Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine medicine that relieves the symptoms of allergies. It's known as a drowsy (sedating) antihistamine and is more likely to make you feel sleepy than other antihistamines. It's used for:
You can buy diphenhydramine from pharmacies and it is also available on prescription.
It comes as tablets and a liquid that you swallow. For skin allergies like hives or bites and stings it's also available as a cream. The cream is much less likely to make you feel sleepy than the tablets or liquid.
You can also buy it mixed with other medicines, such as levomenthol, paracetamol, pholcodine and pseudoephedrine, to treat cough and cold symptoms.
Diphenhydramine can be taken by most adults and young people aged 16 years and above. You can sometimes give diphenhydramine to children, depending on their age and their symptoms. Ask your pharmacist for advice.
For cough and cold symptoms, you can give diphenhydramine tablets and liquid to children over the age of 6. For allergy symptoms, you can give it to children over 12. Check with your pharmacist or doctor to make sure a product is suitable for your child.
You can also use diphenhydramine cream on children for:
Do not give your child diphenhydramine to help them get to sleep.
Diphenhydramine is only suitable for sleep problems in people aged 16 years and above.
Diphenhydramine is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you:
How and when to take or use diphenhydramine If you or your child have been prescribed diphenhydramine, follow your doctor's instructions about how and when to take it.
Only take or use diphenhydramine when you need it, for example if you're unable to sleep because you're worrying about something or your cold symptoms are keeping you awake.
If you've bought diphenhydramine or any medicine containing diphenhydramine from a pharmacy, follow the instructions that come with the packet, or ask a pharmacist for advice.
The instructions will be different depending on the type of medicine you buy, and the other medicines it's mixed with.
If you're aged over 65, start with the lower dose, as you may be more likely to get side effects.
The usual dose depends on the type of diphenhydramine medicine you're taking, and why.
Diphenhydramine comes as 25mg and 50mg tablets. You'll usually take 50mg, 20 minutes before you go to bed.
Diphenhydramine comes mixed with other medicines to treat the symptoms of coughs and colds. It comes as tablets and as a liquid that you swallow. The usual dose depends on the type of medicine you're taking. Check the instructions on the packaging carefully, or ask your doctor or pharmacist if you're unsure.
Diphenhydramine comes as 25mg and 50mg tablets. The usual dose is 25mg or 50mg, taken 3 or 4 times a day. Try to space your doses evenly throughout the day.
Diphenhydramine comes as a cream which you use once or twice a day.
You'll only need a small amount, enough for a thin layer.
You can take diphenhydramine tablets and liquid with or without food.
Always take your diphenhydramine tablets with a drink of water. Swallow them whole. Do not chew them.
Liquid medicines containing diphenhydramine come with a plastic syringe or spoon to help you measure the right dose. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not measure the right amount.
With the cream, put a small amount onto the affected area and smooth it in gently. Do not use it on large areas of skin. Keep the cream away from your eyes, mouth and nose.
Remember to wash your hands afterwards, unless you're treating your hands.
If you're taking diphenhydramine to help you sleep and you forget to take it by bedtime, skip your missed dose and start again the next evening.
If you're taking any other medicine containing diphenhydramine and forget to take a dose, take your medicine when you next need it to ease your symptoms.
Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.
If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.
Too much diphenhydramine can be dangerous.
If you've taken more than the usual dose you may:
In serious cases you can become unconscious and may need emergency treatment in hospital.
Do not use diphenhydramine cream at the same time as other products containing diphenhydramine. This can lead to overdose.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111
If you need to go to A&E, do not drive yourself. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance.
Take the diphenhydramine packet or leaflet inside it plus any remaining medicine with you.
Like all medicines, diphenhydramine can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. However, you may be more likely to get them if you're over 65.
Common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people.
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.
You could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.
These are not all the side effects of diphenhydramine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.
Information:
You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.
Visit Yellow Card for further information.
What to do about:
Do not drive, ride a bike or use tools or machinery if you're feeling this way.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.
How long does it take to work?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.
The medicine should work for around 4 to 6 hours.
How long can I take it for?Only take diphenhydramine for a short time.
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.
Is diphenhydramine addictive?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.
Can I take more than one antihistamine at a time?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.
What's the difference between diphenhydramine and other antihistamines?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.
How is it different to other cough and cold remedies?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.
Can I take it with painkillers?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.
Can I drive or ride a bike with it?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. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.
Will it affect my fertility?There's no evidence to suggest that taking diphenhydramine reduces fertility in either men or women.
Will it affect my contraception?Diphenhydramine does not affect any type of contraception including the combined pill and emergency contraception.
Can I drink alcohol with it?Do not drink alcohol while you're taking diphenhydramine.
Alcohol and diphenhydramine together can make you sleep very deeply.
You will not be able to breathe properly and you may have difficulty waking up.
You can eat normally while taking diphenhydramine.
However, do not drink alcohol. If you are taking diphenhydramine to help you sleep, you should also try not to drink anything that contains caffeine, such as coffee, tea, cola or energy drinks. Caffeine has the opposite effect to diphenhydramine on your body and can stop it working.
Does diphenhydramine make you put on weight?There's no evidence that diphenhydramine makes you put on weight.
Can lifestyle changes help me sleep better?There are a number of things you can try to help yourself have a good night's sleep:
If you have hay fever, it will help if you do not spend too much time outside when the pollen count is high.
The best way to prevent any sort of allergic reaction is to avoid the substance that you're allergic to, if you can. There are some practical steps you can follow to help you avoid common allergens.
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses how long Benadryl makes you sleep for.
Question
If I take 2 Benadryl and two Midol for cramps, how long will I stay asleep for?
Asked by Demongirl1992 On Sep 20, 2022
Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is a first-generation antihistamine and is commonly used as a sleep aid due to the sedation that it causes. In fact, it is a common ingredient in many over-the-counter sleep products, such as ZzzQuil.
When used for the treatment of insomnia, studies indicate that Benadryl can help you fall asleep faster (how fast you fall asleep is known as 'sleep latency') but it doesn't significantly increase total sleep time, if at all.
Instead of discussing how long Benadryl makes you sleep for, a more appropriate question would be to ask long do the effects of Benadryl last (with the answer being around four to six hours).
Benadryl For SleepWhile studies indicate that Benadryl can help reduce sleep latency (i.e. time to fall asleep), it doesn't have a significant effect on total sleep time. In studies that do show an increase in total sleep time, the average increase was only about 29 minutes more than usual.
Other studies didn't find an increase in total sleep time at all.
In addition, studies have noted several negatives to using Benadryl for sleep. Not only do we become tolerant to the effects within a few days, but it may also reduce sleep quality. In the words of one study:
"In addition to the potential for rapid tolerance, studies have indicated that [Benadryl] diphenhydramine and doxylamine are only minimally effective in inducing sleep, may reduce sleep quality, and may cause residual drowsiness. Therefore, the use of these drugs in insomnia patients is not recommended."
As the above excerpt mentions, there is a concern that using Benadryl for insomnia may lead to next-day hangover effects and 'residual' drowsiness.
In terms of how long the effects of Benadryl last, it is only around 4 to 6 hours. Nevertheless, Benadryl is associated with next-day grogginess and decreased alertness, especially in the elderly, since they may metabolize the drug more slowly.
If you do choose to use Benadryl to help sleep, it shouldn't be used more than on an 'as needed' basis. You also shouldn't expect to make you sleep longer than usual. If you have consistent issues with sleep, you should speak to your doctor about more effective therapies.
Lastly, Midol (the other drug in question) should not have significant sedative effects.
Final WordsThanks for your question and reach out anytime!
Brian Staiger, PharmDDr. Brian has been practicing pharmacy for over 13 years and has wide-ranging experiences in many different areas of the profession. From retail, clinical, program development, and administrative responsibilities, he's your knowledgeable and go-to source for all your pharmacy and medication-related questions! Dr. Brian Staiger also has herbalist training and educational certificates in the field of medical ethnobotany. Feel free to send him an email at [email protected]! You can also connect with Dr. Brian Staiger on LinkedIn.
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This list of drugs and conditions that may interact with this drug is not exhaustive. nine0003
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all medicines you take (both prescription and over-the-counter, natural products and vitamins) and any health problems you have. You need to make sure that this drug is safe for your conditions and in combination with other drugs you are already taking. Do not start or stop taking any drug or change the dosage without your doctor's advice.
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Any medicine can have side effects. However, for many people, side effects are either minor or non-existent. Contact your doctor or seek medical attention if these or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:
This list of possible side effects is not exhaustive. If you have any questions about side effects, please contact your doctor. Talk to your doctor about side effects.
You can report side effects to the National Health Board.
You can report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You can also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Use this drug as directed by your doctor. Read all the information provided to you. Strictly follow all instructions.
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Certificate of a specialist is issued on the basis of postgraduate professional education (postgraduate studies, residency), or additional education (advanced training, specialization), or a screening test conducted by commissions of professional medical and pharmaceutical associations, on the theory and practice of the chosen specialty, issues of legislation in the field of public health.
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Article 100. Final provisions
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