Benadryl

[Beckey]

Well, I took Benadryl at bedtime last night and had the worst night of my life, restless leg syndrome-wise. However, my tremor was gone when I woke up, and only came back after a few hours.

[Bailey_Texas]

Good morning

20 years ago i took a RX for Benadryl i bounced off the walls for 3 or 4 hours. I don't take large doses anymore. This was 10 years before i was DX with PD.

Bailey

[BillDavid]

Sometimes other drugs including agnosts are prescribed for Restless Leg syndrome..

Works for me. BillDavid

[GjyshiDavidi in reply to BillDavid]

I believe I have been taking all agonist an been been able t o sstop then and turned back my current process.

[Hidden]

I was given Benadryl for allergies years before PD. I became agitated, kept clenching my teeth and did not sleep all night. I never take anything with ben in the name. It is like speed to some people.

[twotutts42]

I bought and took benedryl yesterday. I then decided to read the leaflet that came with it It says do NOT take with selegiline or

Rasagaline as can give very high blood pressure , so be careful and read everything before trying, stupidly I didn't.

[stevie3]

Well, thanks for reporting back - was going to try it but don't think I will!

Sue

[Skymom2008]

So sorry so many of you have thus reaction to Benadryl. I don't take the other meds you do, and it works good for me. I use to take Tylenol pm which also worked but my cardiologist said it has Benadryl too. Best of luck to you.

[BUZZ1397]

Interesting. My neuro predicted that would happen to me for taking Benadryl. After a few days of experimenting with it several mots ago, I settled on small amounts of benadryl (half a 12.5 mg tab) at the same time as I take each dose of Sinemet. I didn't start Benadryl to address creepy legs. My creepy leg feelings didn't begin until a couple years into the other PD symptoms and got bad enough it kept waking me up. I was prescribed Mirapex for it just at bedtime so I'd sleep better but got myself off the Mirapex several months ago after taking it for well over a year and did so very gradually because it's a dangerous drug to quit abruptly. But I just had to get off Mirapex due to it made me impulsive and stupid. However, it was during the Mirapex withdrawal when I started  using the small amounts of Benadryl because I had read it helped some peope with PD. I sensed that it was helping me to remain calmer during coming off Mirapex and I've not stopped Benadryl as I feel calmer for it. My neuro was surprised that Benadry was not making my creepy, twitchy leg thing come on worse, as it has done yours. I confess I still get jumpy creepy legs but not that I come awake most nights. Just occasional nights and I find if I medicate with my normal daytime doses I can eventually get some relief and go back to sleep. Anyway my neuro gave a biochemistry explanation for how Benadryl might effect jumpy legs worsening that was way over my head that has to do with histamine. I said well I guess I am just having a different response to Benadryl than most individuals. She asked if it doesn't make me sleepy during the day and I said only if I have nothing to do and just sit down then I might take a little nap. Perhaps experimenting with different dosages of Benadryl is something for you to try.  I don't know that information on my situation is of help to you but maybe and I hope so. Everybody is different though. God bless. I hope you find help. 

[Bailey_Texas]

I take 1 6 mg Requip 24 hour release at 5 pm and it stops my jumpy leg. an't take more it will make me compulsive. 

[sterlingin]

Yes but common anticholinergic drugs like Benadryl are well linked to increased dementia risk ... and with 60% of PD patients developing dementia .. this is a risky game.

health.harvard.edu/blog/com...

[Beckey in reply to sterlingin]

OMG. Well, say no more. That's the last time I take Benadryl. In fact, I was going to pick up some ibuprofen P.M. then saw it contains the same active ingredient. I need all the brain cells I can get as it is!

[laglag in reply to Beckey]

What is the active ingredient in the Ibuprofen PM?  I've been taking it about 3/week & it works pretty good.  I'm disappointed might have to give it up.  I tried Ambien one time & it put me out so much that I didn't remember talking to someone the night before. 

[Beckey in reply to laglag]

Oh boy, if that doesn't describe Ambien to a T! Once I took it before bed (natch), then kept working at my computer. When I saw the draft emails (that I blessedly never sent) the next morning, I put the kybosh on Ambien for good! 

The active ingredient in Benadryl and Ibuprofen pm is diphenhydramine.

[Hidden]

Beckey  you have just said some interesting things.

There are many other conditions that can be mistaken for PD and  a very high percentage of PD patients  later find they do not have it. Many have taken incorrect meds. for years.

I do not know of or have I ever  heard of a single Parky who has restless legs. Please describe the tremors you experience. What parts of the body ? (ie left hand etc) If your hands are involved . When are the tremors worst? when you are trying to concentrate and do some thing with your hands  or when they are idle. Please descibe the tremors. Do you have them in your legs?

In the last five years I have told 4 people who have been members of our local PD support that they should  seek a second opinion. In all cases they did not have PD.

[Beckey in reply to Hidden]

Hi Gymbag. My tremor is in my right hand and arm and at this point it's pretty constant. My arm does this involuntary bracing thing -- the muscles clamp down to try and stop the shaking. And after a while my whole arm is as rigid as an iron rod. I feel like I've got rigor mortis!

My balance is going south, and  so is my memory. I used to have a strong singing voice, but in the past couple or three weeks it evaporated. 

My writing is jerky and spasmodic, which put the kybosh on my life as a reporter.

Here's the funny thing. In about 2007 I suddenly developed a very strong, visible tremor on my whole right side. If I was interviewing someone, sitting in a chair, my right leg would be clattering away. I went to a neurologist who said in no way was this Parkinson's. He gave me neurontin (gabapentin) and within a few weeks the tremor disappeared. After while I quit taking the meds and the tremor didn't come back until late in 2011, this time only in my hand and arm. It got progressively worse. 

Four neurologists said it was definitely not Parkinson's. The neurologist I see now examined me with one of the new fellows, and she was explaining to her the different characteristics that were typical of Parkinson's -- resting tremor among them. One of the indicators, she said, was that when she held my arms over my head and shook them, a tremor appeared in my head.  Since then I've had two DaTscans, the first inconclusive and the second showing a definite progression.

My neuro had me consult with a neuropharmacologist who doubted I had PD. He prescribed propranolol, which stops shaking in people with essential tremor. The shaking continued unabated. All it did was pack the unwanted pounds on. End of experiment.

Welp, there you have it -- more than you could possibly want to know!

Thanks for asking.