Histamine...

While researching ways to find relief from the continuing ....forearm/ elbow / knee itchiness ..... I suffer from. I ran across an idea that seemed to make a lot of sense....though it was so simple in nature I can't believe I hadn't already tried it...

An antihistamine...

I took a non- drowsy antihistamine yesterday and I was very surprised at how effective it was. My itching was reduced by 95% ...but I also noticed a reduction in my on-going joint pain and tinnitus symptoms...

When you think about it .....autoimmune responses brought on by lyme have a connection to histamine in a similar manner as allergies do.

I found this article that addressed the concept:

http://healthypixels.com/?p=1044

I wanted to throw the idea out there in hopes that it might provide an avenue to explore.

Post Edited (B777) : 10/16/2015 7:59:22 AM (GMT-6)

Also could this be why the HUGE doses of Claritin worked in study.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/common-allergy-medication-may-be-effective-in-starving-and-killing-the-bacteria-that-causes-lyme-disease-according-to-new-study-300033483.html

I read the study but didn't see anything that suggested "huge" doses....

I have read the article multiple times now and I don't see anything about dosage in the study....

On a different note... The following excerpt from the study is very interesting.... I guess antibiotics may not be the "only" way to kill the lyme bacteria.....


"The results of this new laboratory study show that loratadine (trade name: Claritin®) and specifically its metabolite, desloratadine, are able to prevent manganese (Mn) from entering the cell wall of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, starving the bacteria and causing it to die in test tubes. The antihistamine accomplishes this by inhibiting the bacteria's transport system, BmtA (Borrelia metal transporter A). "

Actually the histamine idea is one I'm really interested in. When I started singulair it really helped my symptoms and herx response (which has always been a monster for me to handle). I'm going to talk to my dr some more about the possibility that my body goes thru cytokine/histamine cascades when I take effective abx and if pairing singulair with other antihistamines might prove beneficial in helping me cope with the herxing or whatever is happening.

Antihistamines might not be ideal as it seems some of them tamp down the immune system but given my issues I think it might be worth trying.

B777 - READ THIS!!

You might have Histamine Intolerance separate from lyme (or just lyme). We blame everything on lyme, but remember things do happen separate of it too.

Dr. Ben Lynch on this subject:

http://mthfr.net/histamine-intolerance-mthfr-and-methylation/2015/06/11/

There is also another Dr thats all about this but I forgot the name. He also treats people with H2 blocker anti histamine Ranitidine OTC (surprisingly an ant-acid). If you have this issue, Ranitidine will lesson body pain. I tried it, did nothing in my case.

My Dr looked into histamine-intolerance, dont think I have it. I do continue to take Lordiamine non drosy anti-histamine, but it only helps with seasonal alergies on me.

Hi All

I'm histamine intolerant, not making enough DAO.

I have to say that, for me, herxing doesn't resemble to having too much histamine in my body. They don't feel similar at all.
I am on a histamine eliminating diet (first 6 months were really severe, then I could slowly introduce foods, bit by bit. Every now and then I have to go back to that basic diet, cause I'm not able to controll it).

DAO helps a lot, antihistamine helps to get my heartrate down so that I'm able to fall asleep at night. I took Zyrtec, Claritin and Xyzal. Xyzal (levocetirizine, a third-generation non-sedative antihistamine) works the best.
Ranitidine just helps with the stomach, but I don't feel that it brings down my histamine level.

I can recognize too much histamine when this is happening: fast heartrate (112-136 bpm), sweating, feeling really irritated and aggitated (I need to be left alone), I swell up, lots of mucus in my throat, sudden diarrhea, heavy intestinal cramps.
I do get lots of muscle pains when herxing and when my histamine levels are too high.

These are just my experiences, everyone is different.
I do believe though that many amongst us could have a histamine issue (because of leaky gut). I was 'lucky' to discover the histamine issue before diving into Lyme treatment. It made it easier for me to distinguish histamine reactions from herxing.

I think you could try the diet to see if you actually have a histamine issue. Results show really quickly, after only 1-2 weeks.
Please drop me an email if you would like to receive the detailed diet, I can then send it to you by email (it's too long to post here, and there's no possibility to add it as an attachment).

Marie