Medications That Irritate!

[mela14]

I would love to hear how people with multiple intolerances deal with taking medications.

If we lived in a perfect world, I guess we would't have to take them but on occassion there is a need.

In trying to get my diet under control...it's been 3 months..... I've found other intolerances. So, avoiding gluten in medications is not the only issue.

I've needed to take allergy pills this week as well as decongestants because of terrible seasonal allergies with migraines. Between the fillers and colorants my whole body is screaming! Mussle pain and of course my gut is sore and irritated.

So what do we do when this happens?

Is there anyone who has this same problem? Are there organic allergy pills and decongestants that I can take? I'll have to take a ride to Wole Foods and see what they have because doing nothing is not working and taking those over the counter pills whether they have gluten or not are killing me.

Please tell me as my gut heals I'll be better able to tolerate a pill or two!

Thanks guys!

[FreyaUSA]

For me, reactions seemed to get continually worse till about the 7th month of being gluten-free where I seemed to be at peek reactivity to even the tiniest trace of gluten. Since then I seem to be reacting with less and less severity (I'm at 11 months gluten-free now.) One of my children still reacts strongly, but he gets over it much quicker (he's at 8 months gluten-free). One of my other children no longer throws up at trace amounts (yea!) So, if you follow this, it should get better.

Btw, one of the ways I react to gluten is with a migraine. (It is heaven not to have to go through these sometimes 2-3 or even more times a week!) My sympathies with the headaches. Hopefully as you get all the gluten from your diet and time goes by, you'll not have so many. Oh, and my kids, who were on allergy meds almost year round, are off them completely now that they're gluten-free. More hope!

[judy05]

Mela,

I have also suffered all my life with allergies and migraines.

I used to have to take shots every week. Since going gluten

free I no longer need the shots. I do occaisonally get migraines,

two since going gluten-free. One occurred after being contaminated

and another recently when I was under a lot of stress, my

mother was extremely ill and recently passed away.

My thought is that you have to give this more time, it has

been 14 months for me but my symptoms are less and

the accidental ingestion of gluten doesn't distress me as

long as it used to.

As for medications, this winter I took Coricidin HBP for

sinus headaches. It is safe for anyone who has high B/P

since I can't take decongestions, they speed up my heart

rate. The Coricidin is not sold over the counter per se, you

have to ask the pharmacist for it because the kids abuse it.

I know it is gluten-free. The drug I take for migraines is Midrin, I'm

not sure about its gluten status, I do intend to call the

company about it, but it didn't bother me and lessens

the severity of the migraines.

The allergy symptoms were one of my worst symptoms and

I am so angry because my allergist never tested me with

a Celiac Panel, he only did a scratch test for wheat.

Just wanted to let you know that I know what you are going

through and it does get better.

[mela14]

thanks for your helpful info. I get tension headhaches as well whenever I am under a lot of stress. The migraines though have been less. Partly because I am finally on estrogen. My dr never put me on it after my hysterectomy 2 years ago...he said we needed to let the endo dies out!

PS...all my pathology reports were neg for endo. I finally got a new gyn about 3 months ago at the same time that they discovered the gluten allergy and he has been steering me right. He also told me that I probably never had endo, as he read all my previous pathology reports ( 7 surgeries) and all were neg for endo. He said that the pain I was having was bowel pain... probably inflamation from ingesting gluten!

So anyway, the headaches have finally gotten better. I also dont' wake up with headhaches for no apparent reason. This I noticed as soon as I stopped eating gluten at night before bed! So I know things are getting better.

The sinus and allergy headhaches are another thing and they are directly related to whatever is in the air! Down here in sunny florida the pollen and mold have been high and those wonderful tropical breezes just blow everything around. I feel like a walking Zombie and could barely keep my head up. I pray that improves as I cannot take them much anymore. I usually try not to take any meds but when those situations arise I just NEED to take something and that's when I start reacting to the fillers.

Thanks for giving me a little hope that it will get better. I keep reading labels and keep trying to avoid gluten. I've also been noticing other ingredients that I react to like eggs, soy, lactose in some of the ingredients and TRY to avoid those as well.

Judy, I will ask for the Coricidin and check out the ingredients as the pseudofed also makes my heart race! Maybe it will help me to decongest with less side effects and I will look into the Midirn too as Imitrex detroys my gut and I recently stopped taking it. Thank god I don't got those types of migraines as much anymore!

Freya, hopefully with time My gut will be stronger and my immune system will pcik up a little. This way I won't need as many meds.

Thanks again for you help,

[kabowman]

Mel, Allegra 180 has corn and lactose but not enough to really make me sick enough not to take them. Also, Zyrtec has no corn, lactose, etc. it appears to be the safest but always check the Web site to look for inactive ingredients. I don't have a problem with my allegra but do have a problem with Benadryl so that must have more lactose and starch...

I am extremely sensitive to many different things too...I am also doing the allergy shots routine and am going on my third year. I am 38 and the shots were only partially working but they ran more tests and I have developed all new allergies. The doc also upped my shot doses which has helped significally.

good luck...Kate

[mela14]

I already checked on the Zyrtec and although it seemed to be ok.....it was not helping my allergies during the night! the itching in the throat and congestion was horrible. I need to take psuedofed at night so I take tyleno allergy sinus (brand) which does not have gluten but I guess too much of it was bothering me. All the food coloring and other ingredients.

I tried chlortrimeton which helps the allergies but has lactose and it WAS bothering me even with the smallest amount. Allegra never helped me enough so I haven't taken it in years and don't remember if it was bothering my gut. At the time everything was and I didn't know I had food allergies!!! So right now I am holding off on taking too many meds I need to get my gut to calm down. I started the Zyrtec as it is easier on my gut and my allergist added Astelin nasal spray which is an antihistamine nasal spray. I think it is helping with the throat itching at night. He also gave me some type of eye drops for the eye itching which is the same generic as Astelin. I haven't checked the ingredients on Astelin yet but THINK it is safe.

I haven't done consistent allergy shots in years and might have to really start them again. I just never thought they helped.

Oh well...............whatever I am taking along with these allergies is really flaring up my fibro. Sometimes the ingredients affect my muscles.

Fix one thing and then there goes another..................

It's not easy!

Thanks for all you help and support,

[kabowman]

I use two different nasal sprays - one of which is astelin and I also use the Patenol eye drops. I haven't had problems with either of these--but that is just me. Have you tried just Tyleno PM? It has a decongenstant which is not as strong as benadryl - I use those on top of my allergy meds (or benadry if I get really bad but not for long due to side effects) when they start to get really bad (I am in IN so it hasn't hit here yet).

-Kate