# Can you OD on OTC sleeping pills? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502 "2007-02-09T15:40:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502/21 "2007-02-17T05:35:36Z")
FOAF took a whole bottle (not sure what kind, but definitely OTC) in a suicide atempt. Not sure how close he was to death, but I did see him have a seizure as the medics were getting him onto a stretcher. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502/22 "2007-02-17T14:03:53Z")
[QUOTE=lorene] Can you say a little more about this? Do you mean that, used at a normal dose over time, these will occur? [/QUOTE] Pretty unlikely to happen with normal dosing, even over a long time. Not impossible, though. The big problem is that antihistamines can make worse a case of elevated intra-ocular pressure, which the person may not have been previously aware of. This can trigger a crisis. And **Will Repair** is quite wrong. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502/23 "2007-02-17T14:38:31Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Pretty unlikely to happen with normal dosing, even over a long time. Not impossible, though. The big problem is that antihistamines can make worse a case of elevated intra-ocular pressure, which the person may not have been previously aware of. This can trigger a crisis. And **Will Repair** is quite wrong. [/QUOTE] Thanks for the reply. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502/24 "2007-02-17T23:46:12Z")
**Will Repair**. In case you revist this thread, please make sure you understand that black and white answers about medical(and legal) questions are NOT appreciated on the Straight Dope when uttered by people who aren’t qualified to give such an answer. I would strongly suggest you not do this again. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![MizGrand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@MizGrand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizGrand)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502/25 "2007-02-18T13:58:24Z")
There is currently a case being investigated in the Bay Area about a Stanford student who disappeared and was found dead in the trunk of her car. The most recent development in the case is that the examiners found very high levels of diphenhydramine in her system and are thus ruling a suicide. Her family is adamant that she wouldn’t commit this offense and are now looking for whoever forced her to take the pills. ---
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502/26 "2007-02-19T05:28:14Z")
[QUOTE=RSSchen] There is currently a case being investigated in the Bay Area about a Stanford student who disappeared and was found dead in the trunk of her car. The most recent development in the case is that the examiners found very high levels of diphenhydramine in her system and are thus ruling a suicide. Her family is adamant that she wouldn’t commit this offense and are now looking for whoever forced her to take the pills. [/QUOTE] Wait, she was found dead in her trunk and they don’t suspect foul play? :dubious: 😕 :mad: (Sorry for smiley abuse) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502/27 "2007-02-19T05:43:36Z")
You can OD, but it takes more than a couple, as **QtM, chaoticbear** and **ladyfoxfyre** said. Most dudes can take two safely (that’s half of the max dose), but I’d call your Doc or his “advice nurse” and double check, because everyones metabolism is different. And although 2 _could_ be safe, if you had a drink along with them, you most certainly shouldn’t drive and you could fall and hurt yourself. Please do not take this as “medical advice” take this as something you should talk over with your MD. (My MD has OKed some rather high dosages of an OTC medicine, but only after a physical and he knows me well) You can buy generic diphenhydramine at the discount store a bottle of 100 for a couple of bucks. Don’t shell out big bux for OTC sleep aids. Exact same medicine. Melatonin will help, but it’s not a “sleeping pill”. For some an aspirin helps. Note that many take an aspirin a day for their blood (this is something you should discuss with your Doc), why not at bed time? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-od-on-otc-sleeping-pills/391502.md?page=1)