Hi Tiffy--Sorry you're having trouble with sleep. I've been taking the same amount of Diamox for about 5 weeks and haven't had that problem yet. About drinking--I had basically ignored that precaution because I like to have a glass of wine in the evening. I haven't noticed anything different but I do know that sometimes on Diamox the effects of alcohol can be enhanced. I'm guessing it can affect different people different ways, so you might want to have a drink at home some night to see.

Hey there, I would ask your doctor first if this would be ok, for me when I decide to drink (which is once in a blue moon lol) I skip my dose of diamox at night. I ask my doctor and he said that would be fine. But like I said ask your doctor first. I limit myself that is for sure. Drink plenty of water while you are drinking alcohol. Also I found since I was diagnosed that my friends didn't quite understand why I wasn't drinking and that can be annoying at times repeating yourself that you are on meds and you can't drink, but then it can be intertaining watching them drink while you are staying sober! Lol! What ever you do don't let peer pressure get to you! Enjoy your summer and the wonderful memories to come!

I'm about 3 months into the same dose of Diamox... I sometimes have bouts of insomnia due to continued headache/eye pain, but when I do sleep I tend to sleep a LOT. The normal 8 hours does not cut it at all, and 12 hour is sort of feels right.
Alas, I'm no where near pain free/symptom free yet.

I was told by the pharmacist that Tylenol and Tylenol PM would be safe... but advised to avoid all other OTC pain stuff.
Anything with asprin, or other salycillate products, is a no-go, and Naprocin is a sodium so to be avoided as well.
I don't have any Nyquil handy to check the ingredients.

As far as drinks... I've tried it a couple of times. The first time I tried less than a shot (about 1/2) mixed into a drink and it wasn't too bad, except that I had a raging headache the next day. The second time I tried it I had a normal TALL drink with 1 1/2 shots of good light rum... and without mincing words I'll tell you that I was very shortly SHITFACED. Bad. Very drunk feeling... uncomfortably so. And followed up with headache and eye pain really bad for a couple of days.
Previously it would have taken 3-4 strong drinks to get me anywhere close to that. I won't be drinking anymore.....

You can test it carefully to see how it effects you. But you may want to drink less per drink... and less drinks overall as well.

Take your last dose before 4, 5pm at latest, before meal so it won't interfere with sleep.

Thank you guys for your answers! I ended up choosing to take my first pill at noon and my second one at eight. Seems to work out nicely. I'm sleepy for the first hour but after that it's not too bad at all.

Oh. Also. I decided just not to drink yet. I don't want to be too drunk, and I don't need alcohol to have fun with friends!

I didnt drink on diamox but my headaches were so bad I was afraid to drink. Also I had no appetite and had to force myself just to drink water.

I took all kids of pain and sleeping meds on diamox. I did anything and everything for relief from the headaches. I took tylenol, advil, aleve, excedrin, vicodin, tramadol, toradol, lortab, percocet, dilaudid, gosh theres probably more... Never had side effects from combining them. Also took lunesta for sleep although it didnt work. I took a lot of benedryl to help with sleep and again, no side effects from combining with diamox. Geesh, I dont miss those pre-shunt days. Now I take the occasional excedrin and percocet (maybe 3-4 x a month).

Good luck!