Antihistamines can cause side effects that mimic symptoms of an overdose, such as mild nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Dryness, especially dry mouth, is a common side effect of older medications but can occur with newer ones. These symptoms don’t usually require medical treatment and may subside as the body adjusts to the medication. The main possible complication is overdose (antihistamine toxicity), and some antihistamines can make certain health conditions worse.
Diarrhea is a common side effect of many medications, with certain medications being more likely to cause it. Common side effects include headaches, dry mouth, feeling sick, dizziness, and diarrhea. Drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, stomach upset, blurred vision, or dry mouth/nose/throat may occur. If any of these effects last or worsen, inform your healthcare provider.
Diarrhea is a common side effect of drugs, and many medications can cause it. Diarrhea is more common in children taking Zyrtec than in adults. Antihistamines can also affect bowel habits due to their effects on acetylcholine signaling. It is essential to pay attention to these side effects when taking allergy medicine and to consult a healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist or worsen.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| Antihistamine Types & Side Effects | The primary potential complication is overdose, which can result in antihistamine toxicity. Furthermore, it should be noted that certain antihistamines may exacerbate the symptoms of underlying health conditions. | my.clevelandclinic.org |
| Drug-induced diarrhea: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia | It is a common occurrence for pharmaceuticals to induce diarrhea as an unintended consequence. The following list of medications is more likely to induce diarrhea. | medlineplus.gov |
| Cetirizine: antihistamine that relieves allergy symptoms | The most commonly reported adverse effects include headaches, dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, and diarrhea. | www.nhs.uk |
📹 Side effects due to prolonged use of antihistamines – Dr. Sriram Nathan
Now, anti-histamines, they are one of the most safest medicines which are available in the market and most of them are quite safe.
What happens if you take too many anti allergy tablets?
Overdosing on antihistamines, the most common line of defense against seasonal allergies, can lead to increased drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and—in the case of first-generation sedating antihistamines—seizures and coma.
Nasal sprays containing the corticosteroid fluticasone, such as Flonase, help people with allergies breathe easier by reducing inflammation in the nose, according to the Cleveland Clinic, which says the medications can also increase the risk of infection.
Researchers have not found a lot of evidence that people develop tolerance to antihistamines and corticosteroids.
What are the side effects of too much allergy medicine?
Symptoms of antihistamine overdose include: Intense drowsiness. Hallucinations. Agitation and irritability (more common in children than adults).
What are the side effects of antihistamines?. Each antihistamine has different possible side effects. You should discuss taking an antihistamine with your healthcare provider. Together, you can decide if the potential benefits of an antihistamine outweigh its potential side effects.
Side effects of first-generation H1 (allergy) antihistamines can include:
- Drowsiness (sleepiness) and reduced coordination, reaction speed and judgment.
- Dry mouth and dry eyes.
- Blurred or double vision.
- Dizziness.
- Headaches.
- Difficulty peeing and constipation.
- Low blood pressure.
- Mucous thickening in your airways.
Can allergies give me diarrhea?
The Connection Between Allergies and Diarrhea. Allergies can sometimes lead to gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea. When someone with allergies consumes a food or substance they are allergic to, it can trigger an immune response in their body. This immune response can cause inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
In the case of food allergies, the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies certain proteins in food as harmful invaders and produces antibodies to fight them. This immune reaction can lead to inflammation and irritation in the digestive system, resulting in diarrhea.
Additionally, certain types of allergies, such as those to pollen or animal dander, can also trigger gastrointestinal symptoms in some individuals through mechanisms that are not fully understood. This phenomenon is known as oral allergy syndrome or pollen-food allergy syndrome, where the body reacts to proteins in certain foods that are structurally similar to those found in allergens like pollen. notionvc: b998d2c9-6cab-4a31-927f-f3bb8bd41bde.
Can I take 3 allergy pills in 24 hours?
Even if you’re severely suffering from allergies, with incredibly watery eyes or a scratchy throat, it’s not recommended to take more than the daily dosage as there can be side effects that occur. If your OTC antihistamine isn’t effective in treating your allergy symptoms, you can talk to a doctor to find a more effective treatment plan.
You can safely mix different types of allergy medications, like Flonase, a nasal spray, and Claritin, an antihistamine. In fact, it’s often recommended by doctors. Choosing two allergy treatments that you take through different routes, like taking a pill and using eye drops, can decrease the risk of interactions between the medications.
While antihistamine pills can and are frequently combined with oral decongestants, like pseudoephedrine ( Sudafed ), they can have some adverse side effects. This can cause headaches, lightheadedness, a dry nose, and more. It is important that you talk with your doctor if you experience side effects from your medications.
Can allergy medication cause diarrhea?
Diarrhea Diarrhea is another possible Zyrtec side effect. It seems to be more common in children taking Zyrtec than in adults. Diarrhea may improve over time as your body adjusts to the medication.
Is it bad to constantly take allergy medicine?
Yes, most people can take antihistamines every day, if they have daily symptoms of their allergies. The number of times you take an antihistamine each day depends on the type of antihistamine.
Some antihistamines are taken every 4 to 6 hours, and some are longer-lasting antihistamines that are taken every 12 to 24 hours.
Consult the drug label and ask your health care provider how long and how often you should take an antihistamine.
Is it safe to take 4 allergy pills?
However, a larger overdose, especially in children or older adults, may cause serious symptoms. Toxic doses of antihistamines may happen when a person takes 3 to 5 times the normal amount.
No matter how much a person overdoses, they should seek medical help or call a poison control center.
A position statement from the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI) states that first generation antihistamines can have “intolerable and potentially life threatening adverse effects.”
Examples of first generation antihistamines include:
What medications cause diarrhea?
Medicines That Can Cause DiarrheaAntibiotics. Antidepressants. Antacids. Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (Prilosec) and lansoprazole (Prevacid). Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy).
Overview. Many prescription and non-prescription medicines can cause diarrhea. A few examples are:
- Antibiotics.
- Antidepressants.
- Antacids.
- Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (Prilosec) and lansoprazole (Prevacid).
- Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy).
Many antibiotics cause diarrhea. Usually the diarrhea is mild and will clear up without treatment. A more serious type of diarrhea caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile may occur while taking the antibiotic or shortly after finishing the antibiotic.
Is it okay to take two allergy pills in 24 hours?
“Long-acting, non-sedating antihistamines can be used daily, and they’re generally very safe to use, even in the long-term,” Dr. Aronica says. In a pinch, you can take two in one day, but if you frequently feel like antihistamines don’t help your allergy symptoms, try another type or see your allergist for their input.
“Decongestants can be used on an as-needed basis to cover difficult days — but certainly for no longer than 10 to 14 days at a time,” Dr. Aronica warns. They have a caffeine-like effect on your body, so they come with a risk of side effects like increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure.
In other words, save the decongestants for your absolute worst allergy days.
What are the disadvantages of allergy medicine?
To prevent accidental poisoning, lock medicines and select those that treat only the symptoms you have. Children and pets are at an increased risk of accidentally ingesting medicines, which can lead to severe poisoning and life-threatening symptoms. Medicines are often mistaken for candy due to their small and colorful appearance.
Select medicines that treat only the symptoms you have, such as using decongestants with cough suppressant if you have a cough. Be mindful that many medicines contain multiple ingredients, and some may even contain alcohol, which can interact dangerously with alcohol, causing side effects like nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, fainting, and loss of coordination.
Watch for the same active ingredients in products taken at the same time, as taking them together can result in overdose. Do not take medicines longer or in higher doses than the label recommends. Always measure the amount of medicine using a dosing tool to prevent dosing errors.
Many medicines make driving unsafe, causing side effects such as sleepiness, fatigue, loss of focus, blurred vision, and decreased coordination. Drugged driving, or driving under the influence of certain drugs/medicines, can result in the same trouble as driving under the influence of alcohol.
Be careful about dosage recommendations, especially with children, and avoid adverse drug interactions when taking more than one medicine at a time. Consult your pharmacist, healthcare provider, or the New Jersey Poison Control Center for help in choosing medicines that won’t interact with your existing medications.
Can drug allergy cause diarrhea?
Any drug has the potential to cause an allergic reaction. Symptoms of adverse drug reactions include cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. Skin reactions (i. e. rashes, itching) are the most common form of allergic drug reaction.
Everyone reacts to medications differently. One person may develop a rash while taking a certain medication, while another person on the same drug may have no adverse reaction. Does that mean the person with the rash has an allergy to that drug?
All medications have the potential to cause side effects, but only about 5 to 10% of adverse reactions to drugs are allergic.
Whether allergic or not, reactions to medications can range from mild to life-threatening.
📹 Is This Allergy Medicine Unhealthy?
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Tried quitting cold turkey, insane itching/burning all over, disrupted sleep, irritable mood (could just be a byproduct of constant uncomfortable itching). Can’t really function like this so I’m switching to a month long taper instead. Blows my mind how dependent I was on cetirizine without even realizing it. Wish me luck!
I take antihistamines (loratadine) year round. Never noticed any weird symptoms. I’m allergic to everything.. pollen, molds in the air (like in the woods). I’ve indoor allergies (dust, dust mites, dog). Benadryl is just awful. I can’t stay awake if I take it. Same with cetirizine. Loratadine is 10/10 for me.
I’m only 28 years old. I requested a record history from my pharmacy to see when I started taking Fexofenadine (Allegra D) my family tells me I changed and I am different. these past 5 years is about when I started taking it. my family says I am much agitated, more angry.. I will not take this medication no more
Zyrtec has both improved, but mostly disrupted my life. I can’t quite describe the symptoms precisely, but thus medication turns me into a completely different person. An agitated, irrational person. Sadly, I’m reliant until the allergy shots work their magic. This medication has been devastating but I’m in agony without it.
I use to take Allegra daily for years with no problems. I decided to switch it up to Claragtin which gave me terrible side effects including vertigo. When i stopped taking antihistamines all together i have noticed my anxiety has gone through the roof. I get panic attacks while driving. Its weird but i never had this problem while i was taking Allegra. Anyone else have these issuses?
hi, i am not sure if antihistieme is the right term. last week on Tuesday may 14th i went to an urgent care lace as i was haivng pain in an ear. he said there was a lot of fluid in the Eutachian tubes, so he gave me both one of those inhalers for 2 squirts once per day in each nostril for 10 days. and today will be my 10th day. the other thing he gave me was some pill. probabaly an antihisteime. sort of like a sudeafed type of thing but way stronger. i tok 2 pills per day for 7 days and just finished up 3 days ago. but Sunday morning i had a lot of pain in my stomach area on and off all day. was better monday. and has been better each day. however, i seem to have this feeling of i donj’t know, like retention or like i feel it working. not sure if it is the stomach or another organ around it. but itis the lower absoemtn. i also recently turned 50 3 weeks ago could these be cauinsg that, and bythe fact i am donewith one an will be ab out to be done with the other soon mena it will go away soon?
Please Doctor, Help!! I took Levocetirizine for at least 2 months and caused me insomnia and could sleep at all for more than a month, afterwards I took acourse of melatonin 5mg tab to regain my sleeping, it helped a little. I still suffer from not sleeping well. I hardly fall asleep, I need more than hour to fall asleep, and if I wake up after 3 hours to pray so I cant sleep afrer that I stay awak All time until 10 am… please guide me what todo, what do u recommend? Before that I was easy falling asleep like snapping
Ran out of hydroxyzine the other week and thought nothing much of it. On the 3rd day I started getting restless legs and anxiety bordering on a panic attack. I picked up the medicine and took a 25mg dose right away. I felt normal again in 45 minutes. Its better than benzo withdrawal but I don’t recommend this.
For me they make my situation worst. I use them about 2 years cos doctor tell me I need to tale it. I have urticaria. Thing become more worst. I become allergy on everything. I got fat. I didn’t see any more. I trymany doctors they describe me so much pills Antihistamines and injections . Well what actual helped me is corticosteroids. first in big dose then now in lover. Feel good eat all food. Finally feel my skin again. Had pain all this years cos my skin was burning no mater of pills. Was not able to take shower or wash may hear. No one was able to touch me. So I dont think that this antihistamines are for all allergies . Cos I was allergy on food dust averting but acutely was not. My hormones was down and to much stress was cos I was not tolerate to nothing any more. Many people I read suffer like me. Some one need to talk about it. Cos how I told doctors just put hands down and tell this what you need to take we cant hep. You need to use to it. I almost die. Every day become worst . Someone need to talk about it.
My mom abused it to sleep for years. She would take half a dose but has been doing so for decades. Is now showing signs of dementia, paranoid audio and visual hallucinations. Everyone is talking about her, stalking her, zapping her with lasers from their phones that cause her pain. She’s always been a rock in my life. It’s hard to see.
As someone with anaphylaxis allergies, Benadryl has literally saved my life on multiple occasions, by buying me a little time to get an epi pen. Seeing this article title had me like :0 . I’ve had many allergists, including ones that were literally top of their field, and all of them Swore by Benadryl. I feel like we’re not talking about the fact that Benadryl is super important for people with severe allergies.
Fun fact: benadryl is the main drug we use for chemotherapy reactions. We use a IV form and tablets. It is fast acting and(keep in mind given with many other drugs) works best for a allergic reaction. We do require a driver because iv has even more drowsiness side effects. But the fear about benadryl doesn’t help. Chemotherapy works against cancer. But it is tough if the body, and certain drugs, while they work against the cancer, are highly reactive. People are already scared of chemotherapy, we can’t have them being afraid of the pre-meds as well. I work in a hem/onc infusion room
FYI for people living in denmark (maybe other European countries) Benadryl here contains a different active Ingredient named acrivastin. Diphenhydramine is in benylan tho wich can be bought in pharmacies but it has a no driving warning attached to it. So for anyone who have taken benadryl it’s not the same as the American
I heard about the study. And was concerned because I took Zyrtec daily for allergies. My allergies are chronic. I also have a lot of fatigue and mental fogginess. So I decided to stop taking Zyrtec, even though it wasn’t in the study. I Think it was a good decision. I have a lot more energy during the day. My mental faculties seem clearer. I do use a lot of Kleenex now, but that is a small price to play for possibly delaying or avoiding dementia. I am a 62 year-old retired nurse. Thank you for your show Dr. Mike.
As someone who has talked to many doctors over the course of my nearly lifelong struggle with chronic insomnia, I can tell you: doctors need to do better. The only doctors that ever took me seriously just put me on drugs MUCH worse than Benadryl, even after I told them I’m not looking for a quick fix, I’m looking for a treatment. Why is it so hard for doctors to take insomnia seriously when it is detrimental to the lives of the people who suffer from it????
My son and I are allergic to pork, specifically an enzyme pigs make but humans don’t. I can tell you, Benedryl works better and faster than other antihistamines when I’m having a reaction. My son’s reactions are more dramatic than mine. He’s been hospitalized several times. Every time, the ER gave him intravenous Benedryl in conjunction with epinephrine to stabilize his condition. Having a major reaction is stressful and the sleepiness is helpful in relieving that stress. The last benefit I can thing of is there is a topical version of Benedryl that’s readily available. It’s great for mild reactions that just cause a rash. I can smear some on the rash and go on with my day. What does concern me about the anticholinergics is that I take Ropinerole for restless leg syndrome. I think it falls into that catagory. I will have to look into this. Thanks for the info.
As a person with many food and environmental allergies, Benadryl has been a life saver for me. Using it has helped me to avoid using my Epi-pen many, many times. When you use the Epi-pen, you usually have to stay in the E.R. for a few hours to be monitored for a “rebound effect”, which can happen in anaphylaxic reactions.
Dr. Mike, my wife has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). It is difficult to find good info on the condition and it seems to affect everything in the body. It is also a fairly interesting topic. Could you do an episode on EDS? (I’m sure my wife would be open to speaking on her experience with you if that helps too).
I always forget Benadryl can make some feel drowsy. There is one instance where Benadryl helped me fall asleep. It was when I experienced “Hell’s Itch,” a form of sun poisoning. It wasn’t until got relief from the Hell’s Itch, that my mind was able to calm down, that I was able to fall asleep. For context, I was experiencing it for hours that day. The possible side effects I have noticed are nothing, hunger, or irritation, but never drowsiness. In fact the times I have taken it, the irritation results in difficulty falling asleep.
I stopped using diphenhydramine both for sleep and as an antihistamine when I read it was sometimes associated with restless leg syndrome. I had been experiencing increased restless leg, which was driving me to desperation. I stopped the diphenhydramine and I reduced my experience of restless leg by at least 90%. Let me say that I’m a great believer in the power of placebos, and that might be what’s at work here, but I don’t care.
1:10 because if you have a strong allergy the newer antihistamines don’t do sh*t. you can be so legarthic/sleepy from the allergy that diphendrymine is your only option to function normally, it does make you awake (paradoxically) with all the cognitive side effects obviously (for which choline somewhat helps)
Benadryl drowsiness only effects me for the 4-6 hrs that it works. However, any 24 hr allergy med will make me drowsy for the whole 24 hrs. So I use Benadryl and/or Sudafed (the one you get from the pharmacy). I only take them at night. Because even the Sudafed makes me drowsy. I have to rely on EmergenC, hot teas, cough drops and essential oils for the daytime.
Another amazing and informative article. I appreciate the clearly non biased evidence of both sides and that he just opens up the conversation for his viewers to learn more about the topic and research more on our own. It’s scary because when I was little, I was recommended Benadryl to help me fall asleep as I had severe ADHD and insomnia/nightmares. It was the only thing that worked at the time, but as the years went on, my nightmares and drowsiness became too severe that we stopped it. I am now weaning off my current sleep aid that I’ve been taking since I was roughly 16 years old (I am 24 now) – Trazadone. And wouldn’t you guess it, trazadone is prescribed as an off label sleep aid (it’s actually an antidepressant). Very interesting stuff. I hope Dr. Mike continues to cover more medications and possibly sleep studies as well! Thanks again for the informative article!
Hmmm. I’ve been using Benadryl to help me sleep every night for the past year. I was already having doubts about continuing, but this article really makes me think I should stop. The problem is I don’t know what else to try. I take melatonin but it doesn’t help as much as it used to. Thats why I initially added the Benadryl.
I had dystonia/tardive dyskinesia for almost 15 years and have MCAS. Soooo many anti-parkinsonian medications and antihistamines, including Benadryl. My doctors all have me refusing any medication that can potentially cause a movement disorder on file, and I do my best to reduce stress and avoid anything that I know trigger my MCAS.
I take Benadryl as just one part of my allergy treatment course. I take it to specifically not only help me with an allergy flare but to also help me sleep during that allergy flare. Meaning I only take it when my allergies r flared and I only take it at night because I know it will knock me out and I am relying on that to help both treat my allergies as well as help me get some sleep at night during that flare at the same time (due to my allergies preventing me from being able to get a restful night’s sleep). During the day however I use a different one, I use the non drowsy allergy meds (prescribed by my doctor) instead. I also use creams for skin allergic reactions (I suffer from more than one type of allergy). And I also am currently getting allergy shots to try and help actually cure me of the allergy (and so far it seems to be working).
Because of the sedative and mind-altering effects of diphenhydramine, it is not recommended to give to children because there is increased risk of mortality. It’s recommended that you give them Claritin, Allegra, or Zyrtec and can give double the recommended daily dose for acute allergic reactions. On the flip side, kids can also get super hyper while taking diphenhydramine, which may be due to the brain-involving aspects of the medication.
My question is though sure benadryl compared to other allergy medicines definitely might not be a good option, but when you take benadryl or hydroxyzine for the purpose of insomnia; how does it compare to other drugs used for insomnia? I would think it was safer than ambien or clonazepam being used for insomnia.
I’ve been perusal your articles for years just for fun, probably since middle school. Now I’m more than halfway through nursing school and all the science explanations make more and more sense to me lol. Just wanted to say thanks for making these articles!! They’re super interesting and inspire me to provide the best patient care I can 🙂
My husband, who was diagnosed at age 53 with Fronto Temporal Dementia, was born in 1956 and had extreme allergies starting as a young child. He was put on strong antihistamine drugs like benadryl and was on them his whole life. He changed to the newer type of antihistamines like Claritan when they became available. I am convinced those medicines like benadryl caused his dementia – because he was on them consistently for so many years.
Unisom soft gels are diphenhydramine, but the tablets are doxylamine succinate. I am glad I saw that and got curious because it led me to do more research and it turns out doxylamine is a stronger sedative than diphenhydramine. I only just now realized I shouldn’t be taking Unisom every night (my doctor seemed to be okay with it? She even told me I could take both in the same night). I have only taken it for five months, but I will exercise more caution and use both medications less frequently from now on. Thank you for the work you do, Dr. Mike.
I use Benadryl specifically for its hypnotic / sleep effects when I’m in an insomnia bout. But I don’t use it for allergic reactions, as the only thing that affects my allergies is Sudafed. I’m a documented high metabolizer of most drugs including opioids, so I’m definitely an outlier, but for me, it has its benefits.
Well-explained, Dr. Mike. When you’re having trouble sleeping, you’ll reach for anything that seems to help. Benadryl is one I have reached for, and I rarely do now since those studies came out. Seems to me that any drugs that promote sleepiness may pose a risk for our brain functions, and that includes alcohol.
Kaiser hospital in Irvine CA would give me Benadryl in my IV and I hated it. The last time the nurse did not even tell me he was giving it to me. I would have told him not to. And why? Why give it to an ER patient? To shut me up and make me sleep? I disliked the sudden onset of drowsiness that made me feel like I was falling into spiraling tunnel.
Hey. My dad has a chronic illness, and i’m not sure what- but tonight he collapsed, hit his head, and passed out slumped over his desk on the ground, while throwing up. My mom called the ambulance and I did my first chest compressions on him. I was so shaky but I managed. Then the ambulance arrived. I don’t know if he is okay. I am 13 years old, but mature for my age. Please help me pray for him. EDIT: He passed away.
Great article. You should do one on ssris since you mentioned them as having potential long term affects. I find it so scary how doctors prescribe these so quickly without dealing with the real issue – also benzos being used so flippantly – I’m detoxing from them and it’s hell on earth! Never once did a doctor warn me of the long term damages. I’ve never had much faith in the medical system prior to this and I def don’t have much faith now. There is not enough accountability with medicine sadly and I wish more doctors were honest and did their home work before just writing a script.
I seem to be really sensitive to antihistamines. One Benadryl will make me a zombie for at least 12 hours. What’s weird is Claritin is even worse for me. One Claritin will make me an unproductive human for a good 24 hours. So I just avoid antihistamines completely unless I’m having some kind of allergic reaction that’s really causing me problems. Normal seasonal hay fever, I just live with. It’s not debilitating, just uncomfortable. If I do feel like I need some help, I take half a Benadryl. That seems to reduce the allergy symptoms just fine, and doesn’t zombify me.
Speaking as someone who has allergies, the reason people still use Benedryl over more “modern’ or recent drugs is because it works better. I hate the drowsy feeling (and also the approximately 50 billion drug interaction warnings) from Benedryl, but when I have severe head congestion or my asthma is flaring up, it just works better.
There is a small study out there that showed that Benadryl was efficacious in preventing leg cramps at night. As a result, I have taken it most nights for the past year and have had no cramping (when before it would happen every three weeks or so. VERY painful). But this makes me rethink my strategy.
Thanks for the heads up. Here in France there’s also an over the counter “sleep aid” that’s actually a first generation antihistaminic, named Donormyl (product name) / Doxylamine succinate (active substance). So not the same but that makes me want to check if there’s study about it too, because of the obvious similarities.
Grew up with allergies trying every allergy med and getting no relief. Found out I was allergic to wheat and milk, now my only relief comes from half a Benadryl chewed up which INSTANTLY helps me breathe when I’m wheezing or suffering from accidental milk ingestion… Now, I’ve always been forgetful, left stuff places, forgot what I was doing…. All of that went away once I got cow’s milk out of my body…. And I take Benadryl all the time. I have actually increased my mental fortitude while taking it.
I used to take Benadryl over other allergy medication because it’s so much cheaper. I’ve since switched to Zyrtec and Flonase now that I can afford them, but I think a reason Benadryl is still so popular is just because better allergy meds are extremely expensive and Benadryl is a much more affordable alternative.
Hello Dr. Mike. How are you doing today? Since Halloween season is here, do you want to do Halloween Horror Movie Injuries? Upon perusal your articles as a YouTuber myself, I never saw you do a Horror Movie Injuries for Halloween season. Thank me later for suggesting your new idea. Dr. Mike, in case you want to consider my suggestion, please pin my comment.
My husband’s and son’s doctors are the ones which prescribed Benadryl to them as a sleep aid. I also take it in the form of straight Benadryl or Benadryl mixed with Tylenol or other anti-inflammatories since I have Crohn’s (and so don’t want to take aspirin). The causes of my insomnia and my son’s are well known–we have ADHD. I will touch base with my son’s doctor again to see if there are better alternatives to help with the insomnia.
Geez this scares me a bit, I used Benadryl for when I have my allergies going crazy with hives. I don’t use it too much, but the fact that it’s been vaguely linked without much clinical trial results scares me. I have a good memory, and I’m sharp in my recall; but I don’t want that to effect me in the future!!! I’ll probably need to talk to my doctor on a alternative medicine for when I have my allergies going crazy, but not crazy enough to go to the hospital!! I’m glad I don’t have food allergies!!
I’ve been taking benedryl for years. Maybe a decade. Only this year I’ve swapped to a Fexofenadine. I only heard about the dementia claims earlier this year and the whole 1st gen, 2nd gen stuff. Using Playstations was a great way to compare it haha. Honestly a article I much needed to see, so thank you for making this, Mike!
I’m a pharmacy technician, and I’ve been cautioning people about taking diphenhydramine nightly as a sleep aid forever, and I can’t wait to find out if I’ve been misled. I used to take it religiously and quit as soon as I read a study that came out last year sometime. I still take it occasionally for runny nose and hives, tho, because it’s the only thing that works.
I had a hysterectomy earlier this year. The surgeon used SteriStrips instead of a regular bandage as it was done robotic and I only had incisions for trocars. About 4-5 post-op I discovered that I’m allergic the strips or at least the adhesive. The only thing that took care of the hives was Benadryl pills and cream. I used the cream during the day and the pills at night for a few days until the hives went away.
I’ve tried Loratadine before and not only does it not work, it actually makes me feel quite ill. When someone has severe allergies, something that also produces drowsiness is actually a highly desirable side effect. People with allergies don’t want to feel/remember the misery/suffering and Benadryl provides that relief.
I use benadryl as a cough suppressant. I cut the pills in half so like 1/4 a dose is all I need. Not enough to make me drowsy but enough to help with my cronic cough. My benzonatate is only for the really bad coughing and benadryl seems to work best for the mild ones…lol. I don’t have any allergies. Non-allergic rhinitis is my longterm battle and the cause of my chronic bronchitis .
Benadryl still has a nice place – it works fast and even though I take a 24 hour, non-drowsy allergy med – I can still get hives from an allergic reaction (no idea what the reaction is from) . Calemine lotion and Benadryl stops the hives dead cold in less than an hour. Before taking Benadryl – I could virtually watch the hives move up my arms. Meds in MODERATION – like everything else – is the KEY.
I took Benadryl when it was prescription. I was allergic to everything including my own bacteria. I took allergy shots for years. Once, I was given shot 10 times above the dose. I broke out in head to toe hives. I was told to take Benadryl and get to the urgent care as soon as possible. Today, I only take Benadryl for hives.
I have MCAS, and benadryl is the go to in the hospital for major allergic reactions. I used to take remicade, a very potent IV medication, and I was allergic go it. They’d do IV benadryl and IV steroids at the same time to prevent the reaction. When my face swells shut due to an MCAS reaction, the only thing that touches it is massive doses of steroids and benadryl, plus Zyrtec. Benefits and risks, always talk to your doc about the benefits and risks of meds. For me, benefits far outweigh the risks, but they may not for others.
Appreciate the article. I’m someone who was prescribed amitriptyline for IBS. I had heard about this possibility and chose to eventually get off of the drug (partially for that reason and partially just to not be on anything if I don’t need it). I’m off, but it gave me wicked insomnia that pairs with my delayed sleep phase disorder, so here’s to hoping insomnia doesn’t end up being one of those causes. Gonna work on it either way.
I have always avoided drugs like this since I was a kid. At the time I just wanted to let my body take care of itself, and didn’t like some people I know’s reliance on the drugs to get around things like allergies. (Since then, I admit now that many of those people need to use these drugs to be able to work at all but that’s a whole other thing). For sleep aiding, I have always agreed with you there: get to the root of the problem, that will likely also help you solve another problem anyways rather than putting a band-aid on both.
I generally take Benadryl since it is often quite a bit cheaper than other options for allegies, and generally only do so at night for a few weeks in spring/fall when allergies get bad. I had no idea that there was this corrilation…. So probably will just avoid doing that going forward… Thanks Dr. Mike
I saw your “short” about black plastics. Hoping you expand to a full article on that topic. Looking at our kitchen, our coffee maker vessel is black plastic, plus the filter holder, and the electric kettle vessel also is black plastic. Plus cooking utensils, and even the silicone utensils that flex are black (so are they included??).
In Germany diphenhydramine is usually not longer used as antiallergic medication. Mostly it’s used as a sedative or as an emergency medication on Ambulances. Although another first generation antihistamine,cetirizine, is still widely spread. But a lot of people, especially those struggling with allergic reaction, prefer Loratadine or Desloratadine. Take this information with a grain of salt. I am not a medical professional, I just have lots of allergies and allergic asthma.
Very much needed information! Ive been suffering from severe allergies and have had to more frequently take medications for them. Can you talk about the risks of mixing the different types? I notice when I take medications like Zirtec I lose energy by like 8hours and woth Allegra my system seems to handle the medication better and I usually feel a crash much later on in the evening
Fun fact in the UK, Benadryl is not available over the counter. For allegergies Fexofenadine is only available in 120mg doses (USA dose is 180mg). I am not sure what the medical reason is for the lower dosage. Smaller dosing does reduce the price of a 14 day pack, which might be needed to get it to an agreeable price point for the UK market. It definitely isnt because the UK has less allergens, Grass season in oxfordshire in May/june is unbearable unless I take an american dose a week before the pollen hits.
Thanks Mike! I enjoy these informative articles. Benadryl worked wonders when my daughter was stung by a wasp near her eye. Is Benadryl not a better medicine for allergy emergencies? I like Benadryl for my seasonal allergies due to my being able to predict impact but am considering other meds for mountain cedar season this year where it gets so bad I cannot eat. Benadryl rarely makes me sleepy, but it can make me anxious if I take too much or too often. Due to SADD and significant mountain cedar allergies my productivity at home and work suffers.
I’m not sure if you will be able to answer this or not, but I’m going to ask anyway. Benadryl is the only antihistamine I’ve ever been recommended to give my dog for her itchy paws. Do you think it could have the same possible effects in dogs? Is it still safe? I know you’re not a vet, but maybe you have a vet friend to ask?
Benadryl is usually given in the ER or doctor’s office for allergic reactions. I had a bad allergic reaction to an IV dye administered at a doctors office during an echocardiogram and Benadryl probably saved my life. I’m not a doctor or vet, but I recommend keeping some at home if you have fur babies because you can give it to them if they are stung by a bee or something like that.
I keep bees. It’s very common for beekeepers to take Benedryl before heading into their apiaries in case a hive is really spicy today and they get multiple stings. I’ve been trying to get everyone in my local guild to stop doing that and taking claritin (loratadine) instead. It makes sense to predose–it does decrease your reaction to the stings. But Benedryl up multiple times a week depending on how many hives you have is really not it.
Damn😞 me my 13yr old son take it often due to both us having severe allergies. Food today that say “organic ” isn’t always true. I have medical records to prove that. Whenever he have flare up or I, always used Benadryl because our doctors nurses told us too. Never knew the harmful side effects. Now I’m scared concerned more so for my child than myself!
Seeing this article come out is absolutely crazy to me. My mom died March 27th 2024 at the age of 62. She did have ehlers-danlos syndrome in one of the doctors actually called her a Benadryl Junkie because my mom was taking Benadryl all day everyday. I was telling my partner that the months leading up to her death is seemed like she was developing dementia she would get this weird stare and like blank to expression when discussing everyday topics. She had a minor cough, went to bed and then never woke back up. She had seen two doctors the week leading up to her death and they prescribed her steriods and an inhaler. I am definitely under the belief that Benadryl either enhanced or caused her dementia symptoms. Her mother also had dementia.
You asked why people still use diphenhydramine as an antihistamine: I have mast cell activation syndrome. I’m on a number of different antihistamines that I take twice daily (cetirzine, famotidine and ketotifen), but my immunologist recommends diphenhydramine PRN for breakthrough symptoms because it’s fast acting and highly effective. I’ve never found antihistamines especially sedating (was once prescribed hydroxyzine for insomnia to no effect), but also my breakthrough symptoms tend to come at night, so it’s not an issue.
I have Alzheimer’s. I usually describe my “bad days” as feeling like I accidentally took too much antihistamine. Good to know my description was accurate. 😂 I just used a prescription sleeping pill the other day and the aftermath was BAD. Now I am going to check the ingredients on the sleeping pill, . . . which was prescribed prior to the Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
My psychiatrist had recommended I take benedryl for sleep. There were multiple instances where I had “yawning attacks” where I couldn’t stop yawning and twitching. It made it impossible to sleep. I’ve also had instances where I was hallucinating an entire tiktok for you page. Laughing at and liking dozens of articles, just to blink and have the phone disappear only to realize it was plugged in across the room. The day after taking some for sleep, I would be exhausted and would watch my teachers “teleport” back and forth at the front of the class while teaching. I stopped taking it completely and still have bad brain fog.
Two weeks ago, was given a HUGE dose of diphenhydramine in my preload infusion before the first two rounds of my Rituxan infusion. It’s to help the itchy side effects of the Rituxan infusion.) Anyway, I had previously gotten Rituxan, and for some reason my doctor DOUBLED the diphenhydramine dose. My infusion nurse was like, yeah, get ready to be conked out. Later when she came by my chair to check on me, I found I could only speak to her with my eyes closed. And could tell I wasn’t making sense. I kept apologizing and she was like, babe I’m not surprised.
I take Benadryl only when I have severe allergy attacks, which manifest in constant coughs with mucus (Benadryl helps me cough all the mucus out and stop the allergy). I have never felt any drowsiness. I take desloratadine for when my allergy manifests with dry coughs and I’ve met a lot of people who took it and makes them feel sleepy but I feel literally nothing. Is there something wrong with me?
When this news first came out, I was concerned because I have been taking these drugs for my seasonal allergies and I am over 65 yrs old. I asked my family doctor about it, and she said because it was the only drug that gave me any relief, I should keep taking it and not worry about it! Seriously! I quit taking it anyways. I bought good quality air purifiers for my apartment, started putting local honey in my tea every night, and just stayed inside on those windy spring days that were the worst for me. Two years now with no drugs, and I am making it through each allergy season with very little problem.
In my experience, since the opiod epidemic, Benedryl has slowly become the “painkiller” of choice for doctors to give to patients in chronic pain with longstanding conditions, especially during hospitalizations. While a great additive for complex pain, I have seen too many doctors abuse it in favour of lowering and / or extending the time between pain medicine dosages. This is even after pain management is called in to help. If they do start restricting Benedryl, I am not certain how patients will receive any relief.
I used to use nasal decongestants frequently when I was a teenager, I hated having even a slightly stuffy nose. But after a while I realized that I was starting to have a rebound reaction and my nose would stuff up even worse after I used it. So I stopped, cold turkey, and I haven’t used them since. I think every medication has both benefits and drawbacks, and you have to determine whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and NEVER take medicine when it is not necessary.
I didn’t realize the active ingredient in Benadryl was in most sleep aids, but that explains why the one time I tried one I was completely snowed for 24hrs. Benadryl hits me HARD, and that sleep aid was no different (and because of that it actually ended up worsening my sleep cycle and insomnia instead of helping fix it).
I didn’t take Benadryl but I did take large doses of Hydroxyzine which is another first generation antihistamine that has the same side effects and also has been included in these studies. For me it caused memory issues almost right away but I didn’t realise it for almost a year. It can make you confused and you think forgetting some things is not that big of a deal but this issue stayed with me long after stopping Hydroxizyne. I can very well see how it could cause serious mental decline in some people and in my opinion it’s very important for doctors to inform patients of this side effect. I’m still working on getting better and I hope one day my memory will be as good as it used to be.
Took Benadryl before work one day… didn’t know about the drowsiness effect, my mom just told me it was for allergies. My coworkers told me about it when I got there.. lol- I made it through the work day fine though, just pretty tired, which I’m kinda used to… I’m concerned about how I drove there and back without knowing the effect.
I have pretty severe potentially life threatening allergies. Before reaching for my Epi-Pen, my anaphylaxis plan says to use a high dose of Benedryl first. The Benedryl has always gotten me out of the woods. I’ve had allergy testing done, but new allergies keep popping up. At this point it’s easier to say what I’m not allergic to because after testing everthing I was allergic to lit up like a Christmas tree .
I’ve suffered from chronic migraines ever since I was little. Finding the right medication and lifestyle to treat it as been a long battle, and to this day I still can’t seem to consistently get relief. The only medication that strangely works for me is Benadryl, specifically the Diphenhydramine. It relieves the pain and helps me go to sleep. I’ve even had to do many migraine cocktail IVs that contain Benadryl to help with the worst of my migraines. If you know how it is to experience debilitating migraines for days on end, you know how desperately you just want relief, and for me, Benadryl has unfortunately been that consistent life saver.
The one time I had to take Benadryl for a few months, I stopped after a month after my boyfriend pointed out to me that I am acting very strangely, the spooky thing is I can‘t remember what I did in that month, or how much time had passed…. I am never going to touch that stuff again because that scared both of us immensely >.>
My mother was diagnosed with dementia at 52 years old and my grandmother Alzheimer’s a couple of years before. They both took a lot of sleeping pills I wonder if they’re related. I’ve been scared to death that it runs in our family I’ve stopped taking any meds that are not absolutely essential because of this fear.
My father was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 75. During his life, he suffered from bad hay fever. I remember he took Actifed for years. I also used to have bad hay fever and had tried zyrek, Claritin, Allegra, and none of those worked. I have since taken quercetin, a plant flavonoid, which I believe has helped tremendously. If I get an occasional flare up of hay fever, I will take a Benadryl cos it’s the only thing that stops the constant sneezing…but that’s rare. I’ve heard about the association with dementia and it scares me.
Newer antihistamines give me extreme back pain and don’t help my allergies. Benadryl and other first generation antihistamines help my anxiety and mood issues (Pamprin.) I don’t take these everyday, but what options do I have – worsened back pain or increased cognitive risks? I did read that the antihistamine in Pamprin doesn’t have as much of an anticholinergic effect.
If there was a clear link between antihistamines and dementia then people with seasonal allergies would have a major increased risk of dementia – are there any data on this? That would certainly also point to the drug being the issue but also that can’t tell us if the inflammatory consequences of allergies are also contributing to dementia.
I use another first gen anticholinergic for nausea/vomiting (promethazine/Phenergan). It is old but it’s unfortunately the only anti-emetic that actually works for me. It has the same effects but since I’ve been using it forever, I don’t get the drowsiness effect. Given, promethazine is Rx only so it’s out of the hands of most people. I also use it IV so the onset and dissipation is much more compressed.
My dad has been borderline addicted to Benadryl and has lived on it for several decades. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s four years ago and now sleeps even less, and all of the Parkinson’s meds, even the more “far-fetched” ones, don’t help his Parkinson’s symptoms one bit, not even CBD, which the CBD community swears will cure the symptoms. He’s going to be trying the deep brain stimulation treatment this winter. When I take Benadryl, it makes me hyper, like caffeine makes me sleepy.
Has anyone else experienced success with IV diphenhydramine as an anti nausea medication? I’m unfortunately allergic/have insane reactions to most antiemetics, and have an illness where nausea and vomiting are pretty much always a part of, well, everything. The only thing that definitely works is high doses of IV diphenhydramine. We have tried, and continue to try, anything my doctors and I can think of. Nothing works better. Does anyone else have this experience?
I’ve used Benadryl for its sleeping effect as well, but not because of insomnia (although I do have a lot of insomnia): I have ADHD and the medication prescribed to be activates my brain to help me stay focus, must also gives me a jolt of energy through my day. I take my meds as I wake up and sometimes later in the day I can feel sick for what ever reason (cold, indigestion, migraine, etc) and while I would love to go to sleep to rest, my meds keep me wide awake, so I use Benadryl to help counter them and help me rest up when I am sick. I’ve tried so many sleeping pills in the past, but Benadryl is the only one who actually knocks me down. Not too worried since I use it rarely, I don’t even use it for allergies!
The drowsiness really helped when I had a bad reaction to medication, but it was also kind of scary… I got hardcore hives that felt itchy and like the worst sunburn ever at the same time while also giving off heat hot enough to appear like a fever on a thermometer. My face looked like it was stung by a bunch of bees. Went to the ER and got IV Benedryl. I had to get picked up because I couldn’t open my eyes. They released me, but I managed to walk a U-turn back into the hospital, somehow found my way to the cafeteria, and passed out in a booth. I barely remember calling my hubby to come get me and I can’t recall how I even made it to the car. I couldn’t focus on my environment very well and I felt like I was walking through quicksand. The next day it felt like I hadn’t slept at all, but I had slept almost the whole day. If it weren’t for the drowsiness knocking me out though, I would have be in a lot of pain and misery.