Gosh, Summer, I´m sorry to hear about this news!!  I wish I knew an answer.   Yet, you are right, you need to get some feedback and I think that you need to ask your oftamologist to speak with Dr. Castells.   She´s the MCAS expert and she should have some kind of input on this to help keep you out of trouble.    You can´t ignore the glaucoma, it must be treated, but you´ve got to have help with how to deal with your masto if the meds interact with it.   So see if he can contact her directly.


Lisa

I've got multiple pages on my listing of health problems and many of those issues have become very serious by now -- this mast cell degranulation business gets in the way of everything I need to be taking, as I react to pretty much all drugs, and even finally lost my last antibiotic, so I'm living as carefully as possible.  

I have Rx Zyzal, standard daily dose, to take regularly, and OTC Claritin.  Allegra gives me serious reactions.  

I'm avoiding Prednisone as even a pre-medication as my glucose is already a big problem (haven't begun insulin yet, but will finally be starting -- with the usual trepidation -- on my next doctor visit, I can not tolerate any of the oral Glucose-lowering drugs).  

I've wondered if a small dose of Prednisone at infrequent times of special concern (dentistry, drug testing) wouldn't raise my glucose dangerously, but I think it probably does raise it quickly, even in a single dose.

And I've wondered if I should ask for Ketotifen, if it's available here, for using right before those times of concern.  I want to know more about that one, if it will act quickly enough to stabilize things just on occasions.

Yes, it's all so complicated.  I'm generally left on my own (thank you all for this place) and I've found myself beginning to get very depressed about it all. Right now I can't get into my regular internal med doctor until mid-January.  

All I can think else to do before trying out the Xalatan (and each daily dose for a while) is Benadryl, and then space the doses far apart until I see for sure what happens.  My intuition says it's not a good bet for me.

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Are Blood thinners a problem?

I have started consuming Turmeric, Cayenne Pepper, and Ginger for their anti-inflammatory properties (inflammation seems to run rampant in my body, causes very much trouble) and Bilberry for eye benefits (circulation), but they are all blood thinners.  I've wondered about that aspect.  Most herbal supplements I can't even tolerate, but so far, those I have been able to.

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I didn't know that, I thought only aspirin countered it.  Yes, I can do Tylenol.

Thanks to all of you for the advice.  I really didn't get the impression that my doc would be open to discussing anything with an unfamiliar doctor in Boston over an illness he never heard of (he wouldn't even look at my papers I had taken in), but I'll keep it under consideration -- I wish.  Of course Dr. Castells also doesn't know me or my situation, either.

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There's another wrinkle -- do you mean like Benedryl or Zyrtec, being bad for Glaucoma?

Thank you, Heather.  I'm going to ask for these -- that I don't have -- when I see my doctor next.

I do have a couple of bleeding issues on occasion -- I'll have to weigh the risks and benefits.  Very complicated!

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No, I just have an ophthalmologist at one of the two local medical clinics.  I've liked him the last ten years, when nothing was being diagnosed (and I seemed simple to him), but now, I've had to be concerned how he wouldn't look at my papers detailing my other health issues, drug allergies, etc. -- this happens everywhere I go, they want to give me drugs, dyes, etc., without ever asking or listening first.  But I am a major problem, I have many "rare" disorders, and have had reactions to so many things, they just aren't used to encountering anyone like me.

I hope you hear back from Dr. Castells soon!  

Diphenhydramine has been contraindicated for glaucoma in the past.  I don't know about Zyrtec or the others, but if you look them up individually, there should be information online about that.