Can Benadryl And Delsym Be Taken together?

Hi Issam and thank you for reaching out to us.

Diphenhydramine, or under the brand name Benadryl is a “first generation” antihistamine. It was originally used as an effective allergy medication, but became a popular sleep aid due to the fact that it almost always causes drowsiness. Additionally, it can cause dizziness, dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, and next day fatigue.

Delsym, like many other over-the-counter cough and cold medications, has multiple different formulations available. The most commonly used and original formulation contains an extended release formulation of a cough suppressant, dextromethorphan. 

Look on the back of your Delsym bottle. If the active ingredient is listed as dextromethorphan, then yes, there is no known drug interaction between it and diphenhydramine, and it should be safe to take these medications together. If you see other active ingredients besides dextromethorphan on your Delsym bottle, then I would recommend avoiding taking the two medications together until you know they are safe to combine (ask your pharmacist!)

Lastly, Delsym is a suspension, so while it’s sitting on your shelf, all of the medication has sank to the bottom of the bottle. Please make sure that you shake the bottle well before you measure out a dose!

Thanks for reaching out to us and I hope this helps!