Arthritis and allergy medicine (Fexofenadine /AKA Allegra) ?

[LuvOrlando]

Anyone ever notice a significant improvement in autoimmune arthritis with OTC allergy medicine?

I had to take a new antibiotic & got a terrible rash, went to urgent care and the Dr told me to take OTC Pepcid & Allegra, first off I had no idea Pepcid helps with allergies.
That day I noticed that not only the rash vanished but a lot of swelling went down with the autoimmune arthritis and there is both more movement and comfort, what an odd way to discover an improvement. I don't have allergies so I never ever would have taken either OTC Pepcid or Allegra. Now I don't know which one is helping but I don't want to stop either.

Has anyone else ever noticed this?

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

Histamines that cause allergic inflammation also cause RA inflammation. So antihistamines should help. Basically anything to calm the overactive immune system.
Allergy medication is actually usually an add-on treatment for RA.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Histamines that cause allergic inflammation also cause RA inflammation. So antihistamines should help. Basically anything to calm the overactive immune system.
Allergy medication is actually usually an add-on treatment for RA.

No-one suggested it to me ever & I've been looking for help for quite a long time. Now that I am digging a bit it seems that there are studies floating around. Just unreal that I was put on all sorts of dangerous biologics and prescriptions with horrible side effects and black box warnings when a cheap OTC option was in my cabinet for a family member with allergies the whole time floored

 

[DLgal]

Pepcid is commonly given during allergic reactions. It's an H2 antagonist, which means it targets histamine. Most antihistamines for allergies are H1 antagonists. H1 and H2 antagonists target different histamine receptors, so they are used together just in case an H1 drug doesn't fully resolve the allergic reaction.

And yes, histamine is related to a hyperactive immune system, so reducing it will affect that.

If you are going to take something daily to try and help your autoimmune arthritis, make it the Allegra. You don't want to take Pepcid daily long term.

 

[leahgoogle]

It's the histamines mentioned above. Going on a low histamine diet will have a similar effect without needing to rely on medication.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Pepcid is commonly given during allergic reactions. It's an H2 antagonist, which means it targets histamine. Most antihistamines for allergies are H1 antagonists. H1 and H2 antagonists target different histamine receptors, so they are used together just in case an H1 drug doesn't fully resolve the allergic reaction.

And yes, histamine is related to a hyperactive immune system, so reducing it will affect that.

If you are going to take something daily to try and help your autoimmune arthritis, make it the Allegra. You don't want to take Pepcid daily long term.

Thanks! I haven't had a chance to talk to my Dr's yet so any prodding in a direction with key words is very helpful as I dig. The Urgent care gave me a start date, as in right now, but not a stop point. I still have a rash but it is much better.

The cross overs of medications is fascinating, apparently, a computer model discovered the possibility for Allegra, who knows what else is being learned?

 

[LuvOrlando]

It's the histamines mentioned above. Going on a low histamine diet will have a similar effect without needing to rely on medication.

What sort of low histamine diet do you mean?

I don't have any allergies in testing, to anything at all and nothing in food at all in any sort of way so it's a big ol' shrug from me.

 

[DLgal]

Thanks! I haven't had a chance to talk to my Dr's yet so any prodding in a direction with key words is very helpful as I dig. The Urgent care gave me a start date, as in right now, but not a stop point. I still have a rash but it is much better.

The cross overs of medications is fascinating, apparently, a computer model discovered the possibility for Allegra, who knows what else is being learned?

It is fascinating. Benadryl is very commonly given in the ER during acute migraine attacks for the same reason. It targets inflammation caused by histamine, which is part of the migraine process.

When I started taking Allegra daily a few years ago due to adult onset allergies, my migraine frequency reduced significantly.

 

[1420Elexismc]

I never even made the correlation that I got less flare-ups during the spring...when I also take antihistamines more often!

 

[LuvOrlando]

It is fascinating. Benadryl is very commonly given in the ER during acute migraine attacks for the same reason. It targets inflammation caused by histamine, which is part of the migraine process.

When I started taking Allegra daily a few years ago due to adult onset allergies, my migraine frequency reduced significantly.

Hmmm, I have had Benadryl at night to help me stay comfortable for years now and now that you mention it It's been a very long time since the migraines woke me up in the middle of the night. It used to happen all the time and the ones in the night are the worst because they grow and I don't intervene because I am sleeping through all the the warnings.

I never even made the correlation that I got less flare-ups during the spring...when I also take antihistamines more often!

Sounds promising! It is often tough to pull stuff apart. I never would have noticed it helped if it wasn't so abrupt, in fact, at first I thought that Allegra might have Motrin in it or something like that like they do with Nyquil and all. Truly the discomfort level has been much lower the past few days.

 

[bcla]

I've been taking both, but more recently my heartburn has been better and I don't take the generic version of Pepcid every day. Fexofenadine (Allegra) is generally safe to take every day, but I have a problem taking the 24 hour (180 mg) dose so I split the pills/caplets. I got tremors when I was taking 180 mg. It's not precise, but close enough and years ago a pharmacist said it was OK since I wasn't taking more than the maximum dose and it wasn't time release. But ideally I'd buy the 60 mg 12 hour dose except that it's harder to find and often more expensive than the 180 mg generic dose in bulk. When I took prescription Allegra, it was in those 60 mg white and pink capsules marketed by Hoechst. It kind of freaked me out because I remember the Tylenol cyanide scare, but that was likely less of an issue with prescription meds.

 

[bcla]

What sort of low histamine diet do you mean?

I don't have any allergies in testing, to anything at all and nothing in food at all in any sort of way so it's a big ol' shrug from me.

Histamines are released by the body in huge amounts from allergic reactions. I'd worry far more about what it's like the week after it rains. My car parked outside is covered with pollen and my allergies just kick into high gear.

 

[leahgoogle]

What sort of low histamine diet do you mean?

I don't have any allergies in testing, to anything at all and nothing in food at all in any sort of way so it's a big ol' shrug from me.

Allergies to foods and histamine intolerance are not necessarily related. Basically, your body has a natural threshold for exposure to histamines. Exposure (from the environment or high histamine foods) fills your bucket until it "overflows" and causes inflammation to the body and many different symptoms depending on the person (joint pain can be one symptom). It's not only stuffy noses and sneezing like with seasonal allergies. This is what many people think of when they think of histamines. There are some good facebook histamine diet groups that can give more thorough guidance. I know if I indulge too much in cured meats, for example, I am stuffy by the end of the day. My histamine reactions are sinus related usually.

 

[leahgoogle]

Histamines are released by the body in huge amounts from allergic reactions. I'd worry far more about what it's like the week after it rains. My car parked outside is covered with pollen and my allergies just kick into high gear.

Histamines are also released when high histamine foods are eaten faster than the body can break down the histamines. Not making enough of the DAO enzyme to break down the histamine from seasonal allergies or food can contribute to symptoms too.

 

[bcla]

Histamines are also released when high histamine foods are eaten faster than the body can break down the histamines. Not making enough of the DAO enzyme to break down the histamine from seasonal allergies or food can contribute to symptoms too.

I like crab but I usually make sure I have an antihistamine before consumption. I sometimes get a little tingling if I don't and my nose might feel itchy with a little tingling. Not sure if that might be domoic acid.

 

[leahgoogle]

I like crab but I usually make sure I have an antihistamine before consumption. I sometimes get a little tingling if I don't and my nose might feel itchy with a little tingling. Not sure if that might be domoic acid.

Crab definitely is high histamine and a histamine liberator too. But, the domoic acid could be at play. It is definitely not easy to sort out sometimes.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I've been taking both, but more recently my heartburn has been better and I don't take the generic version of Pepcid every day. Fexofenadine (Allegra) is generally safe to take every day, but I have a problem taking the 24 hour (180 mg) dose so I split the pills/caplets. I got tremors when I was taking 180 mg. It's not precise, but close enough and years ago a pharmacist said it was OK since I wasn't taking more than the maximum dose and it wasn't time release. But ideally I'd buy the 60 mg 12 hour dose except that it's harder to find and often more expensive than the 180 mg generic dose in bulk. When I took prescription Allegra, it was in those 60 mg white and pink capsules marketed by Hoechst. It kind of freaked me out because I remember the Tylenol cyanide scare, but that was likely less of an issue with prescription meds.

Uggh tremors, I had a scary thing with my heart & maybe vasovagal last summer probably autoimmune as my body was healing from surgery so the last thing I want is more scary stuff. I felt like a fainting goat anytime I got warm & don't want a repeat.

I have been breaking the 180 into roughly 1/3 pieces & even that makes me feel like I chugged a whole caf coffee all day, I don't do well clearing medicines and suspect a 24 hr 180 would mean I'd be up 2 full days.

I did call the Dr and will video tomorrow for some fine tuning

 

[LuvOrlando]

Histamines are released by the body in huge amounts from allergic reactions. I'd worry far more about what it's like the week after it rains. My car parked outside is covered with pollen and my allergies just kick into high gear.

See it's strange that I have literally zero allergies, I was tested for everything under the sun and then got the stronger version under my skin and still nothing BUT I am bothered by things. Apparently, there can be allergies with nerves or something... I don't quite get the idea completely but it seems there are all sort of ways our bodies manage to get stuff done... and can mess with us apparently, says the human fainting goat (which is funny because it was last year & won't be funny if it comes back.)

 

[mom2rtk]

My son’s semi regular unexplained outbreak of hives seemed untreatable until we changed doctors and they suggested Zantac. Seemingly a miracle. Started clearing up within the hour. After years of waiting these outbreaks out with an epi-pen at the ready.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

See it's strange that I have literally zero allergies, I was tested for everything under the sun and then got the stronger version under my skin and still nothing BUT I am bothered by things. Apparently, there can be allergies with nerves or something... I don't quite get the idea completely but it seems there are all sort of ways our bodies manage to get stuff done... and can mess with us apparently, says the human fainting goat (which is funny because it was last year & won't be funny if it comes back.)

You might have a lower level MCAS (non-anaphylactic); it's unfortunately not really testable to get an exact diagnosis, it's more the assessment of symptoms and a some bloodwork looking at histamines, lipids, and proteins.

Also, the problem with low histamine diets is that there isn't any real science-based consensus on what kinds of foods are actually low histamine. That is, you could look at 10 different websites and get a number of answers on whether a particular food item is "safe" to eat. Here is a scientific review if you'd like to have a look:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8143338/
That's not to say that it isn't worth some trial and error to see what works for you. Just that it WILL take some trial and error.