Sandra asked
My doctor prescribed me to take Prilosec every day for heartburn, Is it okay to use Benadryl with it?
Answer
There is no known drug interaction between Prilosec and Benadryl. In addition, they do not generally share similar side effects and there is not risk of an increase in side effects if these agents are taken together.
Benadryl
Benadryl is an antihistamine that works by blocking the binding of histamine to to its receptors in the body. Histamine is a molecule that causes the symptoms involved in an allergic reaction, like a runny nose, itching and a rash. This medication commonly causes patients to feel sleepy and drowsy which is why it is also commonly used as a sleep aid.
Prilosec
Prilosec is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), which works on the acid pumps within the stomach to decrease the amount of acid secreted. It effectively decreases the acidity of the stomach. It is used to treat heartburn and acid reflux.
While effective, Prilosec is generally not recommended to not be used long term as there have been a number of studies that have found the decrease in stomach acidity can possibily lead to other disease. Most notably is osteoporosis, due to the decreased absorption of calcium. It has also been found that the acidic environment of the stomach acts as a barrier to infections and patients who take proton pump inhibitors long term are more likely to develop a bacterial infection known as C. diff, which can be difficult to treat in some patients.
For maximum effectiveness, Prilosec should be taken around 60 minutes before a meal and should not be used for more than 14 days in a row unless prescribed by your doctor.
