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Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

11–20 of 65 posts

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#11
post #2

2nd gen antihistamines (Fexofenadine, Cetirizine, Loratidine) are definitely what you want for allergies. 1st gen like Benadryl/Diphenydramine have awful side effects. I highly recommend nasal sprays like Fluticasone as well, available OTC in the US these days and amazing stuff.

+1 to Fexofenadine (Allegra) and Fluticasone. Loratadine (Claritin) is too weak for my needs and Cetrazine (Zyrtec) has side effects are too similar to a stimulant for me.

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#12
post #10
post #2

2nd gen antihistamines (Fexofenadine, Cetirizine, Loratidine) are definitely what you want for allergies. 1st gen like Benadryl/Diphenydramine have awful side effects. I highly recommend nasal sprays like Fluticasone as well, available OTC in the US these days and amazing stuff.

I would argue that, whatever “generation” it is, cetirizine does not deserve credit for being second generation. I know plenty of people with extremely obvious CNS effects from it. In contrast, loratadine seems innocuous.

Second that, cetirizine definitely feels more like clemastine or meclizine than a proper second gen "non sedating" antihistamine. And with hay fever AND an allergy to nuts, I've tried them all, haha.

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#13

50mg diphenhydramine is quite a bit! Anyone who has ever taken that amount for sleep effects will tell you so.

It is, but 25 - 50 mg every 4 - 6 hours, with no more than 200 mg over 24 hours, is also the instructions on the OTC bottle I have.

I made that mistake once in university. Took two capsules for a moderate skin reaction and slept the entire afternoon away. Fortunately I was at home! Just willing myself to get up long enough to disrobe and turn the lights off was excruciating.

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#14
post #10
post #2

2nd gen antihistamines (Fexofenadine, Cetirizine, Loratidine) are definitely what you want for allergies. 1st gen like Benadryl/Diphenydramine have awful side effects. I highly recommend nasal sprays like Fluticasone as well, available OTC in the US these days and amazing stuff.

I would argue that, whatever “generation” it is, cetirizine does not deserve credit for being second generation. I know plenty of people with extremely obvious CNS effects from it. In contrast, loratadine seems innocuous.

Unfortunately its justifiably classified as 2nd gen and IIRC studies show that it's generally more effective for hay fever. Personally, I've found that loratadine is pretty ineffective, especially after regular use.

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#15
post #14
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would argue that, whatever “generation” it is, cetirizine does not deserve credit for being second generation. I know plenty of people with extremely obvious CNS effects from it. In contrast, loratadine seems innocuous.

Unfortunately its justifiably classified as 2nd gen and IIRC studies show that it's generally more effective for hay fever. Personally, I've found that loratadine is pretty ineffective, especially after regular use.

I found loratadine very effective but it takes time to work. At least a week

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#17
post #4

The article is extremely short, but comparing 2-4 OTC doses of diphenhydramine to a level of alcohol concentration above what constitutes a DUI in most places seems like an odd choice? Or is that just a matter of proof of concept, go for the big obvious demonstration first?

Having done that for awhile once? It basically is, and that is the typically OTC recommended dose.

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#18
I didn’t see it in the abstract but how are the alcohol and placebo administered? If they were ingested the participant surely knew they got alcohol or a placebo. And I assume that may have some impact on their performance aside from possibly being intoxicated. I suppose all 4 could be IV administered, but it doesn’t sound like that.

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#19
post #2

2nd gen antihistamines (Fexofenadine, Cetirizine, Loratidine) are definitely what you want for allergies. 1st gen like Benadryl/Diphenydramine have awful side effects. I highly recommend nasal sprays like Fluticasone as well, available OTC in the US these days and amazing stuff.

> Fluticasone

A corticosteroid, it has awful side effects as well

Re: Effects of fexofenadine, diphenhydramine, and alcohol on driving performance

#20
To play devil’s advocate:

People forget that drunk driving laws started as the result of activist campaigns from special interest groups only a few decades ago.

It is itself a victimless crime; we have existing laws against reckless driving, causing accidents, vehicular manslaughter, etc.; and as this study shows there are plenty of common, less regulated (i.e. showing no signs of impairment yet blowing into a measurement device cannot get you nailed) driving conditions which are as bad or worse than drunk driving.

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