Benadryl

Thanks for the info! That sounds great. I am going to go out and get some!

Brenda,
Thanks for posting that! I had just posted on another thread a question about transporting single doses of liquid Benadryl. My son is 4 but does not like chewable anything, including Pokemon vitamins (I really thought that would be the ticket!) I am going to look for some of the new Benadryl tablets next time I'm at the store! Lisa

Good question! Makes me loopy too. Then incredibly tired. I will fall asleep and have trouble waking up, even the next morning. I absolutely cannot take it on a weeknight, because I know I will have trouble waking up.

It makes my DD sleepy, too. But for me, it makes my heart race and my BP go up. I have a friend whose sister is allergic to Benadryl.

I'm severely allergic to it. It makes me vomit, have trouble breathing, swell up (airways), and break out in hives. Needless to say, I don't use it.
ygg

Ahhh - I am the Benadryl Queen.
There are times when I take one every night, for weeks or months at a time. This started when I was going through menopause and couldn't sleep at all. I would take a Tylenol PM, then realized the 'sleep' ingredient was Diphenhydramine - Benadryl.
I find that not only do I sleep better, but my nightime allergies are almost non-existent (cat sleeping on the bed or controlled burns in the forest around me and the canyon fills up with smoke at night)
I spent some time on Google, to see if there were any neg effects from long-term Benadryl use. I found nothing to worry about and it isn't habit-forming. I can take it every night for a month, then sleep like a baby without it. The only times I've taken two was for a PA reaction.
If I had to drive after taking a Benadryl, I could but I would prefer not to. I am a little groggier when I wake up, but a few cups of tea and I'm perky. I don't have any trouble concentrating the next day.
My father cannot take it. It knocks him for a loop and make him groggy for the next day or two.
My grandson takes it when he gets hives from cats/cogs, etc. He's 4, so I just give him 1/2 tsp. He doesn't get sleepy and it works magic on his hives.
edited to correct my bad spelling....
[This message has been edited by Adele (edited October 30, 2006).]

I get so drowsy from it that I avoid taking it whenever possible. Sometimes my allergies get so bad that Claritin is not helping at all and I'm basically having a sneezing attack with a constantly running nose. Even then, I usually don't take it, because I feel almost as bad from the grogginess and even slight dizziness from almost falling asleep constantly. Whether I take it or not, I end up laying on the couch unable to do anything. And it makes me have to go to the bathroom a lot. Does that make sense -- is it a diuretic?
My kids don't seem to be bothered by it. Sometimes they seem a little tired, and they fall asleep faster at bedtime.

My 10yo dd dreads having to take Benadryl. She says it makes her tired and dizzy. There were a few times I wanted to give it to her before school for her seasonal allergies and she absolutely refused. She said when she takes it before school she is unable to concentrate on what the teacher says.

My DS used to take a lot of benadryl before we had his allergies under control. It made him sleepy as a toddler. When he was in the 4 year old range, he didn't seem to have any noticable effects (drowsiness etc.) He doesn't require benadryl much these days, but when he does take it, I don't see much in the way of him being tired.
I on the other hand, cannot take it without extreme sleepiness. The last time I took it, we were on an overnight visit with friends who had a cat. I didn't have my regular sudafed, but had benadryl. I took one fastmelt, was asleep within 45 minutes and slept the next day until 11am. Was quite embarassing as we were guests and here I am sleeping half the day away!