Yes, my allergist prescribed the Zyrtec/Pepcid combo for me about 2 years ago. (Before that, I had been on Allegra alone but it didn't seem to help much for my chronic urt.) I think several others on this board are on a similar combination.
I am still on the combination today. (I had been off of all meds this last spring and summer since it appeared the hives were going away or at least getting better, but then I got hit with a really big outbreak in the fall, and I have been back on the Zyrtec/Pepcid ever since.)
Sorry, I don't have the mg's handy. I take 1 pill of Zyrtec plus 1 pill of Pepcid in the morning, and then one Pepcid alone at night.
FWIW, when my hives/swelling are flaring badly enough, I take Benedryl in addition to the Zyrtec and Pepcid.
- Kristi
i'm currently taking benadryl for my hives,and as long as i take a million a day, they seem to be pretty much under control. i was wondering, do you think taking the pepcid with the benadryl would be effective? or is benadryl too different from zyrtec? all i know is that the zyrtec did work quite well before, and i do not want to go through all kinds of tests just to get a prescription of zyrtec when i know it is effective enough to help.
Hi Jessica, I have to say I do not advise anyone to add a med withoug consulting a doctor first. If you have an HMO you could call and talk to an "advice nurse" to at least identify any risks.
Though in theory, I think the Benedryl could be combined with Pepcid to increase effectiveness. Benedryl is among the type 1 blockers, like Zyrtec (and Claritin, and Allegra, etc...)
Reading your posts have really made me more aware. Just realized the calcium tablets I was taking...........plain old white tablets...contain dye. Also, my vitamins. Had shrimp the other night and had a very bad morning. Have been trying to read every label, but a lot do not list. If it says artificial color or coloring....should you avoid?? Took Robitussin for a cough a month ago and had a very bad case of hives the next morning. I hate this!!
Thanks for the posts. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Elli
Hi everyone
I am having a hive-free day for the first time in two years - but it is probably due to the fact that my ENT put me on prednisone for my nasal polyps. Still, I am enjoying the lack of hives while it lasts. I haven't noticed much change in the nose yet! I hate to be on prednisone again, but the polyps are getting severe - nearly time for surgury (the fourth one). Oh well.
for the posters who were mentioning yellow dye 5, I was reading the label of some crackers I was eating the other day, and it just listed colours, so I phoned the customer service number on the box (it was a Kraft product), and the woman who answered the phone told me that they always list yellow dye 5, or any dye that has a history of causing sensitivities. I thought it was interesting - I don't know if that is all over the place, or just in this country. It might be something to check whereever one lives, though. The customer service person I spoke with was very helpful.
I'm not sure if you ever said wether or not it is pepcid ac you use, or if there is even a different kind of pepcid. I just want to be able to ask the doctor about the right thing. THANK YOU for your help.
--Angel monkey
Hi Jessica, I have to say I do not advise anyone to add a med withoug consulting a doctor first. If you have an HMO you could call and talk to an "advice nurse" to at least identify any risks.
Though in theory, I think the Benedryl could be combined with Pepcid to increase effectiveness. Benedryl is among the type 1 blockers, like Zyrtec (and Claritin, and Allegra, etc...)
Have you seen a doctor for your hives?
-Kristi
yes-about 6-7 years ago. went to an allergist. he didn't do the needle ***** test-i'm almost positive i'm not allergic to anything but penicillan. however, he couldn't determine any other cause(new detergent, soap, etc.) so we tried the zyrtec which seemed to pretty much keep the hives under control. sometimes i had to take more than the recommended dose because i would still get hives, but if i took more they'd almost always fade within an hour or two. but since the whole move and growing up, my doctor will nor write me a prescription and insists i see an allergist (why not a dermatologist too) so i contine to use benadryl because it is as effective for me as the zyrtec was, i just have to take it every 4 hrs instead of once a day.
I'm not sure if you ever said wether or not it is pepcid ac you use, or if there is even a different kind of pepcid. I just want to be able to ask the doctor about the right thing. THANK YOU for your help.
--Angel monkey
Yes, the trade name is Pepcid AC. The generic drug name is famotidine. I buy the basic 10mg generic famotidine tablets at Costco, which is the best deal I have found.
Hello all,
This is my first time with any forum, and I have been reading, well actually skimming, everyones postings. It is kind of reassuring to see that there are others out there like me. I suffer from chronic urticaria. It began when I was in college right at the age of 21. It lasted everyday for three years straight, with a one time trip to the hospital with a swollen shut throat. I think that day I looked like the elephant man. Anyway, after about 6 doctors, 10 medications, you know the drill, the hives finally went away. And I thought for good. I was on hydroxozine 3x a day and eventually wheened my way off of it. Well, last year, same time of the year right before my 27 birthday, one day they magically came back. I went through the same procedure as the first time, with no luck. No antihistamines seemed to even give me a hive free day. I am a teacher, and I'm sure you could imagine being up in front of 25 eleven year olds trying to teach with swollen eyes, lumps on your neck, etc... I told my dermetologist I needed a fix now. Well, we went through the same meds with no luck. My wife suggested I take a different route, one that I have not seen mentioned on any posts, homeopathy. I figured what the hell, I'm at the last straw anyway. Well, I tried a few things, and physically I felt better because I wasn't doped up everyday, but the hives weren't really controlled for very long. I think I have adult ADD, so I got frustrated after about 3 months and went back to my faithful hydroxizine. I am on this again 3x a day, but everyday is a hive day. There is no rhyme or reason for it either. I thought maybe it was the drinking. I like to have a few drinks on the weekend. But I find that when my blood thins, my hives disappear, but the next day I pay for it. And when my body seems to wear down, the hives get worse. I'm sorry this is so long, but it is so nice to vent to someone that understands what I go through every day. I have kind of given up on a cure, I'm tired! I just want them to be gone forever! hiveboy
Hi - I broke out in severe hives five weeks ago, and tested negative a couple days ago for any food allergies. The dr was ready to put me on Zyrtec for months or years, but I figured I would try looking at environmental causes first. Apparently I seem to react to anything that has a benz- in it. Sodium benzoate, benzoic acid, benzophenone-4, etc. All this stuff is in hair gel, commercial laundry detergent (it's an optical brightener), dishwashing soap, foods, sodas, antifungal creams, etc, as it is a very common food and cosmetic preservative. It is also naturally occuring in tea and berries. I don't know yet if I also have reaction to salicylates as well. But if you haven't yet I encourage all of you to look for chemical causes if you've been diagnosed with idiopathic chronic urticaria and do some avoidance testing of the common issues - tartrazine (yellow 5), benzoates, salicylates, etc. - D.
Hi - I broke out in severe hives five weeks ago, and tested negative a couple days ago for any food allergies. The dr was ready to put me on Zyrtec for months or years, but I figured I would try looking at environmental causes first. Apparently I seem to react to anything that has a benz- in it. Sodium benzoate, benzoic acid, benzophenone-4, etc. All this stuff is in hair gel, commercial laundry detergent (it's an optical brightener), dishwashing soap, foods, sodas, antifungal creams, etc, as it is a very common food and cosmetic preservative. It is also naturally occuring in tea and berries. I don't know yet if I also have reaction to salicylates as well. But if you haven't yet I encourage all of you to look for chemical causes if you've been diagnosed with idiopathic chronic urticaria and do some avoidance testing of the common issues - tartrazine (yellow 5), benzoates, salicylates, etc. - D.
So Hokeymama, has benzoate etc. avoidance completely rid you of the hives?
It's only been a few days, but here's the difference so far:
Up until two days ago, I was itchy all the time, with hives present on most parts of my body. It ranged from unbearably itchy to severely uncomfortable, but at no time was it just somewhat uncomfortable. I also had pretty bad dermographism.
Once I removed and replaced the items with benzoates starting two days ago, the hives have gone away almost completely and immediately. The exception has been when I touch something with benzoates in it, then I get a localized reaction, or if I eat something with a small amount of benzoates, my wrists wrinkle up. I now have very mild dermographism. I do still break out a bit when working out. However, I haven't finished identifying and eliminating this chemical from our household yet, and as it remains in clothing after washing I suspect I have a fair amount of laundry to do with new detergent before it's gone completely. I am going to see at the end of two weeks if they are 100% gone, including when I work out. However, it's headed in the right direction. They are not even uncomfortable now, without medication.
Looking back, I was totally surrounded by this chemical. I shampooed with it, put it on my hair in gel, dressed in clothing with laundry residue containing the chemical, ate foods with it in it, drank sodas containing it, washed the dishes with it, washed the laundry with it, and slept in sheets washed in detergent containing it. I touched this chemical constantly throughout the day. Benzoates are processed quickly, though, so I was able to see an immediate difference. Some other chemicals might stay in the body longer, so you may need to be more patient with avoidance testing if it is something different.
Four days later, I've identified benzoates and parabens (related to benzoates) as the culprit. My laundry is done. My hives are gone. So is the dermographism.
Has anyone noticed a connection between hive outbreaks and menstrual cycles? I am wondering if the fluctuation in hormones may contribute to the hives, as I have noticed a relationship. Or maybe it is the lunar cycle - that is just as likely as some of the suggestions the docotors have come up with...
genster........in one word .............YES. Defenatly worse in the few days before and during. I have also read others saying the same thing. Nuthin to do with the moon.
Genster & Hairdoer, I have wondered the same thing, but my own data is inconclusive. If anything, I might have an increase in symptoms right before I ovulate. I have been keeping a dairy so I should take a closer look.
Isn't it like 8 or 9 out of 10 people with chronic urticaria/angioedema are women? I don't remember the exact stat, I could be wrong. And of the women, doesn't it typically hit those between about 25 and 50? Also, there are a fair number of us (though I can't call it a majority) who started our chronic hives only after childbirth. These things kind of suggest a hormonal component.
You guys may be right....but then I'm an exception. I'm a "very young" <bg> 61 and just developed the hives almost 2 years ago and had never been allergic to anything in my life before they started. ??????
Thanks Hairdoer & Kristi- I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one who had noticed this; I guess I should have asked on here earlier. I had a DR.'s appointment yesterday (with my new doc, not the one in my hometown - I moved last year & this guy is new to me). He seemed surprised that my other doc hadn't sent me to an allergist - he thought I had been to one. I am going to be sent to see one, but I shall be very surprised if it does any good. No harm in trying, though. Wish me luck
Last edited by genster; 02-10-2005 at 10:33 AM.
Reason: typo
I suffered from hives for years. They were misdiagnosed as psoriasis, eczema etc. Then one day (after lots of prayer) I realized that it was happening every time I got my period. Weird, since I've never heard of menustration causing rashes. However, I had severe cramps and took 4 to 6 pills of ibuprofen to relieve them. (Some quack doctor told me this was okay) I looked up the side effects of taking this and similar drugs and lo and behold hives was one of them!
I take cramp bark and white willow herbs for the cramps now and add a heat patch if they are still too unbearable.
