Benadryl and Alcohol: The Dangers of Mixing Them

If you’re on MAOIs, it’s especially important that you avoid red wine and beer. These beverages contain a byproduct that when consumed with MAOIs can increase the risk of high blood pressure. Both classes of drugs share some additional risks when combined with alcohol. “Mixing antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors with alcohol can impair motor function and suppress breathing as well as cause unusual behavior,” says Dr. Arthur. And the NIAAA notes that combining MAOIs with alcohol “may result in serious heart-related side effects.” Benadryl is the brand-name version of an antihistamine called diphenhydramine.

You should always read the label of any medication and check with a doctor to be sure you are safely taking a medication. If you lie about the amount of alcohol you consume on a regular basis, your doctor can’t accurately judge the risks and benefits of prescribing a particular medication. If you take prescription medication or use a specific medication every day, ask your doctor if it is okay for you to drink alcohol. You may be able to consume a limited amount safely, as long as you follow certain rules . If you take any medication—even over-the-counter products—you should know that drinking alcohol might affect how your meds work.

• To learn more about taking Benadryl and blood pressure medication, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
• They change how histamine interacts with the body and can be essential for individuals with extreme seasonal allergies.
• Alcohol withdrawal is a complex process, and what works for one person may not work for another.
• The concomitant use of Benadryl and caffeine may cause respiratory depression as they are both metabolized in the liver by cytochrome P450.
• If you are not sure if it is safe to drink alcohol while you are taking medication, call a local pharmacy or talk to your doctor about the potential interactions.

Sometimes, they engage in this sort of use as recreation, to amplify the sedative effects both substances impart. Sometimes, when a person uses the substance, they begin to feel drowsy. Diphenhydramine also has a tranquilizing and sedative effect, so one may experience increased drowsiness. Consequently, the combined use of Benadryl and weed is that the likelihood of their adverse reactions occurring is significantly increased. Other possible side effects include drowsiness, impaired mental function, and motor coordination, and prolonged or excessive respiratory and CNS depression.

Everything You Need To Know About Mixing Xanax® and Alcohol

In these people, combining Benadryl and alcohol is more likely to cause a loss of consciousness. This can be harmful due to the likelihood of falls and other accidents. While it does not impact on the liver, Benadryl is a central nervous system depressant, the same as alcohol. When it is taken with alcohol, the combined impact on the CNS can produce heightened side effects. In some situations, this interaction can produce very dangerous results. If you are considering the simultaneous use of these CNS depressants, make sure you do not engage in any tasks calling for mental alertness.

Unfortunately, even if you get drowsy taking it, other side effects like dizziness and nausea can interfere with sleep. Benadryl is a well-known medicine used for curing symptoms of allergy, however, if you mix Benadryl and alcohol, the effects could be lethal. It’s also important to know that older people and people who process alcohol or Benadryl differently than normal are at particular risk when they combine these drugs. If you fall asleep while using these two drugs, you might be in more danger because you won’t be able to monitor your other symptoms and side effects.

These risks can be significant, even when Benadryl is taken as directed. But when Benadryl is combined with alcohol, it can create additional issues and makes some of the potential risks of alcohol more serious. Cough syrup and laxatives may have some of the highest alcohol concentrations. This is not to say, however, that it is okay to go on a bender while taking Claritin, Zyrtec, Xyzal, or Allegra—Dr. Corry recommends avoiding alcohol altogether while taking any medication.

Issues with Sleeping

This includes the use of medications and other medical procedures. Sometimes, the pressures and problems in your life lead you to rely on substances to help you forget about them momentarily. Antihistamines such as Benadryl are known to stay in your system for up to 48 hours. It’s highly recommended that you wait until the drugs wear off before drinking alcohol.

Combining Trazodone and Benadryl can increase the risk or severity of drug-induced QT prolongation, which can trigger tachycardias or increased heart rate. Other possible symptoms include sleepiness, dizziness, and impaired mental function such as confusion and concentration difficulties. The elderly may also experience impairment in motor coordination.

When sedated, some people are more likely to lose consciousness. For these people, mixing alcohol with Benadryl is the perfect recipe to become unconscious. This situation can also be dangerous due to the possibility of falling from higher places and other dangerous https://sober-home.org/ accidents. If you’re serious about overcoming addiction to Benadryl and alcohol, Ascendant NY is here for you. We can even help at different phases of recovery, from acute withdrawal and managing detox to providing ongoing support while you’re recovering and stable.

Eventually, dopamine burnout leads to depression, emotional instability, feelings of hopelessness, restlessness, and general malaise. The symptoms that most of us occasionally feel, like runny nose, itchy eyes that constantly water, and constant sneezing, often indicate an allergic reaction to something. When they hit, the person suffering from them is often desperate for some relief. Luckily, an entire class of medicines can help treat allergies by blocking the histamines that cause them. Alcohol, like some medicines, can make you sleepy, drowsy, or lightheaded. Drinking alcohol while taking medicines can intensify these effects.

Healthcare providers prescribe Benadryl if a person is experiencing allergic symptoms. One of the main reasons why combining alcohol and Benadryl frequently results in personal damage is the possibility of losing consciousness. Unfortunately, there are other health risks you can encounter. Always read the label and package insert of any medication you are taking, whether it has been prescribed by your doctor or purchased over-the-counter.

Whether it is whiskey, wine, beer, or rum, alcohol remains the most commonly abused, addictive substance in the world. Though diphenhydramine is most readily available in OTC medicines, it is still capable of producing effects. Users take it recreationally because it reportedly induces calm, mild euphoria, and hallucinations.

We’ve already talked a little about mixing Benadryl and alcohol can be dangerous, but it’s worth emphasizing. Just because we know about the side effects of mixing Benadryl and alcohol doesn’t mean that it’s at all safe to do so. In fact, it can be very dangerous, and combining these drugs can increase your risk of overdosing on them accidentally. In many cases, traumatic experiences can result in a mental health disorder and substance abuse.Dual diagnosis rehabilitationtreats both of these issues together.

Combining the two drugs can lead to an increased risk of blocking memory and learning. Both effects may linger slightly longer than the drugs themselves, as your body returns to normal chemical balance and function. Not only will you be able to get more information about how mixing Benadryl and alcohol can present your body with an incredibly risky and dangerous set of conditions. Whether it started with alcohol addiction and taking Benadryl became more frequent or the other way around, getting professional help is always a smart choice. Older people are at particularly high risk for harmful alcohol–medication interactions. Aging slows the body’s ability to break down alcohol, so alcohol remains in a person’s system longer.

While this may help those suffering from allergies, taken together with alcohol, dehydration can occur. Introducing them into your system together negatively affects the functionality of the sober house boston central nervous system. As an anti-nausea drug, Benadryl is often used to keep motion sickness at bay. It’s also used as a sleep aid and reduces irritation caused by bug bites and rashes.

Do alcohol and Adderall mix?

Taking Benadryl with blood pressure medication could cause your blood pressure to decrease to a level that’s too low. If you’re taking melatonin, L-theanine, or trazodone, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Benadryl. They can recommend whether the combination of products is safe. The manufacturer of Benadryl has not reported any interactions with other medications. However, it’s possible that new interactions may be recognized in the future. For example, new drugs could be approved that interact with Benadryl.

If you’re considering using Benadryl for alcohol withdrawal, it’s important to speak to your doctor first. Withdrawal from alcohol can be dangerous, and it’s important to make sure you’re doing everything under medical supervision. Some medications—including many popular painkillers and cough, cold, and allergy remedies—contain more than one ingredient that can react with alcohol. Read the label on the medication bottle to find out exactly what ingredients a medicine contains.

There must be enough of both drugs in the system for an overdose to occur. Benadryl can cause both mild and severe side effects, depending on the person. Sedation and disorientation may cause problems with their motor abilities.

An antihistamine is a drug that interferes with the action of the compound histamine in your body. Histamine is involved in your body’s immune response to allergens. It’s the reason you get a stuffy nose, itchy skin, and other reactions when you come in contact with something you’re allergic to. An antihistamine works by blocking your body’s response to these allergens.

Allergy & cold medications

Fortunately, we can anticipate some of the potential side effects that can occur when you imbibe while on medications. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are dangerous in their own right, which is why someone with an alcohol use disorder should never attempt to quit on their own. When alcohol is combined with a diphenhydramine medication, the consequences become even direr. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. Please note, we cannot prescribe controlled substances, diet pills, antipsychotics, or other abusable medications.

This is because female bodies usually contain less water for alcohol to mix with. So, the same amount of alcohol can be more concentrated in a woman than in a man. Tramadol and Alcohol Mixing tramadol and alcohol can be very dangerous. The effect of Benadryl on the ability of a driver to stay alert is greater than that of alcohol.6Mixing the two can be dangerous not only to you but also to those around you. Benadryl dries up the nasal passages, which helps reduce congestion.

That is why it is so important to use central nervous system depressants judiciously, and never go over your prescribed dose of medication. Clearly, combining alcohol and diphenhydramine will increase sedation and the feeling of drowsiness. You certainly don’t want to combine them if you need to be awake and alert. While it is commonly used to prevent eco sober house review allergies and for the treatment of allergic reactions, it is very often used simply as a sleep aid. As a consequence, taking Benadryl with these medications when consuming very small amounts of alcohol may still increase the risk of adverse side effects. Taking these other types of medications with alcohol could also increase the risk of side effects.