Use of the drug Donormil in the treatment of sleep disorders of moderate and mild severity

Form of release of the drug and its pharmacological action

The release form of Donormila is effervescent tablets and dragees. The drug is produced and packaged by the French pharmaceutical concern Bristol-Myers Squibb.

The main active ingredient is doxylamine succinate. Within one hour after taking the pill, and about forty minutes after taking the dissolved effervescent tablet, this component is completely absorbed, entering the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract. There it interacts with nerve endings and receptors, affecting the processes of falling asleep and the duration of the sleep phase.

"Donormil" has a fairly powerful hypnotic effect. You should not take this drug lightly, as it has quite a few contraindications and side effects.

Tablets for improving sleep Donormil - reviews

Sveta41
https://otzovik.com/review_1389676.html

Advantages:

• Great for fighting insomnia

Flaws:

• No

Donormil is one of many drugs that have a sedative effect and fight insomnia. Donormil refers to drugs that act on the central nervous system. The main active ingredient is doxylamine succinate. Donormil is available in two forms: tablets No. 30 in a package and effervescent tablets No. 20. Donormil is used as a sedative for sleep disorders and disorders, frequent insomnia. Donormil improves sleep and at the same time reduces the time it takes to fall asleep. It is also worth noting that Donormil is taken together with other drugs that can enhance each other’s effects. While taking sedatives, you should refrain from work that requires special attention, since sedatives inhibit the reaction.

Stesha

https://irecommend.ru/content/luchshii-vrag-bessonnnitsy

Half a tablet is enough and normal sleep is ensured. No addiction. It works much better than the tranquilizers that I took from time to time as prescribed by doctors. I have been using this drug for several years, only in case of specific insomnia. I recommend it to friends and family.

Advantages:

• works quickly
• I didn't see any side effects
• helps restore sleep patterns

Jellyfish

https://irecommend.ru/content/ni-razu-ne-podvel-1

At work I have a shift schedule - I work 24 hours, rest for three days. And I am a real night owl, and on weekends I go to bed no earlier than 2 am, and wake up around 11. And, naturally, I cannot fall asleep early before the work day. But you need to sleep, because... In the morning you need to get up early and stay at work for almost a day. Need to get enough sleep. Naturally, I will never fall asleep at 10 pm - checked. And then Donormil saves me. Everything that is said in the instructions is true, after 20 minutes you will fall asleep like a baby. But this is provided that you go to bed. He doesn't force you to sleep. If you take a Donormil tablet and go for a walk, for example, you definitely won’t fall asleep in the middle of the street! )

In general, I recommend it. But remember to follow the instructions to avoid disappointment.

Advantages:

• works quickly
• I didn't see any side effects

Olga Shagova

https://www.piluli.ru/product/Donormil/review

I take 1/4 of the tablet. if necessary, I can’t sleep, sometimes until the morning. Sometimes I take 1/2, I look at the condition. When I’m stressed, I take a whole pill, because I know that I won’t fall asleep at all. But the reception is not constant. The most important thing is that I don’t feel any side effects. In the morning I get up well-rested, with a clear head, which is important. My husband occasionally takes 1/2 or a whole tablet. In the morning he goes to work cheerful and does not feel drowsy during the day. Our ages are 62 and 65 years old. What I mean is that during the day I take heart medications for blood pressure and diabetes. So Donormil is very helpful.

ZS

https://flap.rf/Medicine/Donormil_tablets

When folk remedies no longer help and there is no desire to abuse serious sedatives or sleeping pills, Donormil will come to the rescue. This is the umpteenth time I am convinced that this drug has a gentle effect and sleep is calm and deep, without awakening. I am a very emotional person, so when the day is stressful or full of emotions, no matter what: positive or negative, then falling asleep in the evening is a problem for me. Therefore, I recently discovered the drug Donormil. I took half a tablet before bed and on the side, and over time I started taking a whole tablet.

I sleep peacefully until the morning. No anxiety, restlessness, nightmares, etc. I always wake up with a clear head, I don’t feel sleepy, I’m usually awake during the day and I don’t fall asleep on the go, like with other drugs. I buy Donormil in the form of tablets, they are rectangular and can be easily divided into two. The last time I bought a dosage of 0.015 No. 30 for 300 rubles. I don’t drink it often, only in emergency situations, so I can sleep peacefully, because the human body recovers when you sleep.

Sergey Mikheev

https://flap.rf/Medicine/Donormil_tablets

I have been taking Donormil for several years, since the time when it was sold everywhere without a prescription. Unlike (I won’t write the names) advertised sedatives, which only help to lighten the wallet, Donormil is really a normal sleeping pill. You fall asleep quickly, sleep is deep, although waking up is a little difficult. But! It does not work for everyone (most likely due to the fact that the causes of sleep disturbances are different for people) and has a bunch of contraindications with side effects. So, despite all the effectiveness of Donormil, it can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor.

Indications for use of Donormila

The instructions for use of the drug state that its use is effective for the following conditions and pathologies:

• sleep disorders (insomnia) of any etiology;
• problems with falling asleep;
• hyperactivity, motor restlessness;
• increased anxiety and excitement;
• combination therapy for allergic reactions.

The term “insomnia” covers many different conditions. This includes waking up too early, the inability to fall asleep, and short periods of sleep between night awakenings. The drug is active for any of these problems.

The hypnotic effect begins immediately after most of the drug is absorbed, i.e. after about thirty to fifty minutes. If the patient has a slight build (low weight and short height, weighing up to fifty kilograms), then you can expect a faster effect from Donormil. The active ingredient begins its journey through the nerve cells approximately twenty minutes after taking the pill, and then you should expect drowsiness to appear.

Use of the drug Donormil in the treatment of sleep disorders of moderate and mild severity

Smulevich A.B., Pavlova L.K., Zheleznova M.V.

The prevalence of sleep disorders is difficult to fully assess, since not all those suffering from it go to doctors, but try to cope with it on their own or with the help of traditional medicine. Some surveys estimate that up to 20% of middle-aged people in the population require examination for sleep disorders.

Sleep disorders can lead to temporary or long-term disability and are often the cause of non-standard and emergency situations, which determines their medical and social significance [2]. In the DSM-IV, insomnia is defined as a deficiency in the quality and quantity of sleep necessary for normal daytime activities, and in the ICD-10, insomnia, hypersomnia and sleep rhythm disturbances collectively mean “primarily psychogenic conditions with an emotionally caused disturbance in the quality, duration or rating questionnaire subjective characteristics of sleep”, which took into account such indicators as time of falling asleep, duration of sleep, number of night awakenings and dreams, quality of sleep and morning awakening. The questionnaire was filled out twice - before the start of treatment with Donormil and on the 15th day of therapy. The criterion for the effectiveness of the drug was considered to be an increase in the sum of points on all points of the questionnaire to at least 24 points at the end of therapy in the patient’s subjective assessment;

Patients had complaints of sleep disturbances even before the start of treatment; their duration varied from 3 months to 3 years (on average - 9.5±6 months). The majority used all kinds of means to treat insomnia (from herbal and physiotherapy to hypnotics), but assessed the treatment as insufficiently successful (lack of the expected effect, post-somnia disorders).

The number of “bad nights” per week over the past 3 months averaged 5.62±1.48. At the same time, 31 patients had a history of spontaneous sleep disturbances, and 11 had situationally determined ones (upcoming exams, anxiety for loved ones, work conflicts, etc.).

The drug was prescribed in doses from 7.5 to 30 mg in tablet or soluble form over 30 minutes. before going to bed for 15 calendar days. If there was no effect within 5 days, the course of treatment was stopped. Donormil was not prescribed simultaneously with tranquilizers; the evening intake of other drugs was postponed to 18.00.

Research results

The main results of the study make it possible to evaluate the effect of Donormil on sleep disorders of various origins.

42 of 61 (68.8%) patients completed the study. The positive effect of therapy recorded in this part of the patients allowed them to be classified as responders.

When analyzing the psychopathological manifestations that determine the symptoms of insomnia in this part of the observations, it turned out that the structure of the syndrome that dominates the clinical picture among responders is heterogeneous. In most cases, we are talking about depressive (53.1%) and anxiety-phobic syndromes (4.3%), but there have been cases of reduction of symptoms of insomnia that developed within the framework of hypochondriacal (17.6%) and astheno-apathetic (25%) disorders respectively.

The data presented in Table 1 also show that patients classified as responders, not only according to syndromic characteristics, but also in nosological assessment, belong to different categories. According to this criterion, respondents are distributed as follows: personality disorders (PD) - 52.4%, low-progressive (psychopathic-like) schizophrenia - 28.6%, cyclothymia - 19%.

Let us now consider the data on the effectiveness of the studied drug, which, as established during the study, in the case of a positive response to therapy, affects the following sleep parameters.

Acceleration of falling asleep was recorded in the majority (31 out of 42 - 73.8%) of patients, and in this parameter the differences obtained during therapy compared with the initial ones were statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Although all other differences become significant (p<0.05) only in the summary assessment, it is found that Donormil improves the quality of sleep, increases its depth and reduces the number of dreams. Moreover, even in cases of nightmares, the majority of these patients (9 out of 14) stopped complaining of painful dreams.

Donormil also improves the quality of morning awakening: patients noted that they woke up rested, alert, and did not experience drowsiness, fatigue, or the desire to lie in bed.

However, as the data obtained indicate, the drug has virtually no effect on the number of night awakenings (out of 12 patients, only 2 noted a decrease in the frequency of night awakenings and 1 patient stopped expressing this complaint).

To the assessment of the effectiveness of Donormil already outlined above, it should be added that the drug has a favorable tolerability and safety profile. Adverse events recorded in 9 patients (21.4% of the total number of responders) were limited to complaints from 3 inpatients about short-term (no more than 30 minutes) morning lethargy and drowsiness, and outpatients (6 observations) additionally reported difficulties in inclusion in work activity. These effects are reduced during the first 5 days of taking the drug alone or by reducing the dose to 7.5 mg.

To try to answer the question of what parameters the ineffectiveness of Donormil correlates with, let us compare the already discussed calculations obtained for responders with statistical indicators for non-responders.

Let us immediately emphasize that the answer to the question posed is not limited to formalized characteristics and cannot be obtained without assessing clinical data.

And, indeed, when compared using formalized characteristics, it turns out that for most of the parameters identified in the tables under discussion, there are no statistically significant differences between responders and non-responders (19 observations). The exception is hypochondriacal syndrome, which is prevalent (albeit at the level of a statistical trend) among non-responders.

This statistical situation correlates with the clinical concept of hypochondria (primarily “sleep hypochondria” - Schlafhypohondie [13], identified in half of non-responders, whose condition during syndromic qualification was determined within the hypochondriacal syndrome), as a pathology resistant to therapy. If we take into account that in these cases we are talking not so much about sleep disorders, but rather about a paranoid struggle to restore its “ideal” quality within the framework of hypochondriacal schizophrenia, which occurs with aggravation of the signs of the defect, then the phenomena of therapeutic resistance will be deduced from the severity of the condition, determined by both for syndromic and nosological classification of the disorder.

The comparatively more pronounced degree of severity of depression in non-responders (despite the absence of statistically significant differences) is evidenced as formalized (on the Hamilton scale, the severity of depression was in 8 of 9 of these cases at least 24.8 ± 3 points versus 14.2 ± 3.6 in responders) and clinical data. Depression in these cases (diagnosed in 5 cases) is characterized by the dominance of signs of negative affectivity with the phenomena of alienation of the feeling of sleep. Detecting an affinity for negative disorders, the latter become chronic, prone to relapse, and resistant to therapy [9]. Insomnia in these cases is one of the anesthetic phenomena in the structure of negative affectivity, and accordingly one cannot expect a complete reduction of the disorder during therapy.

And finally, the data obtained allow us to assert that within the limits of insomnia itself in non-responders (despite the fact that in these cases no statistical or clinical differences from responders were identified), therapeutically resistant phenomena include intrasomnic disorders with frequent awakenings and difficulties in subsequent falling asleep . The use of Donormil for 5 days in these cases, as in other non-responders, is not accompanied by a reduction in sleep disturbances.

In conclusion, it is necessary to emphasize the following. The use of Donormil is effective for sleep disorders of moderate and mild severity that develop as part of personality disorders, affective pathology of the cyclothymic level or low-progressive (psychopathic-like) schizophrenia. Treatment of sleep disorders with Donormil is not accompanied by any adverse events or aftereffects.

Taking into account the data obtained in this study on the high effectiveness and safety of the drug Donormil, it can be recommended to a wide range of patients with sleep disorders that develop as a result of the pathology of the “minor” psychiatry.

Literature

1. Adamenko R.Ya. Treatment of insomnia in patients with chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency. Journal of a practical doctor No. 5, 2001, Kyiv.

2. Aleksandrovsky Yu.A., Avedisova A.S., Pavlova M.S., Gorinov A.A. Modern psychopharmacotherapy of psychogenic sleep disorders. A manual for doctors. - M.: Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 1998. - 24 p.

3. Vein A.M. Sleep disorders, main pathogenetic mechanisms, methods of correction. 1995. p. 6-12.

4. Vein A.M. Report on a study of Donormil in patients with insomnia. M. Center for Somnological Research, 1997, p.7.

5. Gorkov V.A., Rayushkin V.A., Churilin Yu.Yu. Pharmacological hypnotics: history and comparison. New medical technologies. - 2001; 6:39-40

6. Kolyadenko V.G., Purishkina O.P. Zastosuvannya Donormilu in complex Tepanii dermatological diseases. Faces of Ukraine.1998, No. 3, p. 38.

7. Levin Ya.I., Kovrov G.V. Some modern approaches to the treatment of insomnia. Magazine "Attending Physician", No. 04, 2003 // Open Systems Publishing House

8. Chekman I.S. Biochemical pharmacodynamics. K. Health, 1991. 201 p.

9. Smulevich A.B. Depression and comorbid disorders, 1997. 307 p.

10. Balogh A. Drug for the treatment of sleep disorders-review. Z Arztl Fortbild Qualitatssich. 2001 Jan;95(1):11-6.

11. Hausser-Hauw C., Fleury B., Scheck F., Pello JY, Lebeau B. Effet sur l'architecture du sommeil et effet residue d'une price de 15 mg de doxylamine chez le volontaire sain. Sem. Hop. Paris, 7-14 September, 1995.

12. Ermanni R., Ganzoni E. Doxylaminsuccinat bei Schlafst?rungen. Ars. Medici Nr. 4/90.

13. Peters U., W?rterbuch der Psychatrie und medizinischen Psychologie. M?nchen, 1971.

14. Schadeck B., Chelly M. et al. Efficacite comparative de la doxylamine (15 mg) et du zolpidem (10 mg) dans le traitement de l'insomnie commune. Une etude controlee versus placebo. Sem. Hop. Paris, 18-25 April, 1996.

Side effects and contraindications for use

A direct contraindication to taking the drug is pregnancy and children under fifteen years of age. Contraindications that are indirect:

• chronic liver failure;
• chronic kidney disease;
• pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
• memory loss and dementia;
• chronic alcoholism and drug addiction;
• prostate hyperplasia;
• angle-closure glaucoma.

Before using sleeping pills, you should consult a neurologist. In many cases (for example, if insomnia is caused by mental disorders or pathologies of cerebral circulation), taking Donormil may not be enough: neuroleptics, nootropics, and vasodilators should be added to the therapy. A serious course of medications, dosage and total duration of use can be prescribed by a doctor.

Contraindications

The instructions for Donormil contain a list of conditions and pathologies for which the medicine is not prescribed or is prescribed with caution.

Contraindications:

• high sensitivity to antihistamines, doxylamine and any of the auxiliary components;
• diagnosis of angle-closure glaucoma or hereditary predisposition to it;
• pathologies of the urethral canal and prostate gland with impaired urinary function;
• hereditary diseases associated with metabolic disorders (inability to convert galactose into glucose, lactase deficiency, impaired absorption of monosaccharides in the gastrointestinal tract);
• The patient's age is up to 15 years.

Cautious use is allowed:

• if a person has a tendency to suddenly stop breathing during sleep;
• in elderly patients;
• with severe dysfunction of the liver and kidneys.

For what reasons do people of different ages have problems sleeping?

Here is a list of reasons why there are problems with waking up or falling asleep, as well as why the order of sleep phases is disrupted:

• Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine leads to circulatory disorders. This can trigger the development of many pathologies and problems with the functioning of the nervous system, including sleep problems.
• Neuroticism, constant anxiety and thoughts about traumatic events of the past. With such a history, work with a psychotherapist is necessary.
• Vegetative-vascular dystonia is a common cause of insomnia, hyperhidrosis, and migraines.
• Changes in blood pressure can cause sleep phase disturbances, causing the patient to wake up several times a night.
• In chronic alcoholism, insomnia is a constant phenomenon. A sick person may fall asleep either after taking a sleeping pill or after taking a dose of an alcoholic drink.
• Itchy skin that occurs due to allergies often interferes with normal sleep.
• Pathologies of the nervous system in older people lead to getting up before dark - at three to five o'clock in the morning. As a result, sleep phases are disrupted and the patient cannot feel well-rested.

Whatever the reason, taking doxylamine-based tablets helps you fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly (reviews of Donormil Upsa confirm this fact). With some psychiatric pathologies, sleep will have to wait a little longer, but it will certainly overtake the patient.

Donormil is an over-the-counter medicine for insomnia.

What do many people (men, women, and especially older people) do if they begin to have a sleep disorder that leads to the problem of insomnia? As a rule, they go to the pharmacy and ask the seller to recommend some medicine for insomnia that is sold in pharmacies without a prescription. The salesperson at the pharmacy may recommend buying Melaxen or Donormil tablets. An over-the-counter insomnia medicine, Donormil, is widely known in Russia, has a hypnotic effect, and is excellent in treating acute insomnia and short-term sleep disorders. However, it is more correct to treat insomnia with Donormil, taking into account the recommendations of a qualified doctor treating insomnia, by making an appointment with a somnologist at the Sleep Medicine Center in Moscow to avoid possible side effects. It’s easy to make an appointment at the Somnology Center in Moscow; you can choose a convenient time to see a somnologist for consultation.

Composition of the drug Donormil

A drug based on doxylamine succinite, which promotes rapid and peaceful sleep. One capsule contains 15 mg of doxylamine. The drug is available in two forms: regular tablets and effervescent tablets. The second option, as noted by somnologists at the Somnology Center in Moscow, has a faster hypnotic effect.

And although the drug for insomnia Donormil is available in pharmacies without a prescription, before you start taking the drug, it is important to familiarize yourself with possible contraindications in order to avoid complications. Before prescribing treatment with the drug Donormil, a somnologist in Moscow conducts a set of studies, for example, polysomnography , and draws up an individual treatment regimen for the patient for insomnia.

Sleep Medicine Center in Moscow on the basis of the Rehabilitation Clinic in Khamovniki

The somnology center in Moscow in Khamovniki has everything to treat insomnia in men, women, the elderly, teenagers and children. Polysomnography, cognitive behavioral therapy, CPAP therapy in Moscow are some of the modern methods used by somnologists to treat insomnia in Moscow. The head of the Center for Sleep Medicine at the Rehabilitation Clinic in Khamovniki is Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences - Roman Vyacheslavovich Buzunov .

–President of the All-Russian public organization “Russian Society of Somnologists”,

–Professor of the Department of Regenerative Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation with courses in pediatrics, nursing, clinical psychology and pedagogy of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Further Professional Education “Central State Medical Academy” of the Department of the President of the Russian Federation,

–Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Doctor of Medical Sciences.

Contacts

Work phone 5.5

Email

Places of work:

Internet resources

www.buzunov.ru – personal website of R.V. Buzunova

www.cpap.ru – website about CPAP therapy

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Buzunov

Instagram: @buzunov_roman

To get advice on the problem of insomnia, you need to make an appointment with a somnologist BUZUNOV ROMAN VYACHESLAVOVICH in Moscow, call: +7 495 77 33 195.

Call:

+7(495) 77-33-195

Leave a request:

How to take Donormil?

It is advisable to take the drug Donormil 45-60 minutes before your planned bedtime. During this time, potent components are absorbed into the blood and cause a feeling of drowsiness. The modern method of pilisomnography, performed at the Sleep Medicine Center in Moscow by experienced somnologists, will provide a more complete picture of the patient’s condition. At the patient’s request, polysomnography in Moscow can be performed at the patient’s home.

It is not recommended to take the drug without first consulting a somnologist in Moscow. If you decide to start taking the drug yourself, do not overdo it with the dosage. For the first time, 0.5 tablets containing 7.5 mg of doxylamine are enough.

The product is designed to treat sleep in cases of short-term disturbances and manifestations of so-called acute insomnia. For example, stress, anxiety, nervousness, increased excitability. Monitor your medication intake for a month. It is advisable to use sleeping pills no more than 8 times a month. If you manage to fall asleep on your own, it is better to refuse drug therapy and not supply your body with pills.

Donormil is sometimes used for complex treatment of insomnia problems along with other drugs and treatment regimens. However, the drug should not be used for more than 4 weeks.

Somnologists at the Moscow Somnology Center in Khamovniki try to select the optimal treatment regimen for insomnia with minimal risks and side effects for the patient. If you notice disturbances or sleep disorders, we recommend making an appointment for a consultation with a somnologist in Moscow. Timely diagnosis, research, and treatment of the body (polysomnography, cognitive behavioral therapy, CPAP therapy) will help avoid serious health consequences.

In what cases does Donormil help?

If the causes of insomnia are stress, psycho-emotional shock, increased excitability, treatment is possible

If the causes of insomnia are discomfort during rest (light, extraneous sounds, noise), treatment is possible

If the causes of insomnia are secondary diseases and pain (acute chondrosis, physical injuries, injuries), treatment is possible

If the causes of insomnia are increased physical and psychological activity, treatment is possible. Excessive overload of the body with physical activity can also cause sleep disorders. In this case, we recommend making an appointment with a somnologist at the Somnology Center in Moscow in Khamovniki and undergoing a comprehensive examination under the guidance of a qualified somnologist. The help of a doctor who professionally treats insomnia minimizes the risks of insomnia on the body.

If the cause of the insomnia problem is short-term insomnia for no reason, treatment is possible. Donormil can be taken as needed, and not taken as a regimen, as many analogues require.

Side effects after taking Donormil

If you constantly take the drug Donormil to treat insomnia, a person may experience lethargy, slow reaction, drowsiness, blurred vision, and dry mouth. It is worth paying attention to the fact that adverse reactions are not observed in all patients taking Donormil to treat insomnia, but only in a few, so a somnologist at the Sleep Medicine Center in Moscow first collects the patient’s medical history and makes a diagnosis.

The drug should not be taken during breastfeeding, angle-closure glaucoma, prostate adenoma, or intolerance to the drug. Each case is individual, all diagnoses should be voiced to a somnologist in order to correctly select a treatment regimen.

Take Donormil with caution

A somnologist at the Sleep Medicine Center in Moscow prescribes the drug individually, taking into account the patient’s activity.

If work requires special concentration, it is better to stop taking Donormil.

During pregnancy, the drug is not contraindicated, but you should not abuse the pills. Sleeping pills can have a negative effect on your baby in the third trimester. If you take Donormil, you should not drink alcoholic beverages, as side reactions and reverse effects are possible. Alcohol and sleeping pills are incompatible.

If you have previously been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, you should take Donormil with extreme caution. It is better to consult in advance with a somnologist at the Somnology Center in Moscow and discuss a treatment regimen.

Failure of the biological clock (
Jet Lag ) in the human body can also cause insomnia problems that require treatment.
In case of short-term deviations, you can take Donormil, having first received the recommendations of a specialist. Test online:

Assess how you feel during the day to see if you have sleep disorders

Test online:

Check if you have sleep apnea

Treatment of insomnia in people of mature and young age

Treatment of sleep problems with this drug is also effective in young people. How does Donormil work? Reviews reveal secrets about what a person who takes a tablet of this remedy experiences.

For about half an hour nothing is felt: the person is in a lethargic or alert state, which usually precedes the state of insomnia. Then, in a time interval of half an hour to an hour, the patient feels slightly tired and wants to lie down. After an hour, the drug reaches the peak of its effect. The person who has taken the pill begins to feel drowsy and is unable to fight these sensations. After an hour and a half, the patient is overtaken by a sound and long (about eight hours) sleep.

Material and methods

The multicenter open randomized study involved 6 medical FMBAs of Russia (Moscow), Irkutsk State Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Health of Russia (Irkutsk), a group of specialized medicine clinics "Medical Standard" (Ufa), and the Center for Aesthetic Medicine "Renovatsio" ( Krasnoyarsk), Federal State Budgetary Institution "Research Institute of Physiology and Fundamental Medicine" (Novosibirsk), Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Samara State Medical University" (Samara). The organizer and coordinator of the study was the all-Russian public professional organization “Russian Society of Somnologists”.

The study included 60 patients, including 35 (58.3%) women and 25 (41.7%) men, aged from 30 to 59 years, average age 43.7±1.04 years ( M±m

), suffering from transient sleep disorders with a frequency of 3 or more times a week lasting less than 3 months, who were first diagnosed with acute insomnia. Exclusion criteria: hypersensitivity to doxylamine or other components of the drugs and contraindications to their use (closed-angle glaucoma, prostatic hyperplasia, lactase deficiency, lactose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption), diseases of internal organs in the stage of decompensation, an established diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome or its high probability, the presence or high probability of other sleep disorders, severe cognitive impairment, alcoholism, drug or drug addiction.

Patients were randomized by serial number into two equal groups that did not differ in age and gender: group P (control) and group D (comparison) (Table 1).

Table 1. Sex and age composition of patient groups

Patients of group P ( n

=30) prescribed the drug Reslip at a dose of 15 mg orally 15-30 minutes before going to bed every day for 7-10 days.
Patients in group D ( n
=30) took the drug donormil in a similar dose and according to a similar schedule. Before treatment, the subjects of both groups filled out questionnaires to assess the severity of insomnia, subjective sleep quality and level of daytime sleepiness: Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale (PSQS) and Epworth Daytime Sleepiness Scale (EDS). After the end of therapy, the questionnaires were filled out again and the researcher assessed its clinical effectiveness (complete, partial, absence, deterioration) and the relationship with taking the drug. Side effects were assessed throughout the study. Data processing was carried out using statistical processing methods.

Reviews of the drug as a sedative and anti-anxiety drug

Neurologists and psychiatrists often prescribe Donormil to people with increased anxiety and neuroticism. In this case, the dosage of the drug is halved, and it should be taken in half: one in the morning, and the other in the evening. This method of administration does not have a pronounced hypnotic effect. In some cases, not half, but a quarter of one tablet is enough.

Many people take the drug on the plane. Reviews about Donormil as a means to prevent passenger anxiety are only positive: a quarter of a tablet is often enough to relieve symptoms of panic and fear. The exact dosage can be prescribed by a neurologist or psychiatrist, based on the individual characteristics of the patient.

Undesirable effects

Depending on individual characteristics, the drug may have additional side effects:

• feeling of dry mouth, problems with bowel movements;
• blurred visual function;
• desire to sleep during the day, absent-mindedness;
• cardiopalmus;
• urinary retention;
• increase in the level of creatine phosphokinase;
• syndrome of muscle tissue destruction with the penetration of breakdown products into the circulatory system.

If undesirable reactions or discomfort are detected, discontinue the medicine and consult a doctor.

Reviews about the duration of action after discontinuation of the drug

Patients are often interested in the question: “What happens after stopping sleeping pills?” Will normal sleep be maintained? Is Donormil addictive? Reviews from doctors claim that if the recommended dosages are strictly observed, the drug cannot provoke addiction either on a psychological or physical level.

After complete withdrawal of the drug, some patients eventually begin to suffer from sleep problems again.

Those patients who abandoned traumatic factors and changed their environment, worked on themselves or with the help of a psychotherapist, do not return to sleep problems and live a full and happy life.

Should I take Donormil? Reviews confirm that if you can’t do without sleeping pills, then yes.

Compatibility with alcoholic drinks

It is dangerous to mix sleeping pills with ethanol-containing drinks. Reviews from doctors about Donormil and alcohol taken at the same time report the following:

• development of a strong sedative effect, up to a state of coma;
• visual and auditory hallucinations (alcoholic delirium) if the patient is after a binge and has not been able to fall asleep;
• acute psychotic state: unmotivated aggression, motor restlessness;
• decreased concentration;
• disruption of the vestibular apparatus (the patient may stumble, fall, or cannot get up from the floor).

Some reviews of Donormil after alcohol report that when taken in small doses, the drug did not provoke symptoms of intoxication and even alleviated the condition, promoting sleep and reducing anxiety.

Is it prescribed for children and pregnant women?

The mechanism of action of doxylamine on women bearing a child has been thoroughly studied. According to research, the drug is safe and can be used by pregnant women in any trimester within the recommended dose and duration of use.

If Donormil was taken at the end of pregnancy, its properties should be taken into account when assessing the condition of the newborn.

The ability of the drug to pass into breast milk has not been studied, so it is advisable to interrupt breastfeeding for the period of treatment or choose another sleeping pill.

The drug is contraindicated for children under 15 years of age. For older patients, it is prescribed in adult dosages.

What to do if you are intoxicated with alcohol and high doses of sleeping pills?

Algorithm of actions on how to help a person with alcohol and Donormil poisoning:

1. Induce vomiting by irritating the root of the tongue. This will help cleanse the stomach cavity of the remnants of the ethanol-containing drink and tablets (if they have not yet been completely digested).
2. The patient should drink about a liter (or more) of clean, cool water (gastric lavage at home).
3. If the patient shows aggression and exhibits aggressive behavior, you should call 03 and call an ambulance, explaining to the person on duty the reason for the request. In such cases, a team of orderlies arrives and takes the patient to a psychiatric hospital to relieve acute drug poisoning.

Symptoms of poisoning with Donormil mixed with alcohol refer specifically to drug intoxication.

There are practically no reviews about the compatibility of Donormil and alcohol. Often people who have taken a heavy dose of sleeping pills and washed it down with alcohol lose consciousness and come to their senses in the hospital. In some cases, such intoxication can be fatal.

Do I need a doctor's prescription to purchase and is it possible to start taking Donormil on my own?

In private pharmacies, pharmacists can sell the drug without a prescription. It is not included in the list of medicines whose sales are subject to strict reporting. It is important to understand that responsibility for the consequences of an overdose or negligent use of Donormil lies entirely with the patient.

It is not advisable to prescribe doses for yourself. Before use, you should consult a neurologist or psychiatrist. If this is not possible, you should start taking it with the minimum dose - a quarter of a tablet. You should not immediately swallow a whole tablet before going to bed: this may be too large a dose for a particular person, which will lead to too deep and prolonged sleep. As it became clear from reading the article, reviews about Donormil are mostly positive, but you should be careful when taking it, and during treatment with this drug, exclude any drinks with ethanol from your diet.

special instructions

When using Donormil, it is necessary to take into account that its effect is multiplied when taken with other sedative medications.

Urinary retention, thirst and dry mouth may occur when taken together with anticholinergics.

Drinking alcohol during treatment is undesirable, as distorted images and phenomena may appear in the environment.

For patients whose diet requires salt restriction, it is important to consider the sodium content of the tablets.

It is necessary to refrain from activities that require composure, increased attention, as well as from working with complex mechanisms and driving vehicles.