Quiver0f10 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 (edited) I am taking benedryl to help with my sinuses and the fluid in my ears and it does seem to help, but I get so sleepy it's hard to take it during the day. Is there anything out there that wont make me sleepy yet not hype me up either? Thanks! Edited November 25, 2009 by Quiver0f10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I've used Allegra in the past, but it is by prescription only. Zyrtec is supposed to not make you sleepy. But, it knocks dd out for about an hour or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Claritin here. You can get it generically--I think it's called loratadine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I took Zyrtec (24 hour) and it knocked me out for pretty much the whole 24 hours. I could not function at all. I would prefer the Benadryl. The Claritin does not make me sleepy but I also don't think it works very well either, at least not for me. Good luck. This is a quest we are always on around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Benadryl makes me tired. Zyrtec is great only if you don't need to function the next day, the first time I took it I was asleep in 5 minutes . Claritan is the only one that doesn't make me a space cadet. Sometimes I can take one benadryl and work through the tiredness but never if I need to drive anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Sudafed You might want to check before taking Zyrtec as it has ear infections as a possible side effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Zyrtec makes you drowsy, but usually only for the first few hours of its 24 hour effectiveness period, so take it before bed and you'll probably be OK. Claritin is non drowsy and OTC, but only works on a 75% of allegens. Allegra is prescription and non drowsy and works on 90% of allergens. (I found that Claritin didn't work for me but Allegra did.) Nasel Crom is OTC and the least systemic of all of these. It is non-drowsy and is a nasel spray that does not cause any side effects. You have to use it about twice a day for about a week before it builds up enough to be effective, but after that with regular use it works quite well for nasel allergies. It does not help with food or contact allergies, though. A Neti pot is very helpful when you're quite stuffy, but it takes quite a while to use (20-30 minutes). It washes out the stuffiness AND the allergens. For best results I think you have to use it 2-3 times per day. Right afterwards you feel worse, and then the residual solution dries up and you feel like you have been vaccuum cleaned and then polished to a high sheen. It is very weird but quite a relief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 We were just discussing this with a pharmacist friend at church on Sunday. She recommended taking a decongestant in conjunction with the antihistamine. Decongestants have a stimulant effect, so the side-effects of one drug will counteract the side-effects of the other and should leave you feeling neither too sleepy or too hyper. There are many OTC cold meds that contain both. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I get sleepy with benadryl and have even used rarely as a sleeping aide for myself;) Presently, I take zyrtec every night before bed and have no problems at all:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I second the recommendation of zyrtec at bedtime. I take it daily, as do my kids. We all have allergies and end up sick a lot if we don't take something regularly. None of us has problems with being sleepy the next day when we take it before bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinag Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Alavert is the only thing I can take. Anything and everything else makes me feel horrible. I bought it at Walmart. Hope you feel better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 All of the medicines make me sleepy. I am groggy for 3 days after taking half of children's chewable Sudafed. I am asleep within 15 minutes and groggy for a full 24 hours after taking a single Benadryl pill. Claritin gives me a little buzz and makes me drowsy, but I'm okay the next morning so long as I don't take it two nights in a row. It stopped doing anything for me though. Actifed is working for me right now. It also makes me sleepy (but they all do that). I'm fine the next morning, but I'm afraid to take it two nights in a row. It can be split and I've found that even half of an Actifed helps. I only take medicines like this at night. I can't function if I take any of them during the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 I am taking benedryl to help with my sinuses and the fluid in my ears and it does seem to help, but I get so sleepy it's hard to take it during the day. Is there anything out there that wont make me sleepy yet not hype me up either? Thanks! Claratin is OTC, and there are even generics available. It is 24 hr and non-drowsy. Isn't quite as effective as benadryl, so I will sometimes use benadryl at bedtime and claratin in the a.m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted November 26, 2009 Author Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thank you all ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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