nantynannie Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 Hi Everyone,I just wanted to let you guys know that for the last week I have been taking a Zyrtec 10mg in the morning and Claritan/Benadryl at night, and I CANNOT BELIEVE how much I've been able to stand. Before this medication, I was able to stand for 3-5 minutes tops before I'd get very hot and sweaty and shakey. Everywhere I go I carry my cane seat or I'm looking around like a nervous rat for a place to sit. This week I've been able to stand more than I have in 5 years. I even got through a short run to COSTCO. It is unbelievable! My husband was off on vacation this week so we were running around a lot. I think it was more of a relief to him than it was to me. He is always looking around for a place for me to sit.I know this won't work for everyone, and might not work for me forever, but it is certainly worth a try for those of us who have H-POTS. BTW, interestingly enough, my heartrate is still getting high, but my reaction to the high heartrate is diminished. So I have a high heartrate, but no intense heat with the sweats and shakes and the need to sit asap. Please let me know if antihistamines work for anyone else.(I am taking old meds Provigil 100, Welbuterin 300 and the new med Zyrtec every morning, maybe it is the combo that is helping?)Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 I haven't been tested for MCAD but I suspect that I may have it. My POTS symptoms are much better when my allergies are controlled.Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinkerbella Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 Hi,I've had to be on allergy 24/7 for the past 15 years, standing is a challenge for me. I don't know what mcad is.I take Allerga 2 x's a day and Bennadryl for breakthrough allergies. Could you educate me? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flop Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 Hi,MCAD is mast cell activation disorder.Mast cells are the white cells in the body that contain histamine and other allergic response chemicals. When somone has an allergy the mast cells breakdown (degranulate) and release histamine causing swelling / itching / redness etc.There is a condition called mastocytosis where people have an abnormally large amount of these mast cells and have problems from the release of the histamine etc.MCAD people have a normal number of mast cells but the misbehave and release histamine etc for all sorts of different reasons (often not an actual allergy, some people find that the stress on the body of standing up causes release of histamines and that histamine is the cause of low BP and tachycardia).There isn't a cure for MCAD but people often feel much better on a combination of antihistamines (H1 and H2 blockers) and other anti-allergy meds.MCAD is a relatively newly discovered condition and not all immunologists agree that it exists.If you use the search function in the forum and search for MCAD you will come up with more info. There is a post with links to lots of research articles about MCAD.Flop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajw4790 Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 Hi!I am glad you found it helped you out! I hope that it continues to be helpful and may help drs. figure out what all is going on!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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