Is It Safe to Mix Claritin and Alcohol

Claritin 24 Hour Non Drowsy Alcohol:

The first thing that needs to be noted is that the amount of time it takes before drinking alcohol decreases with each dose. So if you take one Claritin tablet at 8 AM, then another at 9 AM, you will not have any problems drinking until midnight.

However, there are some situations where this isn’t true. For example, if you took too much Claritin and were already feeling sleepy when you woke up, then your body would be unable to metabolize the drug as quickly as it could have. You may even experience a hangover!

If you want to mix Claritin with alcohol, make sure that you don’t go overboard. If you do, then the effects won’t last very long since your body will start shutting down.

Zyprexa (brand name Zydone) is a prescription medication used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and other conditions. It’s been around for many years now and is considered safe to use with alcohol.

Some studies suggest that it may reduce the risk of developing liver cancer or having a stroke.

Can You Take Benadryl And Alcohol – Can I Drink if I Just Swallowed a Claritin?

The most common reason that people mix Benadryl with alcohol is to produce a mild “high.” This is not a good idea, and could lead to severe alcohol poisoning (see below). In addition, you may experience extreme fatigue and dry mouth. This is especially common if you take more than the recommended dose of Benadryl.

You probably know the answer already, but we’ll go over a few safety tips here just to make sure you’re safe.

Dosing Information:

Children under 12 should not take Benadryl or diphenhydramine.

The normal dose for adults is 50mg at bedtime for insomnia or 75mg for daytime allergies. The maximum daily dose is 300mg a day.

Never take more than the recommended dose; doing so could be fatal, especially in children.

Benadryl is intended for short-term use only, not for everyday use.

Drinking alcohol while taking Benadryl may increase the risk of headaches, drowsiness, and other side effects.

Alcohol increases the sedative effects of Benadryl, so take caution when driving or operating heavy machinery after taking this medication.

Diphenhydramine can cause drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, and constipation.

If you have glaucoma or a prostate disorder, you should avoid Benadryl since it may worsen the symptoms.

Benadryl may lower the seizure threshold, so you should be especially cautious if you suffer from seizures.

Never take Benadryl while pregnant or breastfeeding without first discussing it with your doctor.

When you drink alcohol, it increases the sedative effects of Benadryl and can make you sleepy or dizzy if you get up too quickly. Alcohol in combination with Benadryl may also increase the risk of nausea, vomiting, and difficulty with coordination.

If you have asthma, avoid taking Benadryl since it can worsen your symptoms and make it harder to breathe.

If you take a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) prescription antidepressant, do not take Benadryl since it contains an antihistamine that can cause your blood pressure to drop.

Never take Benadryl with any other cough or cold medicine since doing so can cause severe side effects. Always speak with your doctor first before taking any medication, whether prescription or over-the-counter.

Don’t take Benadryl if you have taken a product called Acutrack, which is a cough suppressant that mentions diphenhydramine on the label. Using Benadryl with this product can lead to confusion, excitability, and hallucinations.

Pregnancy and Alcohol Don’t Mix:

Most doctors agree that there’s no safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant or breastfeeding.

While some studies have suggested a glass of wine a day may actually be beneficial, the risks still outweigh any potential benefits.

Heavy alcohol use during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) that lead to lifelong physical and mental disabilities for your unborn child.

Definitely don’t drink if you’re breastfeeding since alcohol can get into your milk and lead to harmful long-term effects on your baby.

The Bottom Line:

It’s best to avoid alcohol altogether if you’re suffering from insomnia. If you do decide to drink, be sure to stop well before bedtime, eat a healthy meal, and get your full eight hours of sleep tonight.

Benadryl is only safe for short-term use and is not intended to cure insomnia. If you’re still having problems sleeping after taking it tonight, talk to your doctor about other treatment options.

Sources & references used in this article:

Harmful Interactions: Mixing Alcohol with Medicines by M Alcohol – envisionintegrativetherapies.com

Harmful interactions: Mixing alcohol with medicines by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholism (US) – 2007 – books.google.com

Avoid Alcohol: Advil’s Advice by G Flacks, G Mattei, M Lizotte – linkreducation.com

Second generation H1-antihistamines interaction with food and alcohol—a systematic review by P Paśko, T Rodacki, R Domagała-Rodacka… – Biomedicine & …, 2017 – Elsevier

Impact of sedating antihistamines on safety and productivity by GG Kay, ME Quig – Allergy and asthma proceedings, 2001 – search.proquest.com

Direct-to-consumer broadcast advertising: Empowering the consumer or manipulating a vulnerable population by KN Reeves – Food & Drug LJ, 1998 – HeinOnline