Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if these side effects bother you or do not go away:. Diphenhydramine cream can sometimes make your rash worse. It may also make your skin sensitive to sunlight. In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis to diphenhydramine.
These are not all the side effects of diphenhydramine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet. While diphenhydramine can be used during pregnancy, it is not normally recommended. This is because of the side effects, which may be more significant during pregnancy. Discuss with your doctor or pharmacist other medicines, such as chlorphenamine , that may more suitable. If you have difficulty sleeping while you're pregnant, your doctor or midwife may suggest ways to improve your sleep routine, like relaxing, and avoiding naps.
If you have a cough or cold, you can help to ease your symptoms by resting, drinking plenty of fluids and taking paracetamol. If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take diphenhydramine while you're breastfeeding, but it's better to take occasional doses or only take it for a short time. Diphenhydramine passes into breast milk in very small amounts. Although it's unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby, it is a drowsy antihistamine, so could make your baby sleepy.
If you're breastfeeding, or planning to breastfeed, talk to your doctor. They may recommend similar antihistamines, called loratadine and cetirizine , that are more suitable while you're breastfeeding.
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, midwife or health visitor if your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy, seems irritable, or if you have any other concerns about your baby. Some medicines can affect the way diphenhydramine works, and increase the chances of you having side effects. Check with your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking:.
If you're taking a cough or cold remedy or a painkiller containing diphenhydramine, check carefully what the other ingredients are. For example, check whether it contains paracetamol. Ask your pharmacist for advice before you take this medicine together with any other painkillers or medicines.
There might be a problem taking some herbal remedies and supplements alongside diphenhydramine, especially ones that cause side effects such as sleepiness, a dry mouth or making it difficult to pee. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements.
Diphenhydramine is a medicine called an antihistamine. It is classed as a drowsy sedating 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. 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. Follow the instructions that come with the medicine and only take diphenhydramine for a very short time, unless your doctor advises otherwise.
If you have a severe itchy skin rash, your doctor may recommend taking 2 different antihistamines at the same time for a few days. As well as taking a non-drowsy antihistamine during the day such as fexofenadine , cetirizine or loratadine , your doctor may advise that you take a drowsy antihistamine at night if itching is making it difficult to sleep.
Do not take another drowsy antihistamine together with diphenhydramine. It will make you very tired and sleepy. Other drowsy antihistamines include chlorphenamine Piriton , promethazine Phenergan and hydroxyzine Atarax or Ucerax. Do not take 2 antihistamines together unless you've been advised to by your doctor. Diphenhydramine is known as a drowsy, or sedating, antihistamine as it makes you sleepy.
Non-drowsy antihistamines are less likely to have this effect. These include cetirizine , fexofenadine and loratadine. Most people prefer to take a non-drowsy antihistamine as it's less likely to interfere with their everyday routine. You might choose to take a drowsy antihistamine, however, if you're having problems falling asleep, or if symptoms like itching or coughing are keeping you awake.
There is not enough information to say whether one antihistamine is better than another for treating allergies. You may need to try a few different medicines to find what works best for you. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice if you're unsure. Diphenhydramine blocks the effects of a natural chemical called acetylcholine.
This can help dry up a cough or runny nose but can also cause side effects such as a dry mouth and dry nose.
Some cough and cold remedies claim to suppress your cough or stop you bringing up phlegm. Although some people find them helpful, they're not usually recommended. This is because there's little evidence that they're any more effective than simple home remedies, and they're not suitable for everyone.
Yes, you can take diphenhydramine together with painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. If you take diphenhydramine with painkillers that contain codeine such as co-codamol or other prescription painkillers, you may feel very tired and sleepy. Do not drive, ride a bike or operate machinery or tools if this happens to you. It's important to check the packaging or label of your medicine carefully. This is because some diphenhydramine products already contain a painkiller.
Do not take extra painkillers if this is the case, as there's a risk of overdose. Speak to your pharmacist if you're not sure whether a medicine already contains a painkiller.
Do not drive a car or ride a bike if diphenhydramine makes you sleepy during the day, gives you blurred vision or makes you feel dizzy, clumsy or unable to concentrate or make decisions. This may be more likely when you first start taking diphenhydramine but could happen at any time, for example when starting another medicine.
It's an offence to drive a car if your ability to drive safely is affected. It's your responsibility to decide if it's safe to drive.
If you're in any doubt, do not drive. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure whether it's safe for you to drive while taking diphenhydramine. UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving. There's no evidence to suggest that taking diphenhydramine reduces fertility in either men or women. Diphenhydramine does not affect any type of contraception including the combined pill and emergency contraception. Alcohol and diphenhydramine together can make you sleep very deeply.
Alapat recommends that people who suffer from long-term insomnia visit a physician or sleep disorders specialist to address the problem, which could result from medical issues such as obstructive sleep apnea, depression or circadian rhythm disorders.
Baylor College of Medicine. Baylor College of Medicine News Trouble sleeping? Experts say skip antihistamines. HuffPost Personal Video Horoscopes. Follow Us. Terms Privacy Policy. Part of HuffPost Wellness. All rights reserved. Manuel Breva Colmeiro via Getty Images. Suggest a correction. Now What? Newsletter Sign Up. Successfully Subscribed!
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