Pepcid (Famotidine) or Ranitidine for Cholinergic Urticaria or Hives?
Post by: tmorgan43 on June 07, 2010, 06:12:04 AM
Hey, sorry guys but this is my first post and I’m having a lot of trouble wording this, but if you are familiar with acetylcholine & histamines/receptors feel free to reword & repost this to spread the message!
In us sufferers, acetylcholine causes an allergic response due to an unknown release of histamine.
One of acteylcholine purposes is to intentionally release histamines (but in our stomach – it is one of the steps to release stomach acid), the histamine receptors in our stomach are known as H2 receptors, H2 receptors are also found in our skin – making up 15% of all histamine receptors in the skin.
A consultant dermatoligist recommended me try ranitidine, a H2 antihistamine – which was a life saver for me – only for a month though, I started developing a tolerance. But it has actually removed 30%-40% of my hives.
Ranitidine can be purchased over the counter, as Zantac, for indigestion.
If this does show improvement for you, but nothing significant, then try another H2 antihistamine or another H1 antihistamine. Even though these drugs are meant to do the same thing, I can assure you that trying a different antihistamine can make so much of a difference.
And if you’ve had cholinergic urticaria like me, you would of discovered that by now!
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Title: Re: Acetylcholine Can Intentionally Release Histamines
Post by: HivesGuy on June 07, 2010, 07:04:16 AM
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Hello Tmorgan43,
Thanks for the great post and welcome to the forum.
I agree that antihistamines do help some people, and some are more effective than others. I have tried many H1 and H2, and even combinations of both an H2 and H1 at the same time (I made a blog post regarding the experience a year or two ago). I personally had mixed effects, and it didn’t help me too much at all. But I agree that people should experiment with different combinations with their doctor’s oversight.
I am not sure if I just build a rapid tolerance to them or what, but after a mere two or three days, it seems antihistamines lose their effects nearly 100% for me. Every antihistamine I have ever taken make me feel slightly groggy for some reason (and I know not all people have that side effect, but I often do). While I am groggy, I am not as reactive or itchy (although I can still have a reaction). However, as soon as the sleepiness goes away (after a few days), the hives come right back too.
So for that reason, I generally don’t take them.
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Title: Pepcid AC (Famotidine) for Cholinergic Urticaria or Hives? Anyone try it?
Post by: LookMaNoHives on February 28, 2011, 06:46:33 PM
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so today my allergist told me that I would probably never get over this and all we can do now is try to control it (before they were very hopeful about curing me). Of course I cried a lot and I talked to my fiancé/emt and his paramedic friend had a form of this and he went to a specialist who recommended pepcid ac which is an h2 antagonist and he is fine now! I was interested in knowing if anyone has tried it? I am going to I think because I’m running out of options and hope! Thanks for any feedback!
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Title: Re: Pepcid ac? Anyone try it?
Post by: HivesGuy on February 28, 2011, 07:33:12 PM
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Yes, and it does help a bit. It is an antihistamine just like Zyrtec or Allegra, but as you pointed out, it blocks H2 instead of H1 receptors.
I take Zantac (which is an H2) and I take 2 of them. It doesn’t cure my hives, but it helps a little.
These are typically known as “acid blockers,” because you have a lot of H2 receptors in your stomach, and blocking these reduces acid secretion. But you also have some H2 in your skin too.
Sometimes, some dermatologists even suggest people take both an H1 and an H2. Sometimes combining them could be more effective. However, you would need to talk to your doctor before experimenting like that, and I certainly wouldn’t recommending doing a combo like that long term.
Also, beware of taking H2 antihistamines too much, because Pepcid or Zantac causes gynecomastia in some people over time.
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Title: Re: Pepcid ac? Anyone try it?
Post by: queenofthehives on May 21, 2011, 08:08:46 PM
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I take Pepcid. While it does not improve the appearance of my hives, I think it lessens the itching and painful sensations.
I think that the two medications that have helped me the most are Cyproheptadine and Dapsone. Cyproheptadine is a lot like benadryl but way more effective for me. For me, it takes some of the edge off the hives. For some people it can cause drastic improvement. 😉 Dapsone is a pretty serious little drug but it really much of the hives and swelling I have in my throat, tongue, and face during reactions. Dapsone requires regular blood tests though and is probably one of the last resorts. It might really help you though.
Good Luck!
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Title: Med combo changed my life
Post by: Joon on August 02, 2011, 08:12:39 PM
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I have suffered from this condition for almost 20 years, and the worst part of it, besides the obvious, is having to EXPLAIN it to people. I always sound like someone making excuses for why I cant work out, go for a walk, bla bla bla.
I am so excited to find a forum of people who UNDERSTAND what Im going thru, and dont look at me like Im making some stupid condition up.
For years I tried everything. It was clear early on that this was not a food allergy issue. ANYTHING at ALL that caused me to sweat even a little bit turned the moment into a horror movie, me being the star who is being attacked by 400 million rabid mosquitos.
About ten years ago, I spent 220 bucks to see a ‘specialist’ dermatologist who spent 10 minutes with me and said “Take Pepcid and Zyrtec and let me know how it goes”. Pepcid.
I had been taking the Zyrtec (citirizine) for years with little relief. I added the Pepcid..just regular Famotadine …with it, and my life CHANGED. Stomach acids are caused by histamines, Pepcid is just a different TYPE of antihistamine, and together, they block MORE.
Suddenly, I can do normal things for longer durations. I still cant go for a jog on a hot day, but I can vacuum, do the laundry, take a walk on a moderate day….things I COULDNT do before.
Its not a cure all. But it made a difference big enough that,with some concessions, I can lead a relatively normal life.
Im going on 20 years with this. It makes summers a living hell, and losing weight next to impossible. But Im surviving it, dealing with it, and doing the best I can to get through it. They say the longest someone has had it is 30 years….ten more…..One can only hope….
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Title: Simple OTC combo CHANGED MY LIFE
Post by: Joon on August 02, 2011, 08:30:14 PM
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I wont bore you with the details, but I have suffered with C.U. for almost TWENTY YEARS.
About ten years ago, after insufferable allergy testing yada yada, I went to a dermatologist who graced me with about TEN minutes of his time. I was NOT HAPPY.
HOWEVER, seeing that I had been on Zyrtec ( citirizine ) for years, he says “add Pepcid”. And that was that.
He explained histamines cause stomach acid, and pepcid is an antihistamine that works differently than citirizine, but together they block more types of histamines.
I take ten mg of each per day. Within a week, I was doing normal every day activities. I still cant jog in the heat, or break into a sweat, but I can WALK and I can VACUUM and I dont get HIVES seven times a day anymore.
Often, if Im careful, I go MONTHS without fullblown hives.
But I cant miss a single day of therapy. Not one day. Or the heat rash returns, and if I push it and my body over heats, so do the hives./
So guess what? I DONT FORGET MY MEDS.
And I get to live.
Seriously. Try it. FAMOTIDINE. Not rantidine or any of the others. PEPCID and ZYRTEC.
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Title: Re: Simple OTC combo CHANGED MY LIFE
Post by: HateHives on August 04, 2011, 08:58:33 PM
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I have tried Zyrtec and pepcid together but it doesn’t help me at all, do you know if pepcid will work with hydroxyzine? please i need help!! 🙁
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Title: Re: Med combo changed my life
Post by: HivesGuy on August 15, 2011, 03:33:03 AM
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Thanks for the post Joon and welcome to the forum,
Yes, I agree with the explaining it thing. People really don’t understand at all. Wow, that is crazy that you have had this for 20 years. You are definitely one of the Cholinergic Urticaria vets on this board (hehe).
I have tried that combo before (Allegra and Ranitidine), and it also helped me tremendously. I haven’t taken it in months though.
Thanks again and welcome.
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Title: Re: Simple OTC combo CHANGED MY LIFE
Post by: HivesGuy on August 15, 2011, 03:35:16 AM
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@hatehives,
If those didn’t work, then talk to your doctor about trying others. We all have different bodies, and we react differently to medicines. If Zyrtec doesn’t work, try Allegra. If Pepcid doesn’t work, try another one, etc.
Or, you may be able to try a different set of antihistamines. I would also advise to try other things to (elimination diets, etc.) to see if any of that helps.
Of course, always talk to a doctor so you can be safe. Good luck.
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Title: Re: Med combo changed my life
Post by: HateHives on August 15, 2011, 11:04:33 AM
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I am currently taking hydroxyzine and singulair…did any of you 2 try this? just wondering :-
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Title: Re: Med combo changed my life
Post by: HivesGuy on August 15, 2011, 12:07:46 PM
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Never used singulair because some of the side effects I read on wiki kinda scared me. But there has been some on here who have used it without any apparent issues (Bbroom).
Hydroxyzine knocks me out, and as soon as my body adapts to the tiredness in a few days, it quit working completely.
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Title: Re: Simple OTC combo CHANGED MY LIFE
Post by: HivesForDayz on August 15, 2011, 07:22:07 PM
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is pepcid in the long run bad for you?
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Title: Re: Simple OTC combo CHANGED MY LIFE
Post by: HivesGuy on August 16, 2011, 12:25:18 AM
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Any medicine in the long run could be bad for you. In fact, even eating a steak every day could be bad for you and raise colon cancer risks.
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Title: Re: Med combo changed my life
Post by: LuckyHives on October 16, 2011, 09:09:11 PM
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Haha that’s funny just 10 more years. I’ve had it for 7 years….Just another 23 years for me. LOL. Love this post