Doxylamine is used to relieve insomnia temporarily (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep). To treat sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion brought on by the common cold, doxylamine is also utilised in combination with decongestants and other drugs. Children shouldn’t be given doxylamine to make them sleepy. Doxylamine belongs to the group of drugs known as antihistamines. It functions by preventing the body’s natural histamine from producing the symptoms of allergies.

Doxylamine is available as a tablet to be swallowed for sleep and in liquid and liquid-filled capsules when used with other medications to treat the symptoms of the common cold. Doxylamine is typically administered 30 minutes prior to bedtime to help people who have trouble falling asleep. Doxylamine is often given every 4 to 6 hours to relieve cold symptoms. Pay close attention to the instructions on the package label or the label on your prescription, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to clarify any instructions you do not understand. Doxylamine should be taken as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than your doctor or the box label instructs.

Doxylamine is available both by itself and in combination with cough suppressants, painkillers, and fever reducers. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for assistance on the best product to treat your symptoms if you’re selecting one to treat cough or cold symptoms. Before combining two or more over-the-counter cough and cold medications, carefully read the labelling. If you take these products together, you can experience an overdose because they might both contain the same active ingredient.

Products that contain doxylamine, especially those sold without a prescription, can have fatal side effects in young infants. Doxylamine-containing nonprescription medications should not be given to children under the age of 4. Before providing these products to kids between the ages of 4 and 12, consult a doctor.

A more serious disease may be indicated by cough and cold symptoms that worsen or persist. If your symptoms worsen or persist for more than a week when using doxylamine together with other medications to treat cough and cold symptoms, consult your doctor right away.

If you’re taking doxylamine to treat insomnia, you’ll likely feel extremely drowsy right away and continue to feel sleepy for a while after taking the drug. After taking the drug, schedule 7 to 8 hours of sleep. You can feel sleepy if you get up too soon after taking doxylamine.

Doxylamine should only be used briefly to treat insomnia. If you believe you need to take doxylamine for a period of time longer than two weeks, call your doctor.

Do not measure your dose if you are using the liquid with a regular spoon. Use a spoon made specifically for measuring medication, the measuring cup that came with the medicine, or both.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you’re interested in using this drug for any other conditions.

Before taking doxylamine,

• If you have an allergy to doxylamine, any other drugs, or any of the substances in the doxylamine preparation, let your doctor and pharmacist know right away. For a list of the ingredients, consult your physician or pharmacist or look on the label of the container.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products that you are now taking or intend to use. Incorporate any of the following: drugs for depression, muscle relaxants, narcotic painkillers, sedatives, sleep aids, tranquillizers, and medications for colds, hay fever, or allergies.
• Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had any of the following conditions: glaucoma, ulcers, difficulty urinating (due to an enlarged prostate gland), heart disease, high blood pressure, seizures, or an overactive thyroid gland. Glaucoma is a condition in which increased pressure in the eye can cause gradual loss of vision.
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking doxylamine.
• Inform your doctor or dentist that you are taking doxylamine if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
• You should be aware that this medicine may cause you to feel sleepy. Prior to understanding how this drug affects you, avoid using machinery or driving a car.
• Keep in mind that drinking alcohol can increase the drowsiness brought on by this drug. You should abstain from alcohol while using this medication.
• If you are 65 years of age or older, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of taking doxylamine with your doctor. Doxylamine is typically not recommended for usage by older adults since it is less reliable and less efficient than alternative drugs that can be used to treat the same disease.

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Normally, doxylamine is consumed as needed. Take the missed dose of doxylamine as soon as you remember it if your doctor has prescribed it to you on a regular basis. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Doxylamine could have negative effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Throat, nose, and mouth are dry
• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Chest congestion that is worse
• Headache
• Excitement
• Nervousness

Some adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Vision issues
• Having trouble urinating

Other negative effects of doxylamine are possible. If you have any strange side effects while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right once.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Store it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Additionally, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

If you have any inquiries about doxylamine, ask your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.