I have a rash on my legs from using lotion i am apparently allergic to. i had one cocktail with dinner about 2 hours ago. how soon can i take benadryl (diphenhydramine)?

Now's OK: As long as you aren't going to drive or do anything dangerous. Thanks for trusting HealthTap!

Depends on ur health: Metabolism of alcohol depends on many things, so it is hard to know 4 sure how much alcohol is still in your system. How many oz. did u drink? Older, obese people, those with liver problems, & certain ethnic groups metabolize more slowly. If u ate food with ur cocktail, it will slow absorption. Generally, ~10g alcohol metabolized /hr & the BAL goes dn by 0.01% per hr, so I'd wait ~4 hrs for 4 oz.

Drowsiness: Benadryl (diphenhydramine) will add to the drowsiness effect of alcohol but a 25 mg dose will not likely cause problem. However if you have a contact allergy to one of the ingredients in the lotion, topical hydrocortisone cream will likely do a better job.