Allergy Medications

[Suzan]

I know we've talked about this a lot but can we do it again or can you find the posts on it? I'm not having much luck with my searches for some reason.

 

I took dd8 off of her allergy meds this past week because she had to get a seafood panel skin test done today. Although she really suffered last week from allergy symptoms, she was in a really good place, the closest to 100% I've ever seen her. She did just get IVIG so I don't know what is from that. Today, after her skin test, I gave her whatever sample the immunologist had on hand. Normally she takes zyrtec in the am and benadryl in the pm and she is using Omnaris nasal spray which I did not stop last week. That seems to be OK.

 

Tonight she was stirred up and worried I was mad at her, worried about not being perfect, sensitive to noise and spent a lot of the evening in our sensory swing. The only thing different that I can see from yesterday to today was the allergy medication. Since we did just complete IVIG for the first time, I don't know what to expect so it may be totally unrelated to the allergy meds.

 

I want to experiment of course. If I could keep her off the allergy meds that would be great but she suffers so much. So my questions for those who have allergic kids are....

 

What allergy meds do you use with the least amount of side effects?

What natural remedies do you use?

 

Thanks!

[thereishope]

I tried Claritin. On day 11, he was bouncing off the walls and I saw an increase in OCD. Switched to Benadryl. That seems to be the one for him.He doesn't get tired. Not hyper. Not ragey. Controls his allergy symptoms. He only needs it twice a day. We do have some Flonase left from his sinus infection. We use that when he's having bad days. We also have saline spray we use.

[thereishope]

These are the links I could find...

 

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...hl=allergy+meds

 

http://www.latitudes.org/forums/index.php?...hl=allergy+meds

[MomWithOCDSon]

Suzan --

 

When our DS had a new ramp-up of his PANDAS behaviors about 4 weeks ago, despite still being on abx, MANY of the responses I got here made a possible correlation with seasonal allergies. I would have to say that, since we began some severe allergy intervention on the heels of that advice, he has largely returned to his previous slow, steady improvement climb. So I am now a true believer in the power of allergy control as it relates to helping control exacerbation.

 

Our DS, like your daughter, takes Zyrtec in the morning, along with Flonase nasal spray. We're also giving him curcumin and a doubled-up dose of quercitin (natural antihistamine which is frequently packaged with Vitamin C and bromelaine). On additional advice from here on the board, despite some beautiful, breezy weather in our neck of the woods, we've shut the house up and bring all our air in through our HVAC system with its HEPA filtration system; as a result, we've noticed a significant decrease in dust and pollen sitting on the dark furniture, so it seems obvious that there would be less air-borne for DS to inhale, as well. Interestingly enough, we're ALL sleeping better with the house closed up, and even our dog (whom the vet has said seems to suffer from an allergy to various pollens) has stopped her weeping eyes and itching ears! I never would've thought it would make such a difference, but it is palpable.

 

Finally, I believe it was Kim here on the board who informed me about the "allergy load," and how, basically, you try to start off the day with the lowest possible load and keep it as low as possible throughout the day because once it builds up, it is hard, if not downright impossible, to back down the symptomatic results. So we've been giving DS Benedryl every night, as well, even though he's not really stuffy anymore, with the thought that we'll keep his "allergy load" low throughout the night and start the morning as close to zero as possible.

 

Again, there has been a very strong correlation between his behaviors and his allergies, and with the extremely high pollen counts we're seeing around here, it's not really any wonder! Based on our experience, I would definitely say go back to your allergy meds and do what you can to control the allergic triggers in your DD's environment. We haven't seen anything but positive effects -- no negatives!

[Stephanie2]

I wonder if the test itself got your daughter's pandas symptoms going!! Your doc would probably tell you that the "allegen" doesn't go anywhere else in the body besides on the skin where they are performing the test, but I beg to differ. When I had my son's skin prick test done, he immediately broke out in hives ALL OVER his body, not just where the test was being performed. I told them he is reacting to something, they said that's impossible b/c the "allergen" is not getting into his bloodstream. They sat there and saw the same immediate reaction that I did!!

 

Anyway, maybe some of that "seafood" got into her blood stream. And even if she was not allergic to any of it, they normally do a control test with pure histamine which may have gotten her going.

 

As far as meds go, my son does not do well with zyrtec at all - makes him psycho! He does ok with claritin. Also, our DAN doc highly recommends quercetin for allergies. He also told me to give my son some Pepcid AC because it is a H2 (I think) blocker. I have yet to try that.

 

Best of luck, hope she feels better soon!

 

Stephanie

I know we've talked about this a lot but can we do it again or can you find the posts on it? I'm not having much luck with my searches for some reason.

 

I took dd8 off of her allergy meds this past week because she had to get a seafood panel skin test done today. Although she really suffered last week from allergy symptoms, she was in a really good place, the closest to 100% I've ever seen her. She did just get IVIG so I don't know what is from that. Today, after her skin test, I gave her whatever sample the immunologist had on hand. Normally she takes zyrtec in the am and benadryl in the pm and she is using Omnaris nasal spray which I did not stop last week. That seems to be OK.

 

Tonight she was stirred up and worried I was mad at her, worried about not being perfect, sensitive to noise and spent a lot of the evening in our sensory swing. The only thing different that I can see from yesterday to today was the allergy medication. Since we did just complete IVIG for the first time, I don't know what to expect so it may be totally unrelated to the allergy meds.

 

I want to experiment of course. If I could keep her off the allergy meds that would be great but she suffers so much. So my questions for those who have allergic kids are....

 

What allergy meds do you use with the least amount of side effects?

What natural remedies do you use?

 

Thanks!

[patty]

We are currently using Zyrtec for the last 3 weeks w/o problems and would like to switch to natural allergy med too. So i am looking into Nettle and qucertin.

 

Anyone know that if it is safe to give Zyrtec for an extended period of time? Can you give it for the whole allergy season on a daily basis? And do you need to wean it slowly after an extended period of usage? Does one's body get used to the allergy med and it becomes less effective?

 

Pat

[Suzan]

I wonder if the test itself got your daughter's pandas symptoms going!! Your doc would probably tell you that the "allegen" doesn't go anywhere else in the body besides on the skin where they are performing the test, but I beg to differ. When I had my son's skin prick test done, he immediately broke out in hives ALL OVER his body, not just where the test was being performed. I told them he is reacting to something, they said that's impossible b/c the "allergen" is not getting into his bloodstream. They sat there and saw the same immediate reaction that I did!!

 

Anyway, maybe some of that "seafood" got into her blood stream. And even if she was not allergic to any of it, they normally do a control test with pure histamine which may have gotten her going.

 

Oh! Good thought and very interesting! She did not show up as allergic to any of the seafood. But when she has eaten crab and shrimp in the past she gets.... drumroll please..... all OCD and pandasy! You may be right. I will consider this as I look at her zyrtec!

 

 

Susan

[Suzan]

Vickie, thanks for the links!

 

And thanks to everyone for your responses. I remember the quercitin now and will take a look at that to see if it helps. Someone also recommended trying the zyrtec at night so I may play around with that as well.

 

Susan

[ShannonOtown]

Hi Suzan,

I always seem to reply to your post because my son's triggers are allergies... we're doing Zyrtec 10mg pill in morning, Veramyste nose spray at night and on our 12th week of allergy shots.

 

Just remember some of these medications should be used continuous to work the best. They need to build up in the system to work effectively... my allergy doctor says give it 1-2 weeks to see real results. So you shouldn't take 1 dose here and there, when you have symptoms..... Take it like antiboitics on a continuous basis.

 

The saline nose sprays (gels) are the best to use all the time to keep down on the nose bleeds and wash away pollen.

 

Just stay away from Singulair... just to remind the new parents.

[Stephanie2]

Now that is a first!! Crabs give her OCD!!! I get it but that is so weird!!! Boy I learn something new on this site every single day!!

 

Now here is an interesting thought to add to that. My sons' doc said that even when kids do not test positive to allergies, when exposed to allergens they can still get pandas symptoms. Kind of like when they are exposed to strep but don't get an active infection they can get the pandas symptoms. So in your daughter's case, she may not be actively allergic, but she may be allergic in terms of pandas!!! Wow, how weird!!!!!!

 

Stephanie

 

I wonder if the test itself got your daughter's pandas symptoms going!! Your doc would probably tell you that the "allegen" doesn't go anywhere else in the body besides on the skin where they are performing the test, but I beg to differ. When I had my son's skin prick test done, he immediately broke out in hives ALL OVER his body, not just where the test was being performed. I told them he is reacting to something, they said that's impossible b/c the "allergen" is not getting into his bloodstream. They sat there and saw the same immediate reaction that I did!!

 

Anyway, maybe some of that "seafood" got into her blood stream. And even if she was not allergic to any of it, they normally do a control test with pure histamine which may have gotten her going.

 

Oh! Good thought and very interesting! She did not show up as allergic to any of the seafood. But when she has eaten crab and shrimp in the past she gets.... drumroll please..... all OCD and pandasy! You may be right. I will consider this as I look at her zyrtec!

 

 

Susan

[Stephanie2]

All I know is that back when I was giving my son zyrtec it made him crazy, just like pandas. And when I brought it to the attention of the ped, she said that she took it for 3 years and did not realize how depressed it made her until she went off. She said she wanted to divorce her husband the whole time!!

 

Stephanie

 

We are currently using Zyrtec for the last 3 weeks w/o problems and would like to switch to natural allergy med too. So i am looking into Nettle and qucertin.

 

Anyone know that if it is safe to give Zyrtec for an extended period of time? Can you give it for the whole allergy season on a daily basis? And do you need to wean it slowly after an extended period of usage? Does one's body get used to the allergy med and it becomes less effective?

 

Pat