If you have recently discovered that you have an allergy problem, then you may be unhappy about the situation. Nobody likes the drowsy and congested feeling that comes with allergies, and it can be incredibly difficult to learn how to control your symptoms if you have never experienced an allergy attack before. While you may need to seek care from an allergist, especially if you are unsure about your allergy triggers, you should start at the pharmacy with some over the counter medicine. There are a wide variety of options, and antihistamines should be on the top of your list to purchase. Keep reading to learn about some tips to help you choose the correct antihistamine.
Skip The Benadryl
You probably know that Benadryl is one of the more common antihistamines. Most people also understand that the medicine can make you extremely drowsy. In fact, diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benydryl, is used in medications like Nyquil, Tylenol PM, and other medicines to help you sleep at night. The medicine can and will reduce your allergy symptoms, but it will most likely cause drowsiness. The medicine is called a first generation antihistamine and most of these medicine cause sleepiness. Specifically, they block histamines in the body that are released to regulate your sleep and wake cycle. In fact, first generation antihistamines block all the histamines in the body equally.
If you want to combat sleepiness but also want to treat your allergies, then it is wise to take either a second or third generation antihistamine that is far less likely to cause drowsiness. These medicines include Zyrtec and Claritan.
Try A Variety Of Medicines
All second and third generation antihistamines work in a similar manner to block histamines created by the body in response to an environmental or seasonal allergy. However, some medicines work differently for different people. This means that one medicine may reduce your symptoms significantly while another may not work at all. Also, one medicine may make you feel drowsy, dizzy, or thirsty, while another will not produce any side effects. If often takes some trial and error to find the correct medication.
You should try out different medicines, if you are having difficulty finding one that works for you. However, you should never take two antihistamines at once. If you do this, then this can increase the chances of developing side effects. Also, there are some pretty serious things that can happen if you ingest too many antihistamines at once. Seizures an hallucinations are two examples.
If a medicine does not work for you, then wait until the next day to try something different. Visit a site like http://www.nwasthma.com for more help.
