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Accidental success with Pepcid...High histamine? Methylation?


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So, my DS14 complains on and off of reflux. Complains for a day or two, then fine for a few weeks, then a day or two. We've brought it up with doc before but they don't seem very concerned - did a test for h.pylori but otherwise suggested over the counter remedies.

 

Several days ago - not sure exactly when, haven't documented it, but he was having a bad day behavior wise -- this had no relevance on the fact that I gave him Pepcid, but I gave it to him for his reflux. Hmm, an hour or two later he's acting much, much calmer and nicer to me. Something I noticed, but tucked in the back of my head because all I had given him was Pepcid and wasn't making much of a connection.

 

Last week again, pepcid, but I gave it to him more as preventative because I have been dosing with advil as necessary and thought maybe it would help keep stomach in check. Didn't give a lot of thought, just figured it couldn't hurt, so I gave it. Well, I saw a change again. Was it advil dosing (not at same exact time - and had been giving him lower dose, 200mg just to keep it in system but not overload his liver but noticed advil was not effective at this low dose, so I won't bother with that) or was it the fact that I gave him pepcid again?? Hmmm.

 

So, a few days ago I just gave him pepcid when he wasbeing really unmanageable. For example he had flipped out on me because I tried to give him some milk at breakfast. Seriously, I poured him a glass of milk and he flipped out telling me I'm "always changing everything". (I told you guys, he will only eat the green wrapper granola bars from Trader Joe's for breakfast, right? God help me if they ever stop making them.)Then I bought a new cat litter and he flipped out on me about "changing things" again. So...I gave him some pepcid, just for curiosity sake. About an hour later or so, he told me he made plans with his friends and nicely asked me if I needed anything before he went out. (He could normally care less about what I need lately, so this was a big change in demeanor)And, he was very receptive to me telling him what time to be home, etc. - no arguing about every little thing and a much, much better mood.

 

So, that got me thinking. Pepcid is a H2 blocker/antihistamine. I've been really digging into this methylation pathway stuff and am seeing that histamine is actually a type of neurotransmitter and it is involved in this process. Wondering if this could all be related. Coincidentally, I have been having serious mystery allergies lately, as I have previously mentioned (hives, blistering rashes to meds, hair dye, bandaids, adhesives, etc.) and my pathology reports have all come back with my tissue as "chronic inflammation" which also coincides with my blood work, prior to surgery and over the last year. Now, this post isn't about me, it's about DS, but if there is a genetic component, I wonder if we are both dealing with high histamine.

 

We go back to Dr. B. on thursday and I'm very anxious to see our labs and what he tested for. I would like to look into this more closely. I definitely want to have testing for MTHFR and histamine, thinking heavy metals, too. Will Dr. B. do all of these? Any of you had him do them before? Do I need to bring codes or info for these tests, or will he know what I'm asking for?

 

Also, have any of you noticed a link to high histamine in your kids and reduction in symptoms with pepcid, or other h2 blockers or even h1 - which I haven't tried yet? Wondering if this also creates the inflammation aspect that is temporarily abated with doses of ibuprofen....and how much the methylation pathway and possible MTHFR gene could be playing a role. -- I was given a few links on facebook that seem rather convincing, but need to read them more closely.

 

Anyone dig into this?

Edited by fightingmom
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FightingMom --

 

I don't think your success with Pepcid was "accidental" at all! We've had similar success since putting it into DS's daily supplement regimen, and I'm certain that, in his case at least, it is the H2 blocking component that has been benefical for him. By all accounts, he is a "high histamine" kid, both behaviorally and with respect to physical factors: prone to hives, hayfever, eczema, etc.

 

For us, the Pepcid put an almost miraculously immediate end to his eczema outbreaks and the high-anxiety flairs the eczema usually foretold.

 

Nice to hear someone else has enjoyed a similar response!

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Same here, my oldest was prescribed pepcid by neuro to protect stomach. He gets a lot of relief from it and keeps worries away. He refers to his anxiety as worries.

 

FightingMom --

 

I don't think your success with Pepcid was "accidental" at all! We've had similar success since putting it into DS's daily supplement regimen, and I'm certain that, in his case at least, it is the H2 blocking component that has been benefical for him. By all accounts, he is a "high histamine" kid, both behaviorally and with respect to physical factors: prone to hives, hayfever, eczema, etc.

 

For us, the Pepcid put an almost miraculously immediate end to his eczema outbreaks and the high-anxiety flairs the eczema usually foretold.

 

Nice to hear someone else has enjoyed a similar response!

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YAH!! I AM connecting dots. It feels so good!!!

 

I wish I could keep giving it to him this week to see what happens, but he's doing some allergy testing on thursday and I don't want to screw anything up. NEXT week though, I'm going to give it daily and see what I notice. He's also recently started having problems with dandruff and I can't help but wonder if he's dealing with what I have, which is dermatitis/eczema on my scalp and face - especially since my super fun allergy to hair dye developed. Maybe I'll take it myself daily and see if I notice any difference. We are both also ALWAYS battling sinus infections...perhaps it's triggered by this?

 

I'm going to spend my evenings seeing if I can dig into a deeper link/explanation for the reason it helps with the anxiety and the causes of high histamine, etc. -- if either of you know already, feel free to save me some laptop digging till 2am the next few nights. Hehe.

 

Have either of you testing for MTHFR? If so, would you mind sharing?

Edited by fightingmom
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YAH!! I AM connecting dots. It feels so good!!!

 

I wish I could keep giving it to him this week to see what happens, but he's doing some allergy testing on thursday and I don't want to screw anything up. NEXT week though, I'm going to give it daily and see what I notice. He's also recently started having problems with dandruff and I can't help but wonder if he's dealing with what I have, which is dermatitis/eczema on my scalp and face - especially since my super fun allergy to hair dye developed. Maybe I'll take it myself daily and see if I notice any difference.

 

I'm going to spend my evenings seeing if I can dig into a deeper link/explanation for the reason it helps with the anxiety and the causes of high histamine, etc. -- if either of you know already, feel free to save me some laptop digging till 2am the next few nights. Hehe.

 

Have either of you testing for MTHFR? If so, would you mind sharing?

 

We have not tested for MTHFR . . . just working off of behavioral and physical/medical responses to various interventions. There're a couple of other threads here on the forum dating back a few months when several of us got heavily interested in the whole histamine and/or methylation part of the potential equation for our kids. In there are some links to papers, articles, etc. on the topics, as well. If the search proves too harrowing or unproductive, feel free to PM me with an email address, and I'll gladly share what I have in my archives.

 

I know what you mean about how rewarding it is to feel as though you've successfully found a piece of the puzzle! I felt the same way when we first came across the whole histamine thing. Onward and upward! :D

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Hi - I posted a while ago about an article that I read but have since not been able to find, that stated that H1 antihistamines (benedryl etc the classic anti hive type stuff) caused the BBB to be less efficient, while H2 antihistamines (the ones used for lowering stomach acid production) increased the integrity of the BBB. If this article was right then it could possibly explain the beneficial effects that people see. If true it would also contraindicate H1s for PANDAS kids.... I'll try and find the article again.

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Hi - I posted a while ago about an article that I read but have since not been able to find, that stated that H1 antihistamines (benedryl etc the classic anti hive type stuff) caused the BBB to be less efficient, while H2 antihistamines (the ones used for lowering stomach acid production) increased the integrity of the BBB. If this article was right then it could possibly explain the beneficial effects that people see. If true it would also contraindicate H1s for PANDAS kids.... I'll try and find the article again.

 

Thank you!! Great info.

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This study does not explain the rapid response I saw to Pepcid, but does substantiate that histamine increases the permeability of the blood brain barrier and also the release of nitric oxide. There is definitely a link here!

 

http://www.mendeley.com/research/role-nitric-oxide-histamineinduced-increases-permeability-bloodbrain-barrier/

 

This article mentions nitric oxide being responsible for brain cell death and a possible link to alzheimers, parkinson's, etc. and there is a major dopamine connection there with those diseases that is similar to PANDAS studies and research I have read through:

 

http://mentalhealthupdate.blogspot.com/2010/07/nitric-oxide-prime-suspect-for-brain.html

Edited by fightingmom
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FYI, you might want to check with whomever is ordering allergy testing about the H2 blockers. I was told to keep ds off all antihistamines for 2wks prior to any allergy testing, not sure if this includes H2 but probably.

 

I think it's going to be okay, because I had some testing done shortly after I was on them -- (and had been on steroids a week before even) and they told me 48 hours, but I'll check. Thanks.

 

 

I also don't suspect we are dealing with genuine allergies here, either. He's already been through all that testing several years back and wasn't allergic to anything except dust mites I think, like me. I believe this is a hypersensitivity, immune type reaction and if we can get it under control, "allergies" per se will not be our real issue.

Edited by fightingmom
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Hi - I posted a while ago about an article that I read but have since not been able to find, that stated that H1 antihistamines (benedryl etc the classic anti hive type stuff) caused the BBB to be less efficient, while H2 antihistamines (the ones used for lowering stomach acid production) increased the integrity of the BBB. If this article was right then it could possibly explain the beneficial effects that people see. If true it would also contraindicate H1s for PANDAS kids.... I'll try and find the article again.

 

Dut ..is that 1st and 2nd generation?

i think 2nd is ok????

i hope you can find link.

thanks for the heads up

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Hi - I posted a while ago about an article that I read but have since not been able to find, that stated that H1 antihistamines (benedryl etc the classic anti hive type stuff) caused the BBB to be less efficient, while H2 antihistamines (the ones used for lowering stomach acid production) increased the integrity of the BBB. If this article was right then it could possibly explain the beneficial effects that people see. If true it would also contraindicate H1s for PANDAS kids.... I'll try and find the article again.

 

Dut ..is that 1st and 2nd generation?

i think 2nd is ok????

i hope you can find link.

thanks for the heads up

 

I've been scanning multiple articles/studies stating the H2 is fine, and increases the integrity of the BBB as Fixit said above.

 

EDIT: Sorry, misread, you are asking about 2nd generation H1 antihistamines being safe? I'll see if I can find anything.

Edited by fightingmom
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Thanks fightingmom. There is definite benefit to addressing high histamine.

 

Here is an article from Dr. Mercola's website on how allergies increase histamine which in turn increases nitric oxide (at high levels) which in turn has the capcity to kill neurons and cause problems in the central nervous system. Therefore, addressing histamine can help mitigate this vicious cycle.

 

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/03/12/reducing-nitric-oxide.aspx

 

Hi - I posted a while ago about an article that I read but have since not been able to find, that stated that H1 antihistamines (benedryl etc the classic anti hive type stuff) caused the BBB to be less efficient, while H2 antihistamines (the ones used for lowering stomach acid production) increased the integrity of the BBB. If this article was right then it could possibly explain the beneficial effects that people see. If true it would also contraindicate H1s for PANDAS kids.... I'll try and find the article again.

 

Dut ..is that 1st and 2nd generation?

i think 2nd is ok????

i hope you can find link.

thanks for the heads up

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