AboutMary E Scott, RPh, CGP Expertise I am a certified geriatric pharmacist with over 23 years experience as a long-term care consultant to nursing homes. I also do community-based consulting on an individual basis. My facility-based monthly newsletter on pharmacy topics is read by nurses in over 200 long-term care facilities in 5 states.
Experience I received a BS in Pharmacy in 1980 with post-graduate work in public health. I have had a Consultant Pharmacist license since 1984.
Organizations American Society of Consultant Pharmacists .I received certification in geriatric pharmacy in 1998.
Question My mom is addicted to benydrylhas been for a very long time. She takes it several times a day and doesnt even realize how many times she does.
My question is is there a placebo or vitamin that looks like benedryl that i may replace the original ones with?
thank you
Answer Hi,Alison,
It 's great that you are concerned about your mom's use of Benadryl. Is she taking it for allergies? Is she over 65 yrs of age?
If she is taking it for allergies, there are better antihistamines that are safer for her and don't require a prescription, Claritin and Zyrtec. Claritin also has a generic equivalent (loratadine) that is less expensive.
Benadryl is not recommended for people over 65. It has been proven to cause cognitive decline (confusion) because it accumulates in the body. I have seen people admitted to a nursing home with confusion who were taking Benadryl routinely. When it was discontinued, they "came out of the fog" and were much more mentally alert.
I would suggest that you show her this and urge her to see her doctor. Many people think that because a medication is available over the counter, that it is very safe. This is not always the case.
It is not possible to become "addicted" to Benadryl, but she probably feels that she needs it. I would not recommend trying to fool her by replacing the Benadryl with a look-alike. I don't know of anything that looks like it,anyway. If she found out, there would be a lack of trust for you, and you want to help her, not make your relationship worse.
Hope this helps,and God bless. Mary
