Paradoxical reaction to Benadryl?

RainMom · Feb 23, 2016

I can take benadryl ok through the day but avoid it at night. 25mg doesn't affect me too bad, but 50mg kept me awake most of the night (& of course the whole reason I took a larger dose was to try to make me sleepy).

LTCNS, LPN · Feb 23, 2016

It does the same thing to me. I discovered awhile back that if I take it to help me relax it does just the opposite, but for allergies it works well. The one time I took it for sleep was the longest night of my life. Never again.

My husband thinks it's all in my head. I think I'll show him this thread

calivianya, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2016

I used to be that way with oral Benadryl. Now it makes me sleepy like a normal person. So, it's definitely possible to switch from the paradoxical reaction to the normal reaction.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Feb 23, 2016

Benadryl wires me up something fierce. Then when I finally do go to sleep, I have horrific nightmares. Needless to say, I avoid the stuff like the plague. :nono:

OscarTheOwl · Feb 23, 2016

LynM75 said:
I too get crazy restless legs with benadryl, but it was better my itchy skin rash.

I have the weirdest reaction to benadryl. If I take it and fall asleep within 2 hours I'm good, but if for whatever reason I can't fall asleep, I get that restless feeling. I never knew other people got this! I knew about the hyper effect. Also it feels more like restless body syndrome, I feel like I need to stretch and flex all my muscles. Also I've noticed palpitations and not really a hyper feeling per say but more of a strung out I'm never going to sleep again kind of feeling. I can actually deal with most of it but the restless body thing makes me want to chop all my limbs off.

I've only had IV benadryl once and don't remember anything abnormal.

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Feb 23, 2016

It gives me restless legs, too ...at least a full dose does. It's a miserable feeling. I can tolerate small, infrequent doses for allergies- but it's definitely not something I'd take to sleep.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2016

Okay, this is fascinating. Two weeks ago, I ended up in the ER. I was at my lake house out in the middle of nowhere and got up for water in the middle of the night. I started having some very scary palpitations that wouldn't stop. The first thing I did was chew an aspirin. Then I took my BP. It was 189/114, and heart rate was 140. I popped a Lisinopril and my husband put me in the car and headed for the hospital (1hour away). I kept trying the val salva maneuver, and about 45 minutes into the drive, I felt my heart rhythm convert. We went ahead and checked into the ER, where my first EKG showed sinus tach, and a few hours later, the second one showed sinus. The doc said she was guessing I'd been in PSVT.

What had I done differently that day: I had 3 cups of coffee instead of my normal one. And I had taken Benadryl to help me sleep as a result of the caffeine.

I've taken Benadryl MANY MANY times to help me sleep. I wonder if the caffeine + Benadryl was the problem. Hmmmm....

BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Feb 23, 2016

~PedsRN~ said:
I am 99% sure that PO benadryl sent my husband into Afib with ventricular tachycardia that required a cardizem drip. He now lists it as an allergy. It was the first time he ever took it, and he ended up on a cardizem drip. So coincidence or not, he no longer takes benadryl. He has been 2.5 years afib free, so...

When I worked in a cardiac unit Benadryl was never allowed to be given to our patients, along with grapefruit juice.

~PedsRN~, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2016

BrnEyedGirl said:
When I worked in a cardiac unit Benadryl was never allowed to be given to our patients, along with grapefruit juice.

Interesting!

You never hear about it, and when he had his little "episode", I did some internet doctoring and there have been some definite cases. Crazy! Of course, he is a weird one - if a weird reaction exists he will get it.

~PedsRN~, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2016

Horseshoe said:
Okay, this is fascinating. Two weeks ago, I ended up in the ER. I was at my lake house out in the middle of nowhere and got up for water in the middle of the night. I started having some very scary palpitations that wouldn't stop. The first thing I did was chew an aspirin. Then I took my BP. It was 189/114, and heart rate was 140. I popped a Lisinopril and my husband put me in the car and headed for the hospital (1hour away). I kept trying the val salva maneuver, and about 45 minutes into the drive, I felt my heart rhythm convert. We went ahead and checked into the ER, where my first EKG showed sinus tach, and a few hours later, the second one showed sinus. The doc said she was guessing I'd been in PSVT.
What had I done differently that day: I had 3 cups of coffee instead of my normal one. And I had taken Benadryl to help me sleep as a result of the caffeine.
I've taken Benadryl MANY MANY times to help me sleep. I wonder if the caffeine + Benadryl was the problem. Hmmmm....

Another weirdo like my husband! ?

He was also ADDICTED to caffeine and had probably had four mountain dews that day... so perhaps you are right!

He no longer drinks ANYTHING caffeinated. And no longer takes benadryl. LOL!!

LeChien, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2016

Benadryl doesn't have much of an effect on me, but NyQuil will wake me right up.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Feb 23, 2016

calivianya said:
I used to be that way with oral Benadryl. Now it makes me sleepy like a normal person. So, it's definitely possible to switch from the paradoxical reaction to the normal reaction.

That's good to know. I haven't taken Benadryl in years because of the super hyper, skin crawling and hair jumping off my head feelings it induced. Zyrtec does the job for my fortunately minor allergies but I have a huge family history of multiple allergies so I may have to try it again someday if a new allergy hits me.