buy this. Please do not buy regular Benadryl since it contains Red 40, something that many children and people with food allergies are allergic to. I have severe food alelrgies and taking dye-free benadryl has saved me from anaphylaxis more than once.
I can only imagine what it's like for those who work at the company that manufacturers this product to know that what they create saves lives -every day.
This is also a product that mitigates many forms of misery that arise with allergies -ranging from (& just to name a few, from my direct experience) itchiness due to contact with some form of allergen, to sneezing that doesn't seem to stop, to sinus inflammation & stuffiness that result in painful pressure & can include endless eye-watering, to hives (& the associated intense itching), to angioedema, to bronchospasms (& allergy-induced asthma), to the cascading symphony of systemic response leading to anaphylaxis.
Every individual's allergy profile is different, of course, but a critical reality that is key for each (when in the throes of an allergic reaction) is mediation of the histamine release that is triggered as a consequence of allergy -& there is a reason that when a patient experiencing a severe allergic reaction is treated in an emergency room, the antihistamine that is used (along with a corticosteroid to reduce inflammation, & adrenaline/epinephrine to reverse anaphylaxis) is diphenhydramine hydrochloride (i.e. the active ingredient in Benadryl).
Diphenhydramine hydrochloride is (so far, & for the past 50+ years) the 'gold standard' when it comes to antihistamines, & it would seem that the pivotal reason so many other antihistamine/allergy medications came into existence was the fact that Benadryl can make you sleepy, & that side effect is obviously not a desirable one if one needs to do anything other than sleep (though it is a boon for the over-the-counter sleep aid industry, as those products predominantly end up being diphenhydramine hydrochloride marketed as a sleep aid, instead of an allergy medication [basically, & indirectly, Benadryl is essentially a top over-the-counter sleep aid]).
For regular seasonal allergies, I need to use something that doesn't make me drowsy, & thus my default medication for such is a different product, but when 'push comes to shove', & symptoms breach a certain threshold of misery (let alone the times when my life is on the line), I need to throw the 'mother of all antihistamines' at such, & that's one of the times when I'll utilize Benadryl.
Benadryl is also the first thing I reach for if I encounter sudden itching that I 'can tell' is allergic in nature, & I notice an increasing intensity to the itching (which has at times been the only preceding 'symptom' prior to hives forming) -in such circumstances, I don't have time to mess around with something that might deal with a fraction of the issue but allow me to not feel tired -in this type of circumstance, I'll take a single 25mg Benadryl (& monitor the effect, to determine whether I need to take one more).
Also, if allergy-based sneezing ends up being so frequent & intense that I can tell my abs will be sore the next day (those who have experienced such know what I'm talking about), then that's another time when I need to 'get down to antihistamine business', & I'll take some Benadryl (and due to the drowsiness that can occur, I try to get by with a single 25mg capsule, but if I truly need to take an additional capsule, I'll relent & do so).
My most important use of Benadryl, however, & by far, is in conjunction with severe allergic reactions.
Given my familiarity with what my severe allergic reaction instances are like, & what the respective preludes involve (for the 3 different forms of severe reaction I experience) -& critically, how much time has tended to be associated with each -Benadryl ends up providing me with a crucial temporary impedance that buys me a little time (if I take two 25mg capsules asap), & allows me to at least temporarily refrain from using an Epi-Pen (though I'll have it with me while someone else drives me to an Emergency Room [& would use the Epi-Pen en route, if necessary, though my intent is to arrive at the ER, & have medical staff administer adrenaline (along with the relevant IV-push -administered diphenhydramine hydrochloride & the corticosteroid), as I am not at all comfortable with stabbing myself with a needle (let alone anything else, for that matter)]).
Additionally, another form of severe allergic reaction I've experienced involves allergy-induced asthma -Benadryl's ability to rapidly address the histamine response has thusfar allowed me to minimize use of an inhaler in such circumstances (& for anyone who has had to use an inhaler, or adrenaline/epinephrine, period, & experienced the funky cardiac flutteriness that goes along with such, not needing to go through that again is a gift).
Two final comments...
1) While there are generic versions of this product available, this is one product for which I will always stick with the name brand. As I've discovered with other generic medications, there are sometimes unexpected differences in either composition, manufacture, &/or goodness-only-knows that ends up making a difference -negatively (including the ironic [for this discussion] reality that a single 'inactive' ingredient added to a very commonly used over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, & produced overseas, involved a compound I'd never even heard of, & which I learned is used to alter an aspect of the tabletting process -though unfortunately, it triggered a non-trivial allergic reaction [& its presence in the medication was utterly unnecessary & had nothing to do with the medication's function]).
So, when it comes to a medication that is as important in its function as Benadryl is (i.e. at times, life or death), I'm not going to roll the dice with a generic -it simply isn't worth the risk. I have come to rely on the predictable effectiveness of Benadryl, & the circumstances in which I use it tend to involve an element of time having relevance, thereby making the reliability of the outcome all the more important.
That being said, & to underscore the criticality of this medication to my existence -when my tongue begins to swell, &/or my throat begins to swell shut, or I suddenly experience bronchospasms which involve a temporary loss of the involuntary response to breathe in, time is of the essence, & the very first thing that I do is ingest 50mg of Benadryl -in those circumstances, it becomes the first action in a key chain of events necessary to save my life, & Benadryl has proven itself a steadfast ally, & a formidable foe to histamine. In times of dire need, I utilize this product with confidence, & am grateful for all it has done for me.
2) Although AmEx may have been the first to market their product as being one for which we are advised, "don't leave home without it", Benadryl & an Epi-Pen are the don't-leave-home-without-it elements in the limited lifesaving 'arsenal' that is with me at all times.
It is my opinion, however, that it wouldn't hurt for others to have Benadryl as a kind of 'first aid' item in their possession, should someone in their presence end up needing it (but not otherwise have access to such -& again, when time is of the essence). One never knows when having some Benadryl onhand might prove to make a world of difference to someone else. Several years ago, the Benadryl I had with me on an otherwise ordinary day was pivotal in saving the life of someone I barely knew.
Bottom line: I and many others would not be alive today were it not for Benadryl. And to have it available in a form that is free of dyes, & essentially minimizes the ingredients to which one's body would be exposed (especially when we're talking about a customerbase with hypersensitive immune systems), is ideal (one of the last things anyone who benefits from Benadryl would ever want to have happen is to develop an allergy to any ingredient in the product).
Lastly: For anyone out there who ends up needing to take this product to address the sudden presence of hives, etc., & hasn't ever experienced such before, &/or hasn't ever taken more than one 25mg capsule, & concludes that they are suddenly facing a circumstance which requires more than the minimum dose -the maximum advised 'out of the gate' dosage of Benadryl (outside of a hospital setting) is 50mg (i.e. (2) 25mg capsules) -& as I learned the hard way, if you take 50mg of Benadryl on an empty stomach, & you happen to be one of the many for whom the sedative side effect of Benadryl can impact you relatively swiftly (& whether or not you are yet aware of that being a reality for you), then please be advised that 50mg of Benadryl (an already fast-acting medication) on an empty stomach could potentially cause you to experience a sedative side effect that is so rapid & intense that it feels like you're being 'knocked out' (& given that I'd not experienced such a thing before, it was terrifying [it felt like someone was 'turning off the lights' of my life altogether -an already stressful circumstance was unexpectedly amplified in a way & with an intensity I was unfamiliar with, & which was highly unwelcome, to say the least]).
If you're alone when you feel it imperative that you take the 50mg dosage (heck, even if you've taken 50mg before, but never on an empty stomach), I cannot help conveying the following (& I'm not a doctor, I'm just someone who can only hope that my experience might help inform another) -it would be advisable to call someone before ingesting the 50mg dose (especially if it somehow isn't possible to immediately be in the presence of another individual), to quickly inform them of what you're about to do, & for them to stay on the phone with you (especially if there is a need to ultimately call for emergency assistance), while you talk to & with them, to help you fight to stay awake (& regardless of circumstance, if you're experiencing first-time -type symptoms associated with an allergic reaction, fight like crazy to stay awake, period -try NOT to fall asleep, no matter how suddenly tired you might feel [my first anaphylactic reaction occurred after close to an hour of hives beginning to appear on my arms & legs, & not only did I not know (at the time) that what was emerging on my body were hives, let alone that I was experiencing an escalating allergic reaction, but I was alone at the time, & ultimately began to feel extremely tired, & practically felt compelled to simply 'lie down for a bit' (it felt like I was about to fall asleep) -but something told me that I shouldn't, & as the medical personnel who ended up saving my life less than an hour later ultimately conveyed to me, after their rapid retrieval of my body upon its collapse, after the difficult series of minutes struggling to breathe through an airway that was swelling shut, had I proceeded to lie down & go to sleep when the feeling initially came over me, I might not ever have awakened]).
Although Benadryl is a fairly ubiquitous medication, is non-habit-forming, & non-reactive with other medications, it definitely commands my respect & healthy caution when it comes to ingesting it, & especially when doing so on an empty stomach (& obviously, fast-reacting is an ideal quality to have when it comes to the treatment of an allergic reaction -but it truly stunned me just how overwhelming it was to fight to stay conscious after ingesting 50mg of Benadryl on an empty stomach).
Unless I am experiencing the prelude symptoms of one of my severe allergic reactions, I simply don't take more than 25mg at a time, though if I were to somehow think it best for me to ingest 50mg, I would likely do so in a staggered dose (& regardless of whether [though especially if] it involved an empty stomach), & wouldn't take the second 25mg capsule until the first had made it into my bloodstream.
Buy Benadryl Dye-Free Allergy Reliefs, 25mg Each, 24-Count Liqui-gels Now
I love this product as it contains no red dye. It is a little hard to find in regular drug stores so I am happy Amazon carries it....I use it as a sleep aid and use it on fairly regular basis. E. Law
Read Best Reviews of Benadryl Dye-Free Allergy Reliefs, 25mg Each, 24-Count Liqui-gels Here
If you think about it, as an allergic person WHY is pink dye needed in a medication for allergies? Some people with allergies are actually allergic to dyes too. It always seems counter intuitive to me. But here, on Amazon I found what I was looking for: "Dye Free" Benadryl. The caplet delivery is nice because they are fast.
Unfortunately, the dye-free stuff is harder to find and it's more expensive. It works like regular Benadryl but I would venture to say that this hypoallergenic alternative is probably just a little bit better for you.
It's weird to buy hypoallergenic allergy medicine ... but that's what this is. When you don't need the extra stuff.
Want Benadryl Dye-Free Allergy Reliefs, 25mg Each, 24-Count Liqui-gels Discount?
I only wish I could continue with the dye-free capsules. Unfortunately, I'm being forced into the sugar and dyes because of a feeding tube.
Second to the j tube is a company that will not pay for several meds, just because. Causing further health related issues.
I am on a long list of medications for allergies, on a daily basis. This one no mater its format works best, and for me at least no tiredness.
This pillow has been very comfortable to use as a knee pillow for sleeping. It provides just the right balance between lift and softness. It's fairly pricey for a small pillow so, for the price, I feel it should at least include a simple white case.
