How to Take Antihistamines Safely

Antihistamine medications, such as Benadryl and many others, are widely available over the counter. People typically take antihistamines to block the body’s histamine production, which enables them to get relief from allergy symptoms like a runny nose and itchy, red, watery eyes. Even though antihistamines can be purchased over the counter, you should still talk to your doctor about whether or not antihistamines are a good allergy treatment choice for you. People are sometimes under the mistaken impression that just because a certain medication is available over the counter there are no potential side effects or health risks associated with taking that medication, but this is almost never true. Read this article to learn the specific side effects and potential health risks associated with taking antihistamines, both in the short term and over the long haul.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. First, it’s important to realize that certain individuals should not take antihistamines at all. For example, men with enlarged prostates, persons suffering from any kind of obstruction in the intestine or urinary tract, people with any kind of liver disease, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis, people with compromised kidney functioning, and, of course, anyone who knows that they are allergic to antihistamines of any kind.

2. One of the biggest side effects that comes from taking antihistamines is that they cause you to become extremely tired. (Indeed, some people have been known to take antihistamines as sleep aids.) For this reason, it is absolutely essential never to take antihistamines before driving long distances (or any distance, really) because you must avoid falling asleep at the wheel at all costs.

3. Be aware that antihistamines also cause your nose, throat, sinuses, eyes, and other typically moist parts of your body to dry out. (Some people find this drying effect to be extremely annoying and uncomfortable.)

4. In sharp contrast with the sedating effect that antihistamines tend to have on the majority of adults, it’s also important to know that some (though not all) children become overexcited and revved up when they take antihistamines.

5. It is also essential to understand that when people take antihistamines over a long period of time, they can develop or exacerbate certain health problems, including enlargement of the prostate in men, ulcers in the stomach, and/or glaucoma in the eyes.

Tips & Warnings

• When taken regularly, antihistamines tend to be rather “hard on” the liver, so some people who take antihistamines on a regular basis take milk thistle, which helps support liver health and enables the liver to eliminate toxins more efficiently.

[smojica]

on 4/5/2009 Good info. 5*