Anti-depressants (Doxepin) for Cholinergic Urticaria Hives
Post by: becktoria on September 01, 2010, 01:04:02 PM
Hello, this is my first post so have no idea whether i’m doing it right or not!
My Cholinergic Urticaria started last summer (2009) after I had been exercising. I was suddenly covered head to toe in this itchy rash and had no idea where it had come from. It would appear everytime I did anything that meant me exerting myself, but during the months of October-January it was at its worse. I would only need to hoover the house or take my dog around the block for it to start. I was so miserable and the Dr was no help to be honest – told me what i had but offered no real solution or advice.
I have always suffered with anxiety and so just after the Christmas holidays I went to the DR about my anxiety (had given up asking about my Cholinergic Urticaria) and they prescribed a mild anti-depressant to help. After taking this for about one month my Cholinergic Urticaria vanished! I couldn’t believe it! Reading up on Cholinergic Urticaria I noticed that some articles said it can be triggered by stress and at the time the Cholinergic Urticaria appeared, I was under a lot of stress in work. It has never come back (touch wood!) and I even went on a holiday to Cyprus this August and I didn’t suffer with it at all in the heat.
I really hope that this might help someone because I know how awful Cholinergic Urticaria is and how low it can make you. It seemed that the Cholinergic Urticaria was making my anxiety levels rise (they were already high!) even more due to me worrying about when it was going to appear, so hence this seemed to make the Cholinergic Urticaria worse.
I don’t know if this is just a fluke and i’m not suggesting that people go and start taking these tablets, but they have helped me and my life is 100% better
Lots of love x
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: HivesGuy on September 01, 2010, 01:38:24 PM
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Hey Becktoria,
Thanks so much for that great post, and welcome to the forum!
I have read that some anxiety medications and/or antidepressants can help reduce the symptoms with Cholinergic Urticaria. I thought it was very interesting how it completely removed your symptoms! That is great news. I really appreciate you sharing that.
It is always possible it could have been a mere coincidence (and the hives went away on their own), but then again, there is some evidence to suggest that antidepressants/anxiety medications can affect the symptoms of Cholinergic Urticaria.
Please let us know if they come back, or if anything changes.
Thanks again for the great post, and welcome! ;D
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: silvertones on September 11, 2010, 01:35:03 PM
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HivesGuy,
You seem to suffer from this big time. The manic depressive drug I’m taking cured me.
Have you taken the plunge and got the Doc to put you on antidepressants?
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: HivesGuy on September 13, 2010, 01:33:21 PM
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Hey silvertones,
I recently went to the doc to request a steroid shot (since that seemed to have possibly been the key that put my hives in remission last time). I also tried a new antihistamine which does affect serotonin levels and stuff like that. The only problem was that it made me cranky, and didn’t help the hives.
I have to pay outta pocket for most of these visits, and these costs add up. My insurance only covers after like a $1,500 deductible. So I am actually contenplating cancelling my next appointment because nothing seems to work.
Plus, I want to give the steroid shot at least 2-3 weeks to see if it has helped any. If that hasn’t helped, then I am going to try to wait a few months. I may end up going back and trying some more stuff.
Honestly, I have had a lot of stomach pain recently too, and I don’t know if I have IBS, crohn’s disease, or what. So if I spend more money at the doctor, my next step may be getting scoped or something to find out what causes my frequent stomach cramps/bloating.
I am a little reluctant to take antidepressants, because most have serious side effects. I am the type of guy that usually experiences side effects from drugs pretty heavily. But if all else fails, I might would give it a shot after a year or two of testing and ruling out other issues.
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: HypoHives on February 12, 2011, 10:08:58 AM
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Very interesting how this is part of peoples cholinergic urticaria, I too will go back to doctors as I have been literally needing to see a psychiatrist, every time I am stressed I get no hives but hives maybe a after shock of stress, I do have anxiety as well as once adrenaline gets into me I cant stop shaking teary eyed etc so maybe a big cause.. anti-histamines + anti-anxiety or Psychiatrist help maybe the way to go for many suffers.
I believe cholinergic urticaria is over exposure to stress which causes major adrenaline response, this over exposer causes hives, its a chemical imbalance in the body.
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Title: A Tale
Post by: Gunther on February 15, 2011, 05:23:41 PM
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Hello, Brothers and Sisters,
Around June of 2010, I started getting these pulsating, itching pains whenever I would partake in anything that rose my body temperature. For the longest time, I ignored it, hoping it would soon go away. I continued my lifestyle, running with a friend and exercising daily, anything to break a sweat (each time fighting through the pain, each time it getting slightly worse). It sucked having to give up something I loved so dearly as the attacks got to be unbearable.
Finally, in November of 2010 I was on the phone with my dad and I sneezed (which brought on an attack). The attack was so bad I had to get off the phone with my father and do everything in my power to refrain from ripping off my skin. That’s when I noticed the hives. It was the first time I had ever broken out from one of these attacks, and it was scary.
Each day the attacks got worse, and once over Winter break I was at my friends house and broke out. It was so bad my friend was shocked at the sight of what I had only been able to tell him about.
The problem was that every one I went to (none of whom were medical professionals, per say) swore on the Bible that it was dry skin. Even a pharmacist I encountered explained to me it was dry skin from the Winter months. So, you can imagine my frustration when lotions and sensitive skin soaps did nothing to ease the burden.
Finally, while at the doctors to get checked up for a cold, the doctor asked my why I was wearing shorts in January. I went on to explain to him my troubles and he looked into it. He took some blood work on me and prescribed for me Loratadine (an antihistamine) and Doxepin (a tricyclic antidepressant). They have not fully vanquished my attacks, but they help wonders. I can now exercise almost pain free (I do suffer a mild attack while doing sit-ups) and wear long pants in cold weather. I cannot describe how great it is to feel like my skin is normal again. I was just happy being able to place a name to this terrible condition.
However, I know that there are lots of others out there who have this and don’t know what to do about it. Not to mention those who have no idea what is wrong with them. It’s terrible. This condition is a Hell on Earth. Unfortunately enough, it can vary from person to person. What helps me might not help someone else. But there are enough cases on this site (and I feel a true sense of community here) that surely something has to at least help.
Thank you for reading. I’m so glad I’m not alone.
-Gunther
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Title: Re: A Tale
Post by: HivesGuy on February 16, 2011, 03:11:43 PM
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Hello Gunther,
Excellent post and welcome to the forum!
I am so glad that the med combo you are on has helped you so much. That is great news!
I can relate to your story so much. There has been a few times I have coughed or sneezed and had a full blown attack. I hate those! It has also happened while I am on the phone too, and I just had to get off and scratch myself silly.
My first doctor also told me it was dry skin by the way. And I tried several lotions, etc., which of course had no real effect on the hives. So needless to say, it was frustrating in the beginning for me too.
Anyway, thanks so much for all of your great posts and welcome!
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Title: Re: A Tale
Post by: Gunther on February 17, 2011, 12:31:55 AM
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I don’t think I can accurately describe how great it is to have found a community such as this one, and I’m so glad to have found that there are others with the same problem. I know it sounds horrible to wish this on anyone else, but it’s so wonderful to not be alone in this, to know others have had similar (if not the same) experiences.
-Gunther
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: nico1021 on February 28, 2011, 02:17:11 PM
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An antidepressant drug also worked for me for three years after i developed it in 2006 as well. Recently it’s not working like it use to however and that’s where I’m having my current issues.
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: nowash on February 28, 2011, 03:10:50 PM
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Exactly what antidepressants are you guys taking?
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: Duper on March 01, 2011, 03:24:47 AM
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I considered trying anti-depressants as a source of relief (came across my mind only a month ago), thinking it makes a lot of sense. When I tried hydroxyzine, an antihistamine AND anti-anxiety pill, I was greatly relieved of the itching, although my hives were just as bad. I also remember reading a post on here about some guy who suffered from Cholinergic Urticaria for 20+ years and finally got relief when his doctor put him on a beta-blocker or something because his doctor believed that his Cholinergic Urticaria stemmed from his extremely sensitive feelings, which triggered an overreaction in his brain that manifested into physical welts whenever he was stressed/warmed up.
I meditate quite often and have gotten very good results (recent research shows meditating for 30 mins a day for only a couple of weeks causes physical changes in your brain). Be an optimist, have a positive attitude, and try not to stress; your condition will improve. And even if you can’t find relief; you should be an optimist because the alternative is no way to live.
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: nico1021 on March 01, 2011, 12:38:40 PM
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Quote from: nowash on February 28, 2011, 03:10:50 PM
Exactly what antidepressants are you guys taking?
Yeah I’m taking the same type of antidepressant. It has seemed to take away the appearance of hives and made it very easy to sweat, thus ending all discomfort/pain. I am unable to respond to any other treatments with steroids/antihistamines. I would recommend for people like me to bring this up to their doctor, it kicked in and started working after less than a week. I am perfectly normal in summer, but winter is different. I always seem to have problems in the winter. ???
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: ItchingSux on March 01, 2011, 02:31:53 PM
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I’ve seriously considered taking anti-depressants because I’m almost 100% sure that my Cholinergic Urticaria came from stress, I’d love to know what kind of anti-depressants you guys are taking so I know to ask my doctor about them.
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: nico1021 on March 01, 2011, 02:51:45 PM
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Quote from: ItchingSux on March 01, 2011, 02:31:53 PM
I’ve seriously considered taking anti-depressants because I’m almost 100% sure that my Cholinergic Urticaria came from stress, I’d love to know what kind of anti-depressants you guys are taking so I know to ask my doctor about them.
second-generation tricyclic antidepressant
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: nowash on March 01, 2011, 06:36:38 PM
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Which anti-depressant? Doxepin?
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: anjelwings on March 15, 2011, 12:23:41 PM
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Thanks for the post….very interesting!!
After reading all of this I have to wonder if the Allegra really worked or the anti-depressant that I was on….this was 8-9 years ago and my Cholinergic Urticaria never really “went away” but it was under control. I got some Allerga over the weekend (now that it is over the counter), I guess I will see what happens and move forward from there.
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: HypoHives on March 26, 2011, 02:31:34 PM
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hypo hives went to doctor about this he did say it is about over exposure to adrenaline which produces so much histamine it gives me hives, so I went to doctor and didn’t like the idea of sending me to psychiatrist as first option I have to complete CBT therapy first which I don’t think is going to relive symptoms of hives at all but im going with it as it one step close to the anti depressant idea of a chemical imbalance.
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: HypoHives on May 18, 2011, 07:26:32 AM
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Hypo hives does get stomach problems and ibs with the hives, hives guy and I seem to be in same position, I believe the symptoms are related. The doc has given me 25mg of amytriptyline but isn’t doing much for my symptoms but control depression in a mild way, hives are still present and my ibs-c is not improving it is still bad, I also get nausea and bloating as well as the feeling of being unexpurgated after going to toilet.
I don’t think my doc is taking me seriously and need help bad as a 22 years old i cant afford to be this sick 🙁 who gonna want a guy who got hives and can’t go to the toilet properly. So my doc is giving me CBT cognitive behavioural therapy which wont work but i will explain to the therapist i have something very wrong and just talking to someone isn’t going to help but make me more frustrated as months are being wasted and seeing a person just nod every 3 seconds you talk with the odd hummm.
The doctor has diagnosed me with health anxiety ? so i requested to see a private psychiatrist, what does the doc do refuse to right a referral to see a specialist >:( Just pounds me with the meds which are not doing anything for my symptoms.
I will keep informed when time for talking starts, i will explain all to therapist that it’s not there fault and i need professional help or tests to be conducted why i get constipated, hives and inflammation of stomach. Does anyone know if hives can be a adrenal gland overactive.
TO Hives guy: I have been told I get gastro problems and hives due to the over active release of adrenaline i.e norephrine in the body causing it to inflame especially stomach, if the stomach isn’t working right the the rest will follow so try to get yourself to a psychiatrist as they will know how to work on the nerves in the gut as well as overall over-active adrenaline release which could be due to a chemical imbalance.
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: HivesGuy on May 18, 2011, 07:39:24 AM
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@Hypohives,
Thanks for the info. The truth of the matter is that my stomach problems are basically 100% resolved now. All I have to do is stick to my current meals, which I have carefully crafted to remove all irritants (dairy especially). My stomach and digestive health has been fantastic lately. I highly recommend you work with your diet and try to eliminate what any offending foods. I think the vitamin d & daily multi vitamin has helped some too.
Also, my hives are tremendously better. I am posting a series of posts on the blog right now, so you may want to check them out. I am sweating and everything right now, and I am going to tell all of this on my blog. It may help you. Something I have recently discovered that I think was making my hives extreme.
About the psychiatrist thing–if it helps you then that is good and stick with it. But I don’t see any benefit for me at this point. My hives are better, my digestion is A+, and I feel great mentally.
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Title: Doxepin, IT WORKS!!!
Post by: ItchingSux on August 04, 2011, 09:56:48 PM
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So I’ve been suffering from Cholinergic Urticaria for about 4 years and it started just as I was entering college a real stressful time. Now I always suspected it came about due to stress but nothing seemed to work. Well after numerous doctors visits and getting tired of the whole “we have no clue” I thought there was no hope. So I went to my dermatologist a couple weeks ago, the same one who prescribed me Hydroxyzine last time that did nothing, well this time my doctor prescribed me Doxepin. Which is a kind of anti-anxiety/stress medication which he said should block the receptor sites causing me to itch. Now of course I was skeptical as usual and figured I’d be back in 2 months with the same story. However this stuff actually works!
Now I take 1 10mg tablet in the morning and two at night, but the doctor said I can slowly increase for up to 5 a day. Anywho my itching stop almost completely when I take the medication and I actually sweat, SWEAT. I mean I literally forgot what it is like to have piles have sweat dripping off your face, and I live in Florida where its like 100 degrees everyday right now. When I’m on the medication I feel almost no itching I may perhaps get a small sensation every now and then but nothing severe. Well I’ve also tried going without the meds to see what happens after a week on them, suffice to say the itching came back. However it was not as bad as usual, I could still sweat but the itching was still a problem just not as severe. So I’m back on them again and plan to stay on until my prescription runs out and then try again and see if I’m cured.
But I suggest you ask your doctor for Doxepin as it worked fr me,
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Title: Re: Doxepin, IT WORKS!!!
Post by: HateHives on August 05, 2011, 10:07:13 PM
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Congrats on finally being able to control your Cholinergic Urticaria. Lucky for you doxepin was able to surpress your Cholinergic Urticaria, unlike me it didnt do anything. On the other hand I was wondering if you have been increasing the supplements? and if you ever took Allegra?
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Title: Re: Doxepin, IT WORKS!!!
Post by: ItchingSux on August 08, 2011, 07:20:20 PM
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Quote from: HateHives on August 05, 2011, 10:07:13 PM
Congrats on finally being able to control your Cholinergic Urticaria. Lucky for you doxepin was able to surpress your Cholinergic Urticaria, unlike me it didnt do anything. On the other hand I was wondering if you have been increasing the supplements? and if you ever took Allegra?
I’ve never taken Allegra, but yea I’ve been steadily increasing how much I take right now I take 3 a day.
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Title: Doxepin
Post by: 14-47 on September 11, 2011, 05:01:14 PM
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Hi all,
Anyone else on the boards here taking doxepin?
I have been taking 25mg’s morning and night
It took about 2-3 weeks for it to kick in
Currently have my hives suppressed 99% with it
I switched from using 25mg’s of hydroxyzine three times daily
Hydroxyzine for me only suppressed the hive by about 85%
Worth giving it a shot guy’s and gal’s
I see a lot of posts on here where people feel cornered
You can easily fall into a dark place as a result of this condition
You feel like you have nobody to turn to and nowhere to go
I fully understand
I myself was in that dark place not too long ago
Thinking this was the end
Nobody understands what we go through
It get’s better, this is not your future
You will overcome this I promise you
Stay strong!
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Title: forever mine (those pesky hives)
Post by: rosiehives on September 15, 2011, 10:43:39 PM
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i have spent a lot of time in my life reading up on hives, so it’s nice to find this website (even though i should be asleep i had hives on my mind).
for me, i’ve been suffering from this blasted condition since toddlerhood. i only remember one period where i was hive free and that was maybe one year towards the end of high school. i am 31 now, so i have far outlasted the higher end of the average duration for this type of hives. throughout adolescence i had to beg my mother to take me to the dermatologist because, in fact, it was not in my head and shark cartilage does not, in fact, help me. they started me on various allergy meds, but to no avail.
after i started college this treatment fell to the wayside until my senior year when the school student health services referred me to the asthma and allergy clinic (luckily my school was a research college, so the services were decent). again, i was tried on EVERY antihistamine under the sun for the hives. she drew blood, i did a food journal, etc. FINALLY, she tried doxepin and it was AMAZING. it was not perfect, i still get skin flushing, but the bumps and itching greatly reduced and less noticeable. even though i still get that pesky skin flushing, overall it is tolerable.
The doctor also discovered i had asthma and other environmental allergies, and i was treated for that . Those meds had absolutely no impact on my hives and did not change them in any way, shape or form (sounds like a hive). eventually, over time, i stopped taking meds for the environmental allergies and completely stopped this year by quitting the fluonase (and it has been a pain in my you know what, but it’s tolerable…for now).
i have taken doxepin at the same prescribed dose for like 8 yrs now though not without issue. moved twice in that period. the first time the doctor was specialist at the county hospital in chicago and he confirmed that this is a common med for this type of hives. no problems, right? then, i moved again three years ago, got a new doctor and she suggested additional allergy testing (skin testing).
So she referred me to allergy clinic in my town, which was AWFUL. the doctor was pushy and seem to insinuate i was overestimating my hive experience. she tried to prescribed medicines (these meds are now OTC meds) that have never worked for my hives. and i when i told her i had side effects from one of the meds, she just flippantly told me that it wasn’t an actual side effect and said just take a different one instead. she totally devalued my story. anyway, i exercised my right to self determination and continue to take my same medication as before and my primary care doctor does not have a problem prescribing it.
most allergy/asthma doctors seem to know that doxepin can help with hives, but you be surprised the looks and questions i get from other doctors/medical professionals when they ask “isn’t that an old antidepressant? we don’t really use that anymore…” sigh. I know this website has a little write up about treatments and seems to dismiss “antidepressants” as an effective treatment. It does not explicitly name doxepin so I am wondering what’s the criteria for this information.
i am just glad i found something that helps control the hives, but, in reality, i just want these pesky things to go away forever!
rosie
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Title: Re: forever mine (those pesky hives)
Post by: HivesGuy on September 16, 2011, 04:45:43 AM
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Hello Rosie,
Thanks so much for the great post and welcome to the forum. I am sorry to hear of your experiences, and I am glad that you are getting some relief from the Doxepin.
With regards to your question:
Quote
I know this website has a little write up about treatments and seems to dismiss “antidepressants” as an effective treatment. It does not explicitly name doxepin so I am wondering what’s the criteria for this information.
When I write articles on this website, I get my information from the following: Medical articles online, experiences of people on the forum, my own personal experience, and research studies. I usually take in all that information, and try to sort through what works and what doesn’t work, and I try to list that in a way that will be most helpful to the general population.
There have been a couple of mentions on this site of Doxepin helping, but it never removed 100% of all symptoms in anyone I can remember (including you). And some have listed it as totally ineffective on this forum (even when combined with other antihistamines).
I have revised the article and I mention Doxepin by name under “anti-anxiety” medications. But in all honesty I am not a big advocate of this drug, and definitely not anti-depressants in general (for any treatment). In my opinion, labeling Doxepin as an anti-depressant gives a mixed signal, as this is a unique drug with anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, and anti-histamine properties all in one. I’d rather list it under the anti-anxiety so that it doesn’t confuse people into thinking antidepressants in general are a great treatment for Cholinergic Urticaria, when they most certainly are not.
With that being said, I am definitely not a huge fan of solely “anti-depressants” as a treatment of Cholinergic urticaria for the following reasons:
1. Anti-depressants aren’t a common line of treatment by people treating this disorder.
2. The majority of people on this forum agree that anti-depressants did not help their symptoms (or at least not 100%), which to me is not enough to advocate them.
3. There is a terrible danger with anti-depressants that can lead to suicide, mental problems, or other serious and potentially deadly side-effects, and most doctors will not prescribe them to people for hives anyway (especially younger people).
4. There are plenty of other treatments which are less expensive, more easy to obtain, much more safe, etc. that can give similar relief to what you are describing.
In fact, with Doxepin specifically, one very reputable medical website website has a huge “warning” sign at the top of the article on this drug that reads:
“WARNING: A small number of children, teenagers, and young adults (up to 24 years of age) who took antidepressants (‘mood elevators’) such as doxepin during clinical studies became suicidal (thinking about harming or killing oneself or planning or trying to do so). Children, teenagers, and young adults who take antidepressants to treat depression or other mental illnesses may be more likely to become suicidal than children, teenagers, and young adults who do not take antidepressants to treat these conditions. However, experts are not sure about how great this risk is and how much it should be considered in deciding whether a child or teenager should take an antidepressant. Children younger than 18 years of age should not normally take doxepin, but in some cases, a doctor may decide that doxepin is the best medication to treat a child’s condition.
So for this reason, I don’t see it as something that should be recommended to the masses–especially considering that most people who develop Cholinergic Urticaria are most commonly in the exact age group this specifically warns against–even though they aren’t being given this drug for depression specifically.
Also, my wife’s sister was on anti-depressants when she committed suicide a couple of years ago, which of course devastated the entire family. So as you can imagine, I am not a huge advocate of anti-depressants. They mess with people’s mind, don’t cure Cholinergic Urticaria 100%, and may cause other dangers, personality changes, etc.
This may not be true for all people that take them, but if a drug is well documented and studied, and shows that it can lead to very serious bad side effects, and doesn’t eliminate symptoms 100%, then I generally do not promote it.
Thanks again for the great post and welcome!
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Title: Re: forever mine (those pesky hives)
Post by: nowash on September 16, 2011, 07:07:13 AM
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Hmm, that sucks to hear you’ve lasted longer than the “longest known” cholinergic urticaria prognosis.
The way doxepin and hydroxyzine are so potent with this disease makes me wonder if we need some kind of serotonin receptor antagonist. Has anyone tried cyproheptadine when going through the motions of finding an antihistamine that works?
P.S. – What’d you do differently towards the end of high school? lol.
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Title: Re: forever mine (those pesky hives)
Post by: Lothy on September 16, 2011, 02:32:31 PM
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Quote from: nowash on September 16, 2011, 07:07:13 AM
Has anyone tried cyproheptadine when going through the motions of finding an antihistamine that works.
I took lots of cyproheptadine mixed with 50mg of doxepin daily for about a year. Did nothing for me except make me incredibly sleepy. 🙁
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Title: Re: forever mine (those pesky hives)
Post by: rosiehives on September 16, 2011, 04:40:47 PM
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thanks for the welcome 😀
HivesGuy:
i understand the perspective about doxepin (and general antidepressant use). i am in the mental health/substance abuse field myself, so i am empathetic to those individuals and families that are supporting those with depression or other mental health problems. certainly the grief associated with a loved one committing suicide is somehing beyond my comprehension. i have a great amount of compassion for those coping with the grief of suicide.
it is important to reflect on our own experiences and how much they can influence us. your experience is very personal, so it is understandable why you feel that way about anti depressant use. i am definitely not advocating universal use of this medication. this was more of a last resort. my doxepin dose is considerably low and wouldn’t even be considered a therapeutic dose for depression; however, i know the doses vary among people. and certainly, anti depressants should be carefully monitored by the prescriber.
i know that doxepin as well as many other medications used to treat hives are not necessarily going to be effective based on the simple fact that everyone is different. I experienced this first hand. previous to finding something that helped me better manage my hives and, thus, my life, my hives were greatly impacting my life, preventing me from doing things and were sort of embarrasing. managing is the key word here. i guess i am lucky, in a sense, that i found something that helps me enough. i am always trying to better understand these stupid hives. i hate them. i wish they go away.
myself, i don’t really believe there is a 100 percent cure for this type of hives; particularly because it is known to disappear and reappear without any real rhyme or reason. i’ve had these hives practically my entire life–i had not known any different than to look like a blotchy, swollen, itching hot mess who felt cranky and frustrated. though my belief there is not a 100 percent cure, i hope that i am wrong because that’ll be the day to celebrate!! i understand how other people must feel when they struggle to find relief. my sympathy cannot possibly be any greater because i know hives sucks hard. 🙂
nowash:
Lol. I have no idea what i did at the end of high school. maybe i was my body cutting me some slack from the general hell that is high school. i didn’t even really notice i didn’t have them until i got them again on day during my freshman year. i blame the math test i had to take, but who knows–haha.
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Title: Re: Doxepin
Post by: baseball1288 on October 07, 2011, 05:54:07 PM
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You are right nobody does understand. I’ve been to doctors and none of them knew what I had. I happend to do research on the internet and found this, very relieved. I think im going to try doxepin.
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Title: Re: Doxepin
Post by: Daria on November 15, 2011, 01:15:20 PM
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i asked my doctor for doxepin last month.. i had relief two days when going to the gym but ONLY when i took doxepin with a pill of prednisone a half hour before my workout..since i was only on prednisone for 5 days i was now relying on the doxepin to help me..i tried taking 2 pills before my workout..it helped some..still broke out but the itch was mostly gone..then within 2 hours i became very sleepy and had to go to bed..so i cannot take doxepin because it makes me way too sleepy..i have been okay during the day without taking any medications at my job luckily..but i feel my hives will get worse once the weather gets colder..i am planning on going to an acupuncturist or something..
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Title: 16yrs old with Cholinergic Urticaria
Post by: Twiston on February 05, 2012, 11:11:07 AM
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my eng isn’t as good as I should have, forgive me ;d
It’s time to tell you my own story ;d
My urticaria started in spring/summer last year and it’s still now,
It’s so annoying, I think all of you know what I would to say,
i get deppressed in the last year, but not cause of urticaria(don’t want to talk about it),
yeah 16 years and deppression funny isn’t it? 😉
i’m asking to you, how can I CURE of this 🙁
i tried xyzal, no help.
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Title: Re: 16yrs old with Cholinergic Urticaria
Post by: HivesGuy on February 11, 2012, 06:33:39 AM
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Hey Twiston & welcome to the forum,
The best solution is to spend time reading what’s worked for others on this forum, and then take that information and talk witih a doctor about what would be safe for you, and then start experimenting with it.
Each individual seems to respond differently to things such as diet modifications, antihistamines, exercise/sweating, etc.
I feel that you can definitely get your Cholinergic Urticaria under control if you don’t lose hope and remain proactive about it.
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Title: Re: 16yrs old with Cholinergic Urticaria
Post by: Twiston on February 23, 2012, 04:17:14 PM
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So, i want to reply, because i read a really helpfull advice. Some guy in my country said, cholinergic urticuria is only caused by our mind, and i agree with he at 100%. He said that he visited a psychiatrist(don’t be scared of this job, really.) who gave him some tablets anti-axiety, and he was waiting for recovery about 2 weeks, after these 2 weeks, medicine started working, and his cholinergic urticuria has gone forever. It is individual case how tablets will give you doctor.
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Title: I guess it’s time to share my story as well
Post by: cupcake1313 on April 04, 2012, 11:22:44 PM
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I’ve been reading and reading this forum for almost a year now and decided it was time to share my story too in case it helps anyone else.
I’ve had cholinergic urticaria for over 10 years now but just figured out what it was about eight months ago. I’m a fairly average 33 year old woman. I lead a normal life and grew up in Las Vegas, yes I said Las Vegas (HOT!!!). The first time I had a hives break out it covered about 85% of my body and lasted months. It also included two late night trips to the ER because my throat was itchy and swelling shut. The doctors gave me the usual Zantac and Zyrtec cocktail I see everyone has tried along with an Epipen just in case my throat started to swell again. I believe somewhere in the middle of all that I went through a round of steroids that did not help at all. My breakout wasn’t just the little red, prickly bumps; it was mainly huge welts and swollen extremities. The only explanation I got was that I must have eaten something I was allergic to.
I suffered another few breakouts over the next few years until I had the worst one last year. No doctor could ever explain what it was or how to get rid of it. I did notice that they usually started around the beginning of “summer” in Vegas.
Last year I had the worst breakout to date. This time it lasted about six months non-stop. I tried the Zantac/Zyrtec cocktail and got nothing. I tried changing everything I could think of. I called in sick to work several days and laid in my bed crying. I was having a hard time functioning to take care of my four year old. There were several days that I was so depressed that I would just go out and drink so I could forget about the itching. Nothing helped me. I would lay in the dark with the AC and several fans pointed at me.
Everything itched and every morning I would wake up with a different swollen body part. My fiance finally talked me into getting some help. I got online and started doing research and I found an internal medicine doctor that would help me. She must have thought I was a nutcase because I was a crying, hot mess until I dropped my pants and showed her my thighs and pulled up my shirt to show her my stomach. She flat out told me she had never seen anything like that in her life!! She also called in a medical student so she could gain some experience.
Then, she told me that she would be willing to do whatever she could to help me. She spent an hour with me asking all sorts of questions, what meds I had already tried, and what I was willing to try. No doctor had ever been willing to sit that long with me. She sent me for all sorts of tests….food allergy testing, diabetes testing, full panels, fasting testing, blah, blah, blah. Nothing was wrong with me except that I am overweight. Before my next visit she did some research and asked me if I’d be willing to try Doxepin and Propranolol. I told her I would eat dog crap if it would work. So I started taking them and am happy to report that I am hive free!! Yes they do come with some side effects but I will say that I would rather be sleepy than be in the worst misery of my life.
I mostly just wanted to tell my story in case it helped anyone else. I do have a question though….nobody has mentioned if they are fair skinned like me. I wonder if that has anything to do with things because I’ve seemed to heat up quicker my entire life. I do know that my hives come from heat and sweat. Since last summer I have moved from Vegas to Southern California (10 blocks from the ocean!!!) and I am hoping as summer approaches, that things will be better for me. I will keep you posted!!!
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Title: Re: I guess it’s time to share my story as well
Post by: HivesGuy on April 05, 2012, 11:14:13 AM
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Hey Cupcake,
Thanks for sharing your story, it was very interesting to read. And welcome to the forum too.
I’m glad you found something that worked for you, and I hope you can continue to maintain remission.
As far as your question, I wouldn’t say I am fair skinned, but my skin almost got to the point of looking fair skinned since I avoided heat and the sun for so long. I was pretty white. Now I have a bit more of a tan now that I an actually get outside and work.
I don’t think skin pigmentation has any effect at all. And it seems that darker skinned people would become hotter quicker than light skinned people, since dark objects tend to absorb the sun’s heat faster than lighter reflective objects.
I hope you can enjoy the summer ocean. It’s been about 4-5 years since I’ve been to the beach myself. I usually go to Myrtle Beach.
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Title: Re: I guess it’s time to share my story as well
Post by: Rogerq23 on April 14, 2012, 08:19:33 PM
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You mean you are hive free by taking the medication daily? or you are hive free after taking the medication for a while and you are set?
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Title: Re: I guess it’s time to share my story as well
Post by: Claudia on April 20, 2012, 12:04:07 PM
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Hi Cupcake,
Thank you for sharing your story. I could relate to a lot in it.
I started noticing symptoms about 6 weeks ago, but when I look back on my life, I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with heat lol. I’m anemic, so it’s hard for me to stay warm. I used to sleep under two comforters and wore lots of layers of clothing, just to feel comfortable. On the other hand, I can remember feeling faint whenever I washed my hands, dishes, hair etc. with hot water.
Now that I know what’s causing these rashes, I am learning how to cope and adjust my life so that I can make it through the day. It’s tough, but reading posts like yours and others is giving me hope that maybe one day I’ll be symptom-free.
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Title: Re: anti-depressants seem to have cured my Cholinergic Urticaria!
Post by: mbrosch on April 28, 2012, 10:08:57 PM
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WOW!! This particular post and the responses have been eye opening for me!!
I developed cholinergic urticaria 10 years ago now. I have been on hydroxyzine all this time with the allegra combo. I developed IBS-D a few years ago. Seems like there is definately a connection between the two as many people with chronic cholinergic urticaria also have some sort of stomach or bowel upset as well. Of course stress is the link.
To think that my IBS-D is a result of anxiety and stress as well as my hives (and sunlight) I’m thinking a stronger anti-anxiety med will probably be the knockout punch I need to start living again..as it is now between IBS-D and urticaria my life is not really quality anymore. It’s more avoiding any kind of stress and exertion. Because of these conditions I don’t go out much or have many friends and currently, you guessed it, single!
I just want to live again and now I have a starting point and hope for remission of both conditions. Going to see an allergist again soon to mull these suggestions over and start on a therapy that hopefully will put me into remission.