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Hypertension and Benadryl

bump54321bump54321 member
in High-Risk Pregnancy

My blood pressure was doing really well over the past two weeks.  But, over the past few days it has started to creep up a little (though surprisingly it was fine at the doctor's office yesterday - hopefully it wasn't due to the girl putting the cuff on wrong and using my left arm instead of my right arm, which is notorious for causing lower readings......).  This morning when I woke up it was 147/108.  I've been taking benadryl the past two nights for allergies and to help me sleep.  Just plain ol' benadryl - no decongestants. 

So, my question is:  Can plain benadryl cause my blood pressure to go up?  I know it's probably wishful thinking, but it's so much easier to just stop taking benadryl at night than to call my doctor and end up in L&D again.  TIA Smile

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Re: Hypertension and Benadryl

  • SuwaneeGirlSuwaneeGirl

    It's not likely to in "healthy" people. If you are already having BP problems it may not be a good choice. Please check with a pharmacist and your physician on this.

    There are other allergy meds that are fine to use in pregnancy. I took Singular with no problems.

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  • bump54321bump54321 member
    Thanks! I take Zyrtec daily, but sometimes it doesn't always do the job.  Benadryl is one of the choices my OB recommended on the OK to take list, but I never thought of it causing blood pressure to go up.  In the side effects, it actually says it can cause HYPOtension.  But, it's the only thing I've done differently the past two nights, and that's when I started seeing the spike.  So, correlation doesn't equal causation, but it was a coincidence that got me thinking......
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  • grapeape73grapeape73 member

    Benadryl is the only med my OB will let me take for allergies because of my BP issues.  He said it won't raise BP.  Is your resting BP that high?

     

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  • bump54321bump54321 member
    imagegrapeape73:

    Benadryl is the only med my OB will let me take for allergies because of my BP issues.  He said it won't raise BP.  Is your resting BP that high?

     

     

    I'm on strict bed rest, so yeah that was my "resting bp".  I woke up, walked the 10 steps to my bathroom, went to the bathroom,  walk to the couch (we have a one story house, so no stairs), sat down and took my bp.  It's come down since.  And this morning when I was L&D lying down for my NST, my bp was great.....  Last night it was also really high.  And it's been that way the past two evenings.  But it comes down during the day.  Not really sure what's going on.....

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  • bump54321bump54321 member
    imagejsmott76:
    imagegrapeape73:

    Benadryl is the only med my OB will let me take for allergies because of my BP issues.  He said it won't raise BP.  Is your resting BP that high?

     

     

    I'm on strict bed rest, so yeah that was my "resting bp".  I woke up, walked the 10 steps to my bathroom, went to the bathroom,  walk to the couch (we have a one story house, so no stairs), sat down and took my bp.  It's come down since.  And this morning when I was L&D lying down for my NST, my bp was great.....  Last night it was also really high.  And it's been that way the past two evenings.  But it comes down during the day.  Not really sure what's going on.....

     

    Oh, and this was an hour and a half AFTER taking my bp medicine Indifferent

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  • SuwaneeGirlSuwaneeGirl

    Definitely call your physician and report it. Also, you can ask for a prescription sleep aid. Ambien is safe during pregnancy. Not sure if it will raise BP too, but I got it when I was hospitalized for pre-e.  

    You may have to tinker with your allergy meds and maybe even try a new one...

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  • bump54321bump54321 member
    imageSuwaneeGirl:

    Definitely call your physician and report it. Also, you can ask for a prescription sleep aid. Ambien is safe during pregnancy. Not sure if it will raise BP too, but I got it when I was hospitalized for pre-e.  

    You may have to tinker with your allergy meds and maybe even try a new one...

     

    I went to L&D today for a scheduled NST.  I told the nurse about it, and asked if the Benadryl could do that.  She didn't really think it was the Benadryl because I only took 1 1/2 pills last night.  She asked another nurse on duty and she said the same thing.  So, like you, they told me to ask a pharmacist.  The NST took 3 hours (apparently my baby doesn't like me laying on my left side, but we didn't figure that out until 2 hours into the NST when they had me change to my right side) and an OB from my practice came over to look at it, but I didn't actually see her.    Anyway, my bp was really good while I was there.  But, it's always really low when I'm laying on my side.  It goes up when I sit up.  So, if I call, they'll tell me to go to L&D, but I'll get there and my bp will be perfect.  I guess I'll just stay laying down and take my bp that way.

     

    I know that Claritan is ok to take during pregnancy, so maybe I'll try switching to that.  I'll ask the pharmacist before I do though....  And good idea about a prescription sleep aid.  I go back for a doctor's appointment next week, so I'll ask.  I'm not really sleeping very well, so it would probably help.

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  • BrainySmurfetteBrainySmurfette
    I don't Benadryl is likely to cause an increase in BP, but pain and sleep deprivation can make it go up.  That aside, my doctor told me to call if you bottom number exceeds 100, so I think you should report this regardless.
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