Antihistimines: Am I The Only One Who Can't Tolerate Them?

[LindaJoy]

Hey, everyone,

Is there anyone out there who simply cannot antihistimines? I was all happy last week coming from my new allergist at OSU Medical Center. She spent two hours with me and my husband and actually has a plan to help me. That's a new one.

Well, long story short, her plan includes oodles and gobbs of medications, namely antihistamines, and my ol' POTS body isn't tolerating them none too well, especially the Zantac 150 twice a day. After I take it, my heart speeds up and goes slightly irregular and I get all shaky, dizzy and lightheaded. I also get terrible stomach pains now when I eat and after the meds. When I called the allergist, her secretary called back and said that the doctor said that Zantac causes a slow heart rate, not fast, and to simply lower the dose. I'm sorry, but I looked it up in my trusty pill book, and the heart symptom is tach with irregular beats. It makes me so mad when the doctor won't listen to what my body is actually doing on the med and simply insists on what the textbooks say. Of course, I went off to no one in particular about how I'm back to where I was last year with docs who are wasting my time and not helping because they want me to be a simple textbook case, able to swallow and tolerate anything they want to put down me. Only now, my husband, who was once so supportive, is not so supportive anymore. He's starting to blame me a little that I'm sick because I "won't take the meds the docs want me on." It's not that I won't, I CAN'T!!!! Do they all think that I want to be sick all the time? I would down any med I could tolerate if it would give me my life back! Anyway, am I the only one here who can't seem to tolerate any med anymore without it causing terrible neuropathic POTS problems?

We did call my neurologist, Dr. Shields, from CCF, to ask him if he would work with my allergist on my meds so that I can benefit from them for my horrific allergies, yet not tear up my POTS. I hope something good will come of it.

One more thing: my stomach is killing me every time I eat now, since I was, again, put on and taken off of steroids. The Zantac makes it worse, as does Mylanta, Maalox and generic stomach reducer. Anyone know of something that may help but won't trigger POTS?

Thanks, everyone.

Linda

p.s. Seeing a new internal medicine / pcp physician tomorrow. Wish me luck!!! First one who will even see me in nearly nine months!!

[Tanzanite]

I use old fashioned Chlorpheniramine, it is one of the drowsy ones though. I am lactose intolerance so I get stomach pains and upset stomach from them though.

[lmbutare]

I take Allegra 180 once a day and it doesn't seem to cause any problems for me...non-drowsy. Have to have a prescription for it, but your allergist might prescribe it for you. It seems like we all have different weird reactions to drugs though, so I hope it won't bother you...

[Tammy]

We know our bodies best and if the medication is making us feel worse - unless it's a life threatening situation, there's little point to continuing on it. Tachycardia can be a side effect of Zantac, so it's not your imagination. More typically bradiacardia can result but everyone is unique to it. Hope they find something or a combination of meds that will help you.

- Tammy

[Patricia]

Linda,

You are SO not alone! I am sorry for your situation as I know how frustrating it is to not tolerate things that could give me a much better life. I take CHIPS of pills and react to them. Doctors accuse me of being "mental" because they don't know anyone as sensitive. I have tried ALL antihistamines and only tolerated a half pill of one that was later taken off the market. On a chip of Allegra, I was awake until 4:00a.m. I now take Benadryl liquid 1/2 tsp. as needed and do nasal saline lavages.

An option is having the medicines compounded to a smaller dose at a Compounding pharmacy. It is much more costly though. I have no suggestions for your tummy...sorry.

Good Luck!

Patricia