receptor.No drug with such mechanism and efficacy is available without prescription. However some other options are there for sleep problem. Some OTC medicines: Anti histamine (anti-allergy) drugs: benadryl, cetirizine, avil can help in sleep. However regular use is not recommended as it alters quality of sleep. Melatonin: It is a natural hormone and available as herbal supplement. 5 mg 3-4 hours before sleep or you can use controlled release preparation. Behavioral Approach: Some measures called 'sleep hygiene' which would help in sleep. You can find the same in below link. sleepfoundation.org/ask-the-expert/sleep-hygiene Drinking a cup of warm milk before going to bed helps in 30-40% of patients and they do not need medicines as per my clinical experience. Hope I have answered your query, I will be happy to help further. Regards, Dr.Chintan Solanki.