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1322157 tn?1279656681

benadryl advice (it's not just for seasonal allergies)

It can't hurt - and can only help in case of an allergic reaction. It's a very good idea to keep Benadryl on hand if you take medication. You never know when your body will have an allergic reaction (even a mild one).

I thought I would send out this reminder to everyone after  few members here have had allergic reactions to their medication over the last few weeks. I also had an allergic reaction recently to a medication that I had taken previously without incident. The pharmacy instructed me to take Benadryl immediately and then call my doctor.

If the allergic reaction is severe, always call 911 - but take the Benadryl if you can.

Does anyone else have any advice to offer for someone who has an allergic reaction?
12 Responses
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Avatar universal
I also have severe allergies and carry an EPI pen with me at all times. I have one in my car and my purse.  I had a situation earlier this year, I'm sure Tuck can probably explain it better than me, I was sick with a kidney infection and ended up in the ER.  The ER doctor wanted to admit me because of infection, fever, and also a stone, and I told her I didn't have any vacation time and really needed to be treated with an antibiotic and to go home.  I have a lot of allergies to medications, she asked me if I'd taken rocephin before and I told her yes I'd had rocephin shots in my rear the year before when I had a terrible kidney infection.  The nurse came in and put the rocephin through my IV and it must have been about five or ten minutes and I started to feel very strange. I looked down and my arm was very red, and my chest felt funny. I got up to go to the bathroom (no mirrors in the room) and felt even worse.  I could tell my arm and stomach was red.  I lasted just a few minutes more and I got the little nurse button, and told the person that I thought I was having a reaction.  The nurse came strolling in, made it to the front of the door and turned around.   She didn't say anything. A few minutes later I had three nurses and the doctor running into my room, ripping my gown off, putting the chest things on me, giving me steroids, benadryl, and a couple of other things through my IV.  The doctor then told me well you are going to have to stay here for sure now, and the nurse sat in the room with me for probably a half hour to a hour and the heart monitor stayed on and they kept giving me med, they unhooked the rocephin immediately and told me that I can never have that medication again.  I'm not sure what it will do to me, but the doctor said my eyes were actually bulging out of my head.  For two days my eyes felt funny, I talked to the doctor and the pharmacist and they both said the reaction was just coming out of my eyes and that was why they hurt so bad.  That has to be one of the scarier moments of my life.  I've never ever seen a doctor and three nurses run into a room and start shoving medication into anyone, let alone me.  I hope that never happens to me again.
Helpful - 0
1322157 tn?1279656681
All great advice - but remember.. the post was in regard to an allergic reaction to your meds... so please speak with your doctor about what you should be prepared to do if you (someone) has an allergic reaction to their medication.

Sometimes it's more important to stop the swelling of an unexpected allergic reaction
than how tired it might make you afterwards.

But again, all good points.

Mum
Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
You're absolutely correct Sandee. It's very important to check your physician before you take any OTC medication. This includes Vitamins, Minerals and Herbal Supplements.

Just as I mentioned above you can be taking a Tylenol PM or a similar medication, now add Benadryl and you may be in trouble. Now think of adding it to your opiate medication regime and there may be even bigger issues. Of course there are exceptions in most every situations. So to be safe always check with your physician.

~Tuck
Helpful - 0
356518 tn?1322263642
I want to add that when you take this with pain medications it can make them more potent and make you much more drowsy than if you had taken them separate.
Helpful - 0
1301089 tn?1290666571
I had to get an Epipen.  Before that it was 5 benadryl  every 30 minutes until it abated.  I'm allergic to everything.
Helpful - 0
1322157 tn?1279656681
Great info, Jadedsweetheart!

I just went and checked the bottles.. and to think, in addition to accidentally taking more than you should, so many of us could be saving money just by buying one product or the other -they are exactly the same.


Again, thanks!

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Tylenol "simply sleep" and Sominex are diphenhydramine which is the active ingredient in benadryl.  I take it at night to sleep as it's one of the only safe things for pregnancy.  I also take 1/2 a Klonopin with it (the doctor okayed it) because it wears off for me after 4 hours and I'm up tossing and turning.  
I def recommend it for sleep though because in other people (like my husband) it lasts all night and can sometimes make it harder to wake up.  I'm up like a rooster at 6-7am because of the pain, even with the klonopin and simply sleep, but I still recommend it.
Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
Yes Benadryl has a multitude of good uses. It comes in many forms and dosages. You should always know what other over the counter medications you are taking before you take a Benadryl. Many ppl do not realize that Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) is contained in so many medications. The massive recall included many of those medications on June 25th and was recently expanded on July 8th.

Read, read read your labels. If the product contains Diphenhydramine, that IS Benadryl and taking another dose of it can be harmful if not very dangerous, especially for children and young teens.

A better and additional choice for those of us that have extreme allergies or a history of severe allergic reactions is to keep an Epipen on hand.  Epipen's which is an Epinephrine injection is used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions. I have one on me at all times. It can be life-saving.

~Tuck
Helpful - 0
1187071 tn?1279369698
Benadryl never makes my son sleepy, he is a odd ball. I always keep it in the house for him cause of his allergies plus he has a epi pen.
Once he got a bite from a sweat bee, and it swelled up so bad and scared the crap out of me so I gave him 2 kids benadryl and made him sit right beside me and I had the EPI pen out and ready to go. the bite started to go down never had to use the EPI pen thank god. but that really scared me and the benadryl helped him.
His EPI pen is mostly for bee stings and food allgeries, I have one at home in my purse at all times and the school also keeps one there.
Benadryl has done so good for him many many times. It don't make me tired either. Do they have any night time benadryl for older people? I only look at the kids.
Thanks
Jamie
Helpful - 0
1322157 tn?1279656681
Flower,

Great idea! I forgot they now make those single dose packets.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Mummy,

I would like to add that it's great to keep liquid Benadryl in the house. Also, it's good to be familiar with dosing instructions before you have a reaction, because sometimes panic can set in when you're in the middle of one.

They also make liquid single doses to keep in your purse. Liquid works faster than the pills, and if you're reacting to something, the quicker it works the better.

Flower
Helpful - 0
535089 tn?1400673519
Benadryl is also a great OTC medication for sleepless nights. The Doctor recommended that I use Benadryl to help me sleep when I'm having a hard time falling asleep.

Just a thought :)
Helpful - 0
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