sdyer@bbnccv.UUCP (Steve Dyer) (05/14/85)
> >2. Is the long-term usage of antihistamine preparations known to be > > free of unwanted side-effects or is there some nastiness here I > > should be aware of? > > you become immune to the affects of sleeping pills and the like... both > medications are based on the same type of formulation. > More properly, most over-the-counter sleeping pills are antihistamines which cause marked drowsiness: "Sominex 2" is diphenhydramine, the same medication sold as "Benadryl" as an antihistamine; "Unisom" is doxylamine, found in smaller doses in "NyQuil" and "Formula 44." Also, most antihistamines have an atropine-like anti-cholinergic effect, causing a dry mouth. You might expect to become less sensitive to these "side-effects" if you're taking antihistamines constantly for allergies, although many people hate the "drugged" feeling they give regardless of how long they take them. There is no cross-tolerance to most prescription sedatives, because they work in different ways. Long-term use of antihistamines hasn't been associated with any unusual side-effects, although one always prefers to take as little medication as necessary. Your doctor can comment on this. The FDA has just approved a new antihistamine preparation which DOESN'T cause any side-effects, especially drowsiness. I don't know much about it yet. If it's different enough not to cause the typical side-effects, it must be a new pharmacological entity, which means it hasn't had the benefit of 25-odd years of clinical experience. Unless you really cannot take a tried-and-true antihistamine, it might be best to stick to one. -- /Steve Dyer {decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer sdyer@bbnccv.ARPA