Well, I WAS taking just 30mg of fexofenadine as prescribed by my doctor.  I got the script filled in 2011 but didn't start taking it 'til a couple of weeks ago.

I saw my doctor on Friday and apparently you can't get 30 mg anymore so she wrote a script for 60 mg.  I was thinking "well, I guess it's time to move it up."  I guess you can't get the prescription brand anymore at that dosage so they recommended that I just grab the brand name Allegra or the CVS brand in 60 mg.  My husband didn't pick anything up so I could make the choice on what I wanted to do.

Okay, so I still have some of my 30 mgs left so I took two today to see if I can tolerate them.  NOPE!  I can't.  Right now I'm shaking like crazy.  I'm breathing okay but my throat is itchy.  My throat also feels a little tight but that could be because a) I'm really dry from the antihistamine and b) I'm having extra issues from my c-spine instability.  Doesn't help that I'm really tensing up.  I had the chills for a while but now I'm feeling a little flush.

I'm drinking water like crazy because I don't know what else to do.  My only back up here is a CVS brand benadryl or an old bottle of children's benadryl cherry-flavored liquid.  So it's the pink pill with the corn starch or the red syrup with the citric acid.  Or, I just try to ride this out but then what do I do for meds?

I tried zyrtec once and felt drugged and heavy all day long followed by being up (like I had coffee) all night long.  I know Claritin is an option, too but I read that it can increase menstral bleeding and with my anemia, that wouldn't be a good idea.

Anyway, hoping I don't get worse.   Any suggestions?

Sounds like your having a reaction. I would take some childrens liquid benadryl. I buy the Walgreens dye free brandand I don't see on the back of my bottle any where that this brand contains corn starch. You can start out slow with 12.5 dose and work your way up if your sensitive to meds.
Melissa

So sorry to hear this and how frightening for you

Yes it would be GREAT if you could sort out a rescue med....

Dye free benadryl might be good like others said. I take Atarax but might be an issue if youv'e never tried it. So sorry the allegra makes you worse; what are it's fillers? Any chance they could be the culprit?

You have an epipen right?


I HATE the throat tight feeling; I think you're right when it's dry it probably feels worse than it is. For me most reactions start with sudden mouth dryness...I know I'm in trouble.

Really hope you find something that helps you. There are a lot of options but it's a scary road when you react to so many things

And no, I don't have an epi-pen.  I don't have a doctor yet who thinks I need one.

The saga continues...

My husband went back out after dinner looking for BENADRYL brand tablets (25mg) and the dye-free children's liquid (benadryl OR off-brand).  After a trip to Walgreens, another CVS AND the pharmacy at our local hospital, he came home empty-handed again.  Where the frick is the Benadryl???

I'm going to see if I can order some online but I kinda wish I had it NOW.  My symptoms have died off but... I've been taking the baby dose of Allegra for the past two weeks a.m. and p.m.  After the reaction I had from increasing the dosage earlier today, now I have nothing to take tonight.  I don't know if I try the baby dose again or just not take anything unless I have a reaction overnight.  I can always take a sip of my 6 y.o.'s cherry benadryl, I guess.  

I may try to make an appointment with my allergist tomorrow for the epipen but it's a toss-up whether or not I'll actually be able to drive.  Haven't felt stable enough to get behind the wheel in a couple of weeks but I can get to my allergist by taking mostly side streets so I may try it.

What a crappy day.

Heck yea, get that Epi pen girl. Your scaring me. Now when you take the Benadryl if you notice a numbing in your throat don't be alarmed. That's what it does, I asked my pharmacist and he confirmed it does numb the throat a bit in fact they often  give it to people on chemo or radiation that have a hard time swallowing because their throats are burned from treatment. Good luck hope you find some! Ana, is right hydroxyzine is a good rescue med too. That one crosses the blood brain barrier and it helps many of us with brain fog
Melissa
Melissa

Hey Mommydancer!

Oh my dear, your reactions to the Allegra and the Zyrtec sound just like me! I have tried these two drugs so many times, and I always get the same thing, even when I cut the dose down.  They are just too strong for me.  I am a real medication LIGHTWEIGHT!

Allegra makes me feel like I am having a shock reaction (even though I am not) and my arms will go numb from it.  The Zyrtec knocks me flat like I had anesthesia (even a toddler dose).  Everybody tolerates meds differently, so you kind of have to work around your own body.

I have found that the only thing I can tolerate is Loratidine (Claritin).  The only one that really works well for me is the Member's Mark Brand from Sam's Club.  This is good because you can get a year's supply for only $12-$15  

I can not take a whole pill at once, or  I feel way buzzed.  So, I cut it in half and take half in the morning (7 AM) and half at night (7 PM).  Don't take it too close to bedtime or it might keep you awake.

This is the only thing that does it for me, don't know why.  If I get a masto attack then I have my Benedryl and epipens for backup.

Just hang in there.  Almost everybody who has this disease has to find their "magic mix" of meds.  That is basically an annoying ordeal, but once you do, then you start to feel better.

Hope you guys aren't sick of this thread, yet.

My cold is getting a little worse - with more of an allergy feeling which makes it hard to decide if I'm having symptoms 'cause I'm sick or cause I'm reacting (or both).

Soooo... I still have the CVS brand of benadryl - it's a tablet.  It's 25 mg.  Can I cut that in 1/2?  Or maybe drink 12.5 of the liquid "watered down"?  I'm about to have dinner (I hate eating) so if I start to get a little worse after that, I'll have to take something.  Thoughts?

Happy Valentine's Day?