persephone Posted June 2, 2005 Report Share Posted June 2, 2005 I was interested to read about Mast Cell activation disorders on this website. I mentioned it to one ofthe registrars last week who almost laughed me out of the hospital and told me allergies were completely irrelevant to POTS/VVS.But I know that on days when my nose runs and I'm sneezin all over the joint, my pulse is faster and I get more symptoms.People tried telling me I just had hay fever, but all day, every day of the year, I will now sneeze unless I take an antihistamine (cetirizine at the moment). Sometimes I have to take 3 or 4 a day which I guess is not good for me- but I sneeze and my eyes stream and I just feel icky.Does anyone else have this problem? Is it true that too much histamine in the blood can cause a vasovagal or POTSy response?I'm trying to think laterally cos still no one can give me a reason for WHY pots has happened.do you think some people just never get to find out why they have it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miriam Poorman-Knox Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 I think the reason pots ahppens is different for everyone!!! As for the mast cell's,I have been having whole bodt scratching. The problem is that this is at a cellular level--mast calls- so we have to take drugs that specifically attack that. I take Allegra. my doc tried to get me to only need it every other day, but no luck must take LA every day. Benadryl helps some also. On the site with explanations there is a site for the mastocytois. It is good. Also oatneal baths help. Its the piits but just another gem we get to deal with. Miriam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted June 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 Isn't one of the side effects of benadryl a tachycardia? I was told to avoid benadryl as it would make my pots much, much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miriam Poorman-Knox Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 My dermatologist recommends it. It does make some sleepy. Not us usually because of our high levels of adrenolin!!!! It's not a vasodilator so I don't think thats a problem. Again on the site it recommends stuff to take and benadryl is one. Even though it does not do a thing for me. I need a horses dose!!Miriam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steph37822 Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzygirl Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 hi persephone... I suffer from year round allergies too, I just started taking Alavert for my allergies. Hopefully it works. I use Aveeno oatmeal bath when i get the all over body itchies. it does offer some relief.I hope that you find some relief.Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted June 3, 2005 Report Share Posted June 3, 2005 persephone,YES! your allergies can set off your POTS, but steph is also right about taking the meds that you are taking and those aggravating your POTS. I take allegra and singulair with good results, but i still have to really watch being outside, wash off when i come inside, etc...it is worth trying to control your allergies i think...emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4cem Posted June 7, 2005 Report Share Posted June 7, 2005 I also find my allergies are making my symptoms more pronounced. I don't know whats causing what! My sinuses are so inflamed at times I can't breathe and that makes my lightheaded or is that the dysautonomia? lol. I go from stuffy to runny, itchy,dry eyes to watery, out of breath when it's really bad. I've used claritin, allegra and zyrtec. All worked about the same, could not tell the difference. All of those were without psuedephrine(sp?) otherwise I get tachy. I use Zicam nasal gel as well as a mix that my allergist gives me. I have been using singulair and it has helped with at least easing the chest symptoms from allergies.I do notice that when I am really bad with allergies my heart rate increases. I just guess that it is from my being so clogged up and can't breathe through the nose that everything else has to work harder. Just like having a cold, my h/r increases also.Distilled warm water mixed with salt and snorting it up your nose one side at a time can reduce any sinus symptoms, it reduces the inflammation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gena Posted June 7, 2005 Report Share Posted June 7, 2005 I don't necessarily have a flare-up of POTS symptoms when I have allergies, but I have noticed that my hay fever/seasonal and animal allergies are much more pronouonced since getting POTS last summer. My childhood allergies had subsided greatly and then came back with a vengance since POTS. I take MSM, and quercitin which help control the histamine reactions, and I also use an air purifier.If I'm really bad, I take Benadryl --without any problems. It's Sudafed that can cause tachycardia.Gena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitsakatsa Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 Okay, I have a very POTS memory (eg. that of a goldfish), but I had researched the same thing about 3 months ago. I have chronic runny nose now that I have POTS and never before. I found that there is a connection between your natural epinephrine receptors or producing neurons and how the body reacts to it. I'll try and remember what it is exactly. But, my question was that the research shows that runny noses are the same mechanism as POTS and if you cure one, will you cure the other. I asked my Intl Med doc and he researched it with our staff pharmacist, who researched it with his peers and a week later reported that the theory is scientifically solid (Hee hee, I'm not a clinical person), but that in order to cure POTS on that magnitude, you would have to have a higher dosage that would result in some very serious effects. Also, that the formulation that I suggested- Phenylephrine- is a global vasoconstrictor that would indeed raise blood pressure but would place the patient at risk for stroke. I did try taking Zyrtec last Monday though and I swear that I felt better. Could have been the other stuff I was playing around with that day though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted June 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 Ok, that *IS* interesting. I've always felt there was a connection between POTS and my hayfever/allergies. On days when I sneeze more, I faint more! I've just had to take my first midodrine in AGES because I've had 3 tips today (i call faints tisp= I tip over, like a jug of water and everything spills out everywhere!)I was fine until Monday. Which was-guess what- when I ran out of antihistamine! Then I began to get erratic pulse- had 40 and 160 in one day yesterday, and my blood pressure? Well....anything from 203/152 (a personal record!) and 76/41.I wonder what will happen now I have my antihistamine back. I'll take one tomorrow and see how I get on...I'll let you know, as this could be really relevant.When I told a neurologist in London about this connection, between allergies and POTS he replied that I was looking for patterns and finding them where there weren't any.Glad I'm not the only one who's found this. And congrats on taking the initiative and getting ball rolling with your Doc and the research! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 persephone:have you read this brochure:http://www.pediatricnetwork.org/medical/OI/johnshopkins.htmit talks about allergies and POTS and their connection (i think it does, i hope i have that right!)oh, man, now i'm hungry. i feel like steph, needing a snack in the middle of the night!em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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