Guest guest Posted October 17, 2001 Report Share Posted October 17, 2001 Hi a: I'm curious to know if you had success with the Zyrtec and Zantac why you didn't go back on it? If it was successful the first time around it might be again. I have been off and on it over the last 6 years. I have gone into remission every year since I developed hives. My outbreaks have lasted anywhere from 4 to 8 months. My remissions are getting longer although this past year I have had to take my meds every couple of days for intense itching. I do continue to get occasional hives but they seem to be limiting themselves to the corners of my eyes and my ears. My last major flair was last November after putting the cedar garland around my front door. This flair lasted 36 hours. I suspected maybe the cedar but had no problems taking it down. We will see what happens this year. The way I knew I was going in to remission was once the hives seemed to be settling down I would try to wean myself off the meds. Dropped from 2 doses of each a day to one. Typically I wouldn't have made the 12 hour mark without going insane from the itching. Eventually was able to get past that mark and then went to every other day and one day was able to finally stop. Hang in there! Barb London, Ontario, Canada May the wind be always at your back. mtnbiker@... mountainbiker41@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2001 Report Share Posted October 18, 2001 Thanks Barb, I'll try to hang in there! The reason I wanted to try something different than Zyrtec/Zantac is because they eventually seemed to stop working. The only thing that really controlled my hives was my change in diet (low histamine/lo salycilites). I still got some hives, but when I went off the meds there seemed to be even fewer. I was never totally hive free, maybe one or two days a week, if that. But I was doing really well. I'll keep you posted on the Doxepin... had my first one last night. This morning I'm better (about 30 hives) but I sure am sleepy. When Zantac/Zyrtec stop working, if you make a pause in taking them, can they work again? Take care, a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2001 Report Share Posted October 18, 2001 Hi a: I'm fighting a head cold and wrote my response after I worked the afternoon shift and realized that I screwed up my message. My bad days of hives are becoming a distant memory and I gave the wrong information. When I first got hives I tried Benadryl but couldn't function and still work. All I wanted to do was take care of was the itching. I tried self medicating for 2 weeks before I saw the Dr. He immediately put me on Zyrtec (Reactine here in Canada) 10 mg twice a day. I had 100% relief from the itching within 2 hours of the first dose. Although it took care of the itching it didn't do a thing for the hives. I didn't really care because the itching is what drove me insane. I was seeing my Doc every week and when I started to get swelling around my eyes and lips he tried me on Prednisone. I stopped the Zyrtec but lasted only about 3 days before I started ripping my skin off from scratching so much. I resumed the Zyrtec and stayed on the Prednisone. I definitely have the horror stories of side effects from Prednisone. I think I even scared my Doc I was so sick taking it. I was only on it for 19 days but it seemed like a lifetime. It's the closest I've come to feeling like I might be checking out. I developed my first migraine while on Prednisone and continue to get them now. Not often but can be quite debilitating to say the least. During this first outbreak (which lasted 8 months) I also added Zantac on the advice of a dermatologist. I don't recall that it made any difference. When my second outbreak started I took the Zyrtec again and it continued to take care of the itching. I just decided to let the hives do what ever they wanted to as long as I didn't itch. That is how I carried on with each subsequent outbreak until year 5. The Zyrtec was offering about 75% relief and by this time I had found this group and learned about the Z/Z combo. I went back to my Doctor and told him about the combo and he said he had heard of this combo so had no problems writing a script for me. Adding the Zantac brought the itching under control again. Here I am in year 6 and as I said I have continued to take the Z/Z combo every couple of days. It continues to offer me relief so I can't really comment on your question as to whether meds stopped working whether taking a break from the them would allow them to start working again. I used to know that I wasn't over this completely because I just had this feeling in my skin. Hard to describe! That feeling has changed though. Do I think it's totally out of my system? No, because I continue to get the odd hive but it has definitely changed and I do feel that I might be one of those ones that they just suddenly disappear as quickly as they came. Barb London, Ontario, Canada May the wind be always at your back. mtnbiker@... mountainbiker41@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Thanks again a. Have you found out anymore about getting the G-tube? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Sounds like a good plan. I have my endocrinologist appt set up for Aug. 21st and my consult with adult doc. number 1 on Sept. 4th. Let me know how your appt goes. I'll be thinking of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 , I haven't found out much more about the G-tube. My PCP was consulting with a GI specialist here, who is familiar with me and my " situation " . He felt it was best to send me to a GI specialist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. This is where all the " big wigs " are! :-) My appointment isn't until Sept. 2. So, I have a waiting period. I am playing things by ear right now! Thanks and smiles, a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 , I think it is to late for letting the principal bully me, but it is partly my fault. I need to stand up for myself more. Thankfully it is for just 2 hours tomorrow. Thanks for mentioning about the SLE and migraine medications. If it is okay with you, I will be mentioning this to my neuro. He is sort of "new" to all of this, although he thinks he knows a lot about it. I didn't think that the nubane, however, was one of the 9 migraine meds. That is what seemed to have caused my reaction or SLE or whatever it was. The neurologist seems to think it was a combination. He was still giving me Imitrix though. Since I have been out of the hospital, I have only taken one dose of that and that was the day I got out, on Monday. I have not taken it since and don't think I will ever take it again. The migraine is not gone, but the Naproxen seems to help the migraine more than anything else. I am supposed to be going up on the Topomax as a migraine preventative, even though it makes me feel sort of "out of it". Does it affect any one else's blood pressure? I am on B2 as a preventative, but just started it in September after seeing Dr. Peltier. Neurontin, believe it or not, had been doing a good job at keeping my migraines at bay. Thanks for all your help. I am so glad that I have this group and people like you to come to! Smiles, a a,I hope you don't let the principle bully you into coming back before you are ready. I wanted to let you know that I mentioned your SLE after taking the migraine med while I was at my neuro appointment the other day. Our local neuro said he would never let anyone that has SLE take any of the 9 migraine meds because of them being vasel (sp) dilators. Dr. Cohen also said that mito patients should stay away from them as well. I hope the seizure med helps prevent the migraines. Do you take the B2 as a preventative?Hugs, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 23, 2003 Report Share Posted October 23, 2003 , I think it is to late for letting the principal bully me, but it is partly my fault. I need to stand up for myself more. Thankfully it is for just 2 hours tomorrow. Thanks for mentioning about the SLE and migraine medications. If it is okay with you, I will be mentioning this to my neuro. He is sort of "new" to all of this, although he thinks he knows a lot about it. I didn't think that the nubane, however, was one of the 9 migraine meds. That is what seemed to have caused my reaction or SLE or whatever it was. The neurologist seems to think it was a combination. He was still giving me Imitrix though. Since I have been out of the hospital, I have only taken one dose of that and that was the day I got out, on Monday. I have not taken it since and don't think I will ever take it again. The migraine is not gone, but the Naproxen seems to help the migraine more than anything else. I am supposed to be going up on the Topomax as a migraine preventative, even though it makes me feel sort of "out of it". Does it affect any one else's blood pressure? I am on B2 as a preventative, but just started it in September after seeing Dr. Peltier. Neurontin, believe it or not, had been doing a good job at keeping my migraines at bay. Thanks for all your help. I am so glad that I have this group and people like you to come to! Smiles, a a,I hope you don't let the principle bully you into coming back before you are ready. I wanted to let you know that I mentioned your SLE after taking the migraine med while I was at my neuro appointment the other day. Our local neuro said he would never let anyone that has SLE take any of the 9 migraine meds because of them being vasel (sp) dilators. Dr. Cohen also said that mito patients should stay away from them as well. I hope the seizure med helps prevent the migraines. Do you take the B2 as a preventative?Hugs, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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