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”.
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.
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?
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?
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.
Never mind the drug reaction, I’m impressed at anyone with five wisdom teeth.
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.
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’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?
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.
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.
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.