Diphenhydramine-- dream inducing?

[Alcott]

This "antihistamine possessing anticholinergic, antitussive, antiemetic and sedative properties," commonly marketed under the trade name Benadryl, was what I tried last night for having had trouble with insomia recently. It is directed for allergies, which I have never had to any significant degree, but info does say it is also a non-prescription sleep aid.

I don't recall for sure if I've never used it before, but recently I've been remembering my mom taking it in her latter years (she passed away in 2001), and she said she thought it does help to get rest... but she said it also gave her "crazy little dreams," and I think now I know what she meant. After taking 2 tablets-- the directions say '1 or 2' for adults-- I finished a Valentine poem I was writing for our class, then lay down to read. I was reading along and beginning to feel a bit "out of it," when suddenly the thought of a man with a bloody face emerged from 'nowhere' [not from what I was reading or anything else on my mind] and then I saw him, just for a split second, as you see a dream. That pattern began to repeat itself with different "sights." Once it was a woman riding in something close to the ground; this one lasted a few seconds, and she turned her face toward me, and her eyes, nose, lips, etc., were plastics of different colors glued onto her. I don't think I can remember others in the specifics besides those 2 (my mom had also been vague as to the specifics of what she meant by "crazy little dreams"), but this just kept happening, and still continued after I put my book down and turned the light off... and still couldn't sleep for quite a while. Then in the morning I slept longer than usual.

Has anyone else had such an experience with this otc drug, or know much more about it? I may give it another shot tonight-- but only one tablet, at least for a long time if it does not show that hypnotic quality, and I still can't sleep.

 

[just-want-peace]

I take this stuff as needed, but have not experienced your symptoms. 'Course I never take more than one---!

 

[Alcott]

I've taken the stuff every night since that first night-- sometimes one tablet, sometimes 2-- and there hasn't been any effect like that first time. It might have been something else that time; or, as I have thought for a long time, a drug typically is most effective the first time one takes it. Regardless, I still can't tell for sure if it helps me to fall asleep, though overall that situation has been better.

 

[Deacon]

Diphenhydramine or Benedryl is the "PM" part of "Tylenol PM" or other products of similar sort.

As an antihistamine, it is the standard that all other antihistamines are compared to.
It's weakness is that it makes you sleepy.

Usually takes about half an hour or so to work.

If you're prone to sleep apnea it may make it worse.

Many people awaken with a "hangover" after taking it - a foggy feeling and a dry-cotteny mouth.

I use it occcasionally during the spring and summer when allergy season hits for its duel effect of allergy relief and somnia.

I've never heard of dreams but everybody's different.

Rob

 

[Gina B]

I tried taking two. Once. I couldn't sleep, but my thoughts were WEIRD and oddly similar style to what you describe.

I'll take one on occasion. It knocks me out at that dose and I don't remember what the dreams were, but remember they definitely were not the "frolicking through a sunny meadow" type.

So I reserve it for when allergies are severe and wait until night to take it, or I'll just fall asleep. There's no way I could take it during the day and still work.

Oddly enough, I've had injections of it and not had the same effects.

I recently discovered we have a honey farm near. I bought some honeycomb and plan to get more whenever possible and encouraged my one daughter, who also has allergies, to eat some. Apparently, eating LOCAL honey helps head off allergies because it contains very small amounts of what a person is allergic to in their area of the country, so you end up building a tolerance and the allergies aren't as bad. It has to be local though, from a farm near where you live.

It seems to be helping, and it's much sweeter than medication and doesn't make you tired or have weird dreams. I just wish I'd known of the local bee farm when I moved here!

 

[rsr]

I take from one to three each night. (On really bad allergy days I may take more; on Monday, for example, I think I had seven in three doses.)

The only side effect I've noticed is sleepiness.

I also take Claritin regularly and sometimes Zyrtec. Benadryl is still my standby for quick relief.

 

[Gina B]

Yikes, rsr, that's a lot! Have you tried the honey thing at all? Whole Foods has had it lately and I take it you're not *too* far from downtown OKC. (is anything out here?) There's gotta be something more safe than taking that much Benadryl, though I completely understand how nasty allergies can be. Before I figured out what they WERE, I think I slept semi-upright for months. I'd never had them before and just thought it was a never-ending bad cold.

 

[rsr]

There are several local vendors that sell honey from these parts (Tipton Valley is probably the most available.) I keep intending to try it, but I never do.

I usually don't have many of the cold symptoms; it's usually eyes that itch out of my head and make me want to claw them out of the sockets. One day of it makes me look like I've been on a week-long bender, and it can be about as debilitating.