Side effects - Diphenhydramine Foolishness

[El Calico Loco]

Has anyone else (besides Swim) felt like diphenhydramine makes them stupid, much like alcohol? I'm not talking about recreational doses - which obviously make one stupid - but just regular antihistamine doses (25mg to 100mg).

Swim has found that he feels numb and out of it when taking this chemical. It's extremely beneficial during certain allergy seasons, but he feels dumb, numb, and robotic when he's on it. He thinks it may have led him to do foolish things once in a while, much like alcohol.

I guess mild delirium can happen even at regular, theraputic doses. But no other antihistamine works against Texas Cedar Fever.


ECL

[darkglobe]

SWiM finds that taking on-the-box therapeutic dosages of antihistamines (in the form of sleeping pills in the UK) makes him subtly yet noticeably spaced out. He tends to stare into space for long periods of time & also feels quite distant from any conversation in process.

People who spend lots of time with him do notice the difference even at doses at approx 50mg. SWiM uses Diphenhydramine HCl now and again to help counter insomnia, but doesn't like frequent use due to tolerance/dependance.

[Psych0naut]

Originally Posted by dark_globe

SWiM finds that taking on-the-box therapeutic dosages of antihistamines (in the form of sleeping pills in the UK) makes him subtly yet noticeably spaced out. He tends to stare into space for long periods of time & also feels quite distant from any conversation in process.

People who spend lots of time with him do notice the difference even at doses at approx 50mg. SWiM uses Diphenhydramine HCl now and again to help counter insomnia, but doesn't like frequent use due to tolerance/dependance.

Just to mention, diphenhydramine doesn't build up dependance.

Edit:Sorry, it does build up tolerance, but it doesn't cause physical dependance.

[gotxp]

ever since SWIM tried diphenhydramine recreationally, he noticed that now when he takes a therapeutic dose he notices himself feeling spaced. This likly happened to SWIM before; however, due to the recreational dose he is now able to identify the dileriant effects, where as before he would just be oblivious to it.

[Nagognog2]

Dull, listless, and fried-to-the-gills about sums up the general feelings of malaise brought on by antihistamines - even at recommended doses. By far the worst one Bongo ever encountered - for a nasty cold - was chlorpheniramine maleate. He prefered being sick.

[Nagognog2]

I'd have to disagree, PsychOnaut about diphenhydramine and tolerance. Bongo has used this for insomnia. Taken the first night, it works well at the (high) dose Bongo uses - 200mg. But if taken a second night, it hardly even registers.

[darkglobe]

Oof... 200mg for as a sedative? Works like a charm!

Agreed, efficacy drops waaaay too much to fuck about with this stuff for regular use. SWIM tends to use valerian root most nights, and resorts to antihistamines only in desperate times.

The spaced out feeling, providing SWIM is alone and non extremely tired, can actually be quite enjoyable. At doses around 50mg SWIM notices difficulty with sudden movements, bright lights and indeed, thinking in general.

Perhaps some more detailed descriptions are in order? Some comparisons could possible be made then. It's sometimes interesting, even with a drug as dodgy as Diphen, to explore slight variations and nuances of each individual's experiences.

~Dark