Benadryl is constipating

17m
Saturday night I took 2 benadryl pills and on Sunday when I pooped there seemed to be black/ very dark brown spots in my poop. This is my first time taking benadryl, I also took tylenol in the morning. This is also the first time this seemed to happen, I'm also constipated.

Hey everyone! I recently had my laparoscopy and endometriosis excision after years of pain and infertility, and was confirmed to have advanced endo. I myself am a doctor and hope that by and sharing a "surgery action plan" including both my personal and professional experience, it might help you as well! It includes all kinds of things big and small that I found helpful or wished I'd thought of sooner that made the experience much more manageable.
~DAYS/WEEKS PRIOR TO SURGERY:~

• Pick up at a drug store:
  • Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • Miralax (stool softener)
  • Liquid IV packets (or other hydration powder)
  • Prescriptions: depends on your surgery but may include things like ondansetron (Zofran) for nausea, and oxycodone for extra pain relief if needed
  • Organic/cotton pads (if you have a hysteroscopy where they look inside your uterus with a camera during the surgery, you will likely have some bleeding the first couple days)
  • Optional:
    • Extra strength simethicone (Gas-X) — theoretically may help dissolve the gas they use to insufflate your abdomen, which causes significant shoulder pain
    • Diphenhydramine cream (AKA Benadryl cream) — the surgical glue over the incisions commonly makes people itchy, and can be treated with benadryl cream
    • Chloraseptic sore throat spray or throat lozenges — for sore throat after the breathing tube
    • Herbal tea packets — I found warm tea helped my throat after the breathing tube more than anything else)
• Buy a weighted microwaveable heat pack if you don't already own one. I cannot emphasize enough that having some light warm pressure on your abdomen does wonders for the pain in the first couple of days! These packs are like a smaller version of a weighted blanket, but designed to be warmed up in the microwave. There are some great natural options that are filled with things like corn or flaxseed. It was also surprisingly helpful for the shoulder pain that you get from the CO2 gas they use insufflate your abdomen during surgery, so I alternated placing heat there too, but Etsy also has some great combo options that have both a belly and shoulder heat pack (Bonus: they come in some really cute prints!): https://www.etsy.com/market/corn_heating_pad
• Start taking miralax to loosen your stools 5-ish days before surgery, since you will get narcotic pain medications that can cause constipation. Nothing is worse after this surgery than feeling like you need to strain to poop! I bought a box of Miralax with 10 packets and took 1 per day, mixed with a packet of Liquid IV in a 32oz water bottle starting 5 days before surgery, and continued this through 5 days postop. It made a world of difference! Of course, hold off on taking for a couple days if your stools get too loose.
• Hydrate! Water and Liquid IV are your friend. You have to fast for a certain amount of time leading up to surgery depending on your hospital’s guidelines, which can make you dehydrated. Drinking lots of fluids will will help keep your poop hydrated (see above) and will make your day of surgery better for everyone — it makes your blood vessels more plump and easier for your preop nurse to get your IV. And most anesthesia medications can make your blood pressure drop, so you want your blood vessels nice and hydrated so you have “room” in your blood pressure for the drop when it happens. Don’t sweat this though, if they feel like you need more fluid, they can easily give it through your IV once you're back there!
• Head to the grocery store to pick up nutritious, easy-to-make foods for recovery since you won’t feel like going to the store in the first few days postop. Things like fruit, scrambled eggs, plain pasta dishes, and avocado toast worked well for me.
• Plan your comfy outfits ahead of time (see sections below)

~DAY OF SURGERY:~

• Clothing: Wear loose fitting DARK clothes made out of a very comfortable material since the material will make contact with the area right around your incisions. I say dark because you may get a little blood on the clothes after surgery where the incisions ooze some. You won’t want to put your normal-size underweabra on after surgery because the bands will feel tight, so you might want to just do a pad + loose dark pants. I also put on a dark soft t-shirt and got a couple splotches of blood on it. And then over it all I put on a thick zip-up sweatshirt that I would be comfortable wearing out of the hospital without a bra on (zip-up so you don’t have to reach over your head and use your abs to pull it on). I also recommend slip-on shoes – pulling on tennis shoes was surprisingly painful!
• Bring to the hospital: Pad to wear home, Liquid IV packets, and the pain/nausea medications you've already picked up (not to use at the hospital, but in case you need them on the ride home). Don't wear any jewelry, makeup, or lotion.
• You’ll be brought to a preop area and asked health history questions, likely be asked to provide a urine sample, a nurse will start your IV, and you’ll have a chance to meet your care team. Ask your surgeon and anesthesiologist/anesthetist all the questions you have!
  • Ask the surgeon how/when they plan to inform you and your family what they found, about activity/weight-bearing restrictions, and how long you have to wait before “anything in the vagina” (menstrual products, sex, etc).
  • Ask your anesthesiologist specifically about their plan for pain and for nausea. This surgery is very high risk for postop nausea – those with the highest risk of nausea are young women, who don’t smoke, get narcotics during the surgery (which you will), and have a history of motion sickness or prior postoperative nausea. Add the fact that they are operating on your reproductive organs and that they will insufflate (basically inflate) your abdomen with CO2 gas and this is a huge recipe for nausea! Don’t hesitate to ask your anesthesia team for all the extra preventive measures they can offer for postop nausea.

SURGERY/POSTOP:

• You will likely be offered some optional “relaxing medication” (usually Versed, which is like a cousin of Xanax) if you want, then rolled to the OR. You will move to the operating table, have your monitors hooked up, breath fresh oxygen through a mask, and the team will let you know you are going to sleep.
• Next thing you know, you will be in recovery! A lot of recovery is about managing pain and nausea. If you need narcotic or non-narcotic pain medications, don’t hesitate to ask! I however was already feeling very nauseous and had cramping pain, so I personally did not want more narcotic and asked if I could have all the non-narcotic options first (so they gave me a form of IV ibuprofen called ketorolac).
• Warm pressure is your friend! Ask for a warm blanket on your abdomen and around your shoulders if you’re having pain in those places.
• Every time the nurses offered me to try something to eat, even just the thought of it made me so nauseous. But I brought a Liquid IV packet to the hospital with me and that was leqitimately the only thing that revived me (they aren’t paying me to endorse them I swear!! But if there are any Liquid IV reps reading this that would like to sponsor me let me know!! Lol)
• Before you leave the hospital, have your recovery nurse write down when you are allowed to take your next doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen

LEAVING THE HOSPITAL/FIRST FEW DAYS:

• For the first 72 hours, you can take 600 mg ibuprofen and 1000 mg acetaminophen (typically in the form of two 500 mg pills) every 6 hours on a scheduled basis to stay on top of the pain (unless you have a condition that prohibits you from taking either of these, such as liver or kidney problems. Please check with your doctor!). While you're asleep, your surgeon likely will do numbing injections at the sites where the laparoscopic ports are, and those injections usually wear off around 12-18 hours after surgery, so don’t be surprised if it initially feels more sore with time — this is why I recommend taking the pain meds in a scheduled manner to help! I staggered mine so I got to take one or the other every 3 hours (see below), but you can also choose to take both at the same time every 6 hours if that is easier to keep track of. My example:
  • 4:00- take 1000mg Acetaminophen (typically 500mg pill x2)
  • 7:00- take 600mg Ibuprofen
  • 10:00- take 1000mg Acetaminophen
  • 1:00- take 600mg Ibuprofen …and so on
    • This schedule helped me avoid having to take any of the narcotic I was sent home with, but everyone is different, and if you feel you need some for pain then don't hesitate!
• The CO2 gas that was used to insufflate your abdomen during surgery is totally safe, but sticks around for a couple of days as it slowly diffuses into your blood stream, and you breathe it off naturally (CO2 is a main component of what you normally are breathing off, so you won’t notice a difference)! What you will likely notice is it causes shouldeneck pain! The gas collects under the diaphragm and the nerve irritation actually refers the pain to your shoulder(s). The best thing you can do for this is move around to help the gas dissipate! Gas-X theoretically may help dissipate the gas, so I took this twice a day the first few days. Warm heat on the shoulders/neck and sitting or sleeping propped up may help as well.
• Eat something bland and healthy. I had fruit, scrambled eggs, plain noodles, and avocado toast during my first day, and that sat pretty well for me. Your throat may be sore and dry from the breathing tube, so keep that in mind if considering dry foods! You can also drink warm tea or use chloraseptic spray for your throat.
• For the coming days after that, have lots of loose fitting, soft clothes to wear! Move around to help the gas dissipate, and stay well-hydrated. Take care of yourself, and lean on your loved ones to help you as well. You've got this!!

Hi, I’m worried I may be pregnant. I’m not on birth control and my bf pulls out (I know, not ideal). I just returned from vacation with him and have been dealing with other health issues as well, so not sure if it’s related, but here are my symptoms:

• fatigue
• loss of appetite
• strong aversion to all food, I force myself to eat
• nausea on and off throughout the entire day, and urge to throw up sometimes
• some constipation but finally able to poop more
• stomachaches but they’re improving
• bloody (not metallic) taste in mouth once a day, this is the second day of it
• random calf cramp last night

I took a test this morning and tested negative, but it may be too early. I was also abroad and may have eaten something. I also took Benadryl because I’ve been affected by extreme and itchy bug bites these past few days.

Hey all!
I'm 12 dpo now and got very strong lately!
A few things to share:
1: Constipation is REAL! I had read some people saying to take laxatives on the day before surgery but I didn't because I always was fine and after that had to take 4 per day to finally be able to poop on day 4. So take it seriously!
2: Nothing hurts: I have a very low pain tolerance but nothing actually hurts. (Except for the lady putting IV for bloodwork and I guess she didn’t know because the actual IV was okay.
3: Drains are okay: drains were okay and not so bothering and actually helpful with fluid discharge and removing them didn’t hurt either.
4: Financial Stress: at reception, they told me I owe 2600$ and I was stressed out, turned out bullshit, and now my insurance is processing the claims so don’t freak out about what they say at the moment.
5: Items helped me: Pregnancy pillow is a must, weighted sleep mask helped me, Fisherman’s friend cough drop did a miracle right after op with my sore throat, Benadryl helped with itchiness and sleeping as well, a biddet would be extremely helpful even after surgery:D
5: Rest: I was on my feet and using the bathroom right after surgery but I wasn’t at my best tbh. I gained my normal power around 10dpo. So don’t freak out if you can’t go to work after 5 days like everyone else.
And
Sending love to everyone on this journey! 💕🤍🫂

Please help! Hey Redditors, I am in desperate need of help as I am unsure how long I can keep living like this. Long story short, I've been have flares of abdominal pain since the end of 2022. I came back from a festival with the worst abdominal pain and diarrhea of my life where i went to the restroom no less than 20 times a day for a week straight. Tested positive for strep and covid during but they could not pinpoint where my illness was coming from. Since then, its contant flares of abdominal pain every other month midway between my breast bone and belly button. Please if you have any suggestions on how to help, I'm more than open.
Here's what I've done: All imaging (MRI, CT, and Ultrasound) done on chest & abdomen with findings of mild fatty liver, small fibroid, thyroid nodule and light gastritis. No heart, pancreas, gall bladder or lung problems. 2 endoscopies - No hiatal hernia, no Barretts, no ulcers
Bloodwork has shown: No Celiac No viral, bacterial or fungal infection No pancreatitis No SIBO or H pylori Low Vitamin D Low Vitamin B Anemia Low Iron Positive ANA 1:80 homogenous Super High Sedimentation Super High CRP High Globulin Very normal and predictable cycles for the last 5 years
Things I've done that haven't helped: Liquid fast for a month - still in pain. Pescatarian - still in pain. Removed all dairy and gluten- still in pain. It appears to not be triggered by food. Heating pad & castor oil make no difference in inflammation . Benadryl (thinking histamine intolerance) - made no difference. Turmeric tea makes no difference . Pantoprazole and Dicyclomine do not help. Digestive Enzymes make no difference. 2 different sets of probiotics make no difference . NSAIDs do not help.
Symptoms Extreme and painful bloat where gas sometimes travels up behind breast bone causing chest fullness and tightness. It feels like a heart attack but is not. Burping helps alleviate pressure sometimes. Strong ache in the middle of abdominal about 4 inches about belly button. Does not impact sides or back. Fatigue, Headache, No diarrhea but sometimes light constipation, No identifiable triggers.
Please if you can just point me in any direction that would be helpful. I'm at my wits end. Not sure if this is related but it has been impossible for me to lose weight no matter how caloric restricted I am or how hard I work out. No sure if this could be auto immune related. Please help!

Laying here in the observation unit I figured I’d share my UFE experience with anyone who’s been considering it. My backstory is that I have a 10cm fibroid that has been pushing on my bladder and rectum, causing heavy bleeding , frequent urination, constipation and bloating. My GYN was going to send me straight for a hysterectomy but I didn’t want to do anything that dramatic right away. After doing some research on my own, I asked about a UFE. I work in radiology as a CT tech so I know the interventional radiologists very well. My GYN put in for a consult and had my appt April 1st. I requested one I know well who does great work. He said I’d be a great candidate, and he thinks in about 3-6 months it could shrink up to 50%, maybe even 75%.
Today was the big day. I was SUPER nervous and was even considering cancelling it up until a few days ago, but decided to just go through with it because I need some relief.
The procedure itself was very easy, I actually don’t remember a single thing after them strapping me to the IR table. I believe I was given a hefty dose of fentanyl and some versed as well. Before I even got to IR, I was given two antibiotics, an extended release Oxycodone, and Benadryl and Prednisone because I have a contrast dye allergy. The RN also placed a Foley catheter, which didn’t hurt but was probably the worst part of the whole day.
My doc gave me the option to stay overnight which I decided to do, because he said the pain can get pretty bad. I figured why suffer at home and not get good rest… I have a 6yo who would just want me to play and I’m sure i wouldn’t be able to sit still if I were home.
Apparently everything went well! As I’m laying here pain free (for now) I’m glad I went through with it. I have a morphine PCA pump which I’ve used once, and was also given IV toradol which they said sometimes works better than narcotics. I do believe I have lots of meds in my system still from earlier in the day which could be masking the pain.
Here’s to hoping this works and I start seeing some results and have relief over the next 6 months! If anyone wants updates over the next few days, let me know!

Hey guys,
TLDR; had a complete small bowel obstruction, 2 days of bowel rest in the hospital, and all my 10-year long symptoms are gone. fluke or problem solved?
I haven't been here in a while. Just been suffering in my silence. But something recently happened to me and I was curious if anyone else has gone through this? To begin, I am 98% IBS-D with a rare moment of a single day of constipation scattered in occasionally. Been this way since 2014. I am freshly 40 years old.
2 weeks ago I rushed myself to the hospital at 4am with severe, severe abdominal pain and vomiting bile. The pain lasted about 11 hours before I finally caved and went. It started in the lower part of my belly, 3 inches or so below belly button, a smidge to the left. Then quickly radiated to where the stomach empties/pancreas area. Squeezing, burning, colicky pain. This also happened to me about a year ago, the exact same sequence and experience of pain/symptoms, but I was given a pancreatic enzyme test which was fine and dx'd with gastritis after benadryl, pepcid, and haldol. I felt fine after that. This time, the ER doctor immediately took me in the CT and found a complete small bowel blockage. yay me.
I have had a c-section incision to remove a large ovarian tumor in '09, so I likely have adhesions. But I recently starting eating Kashi (sorry Kashi, I love you) shredded wheat cereal. My tummy had been aching for weeks until I stopped the Kashi and it went away. The day this happened, I tried it again and immediately went into a tummy ache. I ate black eyed peas and corn (i KNOW, I should never eat this) for dinner and it was down hill from there. The first ER doctor said it was prob the Kashi and a spot in my intestine that was narrow, it just all got caught in there. My surgeon asked about my prior surgery and was sure it was just about adhesions.
2.5 days later and a traumatic hospital experience, I came home. No surgery, just bowel rest/stomach suction for 2 days and only two doses of opioid medication. My upper tummy hurt and hurt and hurt for days. Until one day, it didn't. Nothing. No pain at all. I used to have unbelievable noxious gas just alllll day every day, like I could long fart 10xs an hour, and now, it's down to what I think is normal. I am only 2 weeks over it, but I have no urgency to go poop (except the good morning poo, which isn't so much urgent as just ready to happen) and my stool was loose but it has slowly been firming up like normal poop again. No pain. Regular gas.
My mother was talking to nurse friend of hers and she said while not common, it's not unheard of for people to have partial blocks and not know or be misdiagnosed. All my symptoms matched a partial. The incessant pain, excessive foul gas, and diarrhea. I wonder if my small bowel has been making me sick all these years by having a partial that just finally went complete.
Has anyone else had this experience? I don't know if the bowel rest just gave me a break and that everything will change back to hell, or if my problem is fixed. I am taking a quality probiotic and eating very easy to digest food with a little meat here and there. I am scared to eat still. But I feel amazing. And this helps one person, it's worth sharing. Or if you've had this, I'd love to hear your story.
Doctors just wanna blow us off. And I know we are all in different boats, but I feel like after all my struggles (I also had a bad gallbladder for years before someone found that), I don't know why doctors aren't trying harder for some of us. I mean I am psychologically fucked up now due to all of this. I haven't worked in 10 years, I have no life. I used to have a pretty great life. I just wish we had better care for these things.

Bit of background: 27F, diagnosed cholingeric urticaria 14 but symptoms since puberty at 11, health issues since birth due to prematurity, ill often-ish/longer as a kid with strep, travel illnesses, ear infections, etc
Things came to head 5 years ago with mono, was diagnosed with cholingeric urticaria again, dermatographatism, chronic idiopathic urticaria, autoimmune issues including high ana and hashimotos. Took 6 months of daily hell of heat/stress couldnt walk to car full body hives etc reactions (had some similar but not daily over the years prior to the 6 weeks of mono in 2019, plus 2 back to back z-packs, also needed steroids my tonsils were so swollen I was having trouble breathing) but I finally started xolair to a lot of success in March 2020.
Fast forward through avoidant ED due to fear of food allergies, testing done post-starting xolair didn't show much but I've restricted a lot since to little improvement. Lot of downs over the last 5 years, but was stable for about a year eating high histamine in a high stress environment, only big differences were emdr therapy and a potentially finally mold free environment even bringing my own bedset in.
Now for almost a year since my dad got ill and sick and I'm was taking care of him til he unexpectedly passed im at my worse again.
Not covered in daily hives, but I keep having breakthroughs and its triggered my ED again majorly as im trying to add food back in one at time I was having fine before. Now I'm so stressed I can't tell whats a reaction or stress induced. Also adding moisture meters for my apartment are really high so I've been really paranoid there's mold under the vinyl or something, also there silverfish I keep having to kill which i.guess aren't good.
I've got 2 self pay doctors in Feb saying I have pots/mcas maybe eds but not typical so only the one is saying it. Negative eds genetically needs to do hats testing. Both were saying it 20 minutes into each telehealth expensive call. Cromlyn was never filled by cvs.
My allergist hasn't agreed, nor GI, primary internist, cardio etc on the eds/mcas part. There is agreement on the pots at least now, my fitbit even proves it.
But prior to re-activating my MCAS ocd and ED, I was somewhat stable with 15 foods no histamine issues from that side, my triggers were always spices, stress, heat more the cholingeric side and the CSU/autoimmune for over a year a couple years ago then restricting more at my dads as he got worse.
I also have GI issues including chronic atrophic gastritis, gerd, potential lpr, ibs, constipation, significant weight loss and underweight rapidly again, broken leg veins, svt, POTS, ADD, PTSD, anxiety, depression, dissociation, potential autism, ocd.
But anyways, trialing back in more wheat tonight, been having shortbread cookies no issue for the calories most of the week, and first few rounds go fine mostly,. then I feel a bit of a hot spot on my abdomen for once, brief redness in a small 4 inch line maybe almost a couple hives over half an hour of eating again and taking like an hour to eat anyways,, and id just taken my 12 hour H1/H2 combo. Xolair was on Thursday, but I've had pop up hives here or there since even prior to the pasta, some linger other don't. I did add wheat back in on Tuesday. Not celiac or gluten sensitive as a couple years ago. Or a few months ago.
Major major stress from family. Added point my dog also has mast cell cancer, fungal/skin issues and her breathing issues were even dx to possibly have an environmental trigger lately as well, and tonight my mom is visiting and getting lingering hives for once on my old couch from bad apartment, but she also had the organic Italy pasta and shes stressed, normally doesn't have my issues though. But here few hives look similar to what I've had linger since last year and I had a biopsy done while on my my meds and even low dose pred which wrecked my stomach more for a couple months showed folliculitus and not mast cell or urticaria but my derm agreed my meds could be playing a role but folliculitus also has its own presentation. She also said my ED/stress could be adding to.it all.
I see GI in like 11 hours, endocrinologist finally this week too and can rope in my other doctors, but im losing it not knowing if I just have the csu/skin side of mast cell and my issues are the dx stuff made worse by stress or if environment plays a role as I'm supposed to sign again for a new lease this week, or if losing my dad did trigger even more health issues, etc
I'm just really losing it cycling like this and I've got compounded ketotifin to try, im anaphylaxis to benadryl so I'm worried to try meds in general, I haven't event trialed the heart meds bc im so sensitive med wise even outside my anxiety to side effects etc, but I dont know what my next steps are now. I lost school that I was supposed to finish this semester and I'm scared of even freaking lettuce.
I never really had a lot of support prior to getting worse and was the caretaker so having more peices of my life stripped like this and still being asked to help, I'm just struggling with the lack of answers or what's in my head and what's not too long now.

Just started and got my first injection Thursday later afternoon. Should have eaten less on Thursday night, but I was still feeling normal hunger levels.
Friday was fine- a lot less hungry, at about 1/2 as much as normal.
Today has been awful. Felt fine when I woke up, not hungry, but still felt full. Burps started today. As the day wore on, I felt worse and worse. I have not eaten much- a mini gluten free bagel with minimal vegan butter, 1 apple, and a few gluten free crackers. Even drinking my water is making me nauseous. I did feel better after eating, but that quickly disappeared.
I am definitely not constipated- it’s been the opposite. I may have gone a little overboard with Miralax. 🤷‍♀️
Will this likely last the whole week? It’s awful and there’s no way I can go to work on Monday if I’m like this. I only feel halfway decent if I’m laying on the couch (recliner part of sectional) with a heating pad.
Edit to add: I’ve taken Pepcid and zofran today. Not sure how much either helped. Oh, and tums.
I will likely take a Benadryl before bed.

Pod relevance: Episode 208 discusses the suicide of Nex Benedict.
The full autopsy of Nex Benedict was released today by the medical examiner. It confirms that Benedict died of suicide. NOT from the fight in the bathroom at school or any other physical trauma/damage.
The cause of death was an overdose of Benadryl (diphenhydramine) and Prozac (fluoxetine). The hospital attempted to resuscitate Benedict to no avail.
Some people had been holding out for the full autopsy report before concluding that suicide was Benedict's cause of death. Well, here it is.
Something interesting from the beginning of the report:
" Antemortem history included involvement in a physical altercation. Past medical history included constipation, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, self-harm (cutting), chronic tobacco abuse, and chronic marijuana abuse. Handwritten notes that are suggestive of self-harm were found in the decedent’s room by family and provided to law enforcement. "
This suggests that Benedict was a troubled, mentally unwell kid, like so many other kids and killed herself because of it. This is a tragedy but there is no evidence that her being non binary had anything to do with anything. It's not even clear she was serious about the non binary thing. There is no evidence that her being non binary had anything to do with the fight in the school bathroom.or her suicide.
The public does not have the suicide note and there's no reason we should. The family has yet to comment.
Link to the PDF of the report:
https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/fox23.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/13/f13ede2c-ec5b-11ee-884c-5bc821717af8/660451a795b60.pdf.pdf

Hey y'all, I apologize ahead of time for the long post.
A COVID-19 infection in 2020 lit a fire under many things I believe I already had and just tuned them up to 100. I have since been officially diagnosed with EDS and psoriatic arthritis, with many Drs saying that I do probably have POTS and MCAS but no official dx and nobody seems to feel there is any need for me to have those diagnoses UGH!
The biggest issue I (up until now) was dealing with was the pain. I was actually prescribed a motorized wheelchair because the pain was so excruciating I could barely walk to the bathroom on some days. I was totally incapable of standing to make food, dress myself, etc due to the pain. No Dr would prescribe for me. They tried me on alternative medications like Gabapentin, Cymbalta, and LDN all with major side effects that I could not deal with.
I finally found a Dr who would prescribe Dilaudid for me. That was the one pain med that I have been able to use in the past with no issues. Well, I have issues now. It is helping me with my pain, which is fabulous! For the first time in 4 years, I have times of ZERO pain, but now it seems to be triggering my MCAS. The first prescription was from a different manufacturer. I had a brain tumor removed last January and took this med with no issue. I did some sleuthing and found that info out. So I found a pharmacy that used the manufacturer that I needed and got my medication there. The reactions were not as bad but I was still having them with this manufacturer even.
I have experiences occasional nausea when I first take the med in the AM so I started taking an anti nausea pill at least an hour before taking my pain meds and eating a handful of Cheetos (I cant eat saltines or Ritz because I react to those now) that seemed to be helping but then yesterday I was feeling a little nauseous (I think that was actually from my POTS) so I made a cheese omelet with some pico de Gallo. I have had this in the past with no issue but it made me super sick. I took an anti-nausea pill with no help and eventually took a Benadryl and POOF nausea was gone. I was wondering if it might be that the pico was about a week old since I was fine when it was just a day or two old.
Today I made a scrambled egg and cheese taco kinda thing and used some roasted jalapeno sauce instead of the pico. I was immediately nauseous. Now the sauce has been in the fridge for a while so I am wondering if THAT could have been the issue. Am I just super sensitive to anything that is beyond a couple of days old? UGH, I hope not!
I was also started on a biologic medication for my psoriatic arthritis called Cosentyx. I had dome 4 loading dose injection last month and the 5th one was delayed due to insurance issues and I just did that last Saturday. My super bad MCAS issues I am realizing were also during the time I had done an injection every week. Then switched manufacturers of the pain med AND wasn't using the biologic for 3 weeks, did an inject and random nausea.
I am left to Sherlock Holmes this on my own because no Dr is willing to help me. My pain clinic Dr wants me to start taking Welchol because we have mold in our house so I know THAT could be making things worse but am reading that it can constipate you and THAT can make MCAS issues worse. My other Drs just say to stop taking the pain med but it is the only thing that helps me get out of bed and live my life. I just hate that I never know when this nausea is going to hit, what is causing it, or how long it will last :(
.

Hi all,
I am someone who is mildly sensitive to certain foods like bananas and potatoes. if i eat them in high amount, for two days, I will flare. This is because it is well known that potassium is high in these foods. Potassium will make things worse for us, cause flares, cause urgency.
Today I learn in one of my medical physiology classes that more potassium will build up in the body if you are constipated. If you are eating things in small amounts like potatoes, bananas, avoocado, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and some dairy like milk, there will be a much greater build up of potassium in the body if you are constipated. This will make you underestimate the level of pain that these foods will cause you! Do not make the mistake of staying constipated if you want to eat potatoes and such! There are stool softeners over the counter you can use. Plenty of stuff in the pharmacy to help you. Also try staying hydrated if you can, but you don't need to overdo the water.
A lot of the vegetables that are considered "safe" actually have high potassium. So be careful with the potassium unless you can achieve normal bowel movements.
A lot of medications that IC'ers take causes constipation so this is a concern for all of us. Anyone who takes benadryl, hydroxyzine, nortrip/amitriptyline, oxybutynin, or opiates.
There are certain medications that actually lower potassium so if you have orders from your doctor to take potassium supplements or have a diet high in potassium then of course follow what the doctor says. This is info to help the majority of people who don't follow a high potassium diet.

I am a 46 year old male, who is trying to sort out which items to keep in the medicine cabinet, for whenever I have cold/flu symptoms in the future. Of course, no one wants to go out and buy anything when they are already sick, so I am trying to plan ahead.
I am trying to make a high-quality post to address cold and flu symptoms we all unfortunately experience throughout our lives. Even if you may feel that I am asking "stupid" questions, please consider that I am putting a lot of time and effort in to learn, while helping to share all of this with others. Some people may feel that I am making this all way too complicated. While this may be true, I still feel there is a lot for us to learn here. Thank you in advance to everyone who takes time to read this post, as well as those who also take time to respond.
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I assume most people just have one or two pain relievers at home. However, is it worth having most or all of these?
After spending many hours of Google searches, here is my new understanding of the pros and cons of the main options.
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Acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Ease pain and lower fever, but won’t reduce swelling or inflammation. Best for headache/fever, toothache, back pain, colds. Mild to moderate pain.
Least likely to cause an upset stomach. Be careful not to double dose with cold/flu medicine. Take every 4-6 hours.
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Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin, Bayer).
Reduce fever, pain, and inflammation. Best for headaches, toothaches, colds, fever. Mild to moderate pain.
Can be difficult on the stomach. Take every 4-6 hours.
Slows blood clots, lowers chance of heart attack/stroke.
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Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) - Does it make sense to have both Ibuprofen and Advil?
Reduce fever, pain, and inflammation. Best for headaches, toothaches, back pain, muscle strains, colds. Mild to moderate pain
Can be difficult on the stomach. Take every 4-6 hours.
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Naproxen (Aleve).
Reduce fever, pain, and inflammation. Best for headaches, toothaches, back pain, colds. Mild to moderate pain.
Can be worse on the stomach. Lasts longer in the body. Take every 8-12 hours.
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In each of the four above categories, should a person just always go with the cheapest generic, or under which circumstances should a person pay more for a trusted name brand? It seems the active ingredients are the same for all generic vs name brands.
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My takeaways from this, if my understanding is right is that

1. Aleve, or a generic version, is a must have for when pain is expected to last longer (8-12 hours or more). Also helps with inflammation.
2. Ibuprofen, or a generic version, is also a must have for pain with inflammation. This works faster than Aleve, but also does not last as long (4-8 hours).
3. Tylenol, or a generic version, is a must have for pain without inflammation, or when you need something easier on your stomach.
4. Aspirin/Beyer, or a generic version, is a must have for blood clots, and lowers the chance of a heart attack/stroke. If in good health, when do you know if you should take this daily?

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Cough Suppressants are also important. When does a person know when to use each of these? I assume a person may not need to own all of these
Dextromethorphan (Delsym).
Dextromethorphan (Robitussin).
Menthol Cough Drops.
Vicks Vapor Rub.
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Expectorants should also be considered.
Guaifenesin (Mucinex).
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Decongestants.
Pseudoephedrine.
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Nasal Decongestants.
Oxymetazoline (Afrin).
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Antihistamines also help.
I personally prefer Cetirizine (Zyrtec) over Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), Loratadine (Claritin), and Fexofenadine (Allegra).
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Anti-Inflammatory for sneezing, stuffy, runny, or itchy nose.
Fluticasone propionate (Flonase).
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Sinus infection, allergies.
Neil-Med bottles and packets for nasal irrigation. I prefer this over Neti-Pot.
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Sore throat.
Warm salt water gargle is highly suggested.
Which of the following three should also be kept on-hand?
-Herb Pharm Soothing Throat Spray Herbal Formula with Echinacea and Propolis.
-Chloraseptic Sore Throat Spray, Menthol.
-Propolis Throat Spray by Beekeeper's Naturals.
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Can Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) help to reduce nausea when sick, or is it really just for motion sickness?
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Eyes - dry, red, itch, burn -
Genteal Tears Preservative Free Eye Drops.
Warm compress.
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Many stomach symptoms; nausea, diarrhea, acid reflux.
Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol).
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Severe diarrhea.
Imodium AD.
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Laxatives for Constipation.
Polyethylene glycol (MiraLax).
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Is there anything that I am forgetting? Perhaps there is an item under a specific category that I should consider that I did not list? Or maybe I am forgetting about a symptom I should be ready for?Now I know things become even more complicated when considering cold/flu products that have a combination of ingredients. A main concern is that people can double their doses of pain relievers without even realizing it, as they do not read the labels of these products.
Do doctors and pharmacists usually just suggest buying the items above to treat specific symptoms, or are some of the products listed below also highly recommended under the right circumstances...
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NyQuill.
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TheraFlu.
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Tylenol Cold and Flu Severe.
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tldr; for each cold and flu symptom, which are the best products to own, and when should a person just go with the cheapest generic option rather than a trusted name brand?

Anyone ever heard of Mary's Chicken? Well, apparently their organic boneless skinless chicken breasts are fed a diet of 70% corn, 30% soy. I'm back on 50 mg prednisone for an all body rash, joint pain, mind fog, and a slew of other mental and physical symptoms. Itchiness was not helped with claritin or benadryl, only pseudophedrine took the edge off. The only explanation I found was this little study on rats: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32721463/
Last time what helped Me in particular was not digestive enzymes like some people recommended. It was laxatives. Hilariously despite drinking them my system thinks its somewhat constipated. Wish me luck. This is hell.
All because Whole Foods were out of the 365 chicken that I can tolerate. It makes me very curious what they feed them.
On another topic: does anyone by any chance experiment with soy lechitin? For some reason I can have it in some products, but not others. Would anyone have any information on that, is it perhaps some form of its extraction or what could it be?
Hang in there guys!

Starting a new treatment can be overwhelming, especially when faced with a long list of medications. It's tough to understand what each drug does and why it's needed. I wanted to share information from my own treatment to give you a clearer picture, not to scare you, but to empower you with knowledge. This way, you can hopefully face your (or your loved ones) treatment journey with a little more confidence.

What is Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)?

Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, or DLBCL, is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, accounting for about 30% of cases in the U.S. It's known for its rapid growth in lymph nodes and can also affect other parts of the body like the spleen, liver, bone marrow, and various organs. Typically, DLBCL starts in the lymph nodes of the neck or abdomen and is marked by the presence of oversized B cells. People with DLBCL often have B symptoms, which include fever, night sweats, and significant weight loss over six months.

My Story

For years, I used a gator mounted sprayer to apply glyphosate, the most commonly used herbicide globally. I suspect this exposure is the source of my cancer. Research from the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences links glyphosate to a 41% increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
My Stage 4 DLBCL had spread to my stomach, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, liver, and three soft tissue areas. I had lost 70 pounds in half a year and had fevers and night sweats. I was actually trying to slim down and thought I was succeeding (Hah!) until one morning I woke up with jaundice. A tumor was blocking my liver's bile duct, leading to a dangerous buildup of liver toxins in my body. I went through four ERCP procedures, with only the last one working by a specialist, and a failed attempt at Percutaneous Biliary Drainage. I was sent home but had to return a week later due to an inflamed gallbladder. That's when I was unexpectedly told by a nurse that I had lymphoma before I could discuss it with my doctor.
My oncologist diagnosed me with Stage 4 DLBCL but reassured me that it wasn't an automatic death sentence as it's aggressive but responds well to aggressive treatment. She considered CAR-T therapy, a form of immunotherapy, as a potential treatment - however, my insurance company required me to first try a treatment called POLA-R-CHP.
Going through treatment is more than just the physical battle. It's interesting; a lot of people offered to shave their heads with me as a sign of solidarity. Yet, when I really needed someone to talk to or help me out, not everyone was there. This experience showed me that real support isn't just about big gestures. It's about the little things, like checking in regularly and offering a helping hand when needed.
On the emotional front, things have been tough. I've started seeing a therapist who mentioned that I might be emotionally numb, which means I could fully process everything that's happened only much later. My fight against cancer includes more than just the treatments - there are follow-up scans, and I need to get my port and stent removed. The moment I found out I was in remission was as quiet as when I first learned I had cancer. It's a stark reminder of how fragile life is and how important it is to value the people in our lives. Big changes can happen without any warning.
Financially, this journey has been incredibly hard. Even with great insurance, I ended up using all my savings, taking money out of my 401k, and maxing out credit cards. The treatments spanned over two years (Jul '23 to Mar '24), meaning I had to meet my deductible and out-of-pocket maximum twice. Now, as I'm getting back to work and my financial situation begins to improve, I realize how lucky I am. But it also highlights the importance of advocating for yourself and having multiple backup plans.
Cancer treatment is as much about handling day-to-day life as it is about fighting the disease. The best kind of support comes in many forms. It's about showing up in the ways that really count, especially during those quiet moments of struggle and recovery.

Medications used in my Treatment (POLA-R-CHP Therapy)

I underwent POLA-R-CHP (a modified combination of drugs) to treat my Stage 4 Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL). It is used to improve outcomes over the standard R-CHOP regimen that is based on the POLARIX trial, which demonstrated a statistically significant improvement over R-CHOP at 2-years, which represents an advancement in treatment for selected patients.

• POLAtuzumab Vedotin-piiq (Polivy)
  • Antibody that specifically targets the CD79b protein found on B-cells, aiding the immune system in destroying these cells
• Rituximab (Rituxan)
  • Monoclonal antibody that targets CD20 protein found on B-cells, aiding the immune system in destroying these cells
• Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
  • Kills rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells
• Hydroxydaunorubicin (Doxorubicin Hydrochloride)
  • Interferes with the DNA inside cells, preventing them from dividing and growing
• Prednisone
  • Corticosteroid used to reduce inflammation and suppress the immune response

Medications Used for Symptom Management

These medications were crucial for managing my side effects and ensuring the effectiveness of the treatment regimen during therapy.

Nerve Problems (Pain, Numbness)

• Gabapentin (Neurontin)

Nausea and Vomiting (Sickness, Vomiting)

• Fosaprepitant (Emend)
• Palonosetron
• Ondansetron (Zofran)
• Promethazine (Phenergan)

Infection Prevention (Virus, Infection Defense)

• Acyclovir (Zovirax)
• Levofloxacin (Levaquin)
• Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim (Bactrim)

Pain Management (Discomfort Relief)

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Lidocaine-Prilocaine (Emla)

Gastrointestinal Symptoms (Digestive Issues)

• Dicyclomine (Bentyl)
• Metronidazole (Flagyl)

Blood Clot Prevention (Clot Risk Reduction)

• Apixaban (Eliquis)

Diarrhea (Loose Bowel Movements)

• Atropine-Diphenoxylate (Lomotil)

Allergic Reactions (Itching, Swelling)

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

Inflammation (Swelling, Redness)

• Dexamethasone (Decadron)
• Methylprednisolone (Medrol)

Tumor Lysis Syndrome (TLS) Prophylaxis (Tumor Cell Breakdown)

• Allopurinol (Zyloprim)

Hydration & Electrolytes (Fluid, Mineral Maintenance)

• Sodium Chloride (Normal Saline)

Febrile Neutropenia (White Blood Cell Drop)

• Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta)

My Questions About Managing Side Effects & Daily Life Impact

Will I lose my hair, and when will it grow back?

Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy treatments like POLA-R-CHP. Typically, hair loss is temporary, with regrowth starting after treatment ends. In some cases, hair may begin to return even before treatment completion. My hair started to regrow slowly while I still had 2-3 infusions remaining.

How do I manage bladder irritation and changes in bowel movements?

Hydration and following dietary guidelines are crucial for managing symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation. Communicate any significant changes to your healthcare team promptly.

What can I do about feeling tired?

Feeling tired after treatment is pretty standard, and it can stick around for a while. To deal with it, mixing rest with some light exercise works well. Using strategies to save energy and prioritize what you need to do can help too. From my experience, the tiredness would usually last 2-3 days after treatment, and then I'd feel mostly okay - however, even when I felt ready to tackle tasks, I'd quickly run out of steam. For example, setting up Christmas decorations, I was only able to do my small tree and 2 strands of lights on the house, which ended up taking three days.

What's the risk of developing peripheral neuropathy, and how is it managed?

Peripheral neuropathy, a potential side effect, may lead to treatment adjustments. For moderate to severe symptoms, treatment may be paused and resumed only if symptoms improve. Treatment with polatuzumab vedotin should cease permanently for the most severe cases.

How are infusion reactions managed?

To mitigate infusion reactions, pre-medication may be administered. Should you experience a reaction, the infusion could be temporarily halted then resumed at a slower rate once symptoms subside. Severe reactions might necessitate stopping the treatment for a reassessment. My reactions were mild, like hot flashes and itching, though others may experience more severe symptoms. It's critical to report any changes in symptoms during the infusion, no matter how minor.

How is a low blood cell count managed during treatment?

Managing a low blood cell count might include blood or platelet transfusions. Febrile neutropenia, a fever with a low white blood cell count, is more common with POLA-R-CHP, so using growth factors like pegfilgrastim is advised to help manage this risk.

How do the costs of POLA-R-CHP compare to other treatments?

Considering the cost-effectiveness of POLA-R-CHP against treatments like R-CHOP is important. POLA-R-CHP might be more cost-effective in the long run due to potentially lower costs for follow-up therapy and routine care, but individual situations can differ. It's important to talk about treatment options and costs with your healthcare provider to make informed decisions.

How effective is POLA-R-CHP compared to other regimens?

POLA-R-CHP is shown to be an effective first-line treatment option for DLBCL, possibly offering benefits in preventing relapses and saving on costs for second-line treatments. However, how well the treatment works can vary based on individual patient factors and disease characteristics.

Additional Links

Here's a curated list of resources, studies, and helpful links to provide the latest information on POLA-R-CHP treatment to hopefully help you understand the disease better and find support throughout your treatment journey.

• More Information about DLBCL from Macmillan Cancer Support.
• Understanding Lymphoma - DLBCL - Offers an in-depth look at DLBCL, covering symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, along with patient experiences.
• A Phase II Study of Glofitamab Plus Polatuzumab-R-CHP for High-risk DLBCL - This study is exploring a new drug combination for high-risk DLBCL patients, aiming to improve safety and effectiveness.
• DLBCL Resource Center - Provides comprehensive education on lymphoma, support resources, and updates on the latest research.
• Will Pola-R-CHP Be the New Standard Upfront Treatment? - Experts weigh in on whether Pola-R-CHP should become the go-to first-line treatment for certain DLBCL patients.
• Polatuzumab Vedotin for Front-Line Treatment of DLBCL - Showed that after two years, 76.7% of patients treated with Pola-R-CHP didn't see their disease get worse, compared to 70.2% for those on R-CHOP. The study compared the safety and higher costs of Polatuzumab Vedotin, suggesting similar safety for both treatments but raised financial concerns.
• Safety and Toxicity of Pola-R-CHP vs. R-CHOP - Discusses the safety profiles of both treatments, emphasizing the importance of prophylaxis and monitoring for potential toxicities.
• Cost-Effectiveness of Pola-R-CHP - Addresses the financial impact of adding Polatuzumab Vedotin to the treatment regimen, a consideration for patients and healthcare systems alike.

F23, 124Ibs, 5’2
Here are a list of my current medical diagnoses and procedures just incase there is something in here that may be related to my condition
Diagnoses: ADD, Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Past Procedures (in order of occurrence): Umbilical Hernia Repair (2002?), Wisdom Tooth Extraction (2017), C-Section (2020)
Recurring Issues: Anemia, high platelets, blood & protein in urine (often), hair loss, constipation, ear infections, bloating.
Reference Photos of hives/swelling: https://imgur.com/a/PcCYvIy
In 2016, I began to notice that I would sometimes wake up with little hives on my arms or legs. They were very minuscule at this point so I wasn’t super concerned or bothered by them. I just figured at the time that it was allergies of some kind and that they were subside eventually. They were not consistent at this point and only effected me occasionally. Maybe once or twice a month. It was around the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018 that my hives began to progress and affect me more consistently and harshly. It was still very manageable for about the next year or so. They mostly affected my back and legs and would sometimes move to my lips and under eye area. I wasn’t dealing with any swelling or anaphylaxis at this point. Just occasional hive breakouts that were annoying but would disappear a few hours after taking a Claritin. I’m 2019, I began to deal with my hives on a very consistent basis. I began to get debilitating migraines that were followed by severe hives over my entire body that came on quickly & aggressively. They start anywhere on my body, but it was at this point that I often began to feel my scalp start to tingle and develop hives before the rest of my body started to develop them. Claritin was no longer working against the hives at this point and I had to start taking 2 Benadryl in order to get them to stop progressing. This is also when I began to have severe facial & hand swelling up to 3 days after a bad hive breakout. From this point, I have had hives every single day. On most days, they are fairly manageable and mostly affect my legs/butt/back area. I have a “bad breakout” that results in facial swelling, throat swelling, nausea, brain fog around once a week. 2019 was the first time I had throat swelling along with my other symptoms. I have gone to the Emergency Room 3 times since 2019 for anaphylaxis and the first visit is when I was prescribed an Epi Pen. Currently, my hives now present in what I have started describing as “flare-ups.” They tend to affect me relentlessly for 2-4 months at a time. And then eventually, I will have about 4-6 weeks of zero hive activity without meditation. I used to get very hopeful during these breaks from my hives but I’m now experiencing enough with them to know that they always return with a vengeance. They seem to get worse and less reactive to antihistamines after each hive-free period. The periods of time where my hives are absent happen during different times in the year. Sometimes summer, sometimes winter, sometimes fall, the season does not seem to affect them whatsoever. These time periods are not consistent or predictable, those time ranges are just general averages of how long they are active and how long the breaks are. My primary care physician sent me to an allergy specialist in 2020. I was told by my allergy specialist that she was unable to do any tests on anything that I may be allergic to because I was either actively covered in hives or on an antihistamine at all times which would both make the results of an allergy test ineffective. She basically told me that I would never know why I have them and prescribed me a nasal spray and fexofenadine to take daily. The fexofenadine did lessen the severity of my hives for a short period of time but eventually I had to start taking Benadryl on top of it to keep my face/throat from swelling. I did keep a food/product journal for a long period of time. My hives typically start late at night or early morning before I have eaten or drank anything. Changing soaps, shampoos, detergent, bed sheets/blankets has had 0 effect on my hives. I have also consistently had hives throughout different seasons of the year and also continue to have them even if I travel to a different state for vacation. I have lived in 6 different houses since they started and they start while I’m outside of my home as well so it’s very unlikely that they are linked to mold. I have a history of hypothyroidism in my family and my last blood results in October of 2023 did show that my TSH was rising consistently and was just above the reference range at 4.520. I’d also like to note that my Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies tested positive at this time at 13. They weren’t concerned about either of these results (I’m not implying that they should have been, I just wanted to include them incase someone else here has a different opinion on them.)
A few things I’d like to note to give more context:
• My hives tend to affect “weak areas?” of skin every time I have them. I always get a hive directly on top of any scars that I have on my body.
• My hives almost always happen late at night. I often wake up to painful itchy hives and have to take a large dose of benadryl at 1-2am. But, even if i am awake at this time, I still get them. Sometimes they start in the middle of the day but it’s more common at night.
• I have noticed a few triggers that will almost always lead to a severe hive breakout at some point in that day. These are; lack of sleep, stress, getting too hot, or being sick (anytime I have a cold or the flu, I always suffer from really bad hives the entire time)
• They HURT. They are not just uncomfortable & itchy. They burn and pulsate.
• During a breakout as my hives expand and begin to cover more of my body, I start to get nauseous and a bit dizzy. The brain fog & dizziness can get so severe that I sometimes don’t remember parts of what happened at the height of a breakout afterwards.
• Throughout the past 8 years of dealing with my hives, I have been on different types of diets. I was vegan for a little over a year in 2019-2020, followed by about 6 months of being vegetarian. I now do not follow any strict diet but I didn’t notice any change in my hives during any any of these diet changes.
• Strangely, I don’t remember dealing with my hives much at all during the 9 months that I was pregnant. I definitely did not have any severe breakouts while I was pregnant and honestly don’t think I experienced many hives at all during this time. They returned a month or two after my daughter was born.
I guess I am just posting this hoping for some second opinions or ideas on what could be causing this. I live in a small town in West Virginia and am not getting anywhere close to finding any sort of answers. My hives are only getting worse. I’m tired and scared. Thank you for taking the time to read all of this even if you don’t have any advice.

I suspect I may have IC. I am 42. I believe I have had this since my early 20s. As a little girl, going into chlorine pools left me crying at times. My urethra would just burn so bad. Then for years I would be fine. I had some very severe sexual trauma and assault occur in 1998. I was 14. Because of that assault, I was infected with Herpes Simplex 1, HPV and Chlamydia. The HPV and Chlamydia went untreated for much longer than they should have. I was in the foster system as well and establishing care was hard. In the end, the HPV turned into me needing them burned off with acid under anesthesia because I was too traumatized to go through the procedure when I saw the biopsy tool. I also had precancerous cervical cells along with this initial outbreak. I had one at the entrance of my urethra I was told as well after I woke up. Prior to being treated, peeing was excruciatingly painful for my urethra. I tried to go to the hospital for the pelvic pain for the Chlamydia and they gave me enemas, saying it was constipation. Only when I was moved into a new foster home and given a real medical exam did they discover and treat me. By that time I had gone through some months where I was in there shelter waiting for a home stuff I had so much pelvic pain I couldn't sit still or stand up. Like a fire. I am certain I had pelvic inflammatory disease from this. By the time I was treated I believe the damage was done. I never had another outbreak after those initial.
Until 2004. I met someone and started being sexually active for the first time, normally and consentingly. I had so many terrible bladder infections and irritation when I would have sex with this man at first. Many times when I went in I was told there was red blood in my urine but not any infections or bacteria. Pyridium helped at times. When I left him about 3/4 years later, everything stopped fire the most part. I met my husband, and in 2009 we got married. I went for years without symptoms, irritation, nothing. We did not have children. We are still married. Over the years at times I would get irritation in my urethra it felt like, and I would get uristat and dilute my urine a lot and it seemed to help. I had no gyno issues.
Last month I started getting these two bumps in my vulva . They did not look like herpes . My urethra started to burn . I made an appointment. I had a full pelvic. Everything was fine. They looked at the bump. They thought it was a pimple. It seemed to come too a head over the next three weeks but then this nerve type shooting pain started in my vulva contacted to the bump and in other areas of my vulva. But nothing was there. The urinary symptoms increased. Until I started peeing more often now, and I went to the hospital for the pain and they did a urine screen and now a "large amount of red blood". It's in my urine, not infection, not stones, my white blood cells were slightly elevated on my blood work but not my urine, and I have these faint pains or felt like.I started flushing my bladder like crazy I stack two gallons of water a day. The hospital did a CT scan for kidney stones because I have back pain as well (could be my gallbladder which needs to be taken out it has also come too a head in the last month and needs removal ASAP), find nothing. So they refer me to a urologist. This last Friday I saw a urologist. He was an older man in his 60s. I ran through everything i just said here's. He told her her ass too so a cystoscopy, asked me if I have any stream issues, I don't and said boo, and he said he wants to go in they're and dialate my urethra and do a POSSIBLE biopsy. Then he also said he wants to give me valtrex, or valscyclovir, because he thinks I might be having a herpes simplex 1 outbreak in my urethra??? I told him that if he it's going to do these procedures , I NEED to be out under sedation. I have insurance . He said that he will only do twilight the same as a colonoscopy. I am not comfortable with that. It was tenativelly scheduled for 12 days. Friday night I started the valtrex. Saturday was my second dose. By the end of Saturday, all the nerve and shooting pains that had been happening the last few weeks stopped pretty much completely. It also felt like the intensity of the burning and pain is decreased. Today is the fourth day of treatment. They gave me five days. My mother is a RN and she does not think I should have this procedure done by this urologist. I have never, besides those treatments as a young teens, and besides one tubal pregnancy due to scarring on 2005, I have never had any invasive surgical procedures. My mom is scared that they might Nick my bladder or leaves me incontinent which I don't have an issue with yet, it that some effect is going to happen they is just going to make it worse. My stepmom has had one and she told me that it was painful, she absolutely remembers it all, and I've read multiple woman experiences with this procedure. I am not going to have this done unless I can get put to sleep. The worst pain I have ever felt in my life has been a catheter the feeling of it passing inside is excruciating they tried to use them in my 20s a few times for a "clean catch" urine specimen when I would have to go to the hospital. So I really feel like given my history and my mental state (PTSD and anxiety disorder) putting me under for this should not be an issue!! Since the valtrex SEEMS to have helping so much I called the gyno clinic I go to. I don't even have a regular doctor because up until now, I've had no serious issue for so long 😭. Sooooo I went back to the clinic I had been seen at for the lumps a month ago when this ALLL started, about five hours ago. The lady who seen me was there and they took me back right away. I told her EVERYTHING I've said here. I told her in an afraid to stop taking the valtrex now because what if it gets worse until I have time to find the right doctor?? She prescribed me 90 days off it, and then told me she had had a cystoscopy, and that a good urologist will have offered me sedation and it shouldn't have been an issue. She told me she had a terrible urologist once so was an older man and sometimes they just don't understand they are used to treating men and incontinence and my issue is different. She said her advice is too get a second opinion from a urologist. I asked her if there is a stuck thing as CC a doctor whon specialized in urology AND obgyn?? She said there was and that actually she was going to refer me to one of those. So now in an waiting for a referral . It should be in there very soon. My mental state is deteriorating rapidly because I feel like SHIT a lot and this type of urethra pain is not like other pain :( . I have very strong painkillers on can use if I want, opiates, add they DO NOT help this type of pain!! Pyridium does it seems like. My mind is spiraling and it is hard to not read about things, because I'm not stupid I read about IC 25 years ago and feared i may have been developing it. I've read that antihistamines help, i did get benadryl and it DID seem to help the burning pain. But I am afraid of taking that for too many days in a row so I stopped after 3 days of it and then I went to the urologist and they gave me the valtrex.
Does anyone have suggestions as to things I should get tht has been known to help? I was planning on getting prelief, these desert aloe vera capsules I keep hearing about, and Zyrtec. In am willing to take ANY SUGGESTIONS OR ADVICE. I do think my mom might be a little paranoid and I think I probably should have a cystoscopy but again under anesthesia, and has anyone ever heard of herpes simplex 1 in the urethra like this urologist said? He also asked my mom very weird things. When he came in the room , better he said anything else, he asked her what she does for work. When she told him she is there nurse supervisor at the acute clinic he asked which one. Then he asked her where she lives. Then he asked me where I live, them asked what I do, and I told him not much right now because I feel so sick. He asked what I "want" to do, and THEN asked my mother if she had any other kids, when she said yes she has my brother, he went in and asked where my brother lives, and what he did for a living. It was very very weird. My mom told me she had never seen him face too face but she had dealt with him many times over the years in the phone because of orders for her patients (geriatric facility), and he is known to be an asshole. But he was not really an asshole, it was just very weird and I don't feel confident going forward with him. I'm sorry for how long this is. I don't expect anyone to even read it. I've been keeping this all inside now and besides c running around too doctors I have no one to tell and no feedback. I am terrified that at 42 this is going to be the new normal and I can't handle it. Eta- I do not really have bladder pain. The most I notice is that one I start rubbing a ton of water and toss urethra thing really hurts, it feels like my bladder is full a lot faster than it usually is but it feels better when I pee. It is a little tender it feels like sometimes because of all of this m

This is my first post please forgive me if I did something wrong with the format. I have to put this out there incase it helps someone else. I was desperate. After get COVID-19 I got pretty sick. Took me about a month to fully “recover” but after that I started experiencing more and more weird symptoms. I’ve since had Covid 3 more times.
Okay first let me tell you what my symptoms were and then I’ll go into breaking down what I have learned through out a four month long research period.
Tachycardia when standing up or upon waking. Typically resting heart rate was 60-65 but when waking it would be nearly 120 bpm.
Symptomatic Brachycardia only when lying down or sitting down in a relaxed state. (The brachycardia would cause me to feel dizziness, nausea, tightness and pain in my chest.
Ectopic beats,Constant palpations Weird swings in my blood pressure, Showering became almost impossible. My face would turn beat red & I would feel like I was gonna pass out. Blood pressure would also swing low randomly too.
Shivering to the bone or burning to the core with no in between.
Weird buzzing sensations through out my body. Headaches. Some tingly sensations in my face.
Intense nausea
Insomnia off and on, never had this before it was awful. )
Itchy skin ( I chalked this up to it being winter and I thought my skin might be dry but it is in fact a response to histamine.)
Inability to exercise (this was one of the hardest things for me because before Covid I was a weight lifter & could run long distances but due to the feeling like I was gonna pass out all the time I couldn’t manage too really much of anything , just walking around the house became hard.
Seriously was so scared I was going to die in my sleep!
Okay so here’s what I tried over the course of many months.
I’ve had a full blood panel , checked all electrolytes to EKGs Halter monitor Many hours in the Emergency room Lots of scared nights and phone calls trying to figure it out with my doctor. I’ve had the table tilt test (came back with Potts diagnosis) I had a full thyroid panel done. Taking different kinds of magnesium’s (taurate,glycinate) Electrolytes drinks Started iorn supplement Fixed vit D levels Vibrating boards Chiropractor to see if there was any misalignment in my spine causing this Upped my salt Upped my water
Pretty much any test you can think of , I got because I was desperate to feel better. Out of all the test’s the only things that came back abnormal or slight deficient was Vit D, Iorn, & iodine. The other thing that was off was my monocytes. They kept going up.
The most frustrating thing was the drs. I got snarky comments from E.r nurses and techs, had to switch doctors twice because I wasn’t being taken seriously, told I “must just have really bad anxiety” “I’m probably just really dehydrated “ “everything looks fine “ even had dr at the er give me Ativan and when I tried to explain to him I wasn’t anxious he wouldn’t listen to me & told me “hang tight sweetie your anxiety will be gone in a few “ hearing the words “good news “ is so disheartening when your are chronically sick all the time. My halter monitor came back with brachycardia and tachycardia but my doctor put a note on there with “bradycardia and tachycardia present but no serious problems , we can talk about it again when you come in for your next visit”
That’s not all but that’s all I can think of right now. So here’s what I learned and here’s what actually worked for with in 40 minutes of treatment all my symptoms were relieved.
HISTAMINES!!!
I did not know histamines could affect your heart rate or the rhythm of it. I knew they could make you itchy but I never would have thought that HISTAMINES are what was causing all of my symptoms. Upon research Covid caused Mass cell activation and a rise in histamines. Not just Covid any kind of infection can cause the body to pour out access histamine but mine I’m particular was from Covid. If it’s long haul then your body will stay in a state of emergency with elevated histamines all the time. 🚨 I’ve tried a few antihistamines but learned that generation 2 are the best and they last close to 24 hrs. I won’t be taking them long term but they are giving me RELIEF!! Vit C naturally reduces the amount of histamines your body releases so I’m going to start there as well as remove any foods high in histamine until I get this under control + add DOA to help my body digest it better. I have a plan I have set up to reduce the inflammation and histamine response. I am so excited to finally have relief! I was out here feeling like I was going to die. The name of the antihistamine I am using is clartin non drowsy. Tried Benadryl and a few others and that didn’t work for me, but this one started working with in 40 Minutes.
This is the video that brought me down the rabbit hole and eventually led me to my discovery.
https://youtu.be/AyoluQ_-Ll4?si=gUUxzXfXvIRsMWQO
Sorry if this is a little jumbled y’all!! I’m excited and antsy to get this out there incase someone else is having the same problems.
A small portion of symptoms that can arise From to much histamine
Diarrhea. Constipation. Bloating. Nausea or vomiting. Headache. Runny or stuffy nose. Shortness of breath (dyspnea). Itching. Rash or hives. Flushing. Low blood pressure (hypotension). Irregular or fast heart rate (arrhythmia). Painful periods (menstruation). Swelling of your lips, tongue or throat.
For anyone that’s gonna ask : no I did not get any vaccines for this.
My doctors would have never figured this out. They just tell me they’ll see me in six months. Never give up! Be your own advocate. If you think there’s something wrong, don’t stop till you figure it out.
Only up from here!!!

This is a very long list but I hope someone on this sub can help me because my symptoms have been insufferable.
List of Health Issue this Year:
(Anxiety/Depressive episodes come on suddenly and last most of the day)
-Vision Fluctuation
-Sudden weight gain for a month that reversed a month after
-Extreme Fatigue as if I’ve been given Benadryl and feel a strong need to lay down
-Wild mood swings that made me feel out of control with my thoughts and anxiety/depression (got better with wellbutrin)
-Erectile dysfunction, numbness of testicles (sometimes discomfort) as well as weakened attraction, libido, and lack of morning wood
-Migraines
-Mild loss of balance at times
-Muscle weakness that occurs every now and then that makes everything feel heavier, while my muscles will feel tired
-Times where I feel like I’m not getting enough oxygen but dont feel out of breath per se
-Tight muscles that loosen with stretching but always return to their tense state
-Chronic constipation that has lead to hemorrhoids, internal gi pain here and there. I jump between all stool types, the primary being constipation and soft stools
-Fluctuation of appetite where I’ll either feel nauseous or cant finish meals all the way
-Diffuse hair loss on body as well as head
-Memory loss
-Moments where I struggle to put thoughts together
-Phantosmia that happened a few times a week a few months ago but only happens once every 2 or 3 weeks now. This symptom seems to precede a flare up the next day.
-Decent amount of acne if i dont keep my skincare in check
-Minor water retention around the eyes and general chronic puffiness
-Scabs on scalp that occur from time to time
-Hormone imbalance: High DHEA Sulfate, high estrogen at times as well as progestrone spikes ———————- Family History:
—Mom has Hashimotos and has tested positive for genetic markers of anklyosing spondylitis but has been asymptomatic
—Sister has pots, endometriosis, pcos, and SVT
—(My mom and I have very similar symptoms to eachother, but thyroid scans have come back healthy as well as TSH/T4 levels) She has to take a nap immediately after eating.

I've been having severe akathisia for a few weeks now due to Latuda - I was only on it for three days but the akathisia is so severe I can hardly do anything. I've been trying propranolol, Klonopin,b and Benadryl all to try to escape from this but none of it provides relief. I have some questions that I've been ruminating over in regards to the state I'm in
Is it possible the Latuda has still not cleared from my body? I know it's been weeks since I last took it, but I have been having really bad gastro issues and constipation which makes me worried it wasn't able to be removed from me properly.
Also, the akathisia seems to be way more focused in my legs than any other part of my body. I can sit still otherwise, but I'm always squirming my legs and moving my legs.
I have small windows where the akathisia feels somewhat better. it will feel slightly more manageable. but then later in the day or the next morning when I wake up it's back at 100% full force and is terrible again. is this a sign of recovery

For context, earlier this year I noticed I started to have extreme mood swings and mental instability when it came to my emotions overall. I completely lost my libido and lost a lot of attraction to others. I went to a urologist in February 2023 who threw Clomid at me which ended up giving me testosterone that was 1000+, and caused me to have an extreme depressive crash.
Then, since I knew that Dr hadn’t been going the correct route with my treatment, I decided to see an endocrinologist and have been seeing him since around May of 2023. This Dr took me off clomid immediately and started testing me for a Prolactinoma. We found that I have a 4mm Pituitary Cyst, but he said that isn’t anything that would cause any change in hormone levels.
So then we go down a rabbit hole of checking other hormones, noticing that my testosterone, estrogen, prolactin, and Dhea-Sulfate fluctuate constantly, but that the DHEA Sulfate looks to be high all of the time.
I had a CT scan done and no tumors or abnormalities were seen in my adrenal gland, and I was then tested for genetic variants that would cause Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, but yet again, I tested negative for those genetic markers.
I’m currently being referred over to a Mayo Clinic Adrenal Expert, but I wanted to know if any Dr’s here have an opinion on paths I could take to best seek out the cause.
Symptoms Over the Course of the Last Year: (symptoms change and fluctuate with time)
-4mm pituitary cyst
-Vision Fluctuation
-Sudden weight gain for a month that reversed a month after
-Extreme Fatigue as if I’ve been given Benadryl and feel a strong need to lay down
-Wild mood swings that made me feel out of control with my thoughts and anxiety/depression (got better with wellbutrin)
-Erectile dysfunction, numbness of testicles (sometimes discomfort) as well as weakened attraction, libido, and lack of morning wood
-Migraines (I notice these when I have flare ups)
-Mild loss of balance at times
-Muscle weakness that occurs every now and then that makes everything feel heavier, while my muscles will feel tired
-Times where I feel like I’m not getting enough air and try to breathe deeper to compensate
-Tight muscles
-Chronic constipation that has lead to hemorrhoids, internal gi pain here and there
-Fluctuation of appetite where I’ll either feel nauseous or cant finish meals all the way
-Hyperhidrosis from armpits (only started within the last few weeks)
-Diffuse hair loss on body as well as head, every day I can easily pull wads of hair out, luckily i dont look like my hair is very thin, but it is definitely baby-like thin at the sides of my head
-Memory loss
-Moments where I struggle to put thoughts together
-Phantosmia that happened a few times a week a few months ago but only happens once every 2 or 3 weeks now
-Decent amount of acne if i dont keep my skincare in check, and backne.
———————- Family History:
—Mom has Hashimotos and has tested positive for genetic markers of anklyosing spondylitis but has been asymptomatic
—Sister has pots, endometriosis, pcos, and SVT
—(My mom and I have very similar symptoms to eachother, but thyroid scans have come back healthy as well as TSH/T4 levels)
——————— Bloodwork Lab Recommended Genetic Counseling
——————————————————————————- LABS:
Most recent (Nov 28th) DHEA Sulfate level is 858 ng/dL.
On the 8th of November, my level was 835 ng/dL, and my Progestrone was 209 ng/dL.
On October 27th my Total Estrogens were at 327 pg/mL. (Dhea was not measured on this date)
Sept 29th, my Prolactin was at 19.5 ng/mL, and total estrogens at 235 pg/mL.
Sept 11th, Prolactin was 21.7 ng/mL.
August 1st, Prolactin was at 20.9 ng/mL.

For context, earlier this year I noticed I started to have extreme mood swings and mental instability when it came to my emotions overall. I completely lost my libido and lost a lot of attraction to others. I went to a urologist in February 2023 who threw Clomid at me which ended up giving me testosterone that was 1000+, and caused me to have an extreme depressive crash.
Then, since I knew that Dr hadn’t been going the correct route with my treatment, I decided to see an endocrinologist and have been seeing him since around May of 2023. This Dr took me off clomid immediately and started testing me for a Prolactinoma. We found that I have a 4mm Pituitary Cyst, but he said that isn’t anything that would cause any change in hormone levels.
So then we go down a rabbit hole of checking other hormones, noticing that my testosterone, estrogen, prolactin, and Dhea-Sulfate fluctuate constantly, but that the DHEA Sulfate looks to be high all of the time.
I had a CT scan done and no tumors or abnormalities were seen in my adrenal gland, and I was then tested for genetic variants that would cause Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, but yet again, I tested negative for those genetic markers.
I’m currently being referred over to a Mayo Clinic Adrenal Expert, but I wanted to know if any Dr’s here have an opinion on paths I could take to best seek out the cause.
Symptoms Over the Course of the Last Year: (symptoms change and fluctuate with time)
-4mm pituitary cyst
-Vision Fluctuation
-Sudden weight gain for a month that reversed a month after
-Extreme Fatigue as if I’ve been given Benadryl and feel a strong need to lay down
-Wild mood swings that made me feel out of control with my thoughts and anxiety/depression (got better with wellbutrin)
-Erectile dysfunction, numbness of testicles (sometimes discomfort) as well as weakened attraction, libido, and lack of morning wood
-Migraines (I notice these when I have flare ups)
-Mild loss of balance at times
-Muscle weakness that occurs every now and then that makes everything feel heavier, while my muscles will feel tired
-Times where I feel like I’m not getting enough air and try to breathe deeper to compensate
-Tight muscles
-Chronic constipation that has lead to hemorrhoids, internal gi pain here and there
-Fluctuation of appetite where I’ll either feel nauseous or cant finish meals all the way
-Hyperhidrosis from armpits (only started within the last few weeks)
-Diffuse hair loss on body as well as head, every day I can easily pull wads of hair out, luckily i dont look like my hair is very thin, but it is definitely baby-like thin at the sides of my head
-Memory loss
-Moments where I struggle to put thoughts together
-Phantosmia that happened a few times a week a few months ago but only happens once every 2 or 3 weeks now
-Decent amount of acne if i dont keep my skincare in check, and backne.
———————- Family History:
—Mom has Hashimotos and has tested positive for genetic markers of anklyosing spondylitis but has been asymptomatic
—Sister has pots, endometriosis, pcos, and SVT
—(My mom and I have very similar symptoms to eachother, but thyroid scans have come back healthy as well as TSH/T4 levels)
——————— Bloodwork Lab Recommended Genetic Counseling
——————————————————————————- LABS:
Most recent (Nov 28th) DHEA Sulfate level is 858 ng/dL.
On the 8th of November, my level was 835 ng/dL, and my Progestrone was 209 ng/dL.
On October 27th my Total Estrogens were at 327 pg/mL. (Dhea was not measured on this date)
Sept 29th, my Prolactin was at 19.5 ng/mL, and total estrogens at 235 pg/mL.
Sept 11th, Prolactin was 21.7 ng/mL.
August 1st, Prolactin was at 20.9 ng/mL.