a little setback....

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:36 pm

Hello y'all!

I have had a small setback...I went off my last entecort pill 3 weeks ago (still on mesalamine), but as everyone said on week 3 I started having some mild nausea symptoms and some lower cramps. I took pepto which helped, like once a day...

I am still on Elavil which has helped a lot on nausea front.

It's been a week now and I am still finding myself having to use the pepto everyday, just one dose though.

I know Leah and others are taking antihistamines...not sure I should. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Love,

Monique

tlras · Post by **tlras** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:55 pm

Monique,

Hate to say this, but have you ever tried to get off the mesalamine to see what happens. You may be having issues with it and just couldn't tell till you got off the Entocort. Those are powerful anti-inflammatories. There is also an anti-inflammatory in Pepto (aspirin like chemical in it). Pepto does indeed help a lot and 2 pills a day is a very low dose but wouldn't be able to take it as long as the Entocort I'm assuming. I wonder if anyone has taken 1 dose of Pepto for a year or two with no problems? Interesting to know as I'm down to one dose and still doing amazing but sure it has built up in my system because of the high dosages I had taken the last two months.

I don't see where an antihistamine would hurt....worth a try. Definitely on my list in case things go downhill in a week!

Sorry about the nausea...no fun. Are you having D?

Terri

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:02 pm

Hey Terri,

I tried once to reduce mesalamine (I take 3/day). I was good with 2/day then I tried to go to 1 and that's when i got the waves of nausea which seem to do good with Elavil. Never tried to get rid of it all. I wasn't taking any entecort then...I went back on 3/day mesalamine about 4=5 months ago when I had a huge relapse and added 2/day entecort which I started weaning off a few weeks ago.

No, I never get any D., just nausea and cramps...

thanks,

Monique

Post by **tex** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:06 pm

Hi Monique,

That's a heck of a note, but maybe things will settle down again soon.

Do you ever notice any histamine-related symptoms, such as a runny nose, or a little throat congestion (do you find yourself clearing your throat now and then) after eating? Or do you have any itching after meals (especially on the face or upper part of the body)? Sometimes an antihistamine will help even in the absence of any symptoms, but that's difficult to predict.

Love,
Tex

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:20 pm

Hey Tex,

yes, I do get runny nose, better though since I went GF....and I do clear my throat a lot. No itchy symptoms though...I am just wondering if the antihistamine will help my mast cells...

thanks, Tex.

Monique

Post by **tex** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:29 pm

Monique wrote:I am just wondering if the antihistamine will help my mast cells...

It sure might, since you are showing minor food allergy symptoms.

Tex

Post by **tex** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:39 pm

Terri,

Most people are able to purge the bismuth subsalicylate from their body. The risk of a toxic buildup is due to the high dose, especially if liver function is compromised. At more normal doses, as long as the liver is functioning normally, residual bismuth subsalicylate shouldn't be a problem.

Tex

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:32 pm

like loratadine right? not zantac

Monique

Post by **tex** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:42 pm

Yes, an H1 type antihistamine is generally safer, and usually seems to be more effective. H2 antihistamines have been known to trigger D for a few people. That said, some people have found that if an H1 type antihistamine does not help, sometimes an H2 antihistamine will help. Some people who have mast cell issues even take both types in order to get relief.

Some members seem to have good results with loratadine. When I take an antihistamine for common pollen allergies, loratadine doesn't seem to help me at all. I use Allegra (fexofenadine), instead.

Tex

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:25 am

Tex,

You take as needed or one a day whether you need it or not?

Thanks,

Monique

Post by **tex** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 1:35 pm

Monique,

Diet keeps my MC symptoms under control, so I only take an antihistamine during hay fever seasons. Antihistamines work by attaching to histamine receptors in the body. This ties up the receptors and prevents them from attaching to histamines. IOW, antihistamines have to be used before the body is flooded with histamines, because if the histamines are allowed to attach to the receptors before the antihistamine is used, the antihistamine will not be able to block the receptors, and it will expire and be purged form the system without serving any useful urpose. Once the histamine attaches to the histamine receptors, the game is over — the chemical cycle will be completed, and the inflammation will be generated.

From that viewpoint, it's best to take the antihistamines preemptively, on a regular schedule, such as first thing in the morning, or before meals, at bedtime, or whatever, depending on how long the particular antihistamine is effective, whether or not it is a non-drowsy formulation, and how many are needed for control. That said, we don't necessarily always need an antihistamine. For many of us, the need waxes and wanes, possibly with certain allergy seasons, or certain foods in the diet, or other causes of exposure.

So for hay fever control, I take an antihistamine every morning, during hay fever season, except for days that have a low pollen count (such as rainy days, or the first day after a rain). If I wait until the symptoms start, it won't provide much relief, the first day.

This is just my opinion, based on my experience — obviously others' opinions may vary.

Tex

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:02 pm

Hey Tex,

Thank you for all your feedback...I mostly want to try the antihistamine for the LC symptoms, not hay fever or pollen. Since I stopped taking entecort about 4 weeks ago, I am having cramps and a little of nausea to go with it...

I've been thinking about just giving it up and going back on that one entecort a day except that I don't know if anyone can stay on it indefinitely. I noticed that everyone here tries to get off of it asap.

I have no D because mesalamine takes care of that...and elavil takes care of most of the nausea...

Thanks for all your help and guidance.

Monique

Leah · Post by **Leah** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 7:19 pm

HI Monique. I take one antihistamine each morning. I sometimes notice eye itching and runny nose, but it's not why I take it. It just seems to work for my mast cell issue. it's not a miracle worker though. I have had periodic setbacks when i eat something I shouldn't, but it usually doesn't take that long to bounce back. It really is all a balancing act, isn't it? Let us know if you do try it and what the results are.
Leah

wmonique2 · Post by **wmonique2** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 7:25 pm

Hi Leah,

thanks for your feedback....I am really feeling my withdrawal from entecort and was considering going back on it tomorrow morning... Well, I'll now will try the antihistamine tomorrow morning and see if that calms down. I'll take loratidine one a day (one every 24 hours). Is that what you take?

Monique

Leah · Post by **Leah** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 8:48 pm

I have taken both claritin and allegra.