I had a different experience with doxepin.  It was the first medicine that helped my symptoms besides Benadryl, probably because it blocks both H1 and H2 histamine receptors.  It also helped me get into stage 4 sleep, which wasn't happening due to triggering, so I felt much better in the mornings.  I wonder if the difference for me is that I don't have the auto-immune variety of SM.

BTW, doxepin is a tricyclic antidepressant, whereas other drugs like Prozac, Zoloft, and others are SSRI's and inhibit serotonin re-uptake (meaning it leaves more serotonin circulating in the body instead of being taken out of circulation and broken down).

I couldn't agree with you more, Lisa, about avoidance of triggers allowing our bodies to settle down.  Even in IgE allergies, my doctor said that if I could get 8-10 hours in a room without triggers, I would start to get better and not react to so many things.  That meant no triggering foods, inhaled things, exposure to environmental triggers, artificial anything, etc.  It took a while, but it helped a lot.  Sometimes it seems impossible, but lowering stressors can make all the difference.  We can eat well and carefully, avoid food and environmental triggers, but if we have a lot of stress and too much to do, we'll trigger from that.  Looking at your mental/emotional stressors and trying to eliminate them, can be beneficial.

Hi! Reading through older posts this morning! This one got me wondering about doxepin. So im piggybacking off a thread from August. I have struggled with anxiety and depression for much of my life (what is a symptom of mast cell disorder and what is not, I am not sure, but I do believe there in a fine line there). Ihave gone from being diagnosed with depression/panic anxiety disorder, to bipolar type 2, different from bipolar type 1. Anyway, I have tried virtually every medication out there for these different disorders, everything but  doxepin! I take take several mediacations that work on setotonin including Zoloft (which is an ssri) remeron (which I believe is a different class of medication, but still works on serotonin) and geodon, which also works on serotonin. I am kind of confused though. Do these medications deplete serotonin or give you more? From what I've read it sounds as though these drugs breakdown serotonin and get rid of it. As far as I know, I have never had a blood test to test my serotonin levels. I am wondering if having a mast cells disorder, its possible that I am already low in serotonin, and these drugs are making things worse???? If anyone had any insight on this, I am very interested. What could be the effects of having too little (or too much if I have this all backwards) serotonin?? And I was wondering about doxepin......does this drug help to calm mast cells in the brain? I know that the Zyrtec and Allegra do not cross the blood/brain barrier. Is it important to get something up there in the head?? Lol has doxepin been a good drug for people for both mast cell issues, as well as for those who also stuggle with depression/anxiety?

Hi lisa! So if I had low serotonin Doxipin would not be good for me? But if I had high levels, is would be an option???? I'm a little confused on high vs low levels and ssri's. Thanks!

Bridgitte, I've not got much understanding about this.  This is what one of my doctors told me and it made total sense cause every time I was given one of these I got much sicker!!  Now we know to shy totally away from any kind of SSRI.  Instead I need to eat foods and try to increase my serotonin levels.  But without doctors who really know about this, I'm not getting very far.


Lisa

I'm going to my psychiatrist today. I think I'm going to talk to him about doxepin. Funny, out of all the immunologist and allergists I've seen, my psychiatrist is more on board with BELIEVING me and helping me than any of them!!! So I have a question. Last week I woke up with this weird hard hive looking thing in my cheek probably the size of a quarter.  It was white
in the middle and bright red around it. As the day went on, it turned all red. It took a few days to go down. It ended up oozing puss (eewww, go ahead and vomit! Lol) but it wasn't like a typical zit as it didn't start out like a zit, and when the puss did come out, unlike a zit, it came out of several small holes. Then the other day, another one started, same thing, and today it drained, again out of several small holes. I wish i could show y'all a picture. Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what this might be. In the past, my hives don't drain, they just go away. Are there skin conditions caused by mast cell disorder that do this. Or do they just fade away? It's like nothing I've ever had before.  

I think you´re right Joan, it doesn´t sound masto at all!!!  MCs get involved yes, but it´s not masto caused.  Sounds like a bite to me too!!

As to food that raise serotonin levles.......I WISH I KNEW!!!


Lisa