Don't Know What to Do

[teresa8b]

This is favor for a friend of mine, actually. She's been searching for answers to her symptoms for a few years now. If any of it sounds familiar, please let me know, okay? She's at wits end, and very depressed, because nobody believes her when she tries to get help.
The symptoms started with an itching in the vaginal area, that spread to her entire body. Then, she started bloating all over, forming occasional cysts in her armpits. Her legs and fingers swell all of the time, and she bruises very easily. She has all of her female organs, and, Atarax is the only medication she's taking. She also has regular pain in her legs. In the last 3 years, she's gained a considerable amount of weight, without changing her eating habits.
Any ideas??

[TigerWild]

I'm not a Doctor just look it up in medical dictionary, etc.

Side - Effects for Atarax

Nervous system side effects: have included moderate to slight drowsiness. This effect is usually transitory and may disappear with continued therapy or upon discontinuation of the agent. Headache, fatigue, depression, insomnia, sedation, and nervousness have also been reported with hydroxyzine. With higher than recommended doses of hydroxyzine, involuntary motor activity such as tremor and convulsions have been reported in rare instances.

Gastrointestinal: side effects have included dry mouth (most common side effect), nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and increases in weight and appetite.

Respiratory: side effects have included the thickening of bronchial secretions. Rare occurrences of pharyngitis, bronchospasm, and epistaxis have also been reported.

Cardiovascular: side effects have included palpitations, hypotension, and edema.

Dermatologic: side effects have included angioedema (hives A skin condition characterized by intensely itching welts and caused by an allergic reaction to internal or external agents, an infection, or a nervous condition. Also called nettle rash, urticaria.), photosensitivity, and rash.

Genitourinary: side effects have included rare cases of urinary retention and prolonged penile erections.

Ocular: side effects have included blurred vision.

Hope this helps!!

[Rocinantex]

I have been taking Atarax for about two years and have done alot of research on it. Atarax rarely interacts with anything and is used as a sedative. It is an antihistamine frequently used in dermatology - similar to benadryl. I don't think it would cause something like that. To me, it sounds like a cortisol problem. If she's stressed out her body will release cortisol naturally.. I had that happen to me. I gained 6 pounds in two weeks and my calves swelled up. I went to the doctor and was told it was because of the recent increase of stress in my life. I was on Atarax at the time, but I have been on it and hadn't changed the dosage at all. She should see her doctor to get checked for other problems though, like Cushings, or a thyroid problem. I am hypersensitive to all cortisol, including corticosteroids, both orally and topically. It took nearly ruining my skin to figure it out ( I was treating Eczema with it) -- Hope that helps. Make sure she sees a doctor though

[msf]

Hi, has your friend seen a gynecologist? This sounds like something I heard about a vaginal yeast infection that spread throughout the body. Might have nothing to do with the medication or maybe the meds changed the pH allowing yeast population explosion. In the story I heard, it was actually a guy who somehow got a yeast infection which entered his blood stream and spread. Bizarre.