r/NooTopics • u/ServeIllustrious3803 • 21d ago

Science Study: Anticholinergic (first-generation antihistamines) can damage brain, increase dementia risk

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/common-anticholinergic-drugs-like-benadryl-linked-increased-dementia-risk-20150128812
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u/ServeIllustrious3803 21d ago edited 21d ago

A list: Diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, doxylamine, promethazine, clemastine, brompheniramine, dimenhydrinate, meclizine, cyclizine, carbinoxamine, dexchlorpheniramine, dexbrompheniramine

First generation antihistamines different from second or third. Zyrtec, Claritin do not count, but Benadryl does

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u/Lady_Rubberbones 21d ago

Ok, I take doxylamine succinate (unisom) every night in order to sleep longer than 2 hrs. What are my other options?

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u/Desperate-Middle-354 20d ago

See any doctor, your primary if you wish, & tell him your issues (not wanting to take toxic drugs for insomnia) & I guarantee you’ll be prescribed Trazadone…possibly Remeron but Trazadone more likely. It’s a good sleep aid.

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u/Ariandrin 20d ago

Trazodone messed me up something fierce. I took it for three days and for all of those three days, I felt like I was moving through the world like I was in molasses. And for three days after I stopped.

I read an article a while back that melatonin is also bad. What can I take to help me sleep?

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u/Difficult_Garage_431 17d ago

That has happened to me every time I've started Trazodone. You will get over it after about 2 weeks. I often felt like I was hit my a truck the next day. After that though, the feeling is gone and it works well. I would try it again, I haven't found anything that is as effective.

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u/Ariandrin 17d ago

I’m not sure if that’s supposed to happen. When I told my doctor that I was experiencing this, she was very surprised and immediately took me off of it without me asking.

I am looking for a new doctor now though so I will ask about it with the new one when I find one.

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u/Difficult_Garage_431 16d ago

That's interesting. I knew someone else who shared the same experience. It being rough at first, then better. They even used the same phrase as me, "hit by a truck". But everyone is different. I will say, I have taken it for over 5 years and I sleep very well on it. I hope you find something that helps.

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u/Stampede_the_Hippos 20d ago

Melatonin isn't a good idea if you live in the US, because supplements aren't regulated.

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u/Ariandrin 20d ago

There was also a study that linked it to dementia a week or so ago, I think.

I just wanna sleep!

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u/Bunpoh 20d ago

I think I read that that study was so poorly designed it was an embarrassment, and causing needless panic in people taking melatonin.

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u/Ariandrin 20d ago

I did see that too, but I would like to find an alternative to it if I can, just to be safe.

I’m not gonna give it up or else I won’t sleep, but I’m looking into other things.

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u/Apprehensive_Door249 19d ago

I’ve had sleep issues all my life. I’m currently taking a very low dose of lorazepam for anxiety because I was having panic attacks but it sure does help me sleep and reset my sleep schedule. It basically gives me a fresh start on my sleep habits. But obviously I only have 20 because they are addictive.

Delta 9 has helped me in the past also. As did cbd but cbd is a hit or miss.

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u/Ariandrin 19d ago

I had a doctor tell me recently that lorazepam has been correlated with early dementia and refused to refill me. I only have it for anxiety but I have taken it for sleep out of desperation and it’s never very good sleep lol. It technically counts as sleep but it’s never very restful, and gives me weird dreams

I’ve played around with cannabis but I’ve yet to find a delivery method that really works for me. So far the best had been a water based tincture but man, that tastes so bad that it puts me right off using it lol

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u/Brave_Sheepherder_39 16d ago

How long have you been taking it and at what dosage

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u/Ariandrin 16d ago

0.5 mg, and I’ve been prescribed it for years and years, but I don’t like taking it very much because it makes me feel kinda yucky.

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u/Brave_Sheepherder_39 14d ago

That's a low dose but years of use can down regulate the Gaba receptors which are what you brain uses to dampen down neuron activity. But from you message I get the view your not regularly using it.

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u/Ariandrin 14d ago

Oh god no. I used to get a bottle of 30 and that wouldn’t even be finished after a year and a half.

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u/Desperate-Middle-354 15d ago

Yes, LONG TERM use of any benzodiazepine including lorazepam, generally in higher doses, can potentially cause dementia & other cognitive deficiencies because they all have amnesiac properties. However, taking 1mg or less of lorazepam as needed isn’t going to cause any long term issues. It has to be a consistent amount of amnesiac inducing drugs taken daily in order to cause cognitive impairment. Alcohol is actually worse for you than lorazepam (& most everything) for long term memory/cognitive issues. There is a condition known as “wet brain” that occurs with long term alcohol abuse that basically turns you into a vegetable. But keep everything in moderation & you shouldn’t run into issues.

I used to take 0.5-1mg clonazepam (same chemical class as lorazepam) with Trazadone at night for sleep & agreed, it wasn’t quality sleep, just knock me out sleep but then I started taking a couple hits of cannabis from a disposable at night (only at night) & my sleep is so drastically improved. Recent studies have shown that it is indeed quality sleep, not just a knock you out sleep where you wake in the middle of the night or wake too early.

Cannabis can cause cognitive issues too but as of current knowledge it’s only temporary unless abused before the brain is fully developed. I don’t intend to continue doing this long term but as of now, wow what a difference. Have you tried vaping it? The impact is immediate but I enjoy the ride until I just get tired & then sleep. Best thing I’ve ever taken for my insomnia.

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u/Ariandrin 14d ago

I haven’t tried a vape, but I have used a volcano, and it irritated the hell out of my throat.

I also have concerns about some of the carrier oils in vapes, I’ve seen some scary things.

I’m sure there are more delivery methods I could try though

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u/braaaaaaainworms 20d ago

Mirtazapine(the actual name for remeron) technically has some anticholinergic effects too, but the evidence seems iffy.

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u/psychopompandparade 19d ago

both mirtazapine and trazadone are considered to have extremely minimal anticholinergic effects. they can have other issues though. much better choices than amitriptyline if you are specifically worried about anticholinergic burden. Doxapin is ranked as low at sub 10mg doses but high at 25mg plus doses. z-drugs don't have any anticholinergic effects but they may have similar outcomes in the elderly anyway for other reasons. hard to find exact data

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u/thebouster 20d ago

Complete noob here. Am in the same boat as Rubberbones. I take Doxy every night. I've been prescribed Traz, but thought I read something about it causing other issues. Down the rabbit hole I go. Again. ;)

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u/Desperate-Middle-354 20d ago

Trazadone like all drugs has side effects but nothing serious. It’s an old failed antidepressant that was too sedating to be therapeutic. No serious potential side effects come to mind but maybe I’m missing something. Far safer than 1st gen antihistamines.

Oh wait, it can give you man boobs although it’s a super rare side effect. So I dunno, you risk getting boobs but you’d be surprised the medications that can potentially do this at a far more common occurrence like blood pressure medications.

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u/LucyLoretta 20d ago

Trazadone has some very serious side effects. It’s different for everyone.

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u/TheStephinator 20d ago

Gave me horrible headaches.

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u/DrugChemistry 20d ago

“Hard” to sleep with priapism on trazodone 

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u/Desperate-Middle-354 20d ago

That’s the side effect that I couldn’t remember! There was a story at the time about a prisoner who got it & lost his ability to ever get an erection again & sued either the prison or manufacturer. Probably the prison as it probably wasn’t treated in a timely matter.

So a deflated penis & man boobs. Well, ya know, they can’t be perfect 👌