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Notes -
Antihistamines. Do they reduce IQ?
Yes. The sad thing about the majority of pharmaceuticals in use today is that they're blunt instruments, hammers substituted for scalpels. Histamine, while we're mostly accustomed to encountering its effects from annoyances like hives or allergies, also functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain. It happens to modulate arousal and awakening in the brain, which is why sedation is/was a common side effect of antihistamines (more so in the older ones).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10856168/#:~:text=In%20a%20recent%20comparative%20trial,memory%2C%20vigilance%2C%20and%20speed.
The second-generation antihistamines are classified as "non-sedating", which is more or less correct, even if a few of them do have mild sedative effect, at least they're much better in that regard than the OGs. Keep in mind you're not thinking your best when you've got a reason to take them, such as during allergies or a cold.
I don't see any suggestion that the effect persists indefinitely, at least not for acute use at recommended doses, and you can avoid the worst of it by getting the better ones from the non-sedating class.
I've been taking Claritin (loratadine) but I still feel like I'm losing some bandwidth. I can't hold as many things on my mind as I usually do. Too bad it's either this or hives for now.
Levocetirizine is a non-sedating one that causes minimal cognitive effects, I'd recommend it. The paper I linked has examples of some others that couldn't be disentangled from placebo, so hopefully you find one that works for you.
Or you could go for a topical preparation? That should have fewer cognitive side effects.
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