Anyone allergic to benadryl?

ppurdin
ppurdin Member Posts: 1,181 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi,when I took Benadryl last night my mouth felt numb and my throat did also.I wonder if anyone eles had this problem.My throat still feels funny.I have different reactions to meds. then some people. Thanks. Pat.

Comments

  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #2
    Benadryl...
    Pat, I'm wondering why you took the benadryl........I have never heard of an allergic reaction to it.......what prompted you to take it in the first place.....perhaps that reason was the cause of the numbness........I would certainly check with my physician....have you ever taken it before?
  • LadyParvati
    LadyParvati Member Posts: 328
    #3
    Benadryl allergies are rare
    but they do exist. However, numbness is not listed in the adverse reactions for benadryl in the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR). On the other hand, dryness of the mouth and throat is very common as a side effect of taking this antihistamine. Most people just feel sleepy after taking benadryl.

    I tend to agree with the other comment--could it be that whatever you took the benadryl for was the cause of the numbness? Or perhaps your mouth & throat felt numb because they became unusually dry?

    Good luck in figuring out the cause!

    Sandy
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
    Benadryl is used to counter
    Benadryl is used to counter allergic reactions. I've used it for years with bee/wasp/hornet/etc. It given with chemo (at least for me) to head off possible reactions. With A/C, I was given it orally as I had always taken it for stings with no 'feelable' anything. With Taxol though, they gave it IV, almost as soon as it started I would go 'nighty-night' for 45 - 60 min. Not knocked out/oblivious to what was going on around me but definately to the point that it only made sense to doze off.

    Talk to your Dr(s)!
  • ppurdin
    ppurdin Member Posts: 1,181 Member
    #5
    benadryl
    I took benadryl for an allergy i have had since the chemo drug gave me an allergic reaction.And I am now taking armidex and I can not sleep.That is a side effect of armidex.So i thought benadryl would help my allergy and help me sleep.I am known to have weird side effects to meds.They stopped my chemo because of the reaction was so severe.And yes I have taken benadryl before and the time before this time,it did do this.but I didn,t relize it was the benadryl.it could have been a dryness as well in my throat,but it did feel numb as well.
  • LadyParvati
    LadyParvati Member Posts: 328
    #6
    ppurdin said:

    benadryl
    I took benadryl for an allergy i have had since the chemo drug gave me an allergic reaction.And I am now taking armidex and I can not sleep.That is a side effect of armidex.So i thought benadryl would help my allergy and help me sleep.I am known to have weird side effects to meds.They stopped my chemo because of the reaction was so severe.And yes I have taken benadryl before and the time before this time,it did do this.but I didn,t relize it was the benadryl.it could have been a dryness as well in my throat,but it did feel numb as well.

    You must be especially sensitive to it
    I think that numbness is a very unusual reaction as it isn't listed in the PDR. Perhaps you should talk with your doctors about another antihistamine or another drug to counter the effects of the Armidex, or perhaps another sleep aid if you wish to take one. It might be safer--the numbness worries me, in that if your sensitivity were to increase, it might interfere with your ability to breathe.

    Take care!

    Sandy
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #7
    ppurdin said:

    benadryl
    I took benadryl for an allergy i have had since the chemo drug gave me an allergic reaction.And I am now taking armidex and I can not sleep.That is a side effect of armidex.So i thought benadryl would help my allergy and help me sleep.I am known to have weird side effects to meds.They stopped my chemo because of the reaction was so severe.And yes I have taken benadryl before and the time before this time,it did do this.but I didn,t relize it was the benadryl.it could have been a dryness as well in my throat,but it did feel numb as well.

    Talk to your Dr(s)!
    If you're having problems with not sleeping talk with your oncologist and/or your PC. There are many drugs that can and will help with sleep. When I started Taxol I had problems with sleep - tried the OTC things that was suggested by my CCI and they didn't do much at all. Oncologist gave me a script for a sleeping pill and it did work somewhat I had horrendous, vicious nightmares on it (something I never have - my 'nightmares' are stupid silly things). Already had an appt. scheduled with my PA and she changed it to the lowest dose of Ambien (could increase the dose if needed) - it worked great. Have been off Taxol for 2 1/2 weeks and haven't needed the pill in close to 1 1/2 week.

    All SE are not allergic reactions and degree/severity of allergic reaction vary. None of us, while we do have personal experience with ourselves and/or loved ones - we are not medical staff with your medial history available. You can "bet your sweet bippy" that if my throat had gotten numb - I'd have been on the phone immediately! Call your DR!

    Numb throat - so many possibilities and defintely not something to self (or internet) diagnose.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #8
    Rague said:

    Talk to your Dr(s)!
    If you're having problems with not sleeping talk with your oncologist and/or your PC. There are many drugs that can and will help with sleep. When I started Taxol I had problems with sleep - tried the OTC things that was suggested by my CCI and they didn't do much at all. Oncologist gave me a script for a sleeping pill and it did work somewhat I had horrendous, vicious nightmares on it (something I never have - my 'nightmares' are stupid silly things). Already had an appt. scheduled with my PA and she changed it to the lowest dose of Ambien (could increase the dose if needed) - it worked great. Have been off Taxol for 2 1/2 weeks and haven't needed the pill in close to 1 1/2 week.

    All SE are not allergic reactions and degree/severity of allergic reaction vary. None of us, while we do have personal experience with ourselves and/or loved ones - we are not medical staff with your medial history available. You can "bet your sweet bippy" that if my throat had gotten numb - I'd have been on the phone immediately! Call your DR!

    Numb throat - so many possibilities and defintely not something to self (or internet) diagnose.

    When I was young it used to
    When I was young it used to make me hyper so I thought it would affect me during chemo but they were going to give it to me anyway. I was nervous. but had no reaction to it at all.
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #9
    carkris said:

    When I was young it used to
    When I was young it used to make me hyper so I thought it would affect me during chemo but they were going to give it to me anyway. I was nervous. but had no reaction to it at all.

    Benedryl
    Benedryl wires me right up so I don't know if what you had was an allergic reaction or just some side effect that many don't have.

    Margo
  • ppurdin
    ppurdin Member Posts: 1,181 Member
    #10
    Benadryl
    Thanks for your replys.I will not take it again,I went back to taking tylonal sleep pills till I see my dr.Pat.
  • pattimc
    pattimc Member Posts: 431
    #11
    ppurdin said:

    Benadryl
    Thanks for your replys.I will not take it again,I went back to taking tylonal sleep pills till I see my dr.Pat.

    Tylenol P.M.
    Pat, is this what you are refering to when you say tylenol sleep pills? Just so you know, the part that makes you sleepy when you take Tylenol P.M. is Benadryl....it doesn't say "benadryl" but says "diphenhydramine" and which is actually Benadryl.

    Take care.

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