ANTIHISTAMINES – Receptor Blocking

H1, H2, H3, H4 Receptor Blockers

” Histamine receptors are located throughout the human body and have been classified into categories H1, H2, H3, and H4.Generally speaking, H1 receptors account for neuronal and nervous system sites, H2 are more related to stomach and digestive function, H3 receptors are found in the brain, and H4 are found in organs and bone marrow. Both H1 and H2 receptors are found in airway tissues, skin tissue, and immune cells.” Found on this website — https://www.optimusmedica.com/otc-antihistamines/#:~:text=Histamine%20receptors%20are%20located%20throughout%20the%20human%20body,H4%20are%20found%20in%20organs%20and%20bone%20marrow.

What has worked for me is in immediate flare of a critical reaction, I choose to take a Generation 1 antihistamine which is Diphenhydramine (Benedryl). However, long term use has indicated that it can cause or create dementia/Alzheimer’s or at least exasperates symptoms. I had been using Diphenhydramine for years, because the allergy shots never worked, and I’m allergic to steroids and Prednisone. So I gave that up. I had to do something.

Once I verified exactly what symptoms I was suffering from, and then figured out what receptors I needed to block, and what drugs coordinated with the ones I searched up. What worked for me was H1 and H2 blockers, which was Cetirizine (Zyrtec) and Famotidine (Pepcid AC)

Since I already was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and Neuropathy (even my feet were killing me and I wasn’t on them) along with my GI tract flaring, I knew that the only way for me to calm down my whole body was to block my H1 receptors and H2 receptors from antihistamine. My skin was reacting as well by the time I was diagnosed. Showers felt like whole body tattoos all at once, even the water hurt my skin like tiny needles. Each person is different, and each person will have different results and responses.

**Note: I was a guinea pig, and my primary physician was on board. He told me, “a serving suggestion is very literally a suggestion, you can take MORE of a antihistamine than what is suggested, so it took a lot of trying one , and upping the dose. My dosage is 4 times a day. 30 minutes before eating , Morning wake-up, Lunch, Dinner, and then 30 minutes before bed, to account for the histamine dump while I sleep to fight the insomnia and night sweats, when I forget to take them.

**Always check with your primary physician when taking OTC or Prescription medications. They are not pharmacy technicians, but it is important to discuss uses if you are on any other medications as well!**

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Feeding the Brain, Stabilizing MCAS

Why the brain is necessary for all of us to function.

For me, today is a day of remembrance. In the past 30 days, I have now attended a memorial and funeral for two parents of different childhood friends, who lost their ability to remember. Alzheimer’s and Dementia have touched so many lives especially people and families that are important to me.

In retrospect it’s been almost a blessing that I suffered an illness that gave me a glimpse into my future with dementia, along with the experiences with my own family members that I had already lost. I was able to provide much needed wisdom when asked on how to navigate some of the “humane” matters with others who were already ill around me.

Until I see the MRI for myself in the near future, I am not going to glorify that the black spaces are now miraculously filled with brain matter for myself. I also will never claim a miraculous cure for anything. I do fully expect to lose my life eventually to dementia, but in the meantime, I’m going to live my life to the fullest and continue to educate myself and others as I find supplements to assist me in healing and functioning.

When researching an illness, I research how the brain operates or dysfunctions to cause said illness. Interstitial Cystitis is an actual physical dysfunction of an organ; however, the brain operates histamine reactions and releases that activate and deactivate my Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. In fact, almost ALL of my illnesses with the exception of the interstitial cystitis all tie into the brain in some way. Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, and obviously Dementia.

A little survey and digging in the Mast Cell patient group I participate in, and I sat one day and wrote down a list of 240 various different illnesses on the list (when someone polled our group on the various diagnoses’ we all had, including arthritis, and they all tie back into the brain. When I discovered that, I knew then, I had to start safeguarding my mainframe, as soon as possible, and with fierceness.

This turned me onto a host of different things that I needed to address. Cognitive Function was certainly one, and regaining my control of my memory and recovery of lost memory was another. Then regaining my energy, and focus. I found a few supplements that I simply “tried” to see if it did anything for me. The benefits had to be WORTH it, and the side effects had to be nothing or very limited for myself.

I took some of these for a few months, and started making HUGE gains, then I did the worst thing I could do, and stopped the supplements. Why you ask… because I’m the guinea pig, I’m my own test subject, and what I found was I began to degrade as quickly as I had started making improvements. In September of 2022 I stopped the supplements, and by December, I had a host of symptoms begun again, like the ADHD, the ability to not be able to clearly think, the litany of aches and pains, on top of forgetting my daily schedules. I finally admitted to my therapist what I had done at that time, and she said that it was “Invaluable” information to include in my research, but highly suggested that I begin them again. I really didn’t need them to tell me to, because that morning before I admitted to myself defeat, I may have to permanently keep myself on the Amazon Subscribe & Save program for these pills. However, I am COMPLETELY 100% totally okay with these results, it is a far car better than a ton of prescriptions from the doctors to mitigate symptoms, multiple doctor visits, and ER visits for allergic reactions and mania, or health anxiety.

My last appointment was this past Thursday, and after yet another introduction of the polyphenol Green Coffee Extract, gave me everything that I needed. Her response was to me, “You are oddly more normal, calm, controlled.” I chimed in, “I can also use BIG WORDS again!” We giggled together on that one. One day, I may ask her to actually write me an excerpt about watching my decline and then my regrowth, it’d be interesting to get it from her perspective.

My journey has been slow in progress because I am researching, and I am my own test subject, and I suggest that you do the same, research, and trust your body. You know your body best.

What has gotten me to this progress so far has been the following regimen:

RUTIN , FORSKOHLII and my H1 histamine blocker Cetirizine 10 mg along with my H2 Histamine blocker Famotidine 20mg

Now each person is different, and only respond to certain antihistamines, to find balance, sometimes you need to take more than one of each antihistamine. My balance stopped at 4 times a day, half an hour before I ingest any food, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and before bedtime. My antihistamine intake is 2 Cetirizine and 3 Famotidine every time I take a “dose”. That is what keeps me from reacting to foods, bug bites, and various other things that my mast cells deem too much histamine for the day, oh and the biggest “histamine release” is when we get sleepy and go to sleep, that is the necessity for taking them at night.

**I recommend you take a look at my blog post about Antihistamines. Take notes on your major symptoms, and start with looking at what receptor blockers are going to get rid of those reactions first.** As always, check with your physician if you are on anything. I’m not a licensed physician, this is just what got me to where I am at.