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Hi, everyone.  Strange to see the benadryl reaction thread and
"relive" my past experience with this prescription drug.  Years ago,
I was taking oral benadryl for an allergic reaction when I went into
the kind of extreme reaction described by Amanda.  In addition to the
inability to breathe or talk, the rapid heart rate, feeling faint,
and panicking, I turned bright red (instant rash) all over.  When I
got to the emergency room, they told me very emphatically never to
take benadryl again for any reason--so I haven't.  I use vistaril
instead (rarely)-- and have not had any problems with it.  At the
time, I had no idea that I might be celiac or gluten intolerant--had
never heard of celiac disease.  Also, I used to experience similar
panic or anxiety attacks when taking antibiotics (but without the
rash)--and sometimes for no apparent reason.  Since this happened
regularly, and my heart rate became quite abnormal (as rapid as 300
beats per minute), I was something of a puzzle to the doctors I saw
at the university health service (I was a student then).  Eventually,
someone decided to try inderal, which did help.  I took it for about
a year, and the "attacks" gradually subsided.
     I'm much older now, no longer expose myself to gluten (at least
not on purpose) and no longer experience such extreme and unpleasant
physical states.  I have had very fleeting reactions to antibiotics,
to diflucan, and to whatever my ophthalmologist uses to dilate his
patients' pupils--but nothing severe enough to send me to the
emergency room.
    If anyone has any information on why some celiacs or those with
gluten intolerance react so oddly to prescription drugs (even
antihistamines), please post.  The only place I've encountered
similar descriptions is on the AUTISM list.
 
Thanks,
Jeanne Prine
(Athens, Georgia)
 
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