# Is it plausible that I may be immune to the "drowsiness" effect of cold medicines? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684 "2009-09-19T02:39:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/21 "2017-11-21T01:57:18Z")
Frankly, I consider supposing one has an immunity to drowsiness from cold medications can be classified under the “Seemed Like A Good Idea” column. Do you REALLY know your alertness level is the same? Consider how many drunk drivers think “Hey, I was driving okay”. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/22 "2017-11-21T02:07:48Z")
A certain number of people have what is known as a “paradoxical reaction” to diphenhydramine (a.k.a. “Benadryl”) where instead of inducing drowsiness it acts as a stimulant. So, sure, I can see where someone might have that reaction to it, or some other common “drowsiness inducing” OTC medication. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/23 "2017-11-21T02:12:49Z")
> [@Gallifreyanqueen](#): > > I know this was made years ago but I have a story to tell that just happened today. I just got 4 of my 5 wisdom teeth taken out. In fact I’m on my way home after it happened. I was supposed to be put under general anesthesia (the kind that’s supposed to put you to sleep). In the past, drowsy medicine has had absolutely no affect on my. Apparently that applies to anesthesia that’s supposed to put you to sleep before you have surgery. I was awake during the entire thing, screaming in pain, being told over and over that I was fine, and basically in hell The dentist didn’t test to make sure you couldn’t feel any pain? And proceeded to extract even when you were screaming? His name wasn’t Mark E. DeSade, was it? It’s inconceivable to me that a dentist would so something like that. Was it only laughing gas and no Novocaine? I had eye surgery once where the topical anesthetic wore off but the general one did not. I was still in agonizing pain but couldn’t tell anyone because I’d been told moving a facial muscle was a very bad idea. Unless it knocks you out, I think a general is more to relax you than numb you. Wait. FIVE wisdom teeth? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/24 "2017-11-21T02:32:20Z")
Dude, just nooooo! I just made a dental appt. today. Thank God I had my wisdom teeth out years ago. But at my age anything could be wrong. I won’t sleep tonight. Geez, can people really have 5 wisdom teeth? ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/25 "2017-11-21T03:24:11Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Frankly, I consider supposing one has an immunity to drowsiness from cold medications can be classified under the “Seemed Like A Good Idea” column. Do you REALLY know your alertness level is the same? Consider how many drunk drivers think “Hey, I was driving okay”. In my case, I endured two nights staring into the night, dead tired and unable to go to sleep. Was I alert? No, not really. I would not have considered myself to be in shape to drive. I had no idea this was possible. When I finally realized what was happening, I called the doctor and someone in the office, presumably a nurse or physician assistant, told me that yes, I few people have this reaction. The advice was to stop taking the antihistamine several hours before I wanted to sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/26 "2017-11-21T03:36:32Z")
> [@Gallifreyanqueen](#): > > I just got 4 of my 5 wisdom teeth taken out. Never mind the drug reaction, I’m impressed at anyone with five wisdom teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/27 "2017-11-21T10:15:12Z")
Cold meds are the reason I’m Doping at this ungodly hour. I took some night-time Sudafed at 8pm and it wired me. Benadryl also works as a stimulant for me. ---
**Author:** ![Anglachel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Anglachel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anglachel)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/28 "2017-11-21T17:13:09Z")
My anecdote on Benadryl… Recommended dosage for adults is 1-2 pills. If I take one, I get sleepy. If I take two, then I am wired. It is the weirdest thing. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/29 "2017-11-21T17:59:59Z")
I’ve actually found that half the adult dose of Benadryl is often all I need - a bit odd, since after taking that stuff for more than 50 years you’d think I’d built up some sort of permanent resistance to it but there it is. So I bought a pill splitter. No reason to take more than I actually need, right? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/30 "2017-11-21T21:09:47Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > A certain number of people have what is known as a “paradoxical reaction” to diphenhydramine (a.k.a. “Benadryl”) where instead of inducing drowsiness it acts as a stimulant. So, sure, I can see where someone might have that reaction to it, or some other common “drowsiness inducing” OTC medication. My brother is that way. It would get him wired. Me, I take Benadryl and about an hour later (like clockwork) I’m ready to pass out. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/31 "2017-11-22T15:24:03Z")
> [@Anglachel](#): > > My anecdote on Benadryl… > > Recommended dosage for adults is 1-2 pills. If I take one, I get sleepy. If I take two, then I am wired. It is the weirdest thing. I am the exact same way - a whole dose of Nyquil does the same thing to me. I get the shakes and can’t sleep. Also, gravol (Dramamine in the US) is another drug I react to - jittery, hallucinations…sucks because I used to take it for the nausea with migraines. Not anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684/32 "2017-11-22T16:39:55Z")
The youngest Torqueling is one of that subset of kids who, rather than getting drowsy on Benadryl, instead gets wired. I warned my wife about it, because we’d given her Benadryl once before and she got wired on it, but she didn’t remember. So, she gave her some. All that night, my wife was continually awakened by a wee child saying, “Momma? Momma? Momma?” And when my wife opened her eyes, she’d hold up her stuffed zebra and excitedly say, “Zeebee!” Hilarious, when you’re not the one being woken up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-plausible-that-i-may-be-immune-to-the-drowsiness-effect-of-cold-medicines/510684.md?page=1)