Pharmer.org

Taking benadryl and vicodin at the same time has the potential to make you extremely sedated.  Benadryl, is (obviously) an antihistamine.  Antihistamines have been known to cause sedation.  Couple that with a CNS depressant like Hydrocodone, and you've got the potential for an extremely lethargic day.

I know that itching is a side effect of Vicodin, but I thought that was usually just in higher doses, so I'm not sure why you are having such a rough time.

Gtrplayer

No the generic name for chlortrimeton is chlorpheniramine Maleate. Not aware of any abuse problems because of it's extended mechanism. I have talked to pharmacists and told them I was taking pain meds and trying to find something that wouldn't sedate me and keep the itching at bay.  The guy looked at me like I was a freak. He just snottily told me that I was on my own because he didn't condone that sort of behavior. So now I don't use walgreens because of that jerk. I even told him that they were RXed to me. He was just an A**hole. But you find them everywhere.  Good luck with the itchies. 

Some people, if they take Benadryl ALL the time (for allergies) become used to the medication and it doesn't keep them drowsy all the time. Benadryl can also cause excitability, believe it or not. I've had that happen, although usually it is more common if you also have restless-leg syndrome.

Yes, benadryl as a sleep aid is 'abused' to the extent that some people 'learn' that they can't fall asleep without it. But since you usually don't need higher doses of benadryl over time to get to sleep, it isn't really considered a big problem. Benadryl is one of those drugs that many OB-GYNs will allow a pregnant woman to take if she has allergies, so in appropriate doses it likely does little damage to your body.

I think, when they hire pharmacists for Walgreen's, that they must screen them to find pompous, 'I-know-better-than-you-OR-your-doctor-what-medications-you-should-take' types who categorize anyone who comes in to fill more than 10 Vicodin as drug-addicted. Can you imagine what the company policy book reads? Maybe 'Anyone who fills any prescription for a controlled substance must be treated like a criminal. Make sure that you personally discourage their prescription-filling behavior.'

Many narcotics release histamine into the system, but it's much more common with IV forms than pill forms.  Unfortunately, taking Benadryl sometimes takes getting used to to not make you sleepy.

I have to fight sometimes in the hospital because Dilaudid is the best pain med for me, but I do get itchy after the first dose, and  sometimes they want to try to switch me to somethign else, (Morphine makes me break out in hives, Demerol doesn't do squat), so I finally get them to agree to the 25mg of Benadryl....