Insect Bites and Histamine
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Insect Bites and Histamine
I am not very knowledgeable about histamine so please bear with me. For years, when we went to our cabin in Northern MN I would get many bug bites that would itch and weep while my husband got very few. I figured that, for some reason, the bugs were just more attracted to me. We have now moved to the N. Georgia mountains. I am again getting a lot of bites (though the bugs are much less prevalent here), while my husband is getting very few. It dawned on me that it might not be the number of bites but rather my body's reaction to them. Mine swell and itch and weep. Could it just be a heightened histamine reaction? Is there anything that can be taken orally to help with this? I am using benadryl gel and a cortisone cream when they get too bad. We're heading up to Northern MN this summer and I'd sure like to minimize this if I can. Thanks, Deb
Hi Deb,
I think you've hit the nail on the head — those of us who have a histamine problem tend to have exaggerated and prolonged reactions to bug bites and similar issues (such as hives and rashes). That said, some people are definitely more attractive to bugs than others. My histamine problems are so bad during the summer (exacerbated by the heat — we're having a heat wave now) that I've almost always got hives and chigger bites that never heal until cooler weather. Minimizing histamine in my diet is essential, or they really get out of hand. But even though I take an Allegra every day, it's still a chronic problem.
If you find a solution, please let me know.
Tex
I think you've hit the nail on the head — those of us who have a histamine problem tend to have exaggerated and prolonged reactions to bug bites and similar issues (such as hives and rashes). That said, some people are definitely more attractive to bugs than others. My histamine problems are so bad during the summer (exacerbated by the heat — we're having a heat wave now) that I've almost always got hives and chigger bites that never heal until cooler weather. Minimizing histamine in my diet is essential, or they really get out of hand. But even though I take an Allegra every day, it's still a chronic problem.
If you find a solution, please let me know.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hi,
I need to chime in here as I am not having the high histamine "Spring" like I have had for many years. In fact I am not sneezing, itching, have any runny nose, eyes or rashes or welts....nor do I have copious amounts of mucus that I can't seem to clear from the back of my throat. I had lots of this late August 2017 when my daughter was married in our back yard...plus all the welts and hive wheals that I experienced last Summer I have not had since the weather became cool and cold, and I continue to not experience them to this point.
We are having a normal Spring 2018 in the Pacific Northwest, and it has gotten hot, cold, rain, wind and lots of pollen and dust flying around, everything is in bloom etc.....I also cleaned out the base of a Mugo Pine that has collected massive amounts of needles over the last 5 years and trimmed it up.....I did not get the crazy histamine response that I usually have gotten like clock work every Spring when I start doing yard work. It even scratched my arms a little bit and I did not welt up like I usually do.
The only thing I have changed differently this Spring is I started the S. Boulardii, plus taking a maintenance dose of Nano-silver solution since the beginning of April. I have not been taking an antihistamine religiously since the weather became cool/cold either...here an there just because (but not because I am exhibiting symptoms). My first thought is the silver, and it has been dealing with bad bacteria, yeast and/or viruses so that my immune system hasn't been working overtime. My next thought is my gut has healed to a point that my immune system isn't ramped up and not reacting to everything. My last thought is perhaps my diet is fairly low histamine and I'm not over feeding it into my body anymore.
Anyway something is different....it sure is a pleasant surprise, I welcome it because it has been a crazy journey so far.
I need to chime in here as I am not having the high histamine "Spring" like I have had for many years. In fact I am not sneezing, itching, have any runny nose, eyes or rashes or welts....nor do I have copious amounts of mucus that I can't seem to clear from the back of my throat. I had lots of this late August 2017 when my daughter was married in our back yard...plus all the welts and hive wheals that I experienced last Summer I have not had since the weather became cool and cold, and I continue to not experience them to this point.
We are having a normal Spring 2018 in the Pacific Northwest, and it has gotten hot, cold, rain, wind and lots of pollen and dust flying around, everything is in bloom etc.....I also cleaned out the base of a Mugo Pine that has collected massive amounts of needles over the last 5 years and trimmed it up.....I did not get the crazy histamine response that I usually have gotten like clock work every Spring when I start doing yard work. It even scratched my arms a little bit and I did not welt up like I usually do.
The only thing I have changed differently this Spring is I started the S. Boulardii, plus taking a maintenance dose of Nano-silver solution since the beginning of April. I have not been taking an antihistamine religiously since the weather became cool/cold either...here an there just because (but not because I am exhibiting symptoms). My first thought is the silver, and it has been dealing with bad bacteria, yeast and/or viruses so that my immune system hasn't been working overtime. My next thought is my gut has healed to a point that my immune system isn't ramped up and not reacting to everything. My last thought is perhaps my diet is fairly low histamine and I'm not over feeding it into my body anymore.
Anyway something is different....it sure is a pleasant surprise, I welcome it because it has been a crazy journey so far.
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Yes, I enjoyed a number of years like that as I recovered, but it looks like the honeymoon is over for me.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Gee Tex,
Something must have really changed in the way your immune system acknowledges histamine. If I ever have an Ah-ha moment I will certainly remember this conversation. Apparently something gets suppressed during healing that relates to how the body deals with histamine, and once it reaches a certain point in healing it reverts to being on high-alert again....but only when heat becomes a factor.
Very interesting....
Hugs
Erica
Something must have really changed in the way your immune system acknowledges histamine. If I ever have an Ah-ha moment I will certainly remember this conversation. Apparently something gets suppressed during healing that relates to how the body deals with histamine, and once it reaches a certain point in healing it reverts to being on high-alert again....but only when heat becomes a factor.
Very interesting....
Hugs
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Hi Erica,
Yes, something has definitely changed. I've always (all my life) had histamine issues to a certain extent, but nothing I couldn't deal with. I used to love summer and the hot temperatures that went with it. Now the hot weather apparently kicks up my histamine level, and I can't get the level back down (rashes and hives are chronic symptoms). Avoiding heat exposure helps a lot, but that's not always practical. Even a hot shower exacerbates the problem. Otherwise, I can't complain.
Hugs,
Tex
Yes, something has definitely changed. I've always (all my life) had histamine issues to a certain extent, but nothing I couldn't deal with. I used to love summer and the hot temperatures that went with it. Now the hot weather apparently kicks up my histamine level, and I can't get the level back down (rashes and hives are chronic symptoms). Avoiding heat exposure helps a lot, but that's not always practical. Even a hot shower exacerbates the problem. Otherwise, I can't complain.
Hugs,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
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my 20 cents worth as to what has changed....
lack of nutrients, excess of toxins, because of this, the immune system is far more active/on guard, and our bodies are not able regulate things like excess histamine etc.
lack of nutrients, excess of toxins, because of this, the immune system is far more active/on guard, and our bodies are not able regulate things like excess histamine etc.
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama