Hi, guys.
@Palmer7 mentioned mast cell dysfunction when I was talking about my
weird symptom of bulging veins in my hands and feet the evening, with pain in the hands and arms. Apparently, Yasmina Ykelenstam was giving a talk about mast cell overactivation, and she specifically mentioned this symptom as being a sign of high mast cell activation / high histamine levels.
What the hey, when it happened again this evening, I took some diphenhydramine (a whole one, because they were capsules, not pills).
I got a tingy, cold feeling, my mouth tasted like metal, and I felt a little dizzier and less centered (it felt like I weighed less than usual). The pain at the back of my neck diminished, but it just seemed to travel to the sides of my head. Most symptoms went away or significantly diminished in a half an hour... and my hands were still bulgy like some horror movie monster's.
So - either this doesn't work, this doesn't work at this dose, this is the wrong type of histamine blocker, or high histamine is not what's wrong with me.
I'm afraid you won't be able to tell from one antihistamine if this is the issue or not. Many people with mastc ell issues (including me) find they need a number of different meds to control symptoms and some people may find one type of anti H makes them worse ie they are sensitive to it or its ingredients and may need to spend while finding the right combo of meds, which usually involves an H1 blocker (2nd gen are best as non drowsy like loratidine or cetirizine) AND an H2 blocker like Zantac AND a mast cell stabiliser (Quercetin is a natural one I think) Even then the meds may need to be taken at an off label higher dosage - for example I take two 10mg loratidine a day and have been advised I can take up to 4 times the normal dose (this is not safe for all antihistamines just certain ones)
But then again this may not be your issue...
Science is so indefinite.
-J