Need some advice..

[TZ]

On a good OTC anti-histimine that won't make me drowsy. With my blood disorder I get itching from hot water and I went to take a nice relaxing hot bath and ended up getting out after about 10 minutes cause my legs itched so bad. They STILL itch. I know its a histimine response so I was wondering what might be a good one to stop this friggin itching. ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!:banghead:

[KitchenWitch]

1. I will PM you.

[NJmaverick]

2. The strongest would be Benedryl (sp?)

What sort of blood disorder causes this sort of problem?

[TZ]

4. I have a rare condition

called essential thrombocythemia.. too many platelets made by malfunctioning bone marrow. So rare in fact, that after taking to my hem yesterday (and having a platelet level 10X normal) we decided it would be good for me to go see a specialist in the disease..at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota...
http://rarediseases.about.com/od/rarediseasese/a/thrombocythemia.htm

[NJmaverick]

10. wow, that is some rare disorder

I wish you the best with dealing with it.

[Deep13]

24. That stuff is snooze city.

Unfortunately "good" and "nondrowsy" don't seem to go together when discussing antihistamines.

Claritine is what the doctor usually recommends to me. It doesn't work as well as chlortimeton, which cause some drowsiness.

[lightningandsnow]

3. Reactine works for me.

I'm allergic to mosquito and blackfly bites (the mosquito ones swell up to the size of poker chips, the blackfly ones do the same and actually make me feel sick), so I take one pretty much every day in the summer and if I'm going to be where there are blackflies during blackfly season. It works quite well and doesn't make me drowsy in the least.

[NaturalHigh]

5. Sorry, but I've never found one.

All antihistamines make me drowsy. It's impossible for me to take one and go to work. I just have to settle for coughing and sniffing all day instead.

[Mike03]

6. Is nocturnal itching a sign of allergies? Because I have been having that for

about a month, and it is driving me insane. Last night I tried a cortisone cream, and I don't know if it helped or not. I've tried folic acid, Vitamin B, fish oil, and a number of things to stop it. I was worried it might be something more serious, like organ failure...


Please share if you learn anything that might help us. On some nights it literally destroys my ability to sleep, and sleep deprivation is one of the things that is really messing up my quality of life.

[TZ]

7. usually itching itsn't a sign of something serious

Mine is just a truly annoying side effect of my disease.
I'm betting you do have allergies. Also could be stress. I've read your posts and know you are personally stressed...

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

28. I would ask if you were menopausal, but judging from your screen name I'd gather you aren't!

I have had that as I progress through early menopause, and I know how awful it feels. I took Benadryl to help the itching and to help me sleep. Also used Aveeno oatmeal lotion, which seemed to help a bit.

[Heddi]

8. Try these two things

1) Eucerin lotion - I have horribly sensitive skin and break out in chronic hives in this ONE spot on both of my legs -- nowhere else--- just one spot and it itches like mad. Eucerin Lotion is the only OTC lotion I can use that doesn't make me break out worse, and that actually HELPS my itchy legs.

2) If that doesn't work, see if your Dr will Rx Triamcinilone Cream. it's a steroid cream and actually works great for my flare-ups. I, too, get flare ups when I get out of a bathtub, and the Trimacinilone cream works great. However, I go through it faster than insurance will pay for it, hence, the use of the Eucerin lotion in between. The only thing bad (?) about steroid lotions is that some people have a return-of-symptoms when they stop using it if they've used it for an extended period of time. I have used Trimacinilone for about 8 years when I need it for a flare up and haven't ever had a return-of-symptoms---then again, I wouldn't know if I did because I ALWAYS have symptoms.

As always, the best suggestion is to speak with your MD about your situation, as only you and your MD can make the best medical decisions, and not all medications, remedies, or cures work for every person :)

[Mike03]

9. Does Claritin function as an anti-histimine?

Have you tried topical steroid cream?

[Mike03]

11. Kick and Rec, in case someone has some good ideas for the OP. NT

[ThomCat]

12. If you find an antihistamine that doesn't make you sleepy

Please, please, please let me know what it is. I take so damned many meds that all make me sleepy, and now I itch every time I take my painkillers, which means I itch all the friggin time. x(

I'd love to know about anything that works that won't put me to sleep. I'm getting sick of living on large doses of caffeine.

[momto3]

13. Hi turtlensue

I actually know someone with this disorder. She is the daughter of my husbands boss and is the youngest person to ever have been diagnosed with thrombocythemia. She was diagnosed 5 years ago at the age of 9. She saw a specialist a Johns Hopkins. They have been treating her disorder with hypoxyurea for the past several years and is managing it quite well.

I hope all goes as well for you. If you would like more information, I will try to get it for you.

Tracy

[TZ]

14. Thanks

I was on hydroxyurea for a little while, but my hem doesn't want me on it if at all possible, I'm much too young at 38 he thinks.
Pretty sure I know the specialist your friend saw. I went to a seminar`with him and the guy from Mayo. I was really impressed with the guy from the mayo clinic so thats why I am going there. Believe me, I'm pretty well educated here, but the recent DOUBLING of my counts (700 last October to now 1,400) has both my regular hematologist and I puzzled....:hi:

[momto3]

15. That was the problem with my friends daughter.

Since she was diagnosed at 9, they had no idea how to treat her. Being on hydroxyurea for the rest of her life is not a good option, but at least she is still alive! There were many great debates on what to do. I imagine that they are still trying to figure this out.

I hope everything works out for you and they are able to find a treatment that works.

Tracy

[BeachBaby]

16. Sheesh - you poor thing.....

Wish I had some kind of advice for ya, but as someone who doesn't have allergic reactions to anything, I don't have any advice to give.

I just hope you're feeling better soon - and I wanted to say HI to you, I haven't seen you around in awhile (and I've been a rarity on this board for the last week, way too busy these days).

:hi: :pals:

[qb]

17. Claritin doesn't make me sleepy and cheap generics are available. nt

[Iris]

26. I second Claritin.

They have a pill that lasts 12 hours.

[madinmaryland]

18. I'm not qualified to give medical advice.

:shrug:

[TZ]

19. true

Now if I found I had an allergy to brazillion jokes...I wouldn't call you....:rofl:

[madinmaryland]

20. Now if I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express....

BTW, What is my official quota of brazilian jokes for today?

[TZ]

21. You want a quota?

I have a feeling if I set a quota, you would go out of your way to double it...:rofl:

[madinmaryland]

22. How are you doing, since temeah has been on vacation?

:hi:

[TZ]

23. well perhaps you noticed

my pevity is just not where it needs to be. Feeling a bit uninspired without the Michaelangelo of naughtiness.
However, have some funny pics of me playing guitar hero that I will prolly post this weekend.

[suninvited]

25. Zyrtec is over the counter now

works for a lot of people without drowsiness. It makes me a bit drowsy, but not to where I cant function normally.

[Parche]

27. TurtleandSuedafed

That stuff works

:hi: