Anyone use an antihistamine that doesn’t cause anxiety?

[Abstract]

Oh funny! I was looking for another post and came upon this one again. Montelukast that I mentioned in my original answer to you is the ingredient/technology and Singulair is the first patent in the group. Just in case you didn't know. Who knows! you may find you don't need the antihistamines. Montelukast is a leukotriene inhibitor and antihistamines block histamines. Its changed my life.

 

[EveHarrington]

Oh funny! I was looking for another post and came upon this one again. Montelukast that I mentioned in my original answer to you is the ingredient/technology and Singulair is the first patent in the group. Just in case you didn't know. Who knows! you may find you don't need the antihistamines. Montelukast is a leukotriene inhibitor and antihistamines block histamines. Its changed my life.

I read about the Singular black box warning and so I’m trying to find out more about it. On the one hand it’s concerning given that I already have mood stabilization issues and anxiety, but on the other hand I really do need to be able to breathe! I’m asking everyone around me to try and take note if they see a change in my (already volatile) moods. It doesn’t help that I’m in the middle of psych med adjustments.

My new pulmonologist prescribed a corticosteroid inhalant but my pharmacist said oh no no no no, do not take it as you have mood stability issues. (And I didn’t even mention how bad my mood issues can be.) So, for now, it’s just Singular (at the 5mg chewable kiddie dose) and my rescue inhaler.

For my trip to Florida I’ll find an antihistamine as well, just in case. My mom is down there right now and her allergies are going crazy.

 

[Abstract]

Breathing is useful I find! Thats really tricky if you are changing other things at the same time. Hard to tell what is what. I don't have the mood changes with Singulair but they are on there as a possibility. Don't love not being able to breath so its also a big picture thing. It has helped me take less corticosteroid pump meds too. One thing I do know is that if you are using rescuer inhalers fairly regularly you are always better off taking cortisone preventer inhalers. Its a tricky balancing act.

 

[EveHarrington]

Breathing is useful I find! Thats really tricky if you are changing other things at the same time. Hard to tell what is what. I don't have the mood changes with Singulair but they are on there as a possibility. Don't love not being able to breath so its also a big picture thing. It has helped me take less corticosteroid pump meds too. One thing I do know is that if you are using rescuer inhalers fairly regularly you are always better off taking cortisone preventer inhalers. Its a tricky balancing act.

I’ve had my rescue inhaler for a few months now and I’ve used it less than 10 times. In the last month, maybe I’ve used it twice? I don’t think it’s worth the risk given that my issues were caused by a drug I’m no longer taking.

 

[Abstract]

That makes total sense. I have asthma so its different.

 

[sunshineandmoonshine]

Doxylamine
Active ingredient in Unisom, but actually an antihistamine.
I use it regularly for sleep but it also gives me anthistamine effects the next day.
It doesn't cause me any anxiety.

 

[EveHarrington]

Breathing is useful I find! Thats really tricky if you are changing other things at the same time. Hard to tell what is what. I don't have the mood changes with Singulair but they are on there as a possibility. Don't love not being able to breath so its also a big picture thing. It has helped me take less corticosteroid pump meds too. One thing I do know is that if you are using rescuer inhalers fairly regularly you are always better off taking cortisone preventer inhalers. Its a tricky balancing act.

Question....

What is your singulair dose? Do you take it once a day?

 

[Friday]

I read about the Singular black box warning and so I’m trying to find out more about it.

According to my son’s pulmonary team the most serious risk of Singulair is uncontrollable bronchiospasm.

Severe (and needing to be on a vent for a week or a month, to force air into closed off airways), has pretty obvious risk associated with it. The whole, needing to be within 11 minutes to a hospital or you’re dead, thing. And preferably within 4 minutes to avoid the issue with brain damage and being a vegetable. This reaction tends to happen mostly with asthmatics & COPD & RAD & CF patients. Especially RAD patients who react badly to the broccoli test. Every time my son is hospitalized the Singlair issue comes up, because they really prefer to trial their pulmonary kids on it when they’re already inpatient. Worst case scenario you’re already right there. Best case scenario you have a really effective med.

It’s the milder version they say is what is probably linked to the risk of suicide and psychiatric issues, but also fairly unprovable, because individual reactions to oxygen depletion vary so strongly. This one is mostly liked to NON pulmonary patients (allergy peeps, not lung peeps), because asthmatics, COPD, RAD, etc. check their SPo2 fairly regularly AND know how they respond at different oxygen saturation’s ( ex - that they get stupid at 94, agitated / enraged / tearful/ overblown emotional storms at 92, life of the party goofballs at 88, & rag doll lethargic at 77. Everyone has different reactions, the example above is my son’s.). So if someone doesn’t realize their o2 is low, or thinks “90s is fine” (because most basically, it is, even upper 80s if you’re sleeping is totally not going to cause brain damage), then they may very well think their emotions are “real” instead of caused by oxygen depletion, so they don’t check their SPo2, don’t see their pulmonologist about their chronically low saturation to find a cause, and don’t get treatment. Instead? They act on the belief what they’re feeling is justified. IE suicide, self harm, divorce, job loss, and other common side effects of psych symptoms. This has a super easy fix ... a few liters of supplemental o2 for a few weeks to a month.

It’s probably important to note that for something to be a common side effect, it has to hit at least 1% of the population. This one is NOT a common side effect, and it’s one of the most commonly prescribed allergy and asthma maintenance meds out there.

You can buy a good travel pulse-ox (about the size of 2 lipsticks) from Amazon for about $30. Good is important if you’re tracking mood. You don’t need the $2,000 professional version (the size of a shoebox), but an app for that isn’t accurate enough.

 

[Abstract]

Hi @EveHarrington
10mg every evening. The usual dose. Been on it for 10 years now. Lucky I don't have side effects with it. I was on steroids before in various ways and was showing signs of glaucoma so its been great to find something that reduced my asthma, allergies, eczema, etc. An immunologist was the one who managed to change my treatment to something that was more helpful for me.

 

[EveHarrington]

Hi @EveHarrington
10mg every evening. The usual dose. Been on it for 10 years now. Lucky I don't have side effects with it. I was on steroids before in various ways and was showing signs of glaucoma so its been great to find something that reduced my asthma, allergies, eczema, etc. An immunologist was the one who managed to change my treatment to something that was more helpful for me.

I’m still wondering why my doc started me on the pediatric dose?

 

[Abstract]

It is strange. Maybe it was because of caution with the mood stuff. To test the water. Maybe ask? I have improved over time. My immune system stabilising out much more. Ironic considering all the intermittent/constant steroid treatments of various types.

 

[EveHarrington]

@EveHarrington, they seem to be worse from spring through summer but by then all of the pollen seems to be gone. But, I don't really have allergies anymore. I got them when I moved from Florida to Kansas for 4 yrs and then back down to Florida. They do seem to better when the weather is cooler. So, fall through winter seems to be best. This time of the year the worst.

How are your allergies now?

I’m going back to Florida on Jan 13.

I have some Claritin and will start taking it a few days in advance.