antihistamines and partial complex seizures

[stringbean]

I will definetly have to do some reading up on this, Jeez, my reg doc has me on Ibuprofen 800mg three times a day for my arthritis, and Zyrtec for my allergies and this is the time of year that I take them more often and I here in the last 3 weeks have been having alot of partial seizures.
Jeez, and I have never been told by my neurologist or reg doc, of any certain over the counter drugs that I should not take because of other meds I am on for my E or other health problems.
No Surprise!!!!

[Meetz1064]

IF I take an antihistamine.......ten minutes later, I'm down for the count, no matter where I am, no matter what I'm doing....and then when I DO wake up TEN to TWELVE hours later, I have a MAJOR nosebleed....... thanks, but no thanks. I'll sneeze!

[John-Forrest]

I know I can't handle prescribed antihistamines or over the counter cold medicines at all! They haven't precipitated seizures, but they make me feel VERY strange (i.e., on the border)! When I have a cold, I just take a lot of Vitamin C.

Incidentally, for any mental patients out there, phenothiazines (thorazine, stelazine, and the such) are antihistamines. (I have speculated they may had been a cause of my condition which I didn't start having until I was 30-ish) I used to have those prescribed to me in handfulls a few decades ago and they made me feel a lot like being on cold pills -awful! I won't go there again!

[montse]

I had no problems with Zyrtec and loratadine.
But once I had with clorfenamine, in cold meds.
Or perhaps it was a coincidence becuase my fever was high.Anyway I have dust allergie, and sometimes I take loratadine, a pill per day, it is when I am "cleaning deep" the home, if not the following day I am like a fountain of mucosity and my eyes red.

[RanMan]

Forward2007,

I just had to add my piece, it's from an earlier post:

check with your pharmasist or Dr. but if you are on ANY anti-epileptic drugs, definately don't take any over the counter cold or flu meds (anything containing antihystimine and/or decongestant as the chemical reaction CAN be fatal.)

I speak from 28 years experience of being on anti-epileptic drugs.
I was told (and experienced myself) internal bleeding or nose bleeds from most headache meds exept Tylonol. That's the only one that I can take that doesn't react to my seizure meds.

I can't take aspirin, IB Profen, Advil, Exederin or Motrin, just Tylonol.

I took 2 Advil once by mistake and had massive nose bleeds that wouldn't stop. At the time I didn't think it had anything to do with the meds then it happened again just a couple of days before I had to see my neurologist. I happened to mention this to him and he was very concerned and said that I was lucky that I didn't bleed out through my stomach.

This is more of a problem in my case because I also take meds for my ulcerative colitis.

This warning is not documented on any OTC cold/flu meds literature.
I don't know why the FDA doesn't make this info manditory.

Regards

Randy

Re: OTDs, I was really surprised to see on the local news today that the FDA is finally making it PUBLIC about the dangers of mixing over the counter drugs with other OTDs as well as with perscription drugs.
Finally it's being looked at more in depth as a result of the death of Heath Fletcher.
This is what I've been saying all along ~ antihistimines can be fatal if mixed with perscription drugs to cure things like the common cold.
Most ppl know this but IMO, it should be law to have this information noted on the packaging.
It's like everything else, someone has to die first.

Randy

[Axa]

I've never had any troubles after taking antihystamines ...

[forward2007]

Last year I had about four seizures in my sleep where I would find myself on the floor or on the couch. Since 10-16-07, I stopped taking benadryl before going to bed and haven't had any night time seizures since then. I can't believe the benadryl and night time seizures were not related.

[RobinN]

I have learned that anything is possible.
How exciting that you have connected the dots on this one.

[forward2007]

How many people on this forum have tried Zyrtec now that it is OTC?

[skillefer]

Actually, I only get about 2 colds a year. Guess I was blessed by my mom with a strong immune system. However, when my nose gets stuffy during a cold, I use a nasal spray like Afrin. I have a tendency to snore, and plugged sinuses only makes it worse. I don't like taking pills like sudafed because they make me feel jittery. That, and I figure Afrin can only be used for 3 days. After that, it can make the congestion worse. So, knowing that makes me just tough it out with saline nasal spray as much as possible. My kids tend to go to sleep after using their allergy meds. And hubby is ADHD...so benadryl just makes him hyper.