Been to government hospital today, since I also suffered from a bad cold.

Doctor prescribed me some medicines for cough, a mucolytic medicine to release mucus, and a 30 day supply of 2mg Diazepam.

Total cost was 364 baht.

When looking up all those sleeping aids mentioned in this thread, and including Diazepam of course, I start to feel uncomfortable since all of them mention this.

1. Interactions: It interacts severely with alcohol, opioids, and other CNS depressants, which can lead to profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, or death.

2. Withdrawal Symptoms: Stopping the medication abruptly can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, including severe anxiety, insomnia, tremors, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, seizures.

Half life of Diazepam is long, I can read this

Duration of Action: While the half-life is long, the immediate sedative effects generally last 4 to 6 hours

Will see how it goes but on my next appointment I probably ask for something safer.

The reason why I didn't have side effects from the Diazepam I still had is that they were only 1mg, and were expired for 15 years already, so they probably had lost most of their potency.

On 3/17/2026 at 5:49 PM, emptypockets said:

That explains a lot of your posts!

Excuse me, are you saying insomnia affects my posts?

Buy some Pregablin 150mg, take ONE!!!!!!!!!, and sleep like a baby. Still OTC in Thailand, but seriously sedating. Careful

2 hours ago, KireB said:

Buy some Pregablin 150mg, take ONE!!!!!!!!!, and sleep like a baby. Still OTC in Thailand, but seriously sedating. Careful

I think I give that one a miss/

https://www.drugs.com/pregabalin.html

Warnings

Pregabalin can cause a severe allergic reaction. Stop taking pregabalin and seek emergency medical help if you have hives or blisters on your skin, trouble breathing, or swelling in your face, mouth, or throat.

There have been reports of life-threatening breathing problems (respiratory depression) with gabapentinoids, such as pregabalin. The risk is higher in those with preexisting breathing disorders (such as COPD), the elderly, or those taking other medicines that can cause drowsiness or slow your breathing, such as opioids or CNS depressants. Seek emergency medical attention if you have very slow breathing.

I listen to independent social media interviews on Youtube when I go to bed. Sleeping like a puppy after 30 minutes.
I should listen to Fox or CNN, or a Trump interview - I'd be asleep in 10.

28 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

I think I give that one a miss/

https://www.drugs.com/pregabalin.html

Warnings

Pregabalin can cause a severe allergic reaction. Stop taking pregabalin and seek emergency medical help if you have hives or blisters on your skin, trouble breathing, or swelling in your face, mouth, or throat.

There have been reports of life-threatening breathing problems (respiratory depression) with gabapentinoids, such as pregabalin. The risk is higher in those with preexisting breathing disorders (such as COPD), the elderly, or those taking other medicines that can cause drowsiness or slow your breathing, such as opioids or CNS depressants. Seek emergency medical attention if you have very slow breathing.

I take Gabapentin. Helps to maintain your sleep at night. One of the tools in my insomnia tool box.

2 hours ago, connda said:

I take Gabapentin. Helps to maintain your sleep at night. One of the tools in my insomnia tool box.

Two things.

In general, that med has been linked to dementia risk.

www.connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gabapentin-being-linked-to-increased-risk-of-dementia/

Secondly is my personal experience.

A doctor prescribed it to me a for a pain issue.

It made me feel like a zombie and I would rather feel pain than feel like a zombie.

I had to stop.

But it's a very powerful med and you can't just stop it. You need to taper off and there are horrible side effects involved.

Do what you want but others BE WARNED!

To add, when I experienced the ZOMBIE effect I hadn't been aware before that it was a common side effect. So it wasn't a negative placebo kind of thing. It happened and that's exactly what I said when I complained to my doctor -- feeling like a zombie.

Yes it is sometimes suggested off label for insomnia.

www.painkillers.uk/gabapentin-side-effects/

Gabapentin can silence nerve pain — but sometimes it silences you too.

When people talk about gabapentin side effects, one phrase comes up again and again: the “zombie effect.” This isn’t a medical term, but it perfectly captures how many patients describe their experience — feeling foggy, slowed down, and detached from themselves.

Gabapentin is widely prescribed for nerve pain, seizures, and sometimes even off-label for sleep problems or conditions like sciatica. For many, it brings real relief. But for others, the trade-off is steep: pain reduction at the cost of clarity, energy, and emotional presence.

48 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Gabapentin can silence nerve pain — but sometimes it silences you too.

When people talk about gabapentin side effects, one phrase comes up again and again: the “zombie effect.”

I've never experienced anything like that. Zombie effect? Lack of clarity, foggy? Perhaps you. Me? Provides a good night of solid sleep. Horrible withdrawals? Never experienced that either. If you're taking a max dose of 3600mg / day, yeah? Maybe you develop dependence. My 100mg to 300mg a night gives me a restful night's sleep.
If yon't want to take it? Don't take it. I don't have reactions like that at all.

On 3/17/2026 at 3:55 PM, CallumWK said:

If you had read the OP you would know that the 8 tablets I had left were consumed over a period of 6 months, so hardly take them every day.

I only take one when I can't keep it up anymore, as I notice i fall asleep behind the wheel or in front of my PC during the day.

Wrong medication ....

On 3/17/2026 at 2:10 PM, JackGats said:

Clonazepam and diazepam are (very) long acting benzos. They still act at least during the whole of the next day. Bromazepam or alprazolam (xanax) on the other hand have a suitable half-life to be used as sleeping-pills.

By the way, why not try out lamborexant? It's a new type of non-addictive, no-tolerance sleeping pill. It works on an entirely different principle than benzos or Z-drugs. Its half-life is still on the side, but at least you won't develop an addiction to benzos. An addiction to benzos is as nightmarish as an addition to opiates. It is patented and expensive though, no generics.

lamborexant - how effective is that ? have you tried it ?

As Callum mentioned is usages of these benzo's is self regulated very well - he uses them sparingly and only when necessary.

I use them when travelling on a long haul flight, or when trying to adjust for jet-lag - they get the job done - but I see how then can become habitually addictive for those unable to regulate and control themselves.

1 hour ago, connda said:

I've never experienced anything like that. Zombie effect? Lack of clarity, foggy? Perhaps you. Me? Provides a good night of solid sleep. Horrible withdrawals? Never experienced that either. If you're taking a max dose of 3600mg / day, yeah? Maybe you develop dependence. My 100mg to 300mg a night gives me a restful night's sleep.
If yon't want to take it? Don't take it. I don't have reactions like that at all.

Obviously personal reactions vary.

But it's an objective fact that people should be warned about that med and I wouldn't discount the dementia risk either.

In my case I was not on anything remotely close to a high dose (a minimal dose actually) and there is no doubt in my mind that I was physically addicted to as well. I've never been a heroin addict but I am a caffeine addict and I can tell you the withdrawal from Gabopentin was 10 times worse than when I've quit coffee. But that's an addiction that I love to have.

As I said, you do what you want though for sleep it is OFF LABEL.

53 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

lamborexant - how effective is that ? have you tried it ?

As Callum mentioned is usages of these benzo's is self regulated very well - he uses them sparingly and only when necessary.

I use them when travelling on a long haul flight, or when trying to adjust for jet-lag - they get the job done - but I see how then can become habitually addictive for those unable to regulate and control themselves.

Lamborexant is effective. Its half-life is too long however. I only use it when I want to put in a 12-hour sleeping night. Even then I feel slightly sleepy the next day until noon. What I do then I go to bed again around 11am for a 2-hour nap. Same thing with Daridorexant, which is the orexing antagonist marketed in Europe.

On 3/18/2026 at 4:20 PM, ronnie50 said:

Another option is Trazadone 50 (used off-label for sleep aid). Look it up.

I use Trazodone occasionally (about once every 3-6 months if I've had more than 3 sleepless nights in a row). As mentioned on a number of medical websites, if used off label for insomnia, it's better to use it in small doses.

I find taking a quarter of a 50mg tablet has the desired effect for me, every time.

Here's an extract from a paper on the NIH (US National Institutes of Health) website.

Trazodone for Insomnia: A Systematic Review

The blocking of the 5-HT2A, histamine H1, and alpha receptors is thought to produce the hypnotic effect reported for low doses of trazodone (25–100mg). At these low doses, trazodone induces and maintains sleep without causing daytime drowsiness or tolerance ...

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5842888/

The same "micro-dosing" principle seems to apply to Mirtazapine, which I've also used in the past.

If you are prescribed mirtazapine for sleep problems, it’s usually given at a low dosage.

It’s worth noting that the sedative effects of mirtazapine are thought to be greater at low dose and are lost at higher dose.

Generally, it’s given at a starting dose of 7.5mg mirtazapine, to be taken at bedtime. Some people may find that mirtazapine at 3.75mg may be their ideal dose.

https://www.sleepstation.org.uk/articles/medicines/mirtazapine/

On 3/17/2026 at 6:10 PM, JackGats said:

Clonazepam and diazepam are (very) long acting benzos. They still act at least during the whole of the next day. Bromazepam or alprazolam (xanax) on the other hand have a suitable half-life to be used as sleeping-pills.

Yeah I smack down a few few mg of xanax every other night to get me to sleep.

Defo feel it most of the next day.

20 hours ago, connda said:

I take Gabapentin. Helps to maintain your sleep at night. One of the tools in my insomnia tool box.

I took 200 mg per night for a few months.

Coming off was worse than benzos, alcohol and heroin.

It leads to tolerance. I highly recommend you come off with a slow taper, horrible drug.

16 hours ago, Jingthing said:

physically addicted to as well. I've never been a heroin addict but I am a caffeine addict and I can tell you the withdrawal from Gabopentin was 10 times worse than when I've quit coffee.

There's a a Reddit forum for Gabapentin withdrawal - horrible drug that most are fooled into thinking it's safe.

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

lamborexant - how effective is that ? have you tried it ?

As Callum mentioned is usages of these benzo's is self regulated very well - he uses them sparingly and only when necessary.

I use them when travelling on a long haul flight, or when trying to adjust for jet-lag - they get the job done - but I see how then can become habitually addictive for those unable to regulate and control themselves.

I've got a prescription and use them when I need to get up early the next day. As you said, "Sparingly." They are physically addictive.

On 3/17/2026 at 4:02 PM, JimCM said:

Trazadone 50 mg does the job once or twive a month

And for the other 28 days you cannot sleep???

30 minutes before bed, I drink 1 teaspoon of each honey, turmeric, apple cider vinegar. lemon juice and oil, using my home-made C Oil. Mix with warm water.

Sleep for 9 or 10 hours and do not get up for a pee. Done this for a month and am surprised at the results.

What about Cannabis, does it aid in sleep? For non-smokers, is it available in some other form?

On 3/18/2026 at 4:57 PM, CallumWK said:

Been to government hospital today, since I also suffered from a bad cold.

Doctor prescribed me some medicines for cough, a mucolytic medicine to release mucus, and a 30 day supply of 2mg Diazepam.

Total cost was 364 baht.

When looking up all those sleeping aids mentioned in this thread, and including Diazepam of course, I start to feel uncomfortable since all of them mention this.

1. Interactions: It interacts severely with alcohol, opioids, and other CNS depressants, which can lead to profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, or death.

2. Withdrawal Symptoms: Stopping the medication abruptly can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, including severe anxiety, insomnia, tremors, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, seizures.

Half life of Diazepam is long, I can read this

Duration of Action: While the half-life is long, the immediate sedative effects generally last 4 to 6 hours

Will see how it goes but on my next appointment I probably ask for something safer.

The reason why I didn't have side effects from the Diazepam I still had is that they were only 1mg, and were expired for 15 years already, so they probably had lost most of their potency.

I am prescribed diazepam (5mg) in order to sleep because of empty nose syndrome for the last 8 years or so. Before taking it, for roughly a year, I wouldn’t be able to get much more than an hour or two of sleep per day until my body would just shut down after about a week and I’d be knocked out for 8 hours….Lather, rinse repeat.

I hated having to go back on benzos as I had been off them for about 7 years (1mg clonezapam for many years) and the withdrawals were off the charts. Many people on forums such as “benzo buddies” who had been addicted to other substances such as alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines and opiates unequivocally stated that there was no comparison due to the length of withdrawals and would call them (benzos) “the devil”

When tapering off benzos, diazepam is used as the last one because of the slower onset/longer half life aspect of it if one is following the Dr Ashton method.

Here’s a chart of the different benzos and their equivalencies just for your info file. In my unqualified opinion, at least the doctor didn’t throw a fast acting heavy hitter your way as those seemed to be the hardest for people to come off.

2 hours ago, JackGats said:

Lamborexant is effective. Its half-life is too long however. I only use it when I want to put in a 12-hour sleeping night. Even then I feel slightly sleepy the next day until noon. What I do then I go to bed again around 11am for a 2-hour nap. Same thing with Daridorexant, which is the orexing antagonist marketed in Europe.

Thanks - sounds a little worse than the benzo's from a 'next day' head cloud perspective.

I can take a 2mg Clonazdpam and wake up rested and alert - but I find that 2mg does the trick

1 mg Alprazolam

2 mg Clonazepam (half)

5 mg Diazepam

If I'm not mistaken - the equivalencies of the above are:

1 mg Alprazolam

1mg Clonazepam (so the 2mg tablet snapped in half)

10 mg Diazepam (so 2x 5mg tablets)

At these levels I feel no grogines / no brain cloud etc - Its not the same, but I hardly feel hangover when drink - so maybe I metabolise this medicine quickly,

7 hours ago, connda said:

I've got a prescription and use them when I need to get up early the next day. As you said, "Sparingly." They are physically addictive.

I may be mistaken, but my understanding is that medications like alprazolam, clonazepam, and diazepam can be both physically and psychologically addictive, although the risk depends heavily on how they are used.

They don’t tend to create the same immediate “craving” pattern as substances like nicotine or tobacco - its not as if you take these tablets for 3 or 4 days and thats it - you are locked in and addicted. However, with regular use, the body can become physically dependent, meaning the brain adapts to their calming effects and withdrawal symptoms can occur if they are stopped abruptly.

At the same time, because these medications are highly effective - especially for sleep - they can also become habit-forming. If someone begins to rely on them regularly to fall asleep or manage stress, a psychological dependence can develop even without daily use.

In other words, the risk is not just habit or willpower - there is a real physiological component - but for someone using them occasionally and deliberately, the main concern is usually gradual reliance over time rather than immediate physical addiction.

6 hours ago, saakura said:

What about Cannabis, does it aid in sleep? For non-smokers, is it available in some other form?

The Gummies are excellent for that & IMO a better alternative than the sleeping tablets when used sparingly.

(a 10mg gummy does the trick).

diazepam 10 mg ten pills otc at soi buakhaow clinic....350 thb

I used Ativan 1mg for many years, until GP’s restricted their issue.

I would cut one tablet in half for times when could not sleep, or had time zone issues.

Maybe, I averaged up to one tablet a week. It really was a great standby.

Most recently, I have obtained  Alprazolam but that has become more difficult to access.

I was pleased to see someone on this forum recommend half a tablet of 50mg Diphenhydramine (Benadry), this is a first generation antihistamine.

It does help to get better night’s sleep, but my experience is need to take early on in the night as otherwise drowsy the next morning.

Bad news now, as I have now read that Diphenhydramine is linked to dementia in older adults. Same time, it seems even benzos are linked to dementia in older adults.

Conflicting stories to what extent, but is does make me want to back off taking these kind of sleep ‘aids’. BTW, they say short half-life is better than long half-life.

Someone above mentioned Trazodone, I optimistically googled it:

Trazodone is generally not approved for routine human use as an antidepressant in Australia. However, it is available as a Schedule 4 (prescription-only) medicine for veterinary use (e.g., Trazocalm) to manage anxiety in pets, available through veterinarians. It can also be accessed for humans via special compounding pharmacies.

Does look like there is not much out there for the plus 65 group?

16 minutes ago, John49 said:

Someone above mentioned Trazodone, I optimistically googled it:

Trazodone is generally not approved for routine human use as an antidepressant in Australia. However, it is available as a Schedule 4 (prescription-only) medicine for veterinary use (e.g., Trazocalm) to manage anxiety in pets, available through veterinarians. It can also be accessed for humans via special compounding pharmacies.

Does look like there is not much out there for the plus 65 group?

While it may not be approved for use as an anti-depressant in Australia, it is routinely prescribed on the NHS in the UK. See link below.

https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/trazodone/about-trazodone/

On that link, the following is mentioned:

Trazodone can make you feel sleepy. If you take it once a day, it's best to take it in the evening or before you go to bed.

However, it's important to note that in the context of this thread, it's not being recommended as an anti-depressant, it's being recommended (off label) as a sleep aid.

And, as previously mentioned, the dosages and therefore both the beneficial effects and the side effects, are quite different when used for the different purposes.

In fact, as the NIH research paper I linked to earlier mentions, the efficacy of Trazodone as a soporific seems to vary in inverse proportion to the dosage.

So to get the best result from it, you would use it in doses well below what is required for it to act an anti-depressant.

The same is true of Mirtazapine, another drug commonly-prescribed as an anti-depressant in the UK. It is also used off label as a sleep aid, but also in lower amounts than would have a therapeutic anti-anxiety effect.

Again on the NHS website, you can find the following:

Mirtazapine is not a sleeping tablet but it can make you feel sleepy. This can be helpful if you have depression and difficulties getting to sleep.

https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/mirtazapine/about-mirtazapine/

Another point to note, both these medications are non-addictive - although they can be habit-forming, especially if used at the higher dosages used to counter depression and anxiety.

I'm not aware of any information as to whether they are similarly habit-forming when taken in the smaller doses.

On 3/17/2026 at 11:10 AM, JackGats said:

Clonazepam and diazepam are (very) long acting benzos. They still act at least during the whole of the next day. Bromazepam or alprazolam (xanax) on the other hand have a suitable half-life to be used as sleeping-pills.

Long lasting lol

At best for me am back to normal in 30 minutes so unless I'm already asleep its all gone pear shaped

That is also with sleep medication prescribed by UK Doctors previously and dispended by Boots

Whole of the next day lol

On 3/17/2026 at 2:10 PM, CallumWK said:

I would have thought that in a major tourist destination they would have some people who understand English, at least they have an option, for English please press 9.

this shows you that the people who live here 30 years and say they don't need Thai are wrong unless they depend on a wife all the time.

On 3/19/2026 at 10:37 AM, JimCM said:

Excuse me, are you saying insomnia affects my posts?

No you're a proper nutter visiting psych doctors.