Does Benadryl kick your butt?

LVSteve · Oct 10, 2020

It beats the tar out of mine. I got a snort of some kind of allergen on Wednesday. By 2000 that night I felt like I had a 100 count bag of cotton balls up each Eustachian tube. Even Mucinex and fake Sudafed weren't having much effect, so I decided to go for the nuclear option. That entails a long hot shower at bedtime with half a Benadryl.

Yes, you read that right, half a pink tablet. I know this stuff can hit me hard. Thing is I ran out of my old Kroger generic tabs (probably long expired) and had to buy the real stuff in June when I saw it on the shelves. I haven't taken Benadryl for a while, and it showed. Woke up Thursday morning with the alarm blaring and absolutely no inclination to get up. You know when it says "Do not operate machinery if affected" on the label, that was me, no question. I hoped breakfast and coffee would shake the fuzzies, but they didn't. No joke, I was not fit to drive so I stayed home for the day. The fuzziness didn't really go away until after lunch. I've recovered from general anesthesia better than that.

As for my sinuses etc, they felt scoured and my throat was sore like I'd had post-nasal drip all night as the gunk cleared. Yech!

TL;DR version: Benadryl clears your sinuses overnight, just don't plan on doing much the day after.

Cdog · Oct 10, 2020

Absolutely!

Non functional the next day.

I avoid it the same way a kid does a needle.

bigwheelzip · Oct 10, 2020

If a sinus headache starts up on the low-medium setting, I'll go for Ibuprofen and maybe later an Alka Seltzer Cold Plus for a boost.
If it starts on the skull crushing setting, the day gets sacrificed to a Benadryl.

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dasnake · Oct 10, 2020

One in the mornin, one in the evenin,

Everyday through allergy season, only way I can keep my nose dry, no after effects.

hemiram · Oct 10, 2020

My cousin had the worst allergies to pollen and cat dander I've ever seen, and the only thing that helped back then was Benadryl. She took the max daily dose of it for years. When she got married and had her two daughters, people would accuse her of being lazy because her house was kind of messy and she got take out a lot. I would ask them, "Have you taken Benadryl before?", and the answer was usually something like, "Oh yeah, it put me out for about 12 hours!". Then I would say, "Well, Terri takes it ALL the time, every day, and I think she does just great as a mom!". Shut them right up. Later on, between the shots she took and a couple of other meds, she stopped the Benadryl and ended up being a nurse from about the age of 40 until she retired a couple of years ago. She wasn't "lazy" anymore. Kind of hyper, actually.

I still take to to help me go to sleep, but it sure doesn't work like it used to. It barely makes me sleepy now, but 40 years ago, wow, it would make me sleep at least 10 hours if I took it. If I really want to sleep now, I go to the pharmacy at Kroger's and buy some Actifed. Sudafed does nothing, but Actifed knocks me out like nothing else since I stole some of my dad's Placidyl sleeping pills about 1973. If you poked them with a pin, and put the liquid into a glass of something sweet, and drank it, it would hit you amazingly fast and I would become a giggling drunk in about 10 minutes. Yeah, it tasted bad, but wow, did I have fun.

Marshwheeling · Oct 10, 2020

I thought that was the idea. I used to take them to sleep.

twodog max · Oct 10, 2020

Yes it does. I rarely take it anymore no because of the side effects but because I seldom need it. About a year ago after battling chronic sinus infections and all related maladies I went to see an ear nose throat doctor. He determined I had a long term chronic infection deep in the sinus. Looked in there with a camera. Gave me a month long dose of high strength antibiotics and twice daily saline nasal cleaning that I still do. Since I have almost 0 trouble with sinus or allergies. I fought that stuff for over 40 years with over the counter and prescription meds. He fixed me up in 2 visits. I am so much better off now.

Double-O-Dave · Oct 10, 2020

As an added bonus, it is NOT good for us guys who are blessed with BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia).

Regards,

Dave

pawngal · Oct 10, 2020

Benadryl is the sleep ingredient in the OTC Tylenol PM and others.

I took Benadryl for years for allergies, 3 or 4 a day. You work up a tolerance to it. About 25 years ago my medical insurance covered allergy testing so I scheduled an appointment. Had to quit taking the Benadryl for 3 days prior to the appointment. I never slept for the 3 days, I was like a speed freak. Withdrawals from a harmless OTC med was not fun.

M29since14 · Oct 10, 2020

It doesn’t bother me if I just use it now and then. If I use it steady for a couple weeks, it will make it VERY hard for me to stay awake in the afternoons. I keep it around, mainly for “emergencies,” and I use a different antihistamine if I’m just moderately bothered with seasonal allergies. I’ve not had it affect me like you describe - yet.

IronSkillet · Oct 10, 2020

Yes it does, kick my butt. But it works as it should giving the necessary relief. Usually for me that is after some wasp or hornet stings. 2X bennies put me out cold for 4/6 hours, and the fog in my head will last several more hours after awaking.

robrossk · Oct 10, 2020

I try and avoid benadryl beause sleepy bye I go

CH4 · Oct 10, 2020

I occasionally take 25mg as a sleep aid. Need a full night’s sleep to keep
from waking sluggish.

Jon651 · Oct 10, 2020

Benedry (diphenhydramine) is a "pure" antihistamine - meaning it only targets your histamine receptors on the cellular level, and it does so VERY efficiently. You are experiencing the most common side-effect - drowsiness and sleep-inducement - which is the reason why Benedryl is the primary ingredient in many of the "PM"-type medicines.

I take it on occasion but definitely prepare myself for what I affectionately refer to as the "Benedryl Hangover" the next day. If I take it then I ensure that I don't have anything planned for the next morning all the way past lunchtime because I know that I will remain in a fog that entire time.

If you have difficulty with Benedryl or do not like the sleep-inducing effects, then you will need to try one of the more modern allergy meds like Zyrtec, Allegra, etc. They target receptors other than only for histamines (and in a few case several others). None cause the extreme drowsiness of Benedryl, but may cause some - your mileage may vary so I recommend trying a few different ones until you fine one that agrees with you. Zyrtec ended up being my choice but everybody will be different.

Good luck!

JcMack · Oct 10, 2020

My 11 lb dog was prescribed half a benedryl calculated by weight to relieve itching from contact dermatitis. It gave her relief from itching and never really knocked out. Same ingredient is in sea sick and sleep aid pills. I get inner ear problems which make me dizzy or maybe just dizzier. I've taken benedryl with good results.

pawngal · Oct 10, 2020

Jon651 said:
If you have difficulty with Benedryl or do not like the sleep-inducing effects, then you will need to try one of the more modern allergy meds like Zyrtec, Allegra, etc. They target receptors other than only for histamines (and in a few case several others). None cause the extreme drowsiness of Benedryl, but may cause some - your mileage may vary so I recommend trying a few different ones until you fine one that agrees with you. Zyrtec ended up being my choice but everybody will be different.

Good luck!

Zyrtec is my choice also. First it was Rx only, then OTC, and now generic at a very reasonable price

straightshooter1 · Oct 10, 2020

Been taking 2 tabs every night for years. No side effects and, frankly, they don't help my sinuses much anymore.

Bob

dasnake · Oct 10, 2020

Breathing?

straightshooter1 said:
Been taking 2 tabs every night for years. No side effects and, frankly, they don't help my sinuses much anymore.

Bob

Hey straight, is it a runny nose quandary or a breathing problem for you, mine is strictly runny nose, it won't stop without the benadryl.

Jon651 · Oct 10, 2020

straightshooter1 said:
Been taking 2 tabs every night for years. No side effects and, frankly, they don't help my sinuses much anymore.

Bob

Two things come to mind - either it's not a histamine-related allergy where an antihistamine like Benedryl will work, or you need something dedicated to dry and clear your sinuses (something that contains Sudafed/pseudoephedrine).

Pseudoephedrine is a stimulant and is not recommended if you have high blood pressure or taking it right before bed.

If it's not a histamine reaction, then consider something that targets another allergy issue such as eosynaphils or leukotryene (forgive my spelling...). Since you have sinus issues then you should consider one of the nasal allergy sprays such as Nasocort, etc.

Better yet, go ask your allergy doc instead of me...

K Frame Keith · Oct 10, 2020

I've learned my lesson the hard way, can't take it. The world turns into an episode of the Teletubbies if I use it!

Does Benadryl kick your butt?

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