Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Benedryl....what's the point?

About 3 days a year I get a startling, annoying, full-blown allergy attack. For those of you who are blessed, blessed children of God and aren't affected by the microscopic messengers of Satan that gently float in the air, just waiting to be inhaled into pink, unsuspecting lungs, consider yourself lucky.

Having an allergy attack the caliber of which I have the yearly joy of experiencing is soul shakingly horrible. The cruel joke is that they usually occur after a perfectly beautiful, achingly idyllic early summer day. The kind of day you look back on during a gray winter afternoon that induces yearning for sundresses and huaraches.

Which is exactly the type of evening I experienced Monday night. As I sat, my fingers entwined with those of the one I love, watching our beloved little boxer prance and play at the dog park I had a subtle premonition. The slanting light from the sun setting over the purple Rockies was just too lovely. The way my adorable pup looked up at us with pure unconditional love was too sweet. The sweetness lingering on my lips from a self-indulgent run to Baskin-Robbins was too fantastic. Something was about to hit.

And on the drive back to the house it did.

If you've never sneezed 23 times in a row, you won't really be able to empathize. By the time I flew up the stairs and threw open the door my mind had turned from the sane this-will-knock-me-out-for-at-least-12-hours thought process to the harrowed if-I-don't-get-some-benedryl-immediately-I-may-loose-my-mind mentality.

So, with great relief, I swallowed that little pink pill. The pink pill of doom. The pink pill that induces such deep slumber and body-numbing properties that I am stoned for a full 20 hours after ingestion?

And so here is my question: What is the point of taking a medication that blissfully removes all symptoms of said horrifying allergy attack only to replace it with Snow White-like death-sleep?

11 comments:

Maggie said...

You do get abnormally knocked out by that stuff. Sorry you got hit once in St. Louis and then again at home. You can't take benadryl or Claritin-D when you're nursing so I've been limping through allergies with plain old claritin. Not the same thing! Good luck with the next two weeks or so till the allergies go away.

Doesn't the itchy mouth/throat bother you more than the sneezing?

Lindsey said...

Actually, you can take Benadryl while you are nursing. At least my doctor told me it was safe. It knocks me out, too. If I take it at night, I'm out cold until 8 am the next morning.

Sorry you have allergies. They really are not fun. Mine are minor so I should not even complain.

Heather said...

I was pregnant through one summer and breastfeeding through the next. And my crazy allergies last for way longer than 3 days. You can take Benadryl when you are breastfeeding, but it will dry you up... TMI?

Anyway I hate allergies with a fiery passion. And they have been a million times worse in Utah than they ever were growing up in AZ. I wonder why that is? Also Benadryl affects me the same way, so I usually take claritin instead. It doesn't work very well though.

MrsEm said...

Benadryl is amazing at night - but terrible during the day. Have you tried claratin? It's great!

made sweet said...

hahaha. i love that pic.

Becca said...

Oh yes, Satan's minions invented Benedryl so that we would miss all the good stuff and be stoned out of our minds. I missed a lovely afternoon with a boyfriend one time from the stoning of Benedryl. I never, EVER take it now. You could try Claratin. It's like the protagonist of allergy medicines, the hero.

I am laughing so hard at your snow white picture.

poodle said...

phil townsend is coming to dubai and rome with me. i'm so excited to see him!

and you and the ED should totally come out to DC!! that would be so much fun! i miss our college friends. you guys are hilarious.

Raven said...

I love benedryl because I can carry it instead of an Epi-pen for serious allergic reactions to foods, I can give it to my dog, I can use it to give sweet sweet sleep to an annoying child (just kidding, or am I? :) ) but for regular allergy problems, I stick with Zyrtec!

TRS said...

Poor thing!

That is a pretty heavy reaction to one tiny pill of Benedryl.
You should see about switching to Claritin or Zyrtec - because, seriously? That ain't right.

I accidently took two Benedryl once, and got instantly sleepy (one doesn't do much to me other than relieve the symptoms) but I didn't fall asleep!

Also... I adore your Sleeping beauty photoshop!!

Unknown said...

Yeah... While Benadryl is the most effective at DESTROYING allergies, there are many other options that work pretty darn well. Can I recommend Claritin or Zyrtec for over the counter, or Nasonex, Omnaris or Veramyst by prescription?

BluBabes said...

Get nasalcrom for your nose (spray)and Alaway for your eyes pronto!