The antihistamine drug doxylamine succinate promotes sleep and relieves cold symptoms. Drinking alcohol while taking doxylamine can worsen the drowsiness and other side effects caused by the medication.
Uses
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved doxylamine as a non-prescription sleep aid. The medication also reduces the nasal congestion, runny nose and cough caused the common cold.
Dosing
Take a single tablet just before getting into bed. Use doxylamine only occasionally to help you sleep and take the medication as directed by your health care provider when you have a cold.
- The antihistamine drug doxylamine succinate promotes sleep and relieves cold symptoms.
- Use doxylamine only occasionally to help you sleep and take the medication as directed by your health care provider when you have a cold.
Side Effects
Like all antihistamines, doxylamine can cause dry mouth, dizziness, nausea and paradoxical excitation and nervousness. The medication can also cause chest congestion, difficulty urinating and changes in vision.
Warnings
Do not drink alcohol on the nights when you take doxylamine. Also avoid doxylamine if you have an enlarged prostate, asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema or glaucoma. Do not give doxylamine to children to get them to sleep.
Products
Chattem markets 25 mg doxylamine tablets under the brand name Unisom. LNK International and Perrigo also produce doxylamine tablets for the U.S. market.