Reply #12: As part of my treatment with a blood product years ago,

[kimi]

I used to get Benadryl IV prior to treatment. It should have been given by slow IV push, 50 milligrams over 5 minutes. Even then, it gave a very weird, kind of slammed-between-the-eyes feeling, and a metallic taste in the mouth, and a stinging sensation in the vein all the way up my arm. Once, I had the misfortune to get a nurse who had no clue, and she just pumped that stuff in, quick as a blast. I honestly had never feared for my life in a hospital before - hell, I was a nurse - but I thought I was going to f*&king die, and couldn't say a word, cause I was paralyzed by the med. It hurt, and felt like an axe hit me right between the eyes. I was awake and immobile for hours, my heart beating out of my chest but I couldn't move. Scariest 3 hours ever. After that, I always stopped the nurse before she gave it, and reminded her of how to administer it - didn't care how wimpy I sounded.

Benadryl is not as benign as it seems, IMO.