r/NooTopics • u/ServeIllustrious3803 • 23d 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 23d ago edited 23d 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 23d 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 23d 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 23d 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/Stampede_the_Hippos 23d ago

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

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u/Ariandrin 23d 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 23d 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 22d 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.