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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Claritan--Allergy Medicine
        
(Message started by: Superirish2005 on Aug 29^th, 2006, 3:57pm)

Title: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by Superirish2005 on Aug 29^th, 2006, 3:57pm

I doubt anything is strong enough to cure or prevent a cluster but has anyone ever tried Claritan as an aboprtive or preventive and if so does it work or even dent the pain?

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by MJ on Aug 29^th, 2006, 5:29pm

try it and see.

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by Jobette on Aug 29^th, 2006, 9:26pm

Why are you treating it as an allergy thing? ::)

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by starlight on Aug 29^th, 2006, 10:34pm

Benadryl is helping me quite a bit right now. I take it at night and it seems to make the hits further apart (so there are less hits) as well as making them abort much faster with the oxygen (in fact my HAs were beginning to resist the O2 as an abortive--not fun). So, it might be worth trying the allergy med. I don't know why benadryl helps but I was desperate and had read others saying that it helps them at night so I tried it and let's just say I will be taking three tonight. Good luck if you try Claritan. Who knows? Maybe it will help. Let us know. Star

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by Jobette on Aug 29^th, 2006, 11:05pm

So are we using this to try and sleep or as an allergy reliever? ::)

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by BB on Aug 29^th, 2006, 11:36pm

My DH has had cluster attacks triggered by pollens and grass particles after mowing the lawn. So now he uses Periactin prior to mowing and cover his face/mouth with a face mask and he is fine.

He has also tried Periactin on a daily basis, they dont seem to reduce the number of attacks he gets but does seem to help reducing the hot flushes and the intensity of the burning pain.

Someone here has had some good result with histamine desensitization treatment so I guess antihistamine may help some.

Annette

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by jon019 on Aug 30^th, 2006, 12:35am

Hi Annette,

Periactin was one of the numerous meds scripted to me prior to medrol and verapamil (which work the best so far). No benefit re CH. Do have lots of allergies but can detect no connection to the ch.

Will say that early in my ch "career?" antihistamines seemed to help. Whatever works, go for it.

Regards

Jon

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by BB on Aug 30^th, 2006, 12:41am

Hi Jon ,

I think CH has many triggers so its hard to say what works when and how. Thats why sometimes things that have worked in the past can suddenly stop working.

Guess we just have to try and see.

Annette

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by georgej on Aug 30^th, 2006, 10:15am

Tried periactin years ago. Never did anything one way or the other for me. Never tried Claritin, but have found that 4 mg chlorpheneramine maleate can help alleviate a very minor shadow--2 or below. Useless otherwise. Benadryl doesn't seem to do anything for me at all. Haven't tried histamine desensitization.

I gave up the antihistamine thing as a bad job a long time ago.

Your mileage may vary.

Good luck,

George

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by Superirish2005 on Aug 30^th, 2006, 3:24pm

Just brought up the Claritan thing because like I said I am willing to TRY ANYTHING AT THIS POINT!

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by BB on Aug 30^th, 2006, 7:26pm

Get 02 and other preventives NOW, such as prednisone taper and verapamil.

Talk to your doctor about starting them NOW. I think your cycle is too "high" at the moment for alternative things like Red Bull and Melatonin to work properly.

Annette

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by Jobette on Aug 30^th, 2006, 11:47pm

Years ago ;;D before I was diagnosed with CH I though that I was have a sinus thing and I took BC allergy sinus and it work for me until they took it off the market and the HA's got worse. I guess it is different strokes for different folks. At least it may open up your nose, who knows it may help.? :-/

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by chopmyheadoff on Aug 31^st, 2006, 9:20am

i been a clusterhead for 7 years.
been on clarytn 6 of them for hayfever

didnt make a blind bit of difference

Title: Re: Claritan--Allergy Medicine
Post by Margi on Aug 31^st, 2006, 10:10am

on 08/30/06 at 15:24:56, Superirish2005 wrote:

Just brought up the Claritan thing because like I said I am willing to TRY ANYTHING AT THIS POINT!

Just be careful, though, at throwing TOO many things at the beast. That really will come back to bite you on the ass, trust me. Meds can cancel each other out and cause you to have more headaches.

My hubby uses benadryl to help him sleep when in cycle, but you can't use it for more than a few days in a row because it blocks REM sleep. Even though clusterheads don't feel like they are getting much sleep while in cycle, they really are getting REM sleep (which is when the nighttime hits occur) - just not a lot of regular sleep. REM deprivation can be deadly.

Mike has tried all the allergy meds as well and, honestly, the only thing any of them did for him was find him a couple hours of sleep. They're not cluster preventative and can quickly cause dependancy as well, especially any of the nasal sprays out there.