Benadryl and the Seven Dwarfs
Written: May 29 '05 (Updated May 23 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great for seasonal allergies
Cons: Can leave you sleepy and dry
The Bottom Line: If you can get past the drowsiness Benadryl is a great at relieving seasonal allergy symptoms. You are paying for the brand name.
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| mmcphee's Full Review: Benadryl Allergy 100 Tablets |
I wasn’t Happy, in fact I was quite Grumpy while suffering from seasonal allergies that made me Sneezy. I was pregnant with my first child at the time. I wasn’t Bashful about asking my Doc what I could take. I was looking for something that would be safe for the baby and wouldn’t leave me Sleepy or with that Dopey drugged up feeling. My obstetrician suggested Benadryl
The Basics
Benadryl Allergy comes in several forms including, capsules, tablets, liquid and chewables. The active ingredient in all Benadryl Allergy formulas is Diphenhydramine HCl, and the amount varies by the form. Benadryl is used to relieve the symptoms of seasonal allergies including runny nose, sneezing and watering eyes. Benadryl can be used to relieve runny nose and sneezing from a cold as well.
I used Benadryl Ultratab Tablets which contain 25 mg Diphenhydramine HCl per tablet. They are small oval pink coated tablets. The usual adult dosage is 1-2 to tablets every 4-6 hours, not to exceed 6 doses in 24 hours. The 24 pack of tablets come in a blister pack. There are a host of warnings on the box, which you should read before taking this (or any medication).
My Experience
A common side effect of Benadryl is drowsiness. In fact Diphenhydramine HCl is the “PM” part of Tylenol PM and common in other sleep aids. My doctor had warned me about this and since I was working at the time he suggested waiting until the weekend to try it. He also said that after about 3-4 days of regular use many people become resistant to the drowsy factor that Benadryl is known for. And he was right. Over that first weekend I was pretty drugged feeling, but by the time I went back to work on Monday I must have become used to it because I was no more tired than I usually was on a Monday morning.
That morning was also the first chance I had to find out if Benadryl Allergy worked on my allergy symptoms. Our house is air conditioned and we almost never open the windows so my allergies do not bother me at home. While my office at work was air conditioned, the factory floor where I spent most of my time was not. All of the doors and windows were always open to provide some cooling air flow, which also allowed every outdoor allergen inside as well. I was thrilled to discover that I no longer had carry a box of Kleenex with me everywhere I went. Benadryl had completely taken care of my sneezing and watery eyes while still letting me function at my job. I found that I could go about 6 hours between doses and not have my symptoms return. If for some reason I missed a dose I would get relief about 30 minutes after taking a dose.
Another common side effect with antihistamines, such as Diphenhydramine HCl is dry mouth. This was something that I never seemed to get over when taking Benadryl. It did force me to drink more water but I still always felt like my mouth and throat were always dry. This unfortunately lead me to another problem. While my obstetrician said Benadryl was safe for me to take while pregnant it does not go well with nursing. The properties of Benadryl that dried up my watery eyes and runny nose can have the same effect on breast milk.
Final Thoughts
Benadryl works great for me with my seasonal allergies, once I develop a few day’s resistance to the drowsiness. My complaint about Benadryl is the cost. While pregnant with number three I ran out of my “usual” generic brand so my husband picked up some brand name Benadryl Allergy at CVS, paying $5 for 24 tablets. I normally take four full doses a day so that pack only lasted 3 days. I immediately sent my husband out to Costco where their generic brand runs $3.19 for 100 tablets. While Benadryl Allergy is great be aware that you are paying for the brand name.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mmcphee
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Member: Mary Ellen
Location: Nutmeg State
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