Advil PM long term solution?

I have also seen studies that associate diphenhydramine with Alzheimer's. I'm guessing that that is one of the ingredients.

Pardon me if this was already stated by someone else... but.

The main reason you don't want to take pain pills such as aspirin, ibuprofen, aleave... every day is the increase risk of life-threatening ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding. This side effect can occur more frequently and with even greater severity as we get older. If the sleep aid is what your after it's best to find the active ingredient and find another source to take just that and leave out the Advil unless your trying to treat pain.

lorenadam wrote:while some responses to my last post have discounted the relevance of AHI I have found that when my AHI spikes to 25 or so I feel terrible and when it is 5 or under I feel great, just found that by taking one Advil PM I had a great night with AHI under 5, QUESTION: can Advil PM be a long-term solution?

Advil PM is a combination of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Ibuprofen and an antihistamine called Diphenhydramine. Advil is a pain medication and is also used to control fever. Diphenhydramine is an allergy medication that also has a sedative effect and thus is also used as a temporary sleep aid.

Taking both of those drugs on a long-term basis can lead to side effects. Ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers and tinnitis (ringing in the ears), but people DO take it long-term for arthritis and other inflammatory pain conditions. I've been told by an allergist that taking Diphenhydramine long term is done by some people with allergies, and it tends to lose its sedative effect if you take it routinely. Long-term use of Diphenhydramine is probably less common now that better allergy medications (like Allegra) are available over the counter. Allegra is another allergy medication that you should consider, and it has a long history of long-term use.

I'd suggest that you try Ibuprofen alone and see if it yields the same result. You might also try Benadryl alone and see if it yields the same result. Finally, I suggest you also try Allegra alone and see if it helps. Allegra takes about a week to ramp up, so don't expect a positive outcome the first night.

I've long suspected that allergies play a role in sleep apnea. Many of my friends who have CPAPs report that they have a higher AHI when their allergies are acting up. It makes a lot of sense since allergies can cause your nasal passages to swell up and that makes it harder to pull air into your lungs while you're sleeping. Your report that Advil PM helps may support my theory, especially if it is the Diphenhydramine that is giving you the benefit.

I'd also ask an allergist before you make a decision on long-term use of any allergy drug, and a rheumatologist before you take an NSAID long-term.

Since 2005-2006 (way before I started using CPAP) I had a terrible time staying asleep. I had no problem going to sleep (9:30-10:30), however I would get up at 2:30-3AM every morning - and I had no problem staying awake during the day (most of the time). My friend recommended me taking Tylenol PM - but historically I have an adverse effect with Acetaminophen. Rather, I used Advil PM which contains ibuprofen (IBU). It worked!I used Advil PM for 2+ years. Why did I stopped? Advil PM contains IBU, which requires you to have something in your stomach due to stomach irritation and possible ulcers (states on the bottle). I often go to bed on an empty stomach - and taking any forms of IBU on an empty stomach is 'no good'! I consulted with my uncle who is and internal medicine physician - he recommended Benadryl, melatonin or Doxylamine Succinate. I tried them all; here are my results.

Benadryl: It's essentially allergy medicine that makes you drowsy. It worked ok - but at the time it was a bit expensive
Melatonin (GNC 10mg): My work colleague recommended this as well due to his traveling and jet lag mitigation plan. For me, it takes a 1.5 hrs to kick in, plus it left me with a terrible hang over. And it does not sustain me through the night.
Doxylamine Succinate (Kirkland Sleep Aid KSA): This works best for me. It kicks-in within the hour and sustains my sleep through the night. I've used KSA for 5+ years now.
Important to note: I've used the above after drinking - don't. First and foremost, the sleep-assist drugs mixed with alcohol is not recommended. Plus, it intensifies the hang-overs the next next day leaving you more drowsy than without proper sleep.

What is making you sleep is probably the old fashioned second ingredient a drowsy antihistamine. Read the package and look for it on its own. The same goes for NyQuil etc. I have used Chlor-Trimeton many drug stores sell as generic.