diphenhydramine antihistamine overdose 200mg & up

[sheep57]

I have been taking an OTC sleep aid for over a year now and about a box a day for 8 months, sometimes more. Box = 24 pills at 25 mg.
I have looked into this over and over but every thing i seem to find is "no harm, cant get addicted".when used right. Ok how about used wrong?

Well I have tried a few times to stop but cold chill's set in and I start to get sick within the first 24 hours. Oh and the heart burn!!I just found today that it screws with you heart beat, it has to the point where I felt like it was going to pop.Its NOT any kind of good high, it retards me and i feel like i cant sit down. It suck really but it was used durning a time of high stress and then i found the the good side of it. It was an exscape from the miss's tourment. I heard her and couldnt really talk or pay any mind to her and then didnt really remember the next morning. This stuff really retards you, you cant think a full thought with out losing it.

Never been addicted to anything else.

Is this something I can overcome myself with some time period of felling like hell?

Or should i be seen?

I think I have the will power to fight and just get it over with myself. But how long may i feel like this? How long to flush my system?

[addictedtoloratab]

Im not sure hon, but, it sounds like if you have insurance that you should be seen.  Maybe they can give you something to ease the withdrawls.. Try looking up online and see what you come up with, I will look it up later, but, I am ready to jump out of my skin and need to jump in the bathtub,, Hang in there,,,

[sheep57]

well, no insurance! I have looked over the web and found nothing. that help would be nice.

[addictedtoloratab]

Ok, Im back, can you be more specific on what kind of sleep aid you are taking.  I do know that most all states offer a sliding scale doctor, and you dont have to wait months.  Its sponsered by WIC, now you dont have to have kids to go here, just have to show them some paycheck stubs so they can get you on the sliding scale.  I was serving cocktails and the wage in Vegas is decent and I was claming my tips and my fee was 20 dollars.  The only thing is you got to pay for the scipts, but, I dont know if you even need to seem the Dr yet Please tell me more specifically if thats a word, lol,what you are taking... I will do a good search...

[sheep57]

cheap walmart brand sleep aid,diphenhydramine HCI 25mg. Nothing esle added.

[addictedtoloratab]

looks like it, go to lycos and type in benadyl addiction, thats the main ingredient the diphenhydramine.  They have a whole forum just for what your looking for.  I hope it helps, G

[sheep57]

Hey thanks! Looks like I just need to grow a set and hit this cold turkey!

Thanks again!

[addictedtoloratab]

Good-luck hon, if you need support then thats why they made this site.  People on here are really supportve.. I hope goes well for you...

[icelander]

I have been a hard core user of diphenhydramine HCI 25mg for almost 10 years now.At times I have been so scared that I would not makie it through the night or the day what ever and when ever I decided to down 10 -18 pills to bring me to a state of artistic enhancement. You see I started out like most just using the OTC med for sleep purposes, After a while I started to notice that It brought me to a kind of meditation, some times I felt it actually made me more charming,smarter. I dont know how I got there. There were times when I did try to stop all together and realized after a day and a half or so that when I slept I almost couldnt wake up. I felt like I might slip away. I HAD to keep taking it. Now I take it just to keep myself level, to keep myself from thinking that I may have screwed myself up so bad that I might not be able to stop or die.
At this point I cant even tell anyone, its hard for me to even admit it to myself. Im scared

will I die in my sleep if I stop with out help? and If I tell someone will they tell me I am going to die from cancer after all the abuse my body has endured, I feel so alone and scared, I think sometimes that the only way I will ever stop is if a major problem arises, so far it hasentI have been lucky.
But for how long

[worried878]

That is not a commonly abused drug...not to that extent...My friend was up to 200 mg per night to sleep and started worrying then....she slowly tapered down to one and she is ok now....perhaps this is not a good drug for you to use for sleep...go see your doctor...believe me they are human too....get something to sleep for a while and cut your dose each day til you are off of it ..antihistamines have a drying effect on your sinuses and a dehydrating effect on your body.....address it with your doctor...then address your self as to why you decided to do this.....keep posting....do not feel like this is stupid...it is not...you are addicted to something and you belong here....seek help and keep posting

[dmvsav]

I am addicted to diphenhydramine, also...and right now i am planning to take 200mg later. I cant seem to stop myself.  But like, Ill run out and have to wait til pay day to get more, and i feel fantastic, but then i give in and take more when i  can buy more....i dont think im addicted to diphenhydramine, but i am addicted to great orgasms...which this gives if you stay up til it makes you drowsy.  i found this out by accident of course, but i havent stopped since ( about 2 years) i am worried about my heart, and my liver.  i dont know if it has any effect on the liver, but lately my chest has been feeling very tight, and is always beating a little faster than normal, and i havent taken any in 3 days, and my chest is still "tight" like if i breathe in too deep, it hurts sometimes, it kinda feels like im anxious 24/7..  i hope that if i stop for a while it will go away, but if it doesnt i think ill have to go to a doctor for both a check up on my heart and abuse help.  by the way, i am only 22 years old, and if my heart is already affected, i am scared ********.  -fellow sufferer-  p.s.  i do not make excuses for myself, i know i am weak and childish for continuing the use of diphenhydramine.  if i dont get help, i hope this helps someone else.  -derek-

[yuna1020]

hey i need help. i took about 21 benadryls about idk like 2 weeks ago or so, and like i need to know how long it stays in ur system! plz help me.

-yuna

[yuna1020]

PLZ TELL ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MY EMAIL IS ***@****

PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ HELP. im kinda like grounded from it thought so like ya.....but i will eventually read it. thanks peoples!

[yuna1020]

damn it doesnt work. but like just post on here i suppose. im at school and they block stuff but i can check this thanks

[worried878]

You need to post a new question to draw attention to your needs as this is an old post ...you took them a week ago?

[Jacqui805]

This med is not addictive, and it has many different uses.  Because of this, it also has many different side effects, most of which you've mentioned, not to mention hyperthyroidism, which would be secondary to the med., and also cause your side effects.  Since you're taking an astronomical amount, these side effects will be increased exponentially, and there are also plenty of drug-drug interactions as well.  You should be seen or call poison control.  

[theeagle]

Not that Doctors are always right or anything, but I was put on up to 200 mg diphenhydramine (benadryl) for sleep - by the Doc - and told not to worry about addiction or overdose.

[Jacqui805]

I cannot believe your doc put you on 200 mg of diphenhydramine, for real.  I mean, I believe you, don't get me wrong, just flabbergasted.  I can't imagine why he'd do that considering what he could prescribe, and what dose of this med. he should prescribe.  This med has like 10 different uses, and they all are associated with specific dosing recommendations for them.  The highest oral dose is 50 mg, and that's for sleep.  If it's given via IV or via muscular injection (IM) it could be given in a dose as much as 100 mg, with no more than 400 mg in a day.  This of course would not be meant for long-term use.

[Dieing2Live]

that is a lot, i would take 100mg while in detox and my head would get real fuzzy and i wouldnt remember falling asleep.

[cat9841]

diphenhydramine is benedryl, I think, could also be motion sickness medicine. it whips me out too, feel drunk the whole day if I take it.
CAT

[technocat]

Here's the good news: http://www.****.com
The maximum recommended dose by the AMA is 300mg.  They give that to patients in hospitals and pregnant mothers.  Look it up.  That amount is not going to kill you.  Some of that may be paranoia, a common symptom of diphenhydramine - it makes things seem so intense, doesn't it?  I'd almost say poignant.

You are _not_ weak, or childish for exploring the sensations it provides.  It's hard to discuss with people how intensely interesting these effects are and be taken seriously.  My favorite is to take a high dose (600-800mg) and ponder why the universe exists.  :)

This may make you feel better -- it's an article about a fifty five year old man on anti-psychotics who gradually increased his dosage to 1600mg PER DAY for two years.  His health care providers recognized a diphenhydramine dependence developing and gradually lowered his dose until he could get off of it in favor of a better treatment for his condition.
http://jdc.jefferson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=jeffjpsychiatry

It can be difficult to abstain from it, especially if you've explored its more pleasurable or interesting psychological effects.  It's not physically addictive, but neither is pizza, or porn.  

Tips:  
- Liver damage comes from acetaminophen, not from diphenhydramine.  Diphenhydramine is not known for its hepatoxicity (liver damaging) or renal toxic (kidney damaging).  But READ THE LABEL to make sure it has  no acetaminophen or any other active ingredients.

- Always take liquid gel-caps (Unisom liquicaps in blue) instead of hard pills (Benadryl/Simply Sleep), because the hard pills settle in the lining of your stomach and cause irritation, sometimes for days afterward.  Heartburn can be relieved / prevented by taking an extra strength acid-reducer Zantac at the same time.  Diphenhydramine also has topical anesthetic properties, also contributing to tummy lining irritation.

- But please limit your high doses (300mg+) to occasional use.  It's best to intermittently abstain it for a week or two at a time, because that lowers your tolerance for it, and the next time it's twice as strong.

[cturkey]

I have a 26-year history of diphenhydramine abuse. In high school my friends and i would take NyQuil and then see who could stay up the longest. I used it off and on throughout the years until I was about 24 years old, which is when I went to college. I had a hard time getting up in the mornings, so at night I'd take some and lay in bed and read National Geographic until it kicked in. As time went by I needed more and more due to tolerance & I also started using it to get high, got to the point where I could take it and stay awake long enough to take more about 3 hours later. I was taking about 6-8 pills at a time, usually about twice a night. After graduation I contined taking it and am now taking 12-17 at a time, 3 or 4 times a day, every day. I've been doing this for about 5-7 years now. I go through a 100 count bottle in no time. Lucky for me they now sell 200 count bottles at Walgreen's. I'm not sure who they think would need that many except an addict. I get withdrawals now after 24-48 hours of not taking any. I think that in the last 5 years or so I've gone 7 days straight without it, when I had a week off of work. Otherwise, I never make it past 2 days. I attempt to quit about every 4-6 weeks or so. I get so sick that I can't work, it's like having a stomach flu. I am also wondering how long the withdrawals will last because they render me incredibly miserable and useless. I think I'll attempt weaning, but that itself is pretty sketchy considering I have the psych aspect of addiction and if I get high once during they day it's not very realistic to think I'll leave it alone when I start coming down. As far as long-term effects, I know I've got memory loss issues and difficulty concentrating, even when sober. I've had depression and anxiety since I was a young teenager and I'm quite sure that this addiction has exacerbated it. I'm very isolated as well due to an inability to hold onto my thoughts, drive or speak clearly when high (which starts about 30 minutes after I get home from work each day). I have had palpitations and episodes of shortness of breath. As far as cognition when high, the only other drug I've seen that has the same effects is heroin. You get that mouth hanging open, blank stare, nodding off kind of thing going on. Can't think in complete sentences (unless they're only about 2-3 words long). I think getting over this is going to be a major pain in the ***. If anyone gets any new info on managing withdrawal, please let me know. I'd like everyone to know that I'm grateful for the posts because I was always too scared to really take a look at whether other people have experienced this addiction. I am relieved that I'm not alone (no offense) because I really though I was for a very long time. I'd never heard of anyone taking as much Benadryl as I did. I do want to note that I've never had hallucinations to the extent that some people have mentioned. Sometimes there will be something in the corner of my eye, but that's about it. I get very cold hands and feet, which no one else seems to have mentioned. But maybe I just have Reynaud's or something.

[cturkey]

Oops! I have an 18 year history, not 26.

[someone743]

Interesting, I've been taking this for about a month at 125mg a night, sometimes 150mg. It's a suprisingly potent sleep aid for me when combined with 50-100mg 5-HTP and I found it to be as effective as a double max-dose of Lunesta (a supposed max does does nothing for me).

A while ago I had some advice on how to sleep better (actually, I just told the psychologist everything I had already tried and she said "sounds like you covered everything") without adding anything at all, but she wrote down that she had given me advice and then my doctor refused to give me sleeping medication when I asked for it due to having the most important job interview of my life and needing some sleep to be on top form. The doctor said "you've been given all the advice you need, follow it [I was following it, it was my own dam advice] I'm not giving you anything". I really hate the arrogant stupidity of most doctors who pay more attention to your record on their computer than what you are telling them you are suffering with.

Anyway, my blood pressure has started fluctuating strangely (to higher than it's previous highs) so I decided I should get rid of these things. I was first given sleep medication at 10, I've always had trouble sleeping.

Anyway, this is a potent med, It's not a very mild sleep aid if you take more then the recommended maximum with something that raises seratonin slightly, it's quite potent.

It's a pity the arrogance and general stupidity of the medical profession makes people take health into their own hands. We might not always make the best choices, but I've been told repeatedly I've been wrong about things I've turned out to be right about by doctors before and now I feel I must medicate myself. This is easy to get hold of and wont get you arrested.

So now, I should probably go to the doctor regarding the strange blood pressures but I cannot because they will write something else down on their stupid report and then believe me even less next time. I had to argue with one for an hour before the idiot would x-ray my foot once, just to find out it was broken, just like I told him it was and he insisted he knew my own body better than me.

I really hate doctors. Their knowledge is impressive, but their judgement is lousy; especially when they think they know the patient better than the patient does. Now I have no respect for them, just like they have no respect for me. I thought they were supposed to help people :/

Maybe there would be less people "abusing" this OTC medication if doctors dropped their arrogance. I guess it's not as bad in the US where their paycheck depends to some degree on your happiness. Here in the UK while you are in hospital they spend most of the time moaning to you about other patients. They are a joke. The medical profession has become a scandal.

[lady67]

Personally, I love RAPID SLEEP from Wal-Mart.  I thought that I would never have a good night sleep again after I stopped the Ambien/Lunesta merry-go-round. This med is all natural and WORKS.

[annie1980]

Hi... I didn't realize there were more folks like me.  I'm mainly searching for emotional support and am happy to give it, so if anyone wants to mail me... Please! magik at hot mail *******.  Hope that shows.  

I've been an abuser for somewhere between 2 to 3 years (I'm 28 now).  Yesterday I actually made a decision to stop (I finally told my mother about it), but one thing keeps bothering me, and that is that I have occassionally stopped, and always seemed to have stomach pains the following day, so I'd take some more that night and it made it stop.  The withdrawal symptoms concern me.  

One thing Icelander said interests me... that when they went to sleep they couldn't seem to wake up easily.  I didn't take any last night, but I felt delirious when I got up this morning.  I don't feel so well right now.  The stomach pains are coming, and my head is somewhat foggy... however, I didn't eat until about 6, so I never know the true cause of my symptoms.

I did tell a psych doctor once about this, and they advised me to gradually decrease my dose... perhaps this may be helpful.  I simply can't afford to go cold turkey for the next few days, as I have important dates (birthdays and work related), so I won't be able to take sick days.  I may have to plan for that the week after.  However I'm a serious about this, and I will be communicating with my mom on the subject, bc I want to get out of this.  

At 5'4" and weighing 95 lbs, I have taken anywhere from 2 pills to 10 at a time (at 25mg a pill).  I have never taken more than an absolute max of 16 pills in one night.  I have varied the dose over the years as tolerance can drop quickly.  Too much isn't always good. I find 4 to 8 at a time the most ideal effects.  

Heart problems seemed to be the doctors greatest concern, for those who want to know.  

Anyway, I would be very interested in talking to any of you, as I need help as well as have experience.  

[MISTASY]

WHAT ARE THE LONG TERM EFFECTS FOR TAKING UNISOM FOR 20 YRS UP TO 92 PILLS A DAY. SOME DAYS  I AVERAGED 60 AS OF THREE YRS AGO . IN THE PAST YEAR 24 TO 34 PILLS.IM TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IT DOES TO ORGANS,BODY AND BRAIN WITH THIS LONG TERM ADDICTION.WHAT DOES IT DO TO THEM.CAN THE DAMAGE BE REVERSED

[Dougefresh]

thank everyone whos posts ive read. im going for help 2 day. Its good 2 know im not alone. withdrawls suck. good luk all

[tiff1969]

I have been taking 50-75mgs every single night for over a year.  Its gotten to the point that it isnt working anymore. So I stopped cold turkey 60 hours ago and I can't believe how sick I feel. Cold sweats, sick to the stomach, chest pains, stomach pains...,  Ive never taken any type of drug, legal or illegal, so this is scary to feel addicted?  At this point Id like to know how long I can expect the withdrawals to last? If it only takes 3 days or so I can stick it out. If its longer than that I may need to wean off of them, but dont know what dosage to take to wean off.. anyone have any experience with the length of withdrawals?

[Thomas_P]

I took 14 sominex, which is 300mg of diphenhydramine. I took it 2 days ago and I still feel really bad. Fatigued, nothings really happy, bloated and occasionally my heart races and it hurts. When I tried to sleep yesterday I couldnt because I would become very hot, aggitated and my heart would race. Is this going to go away? A few minutes ago I was coughing over my sink to try and throw up, but couldnt, though it did make me feel better.

Will this go away?

[unisom]

Well I`ve been psychologically addicted to diphenhydramine for the last 4 years...up to 1000-2000 mg (20-40 x 50 mg pills!) everyday day!! I still do it, I wanna stop but without this stuff I feel pretty depressed...This is sick!!!  Anyone can help??
I

[concussionsux]

man, I have only done at max 5 50mg wal-som tablets for sleep. I got a foot ball concussion and the I got another one. I've been outta school and my head kills. I have a
Prescription for propranolol and relafin and neither work. Doctors don't want me getting hooked on narcotic painkillers(my family history has a past or somethin of extreme addiction) I took diphenhydramine to get me
To sleep.
I looked it up on the net and found you could trip on it.
So I took five and just felt drunk and heavy. I did that everyday. And I now don't want to take them. Whenever I don't have them I don't sleep at all. Is there something that both kills the pain
And puts me
To sleep. I've had this headache for about 2 months and it's the equivalent of 3 migranes and a
Fat man stomping on my head. I don't know if I'm addicted to sleeping pills, but I've really kinda given up. Any chance that comes to me for anything, I will take it. Illegally or legally.

Please help

[bligner]

Interesting that we all come looing for the same answers.... I've been taking diphenhydramine for about a year straight... a lil longer actually..... taken benadryl my whole life but just for allergies. then I started abusing the stuff about 2 years ago i guess.... Recently I've come to the conclusion that I'm probably addicted to it... lol ... duh. anyway... I started taking it in large doses at night up all night playing world of warcraft... its an online game highly addictive it its own right... call it warcrack ... anyway... I'd stay up hours eating the equate 50 mg diphenhydramine sleep gels...my usual dose is start off with 4 and eat 4 about every hour or so... I'd kinda trip ... Ive had intense hallucinations a time or two... I saw two demons on a bicycle at my fence one night watching me while i was outside smoking a cig. lol... It was actually two shrubs by the fence lol.  I have always been attracted to substances that "expand" my mind... i was was fond of LSD in high school... prollly tripped that stuff maybe 2 dozen times in my life. I notice with diphenhydramine.. i get some of the same effects as on LSD... When I'm high on this stuff... reading is impossible.... words appear as squiggly symbols... i actually think this is due to blurry/double/triple.... vision. Im embarrased to say it but one of the main reasons i take this stuff is the intense sexual sensations i get from it. when it starts to hit me..... i can just think of masturbating and instantly the sensations start... and i oblige those sensations and start...  well u ge tpicture..... I noticed one poster mention the intense orgasms. I too experience this! The orgasms are stronger and seem to last a very lng time... almost like im on the cusp of the orgasm but it never comes... except it does.... lol idk... anyway.... they bad side of this stuff tho.... When I'm high on it... My short term memory is litterally non existant. I lose thoughts as fast as they come to me and lotsa times I find it difficult to speak ... no desire to speak whatsoever. and when i do... ive had ppl tell me what i just said made absolutly no sense whatsoever... and of course i have no idea what i had just said cuz i couldnt remember... thoughts eventually come back around but .. anyway... cant concentrate at all... brain function feels like its jello or some sh*t.   Ive also noticed my heart fells like its tingleling or like its hot? .. hard to describe... this sensation runs down the inside of my left arm too.... which scares me cuz ive heard that these syptoms (symptoms) are synonymous with heart attack. sensations sometimes last a very long time too... other side effects include sensation of having to clear my throat all the time... going to P a lot too.... it dehydrates my body something crazy. When I'm fully into the "buzz" I have no desire to be around anyone or engage in conversation. also notice bad taste in my mouth... and thick frothy saliva. Brushing my teeth really good helps with this and honestly feels wonderful... also ive noticed my face feels tingle or numblike. I've also noticed that i can breathe a lot better but can "taste" the drug I guess upon exhale. ... like i can taste it coming off my breath. The drug has a few unpleasant side effects for me. Ill continue this post next post... this is long enuf

[bligner]

I've had the bad headaches that other posters experienced too... Mainly when I havent taken this stuff .... Ive had a few days I wasnt taking this stuff and thats when the headaches come... also wicked heartburn as others have mentioned. Ive alsoo had balance issues.... cant walk staright, equalibrium shot. I first discovered I could get high on this **** after taking a sleeping pill my grandfather gave me that was prescribed by the VA (Veterans Administration) Now each one of his pills were 200mg. which I find suprising they would give him such strong pills. Most of the time 4 50mg equate gels is what I start off with since I began abusing the stuff. I'm a big chicken .. afraid of fatal overdose.. but I still take the ****.... I've taken an entire bottle of the 32 50mg equate gels over the course of a night/next day. This is when the hallucinations start to kick kin... but this is spread out over serveral hours... I think the most ive taken all at once was 8 of em... I'm afraid to try more as when that much at once hits me its a very profound sensation and it comes on all it once like... and I feel very compelled to masturbate when this is occuring ... gah it makes it feel so good.... anyway...  anyone else have this side effect? Well... anywya I need to stop taking this stuff... I cant function normally when I'm on it... It seriously makes me stupid I believe... I think the best way to get off this stuff is to gradually step down ... avoiding the headaches and other negative side effects. oh and also .... The times I've not taken it for a few days or whatever .. I've noticed very vivid and lengthy dreams... and come to think of it... I dont recall dreaming anything at all when I'm on this ****. I've also noticed the difficulty getting up the next morning... feels so comfortable in the bed when i first wake up... I know I just rambled on in these two posts but just wanted to share my experience with this drug.

[Worthmorenow]

Benadryl needs to be weaned........not stopped abruptly. It can cause seizures if stopped cold turkey. I work in a hospital and I have seen it. Please taper it. When I worked night work I took it for sleep. When I got up to 4 at a time I stopped because it stopped working and I was having palpitations. I take Nyquil tablets now. 2 and I sleep great.

[morganave]

I can not phatham (sp) taking 90 plus sleeping pills of any kinds and still be alive.
Does anyone out there take them to get high?  Of do you need them just to sleep?
Either way, you need to talk to a dr.  If you do not have insurance, go to the ER and ask if they have a walk in clinic for those who are not dying and talk to a med professional.
I have taken sleep aids before, but always had the hangover in the morning.  Do not like that.  What is so wonderful about feeling as though you could just fall out anywhere?  I like to feel up, that is what Narcs do to me.  To get off that kind of meds yu will need professional help for sure.  IF you go to the ER, or clinic, and you do not have insureance, them have them bill you and do your best to pay them every month so you will have a Dr t go to if nesscarry.
There all are kinds of ways to get to sleep, I have no issure getting there, it is staying there that suchs for me.  As I tell my son in Afganinstan (SP), be strong, be brave, and watch your own behind.  Same to all of you.

[donttrythisathome]

I recently took 1000mg after a night of drinking. I heard you can get "high" from overdosing and see hallucinations…that was an understatement. I thought it would be an interesting experience seeing or hearing things that weren’t there. It turned out to completely suck and lasted way long than I expected. I think I took them around 2am at my desk and my mother found me at 8am staring at a blank computer screen. I don’t remember anything between there except for maybe a few minutes after taking them I could tell it was going to suck. I even texted a couple friends saying “im trippin hard =(  ” in the morning, I was acting completely delusional, very confused, and, according to others, I was very hard to understand. Simple facts like my date of birth I could not produce. I spent most of the day sleeping, except for I went outside on a walk for 30 min with my friend. I kept having audio and visual hallucinations the whole time, I would hear someone ask me a question and I would answer and my friend would ask who are you talking to? Then I would see my friend wave at a bush and a little girl would be giggling inside it, when I glanced back the girl was gone. I became the most paranoid when I looked at my arms and they were bright orange/red looking severely sunburned, I touched my arm with my finger and the skin would welt and the top layer would fall off. I became so scared thinking I was about to lose all of my skin and need to go to the hospital. What made it even worse I was extremely itchy all over my body so I was constantly having to touch my skin. Keep in mind this is over 12 hours after taking the pills. I eventually got home and got in the shower. It appeared that some of the loose skin that I had touched outside was now falling off as the water hit it. I got out quickly, got dressed and went to bed. The bed seemed safe if only I could fall asleep. I would wake up many times hearing someone come in my room only to open my eyes and see no one there. Overall the experience sucked!! I do not recommend it to anyone. The effects took nearly 48 hours to wear off and hardly any of the time was pleasurable. Most of the time is spent worrying, and getting annoyed because you can’t tell the difference between what you see and reality. I experienced a pain for about 5 days after in my upper right stomach, which I think is my liver. It was probably trying to remove all the toxins. I felt sluggish and sad for multiple days after as well. That was the first and LAST time I will ever do that again.

[DakotaWaters]

Another member of the 4-digit mg club here.

But I won't stop fighting it.  It is addictive, but it can be overcome.

[RENEEHC33]

I TOOK WALGREENS BRAND UNISOM FOR 2 YEARS AND I WAS HAVING CRAZY PROBLEMS, LIKE BACK PAIN AND WEAKNESS IN MY LEGS. I HAVE HAD SO MANY XRAYS, MRIS, AND NEURALSCANS AND THERE IS NO CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS IN ANY OF THEM. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT AFTER LONG TERM USE OF LARGE DOSES OF DIPHENHYDREMINE IT CAN CAUSE JOINT PAIN AND MUSCLE ACHES ALONG WITH A LAUNDRY LIST OF OTHER PROBLEMS, INCLUDING INSOMNIA OF ALL THINGS. I STOPPED TAKING DIPHENHYDROMINE ON THURSDAY 3-5-09 AND REPLACED IT WITH A DIPHENHYDROMINE FREE SLEEP AID AND MY BACK PAIN IS STARTING TO GET BETTER IN THAT SHORT OF TIME, BUT THERE ARE WITHDRAW SIDE EFFECT LIKE DIZZINESS AND I AM SO VERY TIRED EVEN THOUGH I AM SLEEPING WELL BUT I THINK IT ONLY WILL LAST ABOUT 7 TO 14 DAYS. FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM DIPHENHYDRAMINE I WISH YOU LUCK, IT IS POSSIBLE.

[alicat7806]

i feel your pain i take 12 to 18 sleeping pills a night, then i try to fight them so i can get high off them. i tryed to stop taking the i went 3 day without them and passed out in walmart from no sleep. my mom started giving them to me at 3 years old, and i am still taking them and i am 24 now, i dont know what to do. what crazy is that i had my liver tested and the doctor told me that it was fine, he thought i was over doing the story a little, but i wasent and boyfriend told him it was the all true. i really dont know what to do. well i just wanted to see if i was the only one.....

well ty l8er.

[toopunkrawk]

A few days ago after a terrible fight with a boyfriend I ended up taking an entire box of simply sleep (24 pills, so 600 mgs). I found that for about an hour I was on top of the world...I was feeling very brave, like I could do anything but I got frustrated because I could not read, study or do any sort of work (do NOT try to read and don't try to IM your friends either once this has set in...you will type nonsense).
I didn't have any hallucinations but I really scared myself as there were several instances where I felt my heart was going to beat out of my chest; I did some breathing exercises to calm down but it was scary.
Finally after a few hours I fell flat asleep. When I woke up in the morning, I was incredibly depressed. Like, the worst ever. My boyfriend takes paxil and he said I was probably having some sertaonin issues so he recommended I take one (note: I'm not condoning taking other people's prescriptions meds, I honestly felt suicidal at this point). After about an hour, the paxil made me feel soooooooo much better; I got through the day. However, the next morning I woke up AGAIN Depressed as hell. So I took another paxil. What do you know, no hangover again.
But now I'm worried-did I do too much simply sleep? Why does the paxil completely get rid of the hangover? And am I going to be addicted to paxil now? I thought I would just have a one day hangover but these depressed moods I wake up with are terrible. Anyone have any advice on these issues?

[SleepRelief]

I took 200mg's of Longs Sleep relief nightly for 2yrs, and have since started having palpitations, and recently been having chest pains. If you, or anyone you know has been taking this drug for more than a month, tell them to STOP. It says on the bottle not to take it longer than 2 weeks. The long-term side effects have not yet been studied, but from what I can tell, heart problems seem to be a common effect of the long-term use/abuse of diphenhydramine. It's easy to stop taking diphenhydramine if you have another, less "toxic" drug (marijuana in my case) to substitute it with until you no longer "need" it. I only wish I bit the bullet 2 years ago, and got my medical marijuana card for my insomnia, I'd likely not have any heart problems today. FYI, Angina is a term used to describe chest pain originating for ones heart. Angina is a pre-curser to heart disease. Palpitations may also be a sign of serious heart problems.

[skandranon44]

I have done benadryl to get the effects before. In the crowd I used to hang out with we would all take 27 to 30 extra strengths, depending on our size. We suffered severe sleepiness, short term memory loss, hallucinations, "heaviness" or impaired ability to move with ease, dizziness, loss of appetite, and frequent urination. And it is addictive. But that addiction can be overcome! One of the easiest things you can do to help is fall asleep. It already makes you sleepy, so just let the sleep take over. This will allow your body to filter it out faster. Also drink a ton of water to flush your system and rid your body of the drug. Now these will help get it out of your system, but it sounds like you are having a problem with quitting. So start taking slightly smaller doses and ease yourself off of it. Do it very slowly so you do not have withdrawals. It will probably take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, but you can do it. Try taking one less pill every two days, but be careful. If you have severe withdrawal symptoms you should space it out even more. Even so you may have minor withdrawal symptoms. The important thing is to progressively decrease your use of the pills. I hope this helps you.

[justanotherdude]

wow, there are so many brave souls on here speaking the truth about themselves,  i am very scared to.  I am also addicted to many things, and just this week have started dosing myself with the diphenhydramine.  i've gone ma 100mg every four hours or so.  I feel depressed and i take it to 'escape'.  some of my other addictions have escalated to high dose and frequent use, so i was here looking for some guidance and support on not adding another stone to my back.  I'll try to keep the diphen use down...
thanks for your stories everyone, you are not allone

[Xinog]

This is an old post but i thought id share my two cents because everyones comments helped me out alot.

Just like most of everyone here, I started taking a few tylenol PMs for sleep, eventually 2 would have no effect, so i upped to 5 tylenol PMs to sleep until i found out acetomenophin -the pain killer- in the pills cause liver damage. So i started taking the walmart 25 MG diphenhydramine. For the first year or so i never used them to get high because i never thought they could make you high, until a depressing turn of events happend in my life. I thought hey if i just take a whole lot of these pills i will sleep for 2 days straight and escape the world. Thats how i found out about the euphoria this drug brings me when taken in high dosages.

I would take half a box of the 25MG walmart brand pills and become very euphoric, nothing mattered, my thoughts would flow from my head with ease. Now for 2 years ive taken a whole box nightly. I havent upped my dosage in 2 years, mainly because for some reason my tolerance isnt getting higher even taking a whole box for 2 years everynight. It always takes me to the place where i want to go at the end of the day and escape. Even when my life would seem happy, i would still take a whole box everynight. It seems after being on it this long, the tinyest bit of irritation around me i cant tolerate, kids yelling, the tv, daily traffic noise, the rude person at the cashiers desk, my friends. Anything that would upset me even a little bit seemed so hard to take. Things i used to enjoy would irritate me to the maximum.

Even if i was happy, i would down a whole box because eventually for 2 years taking the med i found it induces a rather creative side of you. At least for me. Im the lead singer in a rock band and i found when i sit alone, high off of one box of this stuff, my ability to write creative lyrics came so natural to me, it has helped me become popular for my lyrical content. On the downside, the lifestyle i live supports this kind of abuse, and being a normal working man had no interest in me, my lust for money and care for those that i need to support were gone. Nothing mattered. Ive been diagnosed as a neurotic, which the term doesnt exist anymore but the symptoms still occur. I still take a whole box a night, just because im afraid if i stop, im going to go more insane than I already am.

Anyway, I have not experienced any type of harmful sideeffect while on this drug. Alcohol does in fact amplify the euphoria these pills can bring. Though i dont reccomend it, because they both act as a depresser and too much at one time can cause problems. Also, it may help someone but, ive also tried mixing this drug with various others. Ive taken a bottle, and smoked weed a few times, it could be just me but that was the most unpleasent experience, i couldnt relax because the nausea i would get from smoking weed while being on this drug. Constant throwing up. It isnt pleasent.
Also have tried DXM with this drug. For some, this would be a scary and unpleasent trip. But for me, it achieved exactly what i wanted, a very delusional world where its only me. horrific hallucinations while driving. I could be on my home road that ive driven through for 10 years and not realize where I am, i would be driving 5 mph thinking im about to break the speed limit. I dont advise this, but for me its pleasent.

Anyway, hope this helps.

[cjane_wvu]

I have struggled with what I would call a diphenhydramine addiction for several years. I think I started out early on taking Tylenol PM for trouble sleeping and I took MANY of those...20 at a time, every single night. This probably started in 2002 or so. After a few years of doing that, I thought I'd switch to generic benadryl tablets, because they didn't have acetaminophen. I would take 24 of these every night, for many years....eventually they did not help me sleep at all. I would get somewhat drowsy, but would fight to stay awake. I would tell myself I was taking them to help me sleep, but then I would never lay down and go to sleep. I would sit up all night staring at the TV. I would sometimes feel like I was going to die, my heart would race, my vision would blur, my speech would be slurred. I sometimes tried to read, and you just can't...I couldn't even see the words. I often wondered about the harm I was doing to my body, but I just couldn't stop taking them.

I more or less stopped sleeping with my husband, stopped doing things with my kids, stopped doing housework, stopped everything. Those pills had me MESSED UP. I would stay up all night, fall asleep in the morning and feel like I was nearly in a coma. I could not force myself to wake up until the drugs were out of my system somewhat. I can not tell you how many things I missed, whole entire days that went by and I was asleep.  It has seriously hurt my life in so many ways. I became antisocial, distanced from my family, I've been unemployed, missing school events and sports events with my kids.  And I would just always tell them "I can't sleep at night, so I have to sleep when I can".  They thought I was an insomniac, not a drug addict.

I felt like a failure. Who the hell gets addicted to Benadryl? A loser, right?  Well...I am not a loser, but I sure got addicted.

Two weeks ago tomorrow, I quit. I just said, NO MORE. And I stopped taking them. I just stopped. No weaning, no excuses, I just quit. The first few days, I had NO withdrawals at all.  I did have some nausea, seemed to get sick after each time I would eat. But I got through that in the first week and now I'm FINE!!

My life has improved greatly in two weeks. I sleep normal hours, I get up when I'm supposed to, I talk to my kids, I do laundry, I clean the house, I talk on the phone, I take care of my animals, I've picked up photography again, and I'm looking for a job.  I am happier and less depressed than I have been in years.  The pills had me so screwed up, I didn't even feel like a normal person. I was just a shadow of what I used to be, what I needed to be. I am really happy right now. And proud of myself, too.

If you are reading this, and you have the same problem I did, JUST STOP.  It will be hard at first, you might have a hard time adjusting to not taking them.  Just DON'T! I never thought I would last two weeks, but I can tell you that it's worth it, and your life will improve greatly. I feel like a real person again. It feels good!

Hope my story helps someone out there....you can stop. Just do it!

[user_1984]

Thank you for all of your stories,  you've given me alot to think about.  I'll tell my story of why i started taking diphen, and what i feel when i do, maybe it will help somone.   I recently graduated from college and started a new job in a new state,  10 hours away from anyone I know.  but that wasn't the issue for me.  I was in love with a girl i was friends with for 3 years.  She probably knew how i felt,  but i finally explicitly told her how i felt about her, and told her that i  knew she didnt feel the same way i did about her, but i still want to be friends, because she did mean alot to me.  She agreed she still wanted to be friends, but i think it did freak her out.  I moved to a new state, and she stopped returning my emails.

I've always been a pretty light sleeper,  and little things that cause me worry usually keep me awake a few hours later when going to sleep.  Being in a new state with no friends, and knowing that the person i cared about most no longer wanted to have anything to do with me pretty much put an end to my sleep.

I constantly felt like i had a cold.  i was just sick in general,  emotional stress was enough to make me ill,  but the 2 hours MAX of sleep each night helped me feel sick as well.

I used alcohol to start to get some sleep.  After driving to work in the morning hung over (and probably still legaly drunk),  i decided i had to do something else.  

I picked up some tylonol PM and started taking 2-4 a night.  They really did the trick,  an hour after i took them, i was out.  I did some research, and found that the sleepy - drug in them was diphenhydramine.   i knew acetametophen was bad for the liver,  so i decided to just buy the walmart brand allergy tabs for much cheaper too.

Each week i seemed to take a few more pills (25mg each).  I really started to feel good when i took them.   All my stress went away,  and i was happy knowing id get a full night of sleep.  It wasnt long before i found out i could get a pretty sweet euphoria buzz 30-40 min after taking about 6 of these pills.   I usually feel really cold when the buzz kicks in,  then really good.  communication is nearly immpossble,  this isnt a party drug (for me anyways).  when i take 300mg i have no will to talk to anyone,  or do anything except listen to music, and maybe play some simple flash games on the computer.   When i do go out in public after taking large doses,  its kind of scary.  i havent done much human interacting while high on this stuff though.  Once while taking the garbage out,  i saw a car at the end of the parking lot,  probably going 5 mph, and 100 yards away,  but my heart started racing,  and i felt like i had to run to get out of its way!   It is also hard  to keep my eyes focused on any one thing for very long.   the sun destroys me,   most lights are way to bright.  The morning after  taking large quantities though...  my fingers feel numb,  for the better part of the day my mind feels really cloudy.  almost like im watching myself in a dream.  Its really hard to talk to people,  its almost painfull to talk.  i cant concentrate on anything.  i feel like a zombie.

Ive been taking the stuff for a few months now.  ive taken up to 14 pills in the span of an hour,  and i assume i'll probably take it farther.   Im a male about 200 lbs 24 years old, just to get a sence of dose / body type.

The biggest issue with this drug is,  i need my mind alot if i want to be good at my job,   while under its effects,  i have pretty much no short term memory,  far worse then booze has ever done to me.  Also physically, my heart really beats fast, i'm not in the BEST shape,  i probably dont eat the most healthiest foods, and im sure my blood pressure must be higher than normal.   I can see heart failure in my future if i keep this up.

As for that girl i was talking about earlyer,  i've gotten over her,  i know i would in time.  but i dont see myself really meeting anyone else,  as a friend or otherwise.  i was fairly antisocal before,  and this drug really keeps my ambitions down.   If youre still reading this,  i hope it atleast gives you something to think about. as for me,  i dont know if ill stop using diphen,   i probably should if i want a healthy body / mind,   but we shall see.   maybe ill stop back here in a month and let the internet know how its going -

[babahgee]

Hi. I was so depressed last night and decided to grab any bottle with the most pills. I ended up getting Equate from Walmart. I took about 20 caplets (25mg each) and swallowed them in. My limbs went numb until I fell asleep. Although every 10 minutes, I'd wake up as if I had the deepest sleep. I can only move my arms and legs after struggling a bit. A couple of hours after, I threw up, with what seems to be a bitter, chemical-gut sour liquid. The every-10-minute-waking-up continued until I have to drag myself to work. My mouth is so dry, and I'm always alert whenever I hear footsteps or see movements in my peripheral. The effect for me was more like Paranoia. I have a heart condition, a bad case of aryhtmia, so while reading through, I realized that there are just too much risk in taking any type of drug. My concern now is to flush it out of my system. What do you think is the quickest way?