How Many Benadryl To Take For Allergies

Why Does Benadryl Make You Sleep

The active ingredient in Benadryl and other allergy medications is a chemical called diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine is a histamine blocker used to treat allergy symptoms, some cold symptoms, and even motion sickness. This medication has been in wide use since the 1940s.

Benadryl isnt the only medication that contains diphenhydramine though. Nighttime medicines like Tylenol PM, Advil PM, or Sudafeds day/night cold medicine also contain the ingredient. In fact, according to the ingredient list for Benadryl Nighttime, the amount of diphenhydramine doubles from 25mg to a whopping 50mg!

Many daytime pain relievers contain caffeine which of course, can keep you awake if you take it at night. However, their nighttime formulas do not contain caffeine. Instead, they contain diphenhydramine so they can treat your pain while helping you sleep. Thats because the main side effect of this ingredient is drowsiness.

Even though an antihistamine can make you drowsy, it isnt made for treating insomnia. And if you already deal with hay fever, then you likely have an allergy medication like Benadryl in your home. So if youre feeling exhausted and unable to sleep especially from allergy season it may be tempting to take Benadryl to help you sleep and relieve your symptoms. Two birds, one stone.

This isnt a good idea though, and heres why.

Dosage Of Benadryl For Dogs

The best way to determine the correct Benadryl dosage for dogs is to consult your veterinarian. The Merck Veterinary Manual recommends administering 2-4 milligrams of Benadryl per kilogram of body weight, two to three times a day. However, this dosage can vary depending on your dogs medical conditions.

Dr. Jerry Klein, AKC chief veterinary officer, warns that you should always consult with a veterinarian before giving Benadryl to a puppy because young puppies can be very sensitive to certain medications. The drug is also not recommended for pregnant or nursing dogs

Never use time-release capsules for dogs, as capsules are absorbed differently in dogs than in humans and may affect your dogs dosage. They may also break open when chewed and deliver too much medication at one time, putting your dog at risk of an overdose.

Its best to avoid using liquid Benadryl if it contains sodium, which can cause other side effects. Also avoid any form of Benadryl that contains alcohol.

Childrens Benadryl pills or tablets can be used safely if you ask your veterinarian for the appropriate dosage.

What Can Benadryl Treat In Dogs

Benadryl is typically recommended by vets for dogs who are suffering from mild or moderate allergy symptoms. These allergies could be caused by seasonal allergies, environmental allergies such as grass, food allergies, or allergies that are caused by insect bites or snakes bikes. Similar to Claritin for dogs, Benadryl is commonly recommended for dogs who are sufferings from skin allergies and itchiness that is caused by this type of allergy reaction.

The most common symptoms that Benadryl can treat:

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How Long Does It Take For Benadryl To Work In Dogs

Benadryl or Diphenhydramine is typically thought to be a fast-acting medication for dogs. You can expect it to take effect in 1 to 2 hours but often times it will begin to work in under an hour. It is important to understand that it doesnt begin working immediately and that it will take roughly an hour to reach its maximum efficacy. If you are planning on giving your dog Benadryl prior to playing outside in long grass, you should try to time it correctly so that the benefits align with your trip outside.

How To Take Or Use It

You can take diphenhydramine tablets and liquid with or without food.

How to take diphenhydramine tablets

Always take your diphenhydramine tablets with a drink of water. Swallow them whole. Do not chew them.

How to take diphenhydramine liquid

Liquid medicines containing diphenhydramine come with a plastic syringe or spoon to help you measure the right dose. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not measure the right amount.

How to use diphenhydramine cream

With the cream, put a small amount onto the affected area and smooth it in gently. Do not use it on large areas of skin. Keep the cream away from your eyes, mouth and nose. Remember to wash your hands afterwards, unless you’re treating your hands.

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What Other Drugs Will Affect Benadryl

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine if you are also using any other drugs, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used together. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Taking this medicine with other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing can worsen these effects. Ask your doctor before taking Benadryl with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medicine, muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety, depression, or seizures.

Childrens Benadryl Allergy Liquid

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Attention: Use only the dosing cup specifically designed for use with this product. Do no use any other dosing device.

Other InformationStore between 20-25° C .Protect from light. Store in outer carton until contents used.

Ask a doctor before use if the child has:

• A breathing problem such as chronic bronchitis

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if the child is taking sedatives or tranquilizers

When using this product:

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Can Benadryl Be Used In Babies Or Toddlers If So What Are The Possible Side Effects

Over-the-counter forms of Benadryl shouldnt be used in babies or toddlers. This is because children younger than 6 years old have an increased risk of side effects from Benadryl.

Children can have the same side effects of Benadryl as adults, such as dizziness or drowsiness. But Benadryl can also cause more serious side effects in children, such as a fast heartbeat or seizures. The drug may also cause children to become more excitable or hyperactive.

You should never use Benadryl to help your child fall asleep. This can be very dangerous.

Due to these risks, you shouldnt give Benadryl to your baby or toddler without the direction of their doctor. If your child has symptoms of an allergy or cold, talk with their doctor about the best way to treat those symptoms.

Benadryl And Other Medications

Below is a list of medications that can interact with Benadryl. This list doesnt contain all drugs that may interact with Benadryl.

Different drug interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects.

If you take other medications, talk with your pharmacist before taking Benadryl. Your pharmacist can help you avoid potential interactions.

Anticholinergic drugs

Anticholinergic drugs block the action of acetylcholine, a chemical that relays messages between cells in your body. Benadryl also blocks acetylcholine. Because anticholinergic drugs and Benadryl work in the same way, taking them together can increase the risk of side effects. Examples of these drugs include:

Benadryl and Xanax

Xanax is a type of drug called a benzodiazepine, which can cause sleepiness. Taking Xanax with Benadryl can increase your risk of excessive sleepiness. This can make you too sleepy to drive or prevent you from doing other potentially dangerous activities safely.

If you take Xanax, talk with your doctor before taking Benadryl. They may recommend other treatment options.

Benadryl and Zoloft

Zoloft is an antidepressant that can cause sleepiness in some people who take it. Taking Zoloft with Benadryl may increase the risk of excessive sleepiness. This can make you too sleepy to drive or prevent you from doing other potentially dangerous activities safely.

Benadryl and Zyrtec

Benadryl and Motrin

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When Diphenhydramine Use Is Too Much

It is generally recommended that adults and children over the age of 12 take between 25 milligrams to 50 mg or one to two capsules of Benadryl per day. The half-life of diphenhydramine is not fully known. However, it has been estimated to range between 2.4 and 9.3 hours in healthy adults.

When users exceed the recommended dosage, it can lead to a build-up of diphenhydramine. This can lead to users experiencing acute poisoning, which can cause an overdose.

According to one study, subjects who ingested more than 300 mg of diphenhydramine, experienced agitation, confusion, hallucinations, and cardiovascular disturbances. When use approached 1,000 milligrams, subjects experienced severe medical events such as delirium/psychosis, seizures, and coma.

Common Questions About Diphenhydramine

Diphenhydramine is a medicine called an antihistamine. It is classed as a drowsy antihistamine.

When you come into contact with something you’re allergic to, your body produces a chemical called histamine. This can cause symptoms such as a runny nose or skin rashes.

Diphenhydramine blocks the effects of histamine in your brain and this reduces symptoms. It enters the brain in large quantities and this can make you feel drowsy.

Diphenhydramine also blocks the effects of another chemical called acetylcholine. This can help a cough or runny nose but can also cause side effects such as a dry mouth and dry nose.

If you’re taking diphenhydramine for short-term sleep problems, it will start to make you feel drowsy around 20 to 30 minutes after you take it.

For coughs and colds, your symptoms will normally start to improve within 20 minutes.

The medicine should work for around 4 to 6 hours.

Only take diphenhydramine for a short time.

You can become dependent on it if you take it continuously for too long. To avoid this, follow the instructions that come with the medicine and only take diphenhydramine for a very short time, unless your doctor advises otherwise.

It is unlikely that you’ll become addicted to diphenhydramine but it’s best to only take it for a short time. You can become dependent on diphenhydramine if you take it continuously for too long.

If you have a severe itchy skin rash, your doctor may recommend taking 2 different antihistamines at the same time for a few days.

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Giving Diphenhydramine To Children

For cough and cold symptoms, you can give diphenhydramine tablets and liquid to children over the age of 6. For allergy symptoms, you can give it to children over 12. Check with your pharmacist or doctor to make sure a product is suitable for your child.

You can also use diphenhydramine cream on children for:

Warning for children

Do not give your child diphenhydramine to help them get to sleep. Diphenhydramine is only suitable for sleep problems in people aged 16 years and above.

Benadryl Safety: Which Dogs Cant Have It

By and large, Benadryl is very well-tolerated in dogs, with few side effects and a low risk of overdose. It remains one of the safest over-the-counter drugs that veterinarians frequently reach for and recommend for their canine patients.

But the reason why you still need to check with your veterinarian is to ensure that it is safe for your dog to take Benadryl, because there are safety risks if your dog has certain health conditions. Some instances in which it should not be used include:

• Low blood pressure

• Currently pregnant

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What Can Be Used Instead Of Benadryl Allergy

Healthcare professionals usually discourage the use of first-generation antihistamines such as diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl. Second-generation antihistamines are equally as effective as diphenhydramine without causing as much sedation or drowsiness. Instead of Benadryl Allergy, you can choose several over-the-counter second-generation antihistamines such as Claritin , Alavert , Allegra , Zyrtec , and Xyzal .

Alternatives Of Benadryl For Dogs

Benadryl is not the only solution for treating your beloved pets condition. If you would rather not use over-the-counter drugs for your dog, there are natural alternatives for controlling allergy symptoms and motion sickness.

Benadryl overdose is not common in humans or dogs but it is important for dog owners to understand that even FDA-approved liquid Benadryl medication can be dangerous if you dont give your dog the appropriate dosage. It is safe for dogs as it is just a mild sedative that is known for improving allergy symptoms or treating insect stings, but with any dog medication, you must be careful.

Other over-the-counter medications dont have the same active ingredient as a Benadryl tablet or an antihistamine drug. The following natural remedies are great options for providing the same kind of relief you can get from Benadryl.

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Benadryl Allergy One A Day 10mg Tablets

This information is intended for use by health professionals

Benadryl One A Day Relief

Benadryl Allergy One A Day 10mg Tablets

One film-coated tablet contains 10 mg cetirizine dihydrochloride

Excipients with known effect: one film-coated tablet contains 66.40 mg lactose-monohydrate

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1

White, oblong, film-coated tablet, with breakline and Y-Y logo

Benadryl Allergy One a Day 10mg Tablets are indicated in children aged 12 years and above, adolescents and adults:

– for the relief of nasal and ocular symptoms of seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis.

– for the relief of symptoms of chronic idiopathic urticaria.

Adults and adolescents over 12 years of age: 10 mg once daily .

The tablets need to be swallowed with a glass of liquid.

Elderly subjects: data do not suggest that the dose needs to be reduced in elderly subjects provided that the renal function is normal.

Patients with moderate to severe renal impairment: there are no data to document the efficacy/safety ratio in patients with renal impairment. Since cetirizine is mainly excreted via renal route , in cases no alternative treatment can be used, the dosing intervals must be individualized according to renal function. Refer to the following table and adjust the dose as indicated. To use this dosing table, an estimate of the patient’s creatinine clearance in ml/min is needed. The CLcr may be estimated from serum creatinine determination using the following formula:

Pregnancy

Benadryl Allergy Dosage Chart

Allergy symptoms, common cold symptoms, itching 12+ 1-2 tablets/capsules every 4-6 hours 12 tablets/capsules in 24 hours 6-11 1 tablet/capsule every 4-6 hours 6 tablets/capsules in 24 hours < 6 Not given unless directed by a physician Not given unless directed by a physician Motion sickness 1-2 tablets/capsules 30 minutes before travel 12 tablets/capsules in 24 hours 6-11 1 tablet/capsule 30 minutes before travel 6 tablets/capsules in 24 hours < 6 Not given unless directed by a physician Not given unless directed by a physician Insomnia 1-2 tablets/capsules 30 minutes before bedtime 12 tablets/capsules in 24 hours < 12 Not given unless directed by a physician Not given unless directed by a physician

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Side Effects Of Benadryl In Dogs

Some of the most common side effects of Benadryl include:

• Rapid heartbeat

“If you do suspect an overdose, you should call your veterinarian immediately and take in the packaging for medications that were administered,” Price says.

If you gave your dog Benadryl for an allergic reaction, watch to make sure your dog’s symptoms are getting better. “If your dog is showing signs of difficulty breathing or the swelling is getting worse, you want to get to a vet or an emergency vet immediately,” Lee says.

Pregnancy And Breastfeeding While Taking Benadryl

Its usually safe to take Benadryl during pregnancy. Benadryl doesnt seem to increase the risk of fetal harm.

And taking small doses of Benadryl for a short time may be safe while breastfeeding.

But Benadryl does pass into breast milk, and it can also decrease milk supply.

If youre breastfeeding and you take high doses of Benadryl, it may increase your childs risk of side effects. This is also the case if you take the drug long term.

High doses or long-term use of Benadryl may also reduce your supply of breast milk.

If youre pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor about the safety of Benadryl for you and your baby. Also talk with your doctor about this if youre breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.

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Benadryl Dosage For Children

Benadryl dosages may be based on age or weight in children. Childrens Benadryl Allergy is more suitable for children between the ages of 6 and 11. Containing half the dose of diphenhydramine as Benadryl Allergy, Childrens Benadryl Allergy is sold in child-friendly liquid and chewable tablet formats.

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Benadryl may be given to children between the ages of 6 and 11, but should not be given to children younger than 6. Although Benadryl Allergy may be used to relieve insomnia in children 12 or older, it should not be used as a sleep aid in children younger than 12.

• Standard Benadryl dosage for children younger than 6: Do not give unless directed by a physician.

• Standard Benadryl dosage for children ages 6 to 11: One tablet/capsule every four to six hours.

• Maximum Benadryl dosage for children ages 6 to 11: One tablet/capsule every four hours to a maximum of six tablets in 24 hours.

Note: Children between the ages of 6 and 11 should be not given Benadryl Allergy Plus Congestion except under the direction of a pediatrician.