telcodad Here’s an article on CNN’s site:
Common allergy medication’s risks outweigh its usefulness, experts say
“Adventure. Excitement. A Jedi craves not these things.” (Yoda)
We should likewise be skeptical of “experts” who often do more publishing than patient care.
Certainly diphenhydramine (sold as Benadryl in the USA and many other names) is sedating, that’s NOT a new thing.
But for many patients with severe hives, severe itching, severa acute allergy attacks (including food allergy emergencies where it can supplement Epinephrine/Adrenalin), it is a miracle drug.
I say this from over 40 years of experience as a physician who often deals with these issues.
Yes, diphenhydramine has to be used [properly] accounting for dosage, interactions with other meds, patient age, lifestyle, purpose it is being used for, and so forth.
Experts.
Sheesh!
They always tell you what NOT to do, but they do not tell you what TO DO to fix a problem.
Ha!
Zyrtec (and its isomer Xyzal) has its OWN drowsiness issues. And also concerns have been raised about long-term itching that sometimes starts AFTER these meds are stopped.
Allegra is an updated version of an older antihistamine Seldane, which was very hard on the liver. True, Allegra is OK for the liver. But even the old Seldane never worked very well, so Allegra often works even less.
Claritin is not bad, but is slower to kick in during an emergency than Benadryl. And Claritin does NOT last anything close to 24 hours. The isomer of Claritin, called Clarinex, lasts longer but because Claritin is over-the-counter, the insurance companies won’t pay for the prescription Clarinex. No reason it should even be prescription but that’s another topic.
LOTS of people have chronic hives (urticaria).
To the extent that the companies that make Allegra and Zyrtec, make SEPARATE BOXES that say “HIVES”, even though the medicines in the box are the same as regular Allegra and Zyrtec.
So obviously, a common problem.
But for MANY of these hives patients, even DOUBLE OR TRIPLE doses of Allegra/Claritin/Zyrtec don’t fully cut it.
So for a great many, taking a dose of diphenhydramine at night (at night, when they won’t be driving!) can help them GET TO SLEEP—actually making it SAFER for them the next day.
(Many hives patients these days are desperate enough to take injections of a powerful antibody-stomper called Xolair, which is far from an ideal situation).
“Experts” in many fields are sometimes purveyors of impractical advice.
By the way.
“Benadryl Allergy Relief Capsule” in the United Kingdom is NOT diphenhydramine, but rather Acrivastine, a very different antihistamine. Acrivastine is no longer sold in the USA mainly for commercial reasons.
For further confusion, "BENADRYL Allergy One A Day Tablet in the United Kingdom NOT diphenhydramine, but rather Cetirizine (which is sold as Zyrtec in the USA and also as Reactine in Canada).
So it can get confusing.