Phenergan

Just an update that may be of interest to those struggling with insomnia. Finally saw a PA - Physician’s Assistant - who offered sleeping tablets and antidepressants, which I refused as I know I’m not depressed although lack of sleep can feel that way. She is going to refer me for CBT but there could be a wait and in the meantime she suggested sleep inducing anti histamines eg Phenergan. So I feel hopeful that I have an armoury to deal with this problem without the heavy duty drugs.

nanna8

I find those chemists annoying. I am a grown up and if the stuff is available over the counter and I wish to purchase it it is my risk, not theirs. I go to another and never darken their doors again if they question me.

You’re a grownup but clearly a bit dense. You don’t know the risks and it is the chemist’s legal duty of care to ask questions. Medicines categorised as P (ie pharmacy, not general sales) are only sold to the public with these additional safety rules.

Why has Phenergan been banned?
The P&T Committee is considering prohibiting the use of IV promethazine because it can cause patient harm, such as damage to blood vessels and sur- rounding tissues. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has been recommending various strategies to try to minimize the risks of patient harm.

Phenergan works like a dream. I only take it occasionally and have been denied it once in a pharmacy, but obtained it from a different one. No idea if it is addictive though.

Hope they help you mags

I have 25mg tablets on prescription...they are very hit and miss for me (some nights work better than others) and even on a "good" night I still don't sleep well but they are the only thing I've tried that does actually make a difference (even zopiclone didn't seem to do a thing for me). Only side effect I've noticed is I always have a funny taste in my mouth in the morning, but that's easily sorted.
Problem is I don't take them regularly as I'm terrified they'll stop working! I am so fed up of being constantly exhausted, I wish I could find something that would give me a really good night's sleep - even only once every few months.

Thanks to everyone who has replied to my post. I finally got to a pharmacy today and there they were on the shelf on front of me ‘Phenergan Night Time’. I bought a pack with minimal questioning so I didn’t need to make up any excuses. I know they are just doing their job but as an adult I want to make up my own informed mind about my health. I shall only use them if I have a run of bad nights and get exhausted but I feel better already knowing that I have something to fall back on if that happens.

I find those chemists annoying. I am a grown up and if the stuff is available over the counter and I wish to purchase it it is my risk, not theirs. I go to another and never darken their doors again if they question me.

Pretty sure years ago it was banned for children as some didn't ever wake up. Perhaps that's why the pharmacy is so cautious about people buying it.

I was first prescribed Phenergan to help with bad prickly heat. Then i found it helped me sleep so i've just kept taking it though i have reduced the dose from 2 tablets at night to one when i'm able to.
I have no morning effects and I'd rather have sleep than the after effects of not sleeping.

I understand sedated sleep is more like a form of unconsciousness than natural sleep, and doesn’t have the restorative properties of natural sleep.

It was prescribed for both my sons when they were little. I dosed DS1 with it for a drive from Nottingham to Tayside when he was 16 months old. He didn't fall asleep until we reached Edinburgh, DS2 was given it in hospital prior to a test in hospital. It made him 'high as a kite'! He was rampaging around the ward. I was not moved to try it on their father!

GrammaH my GP prescribed it for my son he was a terrible sleeper, it never touched him but made him really miserable the next day. The local chemist used to sell shut eye, something they made up themselves. which worked better.
Can you imagine being able to buy that now ?

When DS was small, he was a terrible sleeper & the GP recommended phenergan to help him. Can't see a GP doing that now!! It worked a treat!

An alternative, a comment from a friend…. ‘ Morning all, best nights sleep since op - 11.5 hours. Started using Just Bee honey, really good. It has taken about a week to get into y system - just 2 tsp in hot milk or water one hour before bed’. Might be worth trying.

My hyperactive toddler son was prescribed it because he never slept. My GP didn't believe me when I said it didn't work and made him worse. . That is until he witnessed my son trying not to fly. He thought he was Superman.

So glad phenergan works for so many of you. I too used it for travelling with car sick kids
However during a period of coming of prednisolone I became depressed and given anti depressants but that caused periods of anxiety Gp prescribed phenergan and I had the most horrendous nightmares which apparently are not uncommon came off the lot and gradually improved

Definitely used to give Phenergan to DS as a toddler. A real night bird, would tramp up and down his cot until he slumped over the side. Otherwise he'd have been up watching NewsNight with us.

I used to give it to my daughter for travel sickness. I preferred it to conventional remedies because I could control the dosage. I did get questioned when buying it.

I use them when I've had several bad nights and need to break the cycle. When I first used them, 25mg left me feeling groggy the next day so I tried taking half of one. Perfect . Next time I'll buy 10g and save the cutting up ritual!

I take them and they work for me but I can't purchase them at the moment because always out of stock

But isn't Phenergan a form of sleeping pill?

"Promethazine, sold under the brand name Phenergan among others, is a first-generation antihistamine, antipsychotic, sedative, and antiemetic used to treat allergies, insomnia, and nausea"

The doctor recommended phenergan for my adult son when he had some mental health issues which were being exacerbated by insomnia. Really helped reset him over a couple of weeks. Bought them from Tesco pharmacy without any issues or questions.
I've not tried them because cetrizine knocks me out - the one that's sold as a non-drowsy daily anti-histamine!

I used to give my children Phenergan 30+ years ago whenever we travelled as both suffered dreadfully from motion sickness. Worked like a dream. Best stuff ever.

Neither child, incidentally, used to like Calpol so I used to give Medised for everyday illnesses (don't know if still available).

Any time I tried to stock up the medicine cupboard by buying both products at the same time not one Chemist in my area would sell me both products at the same time so I used to buy one in one chemist and go to another chemist for the other one.
Happy Days

I use Phenergan every night.
I cut 25mg in half.
Others may need to take full dose.

They definitely work.
Better than constant sleepless nights.