yah I noticed that I had all these symptoms, asthma like, I have allergies, then I started having panic attacks, never felt all that well. Well anyways, I basically went nuts, like Larry Hacker from a previous thread, yes even I slept outside in the my dad's car. Anyways, the problem consists of this, which has taken me about a year or two to come upon, histamine cause adrenaline to rise to abnormal levels, this can cause rapid heart rate, compulsive behavior, depression, tight chest panic attacks, and oddly enough can indirectly cause your libido(Sex drive) be in access of the norm, which is actually caused by histamine also increasing the level of NO2 in your blood, which will give that effect, and from what I also read can cause the oxidation and death of brain cells. So anyways I started taking Allegra D, an antihistamine, and I truely must say I went back to normal, I slept well, no more panic attacks, better mood, less compulsive behavior, and on top of it all, man I could breathe so incredibly well, which truely is a beautiful thing from someone that used to suffer from asthma, and then Chemical Sensitivity problems, I probably spent half the next day randomly taking in huge deep breaths just cause I could, it was great. so anyways ive been on allegra D now, but I went in to a building 3 days after and I must have been really allergic to whatever was in the air cause my symptoms started coming back and I could feel the adrenaline rising in my body, and sure enough it did, Im still recovering from it, it sucked bad. So anyways, avoidance is the key and the best cure, but antihistamines can help alot. I dont even know if they have come to attribute to what happens with chemical sensitivities, it seems like my doctors had no idea about it, Cant wait to talk to them and let them know what I have found, they will probably still think that im still a little insane, cause I was, Ill admit that. Anyways I really hope this helps everyone out, and if you dont wanna buy an expensive antihistamine and have to go to the doctor because you are skeptical about what I am telling you then you can find an herbal antihistamine, like Quercetin, I cant think of any others right now, but that one should help, its what I tried right before the allegra D and it helped. You should notice the effects in maybe 3 hours, or possibly the next day or two if you cant really tell how and what your feel at times, Im pretty good at reading what I feel if you havent noticed. If you get a little tired when you first take the antihistamine, its not the drug causing it, unless its an older antihistamine, cause the new and herbal antihistamines dont cross the blood brain barrier, which would cause drowsiness, but you might get tired because when youre histamine receptors become blocked by the antihistamine your adrenaline levels will begin to decline, and your body will have to adjust to that change. Coming off high levels of adrenaline can make you tired because the adrenaline puts your body in to a stimulated mode and makes it more responsive, which is really hard and draining on your metabolic system if the high adrenal levels are sustained for to long and can exhaust your adrenal glands. You may also want to see if a certain chemical or food is causeing your problems, you can be tested for it. Sulfer was the one that the person I stated before had a problem digesting which would cause his/her problems 3 days later from ingestion/consumption of the food containing sulfur... such as tomato sauce. Anyways to sum it all up, if you didnt understand everything that happens, a certain chemical, or food, can cause your Histamine levels to rise, which cause your adrenaline and NO2 levels to rise, which cau;se the Chemical Sensitivity symptoms cascade. Anywas I really hope this helps all of you out and helps spread the word so that maybe doctors and companies can start realizing what is happening and stop using so many chemicals in clothing and furniture and computers, yes thats right, computers, they use flame retardants in them, wood, and many more I would assume. Also one more thing, if your water is treated with Flouride, you should stop drinking it and find a product that doesnt use flouride to treat their water, flouride can cause histamine levels to increase "7-8 fold".

I truely have given praise and thanks to Jehovah since finding out this information and I hope it helps all of you also in knowing what is going on with you.

Bronson

Thanks for your update. I will re-try Allegra D to see if it helps my chemical sensitivity. Regualr Allegra does nothing for me. So are you currently not sensitive to chemicals while on Allegra-D or Quercitin? You mentioned you got zonked in a building.

Is it significant that Allegra-D and not Allegra is used?

Im still senstive to chemicals and stuff, but the allegra D helps alot, like I said, avoidance is the best thing you can do, but Allegra D will help out when you cant avoid something, which probably happens alot. Its hard for me to explain, when im around something that bothers me it will bother me, but for the times that Im not around something that bothers me the allegra D helps me to get back to norm, but without the allegra D im constantly having high histamine levels. Im not really sure on that part though, itll probably be some more time before I get everything down to a science.

As for Allegra D vs. Allegra... I have no idea what the difference is.. I think D has Pseudophedrine in it which is a decongestant I think, kinda acts like adrenaline... only its different some how, not sure youd have to read up on it. They are different. Um, I think I was reading on about a different drug though, possibly Clarinex, and apparently it blocks both H1 and H2 receptors, where allegra/allegra D only blocks one receptor, not sure which one though, so I would thing that Clarinex would be better, but Im not sure I havent tried it.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask any more questions, it keeps me on my toes.
Bronson

Allegra is an antihistamine, Allegra D is the same antihistamine with a decongestant. Neither helped me in any manner. As I understand it a true MCS causes histamine release from a different hemoglobin than those of common allergies. Hence common allergy medicines probably have little or no effect on MCS symptoms. When the immune system is overloaded by a chemical antagonist it becomes super sensative to many similar chemical odors. I have taken extreme steps to remove any materials from my home which could be a cause, cleaned carpets, upholstery, heating & AC ducts, Snuggles fabric softener used on the bed sheets was found to be a particular bad item for me as was the daily newspaper. Since August last year I have been taking 500MG Ascorbic Acid - vitamin C- with every meal and within 2 months I stopped getting the basketball up my nose swelling headaches. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant and helps desensatize and resore immune functions. Now most
of the congestion and drip is also gone. Nose is moist and I can breathe. Able too sleep all night without waking/getting up to rinse mouth. Additionally it is amazing how many subtle odors I can detect now.

I certainly beg to differ, no matter where the histamine is produced it is still either H1 or H2, maybe your histamine levels were high in the receptor that allegra doesnt block, you could try clarinex, it blocks both receptors. But either way, no matter where the histamine is coming from its still histamine.

I certainly beg to differ, no matter where the histamine is produced it is still either H1 or H2, maybe your histamine levels were high in the receptor that allegra doesnt block, you could try clarinex, it blocks both receptors. But either way, no matter where the histamine is coming from its still histamine.

Taken from an undisclosed source (do a search):

"Receptor Blockade Type

H1 receptors: selectively block H1 receptors - treat allergic reactions
H1 located throughout body - dermatitis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, anaphylaxis, etc
Includes 1st generation and second generation agents

H2 receptors: selectively block H2 receptors - used to suppress peptic acid
H2 receptors primarily located in GI tract (gastric acid)
Includes GI agents for peptic acid e.g. ranitidine (name brand removed)

H3 receptors: presynaptic receptors located on nerve terminals
H3 activation inhibits release of histamine and other neurotransmitters"

The last one sounds scarey!!!

Sort of makes you think about the "brain damage" theory that some have speculated about. If H3 receptors are damaged or malfunctioning... this appears to have an effect at a higher level of internal operation.

In other words, I wonder if MCS is too complicated, in some folk, to be treated with something designed to address the H1 receptors? I am absolutely speculating, so please do not assume I KNOW anything!!!

I wonder if Qaiphyxx has Histadelia (high histamine blood levels), while some of the rest of us might have MCS, otherwise known as Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance (IEI).

Am I on to something or am I just a crazy non-medical guy?

Its possible that maybe I just have histadelia, but then why would certain clothing brands bother me? Why would fabric softeners bother me? Why would subwoofers in someones car bother me? I dont really know... Maybe I have slight MCS AND Histadelia... But ya im not sure, so I cant answer that, I'm going to the doctors Sunday so I will probably talk to my Doc about it.

Also, when the H3 receptors inhibit neurotransmitters... that shouldnt cause brain damage, but it could cause a chemical imbalance in the brain... leading to depression, and other mental complications associated with depression.

Also, when the H3 receptors inhibit neurotransmitters... that shouldnt cause brain damage, but it could cause a chemical imbalance in the brain... leading to depression, and other mental complications associated with depression.

Sorry... the brain damage thing was a reference to what others have identified as the cause of MCS. You probably know more about that than I do, but I was thinking not of the H3 receptor blockade causing brain damage, but brain damage, from a chemical exposure, causing the H3 receptors to go screwy... don't know if that's valid.

Also, it is my understanding that high blood histamine levels MIGHT account for some version of chemical sensitivity. If you read descriptions of symptoms on other sites, it's quite a laundry list (including depression, which you've mentioned in other posts).

All that being said, I was not attempting to diagnose or guide your care. I do, however, think that MCS is a collection of undefined (as of yet) disorders. This precludes a one-size-fits-all, miracle-cure and I'm certainly envious of your success, as my attempts to use histamine meds have failed.

Qaiphyxx, in one of your earlier messages, you reference a histamine blocker that blocks both H1 and H2 receptors... does that mean that it works for both allergies and GI issues?

oh I see, maybe you are right, there may be many types of causes for MCS, Im not sure. Im sorry to hear that you havent had success with AH meds. I didnt feel that you were trying to diagnose me or anything, my posts arent offense of anything im just stating stuff that I know haha. That H3 Receptor interests me though, cause if it causes the neurotransmitter inhibition then using just allegra or clarinex or zytec or clariten probably wouldnt work to its full potential, due to the fact that all those drugs block only h1 and h2 receptors, so basically is what would be happening is that the H3 receptors will still be causing chemical imbalances in the brain... which can still account for panic attacks, tight chest, nervousness, sense of lacking oxygen, and all sorts of things associated with chemical imbalances in the brain... Oddly enough... I have been taking Lexapro and Wellbutrin(Reuptake Inhibitors for seritonin and norepinephrine(neurotransmitters)) for my depression/panic attacks. So maybe there is a combination that needs to be done with antihistamines and neurotransmitter balancing, or possibly an H3 blocker, but I dont think that would be safe... I guess Ill just talk to my doctor about it or read up on it or something. You may have helped me to figure this out. But still... you need to be aware of what bothers your sensitivities... clothles can do it... carpets... furniture stuff like that... even if they use particle board in the walls of your house cause it contains formaldahyde. Even on these meds I still feel that avoidance is the best thing to do... but meds can help alot probably. Anyways ill look in to the H3 receptors more and post what I find on it all and what I conclude with and blah blah blah.

Thanks for the help Fresnic.
Bronson

Oh and yes h1/h2 blockers will work on allergies and gastric intestinal dissorders, if caused by high histamine levels of course.