Itching anyone?

[vbc2000]

Hi Forum Friends,
Hope everyone had a good Halloween.  We got alot of kids this year.  Of course I was going to clean a little in preparation for going away next week.  We have a cat sitter coming in and my house is just embarrasing...more so than usual because I have NO energy to even straighten up.  I never had energy for cleaning but it's even worse now.

Anyway...my question is about itching and dysautonomia.  I have allergies that got diagnosed...wow, almost 10 years ago when I was getting hives all over my body.  I came up positive for mold, dust, wheat, eggs grasses, and cats.  The food allergies have to be mild because besides not being able to get flu shots (they are "grown" in eggs and everytime I've gotten one, I had a reaction), I can eat wheat and eggs.  I take Allegra and Clarinex daily and they control the other ones...including CAT!  We have three :)  Anyway...I have been uncontrollably itching around my neck and upper back as well as lower arms over the past month or so.  It's entirely possible it's the change of season but it's never been this bad.  I've worn the same gold necklace for 28 years and I can't believe all of a sudden I could be allergic to gold.  I took it off to see if it helped and so far nothing.  I hate having it off...it has my cross on it and I just hate not having it on!

So my question is this...I have read snippets here and there about antihistimines being helpful for us.  What's the reason for that?  Do you think the dysautonomia has anything to do with the itching?  Thanks in advance :)

Going for a holter monitor tomorrow...don't think it's gonna show anything.  I don't believe I have any arrhythmias or an irregular heartbeat with the NCS but we'll see!
Stephanie  

[vbc2000]

I am on midodrine!  I must have missed that itching could be a side effect.  Thank you for the warning :)  I don't take it every day if I'm going to be home all day...I'll have to try to notice if I'm itching next time I don't take it.
Stephanie

[LaLa4]

Are you on Midrodine? Apparently itching is  a side effect of that drug, as it may well be with others. More serious reactions to some drugs do include rashes and hives, and as Beema said you can develop an allergy to anything at any time (including meds).  I'd suggest checking with your doc to see if any of your medications could be responsible.... just a thought :)

[vbc2000]

Hi Beema,
Thanks for writing :)  I'm thinking it's not gold because I also always wear gold hoops in my ears so my holes won't close up.  I can't believe it took 6 weeks to make a difference!  I would think - and hope - that once you take it off, that would be it, but I do believe what you said so who knows with me?

I would be very sad if I were allergic  to creams!  I am addicted to sweet smelling creams!  I don't have any on today because of the holter monitor so that's not it today.  The cream I'm using is Sarna for sensitive skin...I think I needed the non-senisive one because it's not working well!  I have this stuff the allergist gave me too...called Clobetesol I think?  It's a gell kind of...I have to see if I still have any...it would be great to have it now!  I hafta call for an allergist apt. to get to the bottom of all this!  I also have to look up mast cell disorders.  Thanks again :)
Stephanie

[vbc2000]

Hi Marie,
Thanks for writing :)  It amazes me how many things go haywire with dysautomomia!  I recently switched to a "free and clear" laundry detergent thinking that might be it but no luck.  It's not the necklace thankfully, because I'm still itching and I've had it off since yesterday.  So I'm going to clean it and put it back on after I get rid of this holter monitor!  I'd be hisurprised if anything new shows up on the monitor...but I did have an episode of presyncope today while it was on.  Of course I forgot to push the "event" button on it while I was having it but I wrote it on the journal so I hope that was enough.

I think it's going to be back to square one with the allergist with all this itching.  He's such a sweet older man so I'm not sure if he's gonna know anything about dysautonomia...we'll see.  Thank you for all the suggestions.
Stephanie

[CHRISTYDRAKE]

Stephanie,

My son's high dose of Doxepin was prescribed by his POTS doctors.  It is an anti-depressant that has antihistamine in it (if I'm not mistaken).  He was started on 40 mg and some of his POTS symptoms got better. So they increased his dose to see if he could get more relief and then they increased it again.  Each time he got better with his POTS symptoms.  He is not doing as well as he was in August and September so we'll have to see how it goes from here.

Christy

[vbc2000]

Hi Christy,
Thanks for writing :)  How did your son end up on that high dose?  I'm guessing because he needed it to get the effect he needed.  I'm familiar with high doses because with my intestinal bypass, I don't absorb medication like normal folks and need about twice the dose.  It's a bit of a problem not because my docs won't prescribe the high doses, but if even the high doses don't quite do it, some docs won't go higher for fear of the unknown!  Prime example is my anti-depressants.  

I was hoping the anti-histamines I was on already would be enough but I guess not.  Got some Sarna lotion today and it helped a little but not much.  Guess I'll mention it to the Neurologist but I'll hafta go see my Allergist too.  Thanks again for writing :)
Stephanie

[beema36]

Stephanie, u mention a necklace u wore.for yrs with no problem. I had that happen to me 2 yrs ago.with a necklace and it was bad. My Dr told me u can develop allergy to anything at anytime. It ididn't go.right away when I took necklace off. It took 6 weeks.
Marie, I have an allergy to.the creams. How did u find one that worked?
Beema

[mtgardner]

Hi Stehpanie,

I really identify and sympathize with allergy problems and I hope you get relief soon.
Hopefully you can find what is causing this.  Often times it takes a major sleuthing expedition to find the offending substance.

The mast cell connection mentioned by Christydrake is the main one connected to dysautonomia that I have read about.  I do believe that many of us do have allergies and some quite severe.

I have found great relief from allergy shots although it took me years longer then most people to build up to getting a monthly dose.  I can't imagine not getting them now.
I also use an air purifier in my house.  I take zyrtec and singulair regularly.  If I get into
trouble because of nearby forest fires etc. due to the smoke  I go on prednisone.

It sounds to me like you may have a contact allergy.  Have you changed laundry detergents or worn anything that the cat has been on that may have exposed those parts that are reacting?  Is it where a blanket touches or a sweater is worn? I would think if it were the necklace only the neck area would be reacting.  My only hives were due to ingestion of foods I was allergic to so that might be a possibility here as well.

There are sprays you can put on your cat to lower your reaction to cat dander.  I have cat allergy too as well as dust and trees.  I used to be allergic to grasses but overcame that one with shots.  I have chemical sensitivities as  well.  Remember that allergies are additive and if you are having a flair up things that don't usually bother you may do so now.

As for the itching are you applying anti-histamine cream for relief?  I have found in our family some of us are allergic to the bases in some of the allergy creams.  I can use one over the counter type but not another.  I am allergic to some soaps and creams and very sensitive to anything with perfumes.  Is it possible you are reacting to something you are putting on our skin?  IF I have a flair up of allergy I take benadryl although I then get really tired.  I would take that in place of my zyrtec not in addition.

Hope you figure it out soon.  Also hope the holter monitor goes well.  Marie

[CHRISTYDRAKE]

My son has itching when he starts to get too warm and if he is in sunlight.  He is allergic to mold, grass, trees, dust mites and weeds.  I took him to the allergist last week to see about this other itching he is experiencing.  The allergist couldn't believe he was having any allegy problems since his main POTS medicine is Doxepin, which has antihistamine in it.  The allergist asked if my son's dose of doxepin was 25 mg,  I hesitated before telling him the dose was 175 mg.  The doctors jaw dropped!  He shouldn't be itching with that high dosage.  So he gave us samples of other antihistamines to try.

Look into mast cell disorder(mastocytosis  sp?) .  I've some people with dysautonomia also have this.  Too much histamine is dumped into the body at one time (mast cells) or something to that effect.

Christy