Is this true?

[notmybestday]

Hi all --

Just got diagnosed with IC, and my doc prescribed Elavil, Elmiron, and Detrol LA. I asked about Atarax since it seems that many patients here are helped by it. He replied that only 25% of IC patients need Atarax or other antihistamines since only their biopsies show mast cells. (Haven't received results from my biopsy yet.)

Is this true? I'm sure the doc knows more than I, but it seems like more than 25% of us use Atarax or versions thereof.

[LeeAnn]

I haven't heard that this is how they determine whether or not Atarax will be effective.....it's my understanding that people who coincidentally have had a history of allergies (in general) tend to respond better to Atarax. I mean, even if this biopsy tells him about whether or not you have mast cells, whatever! Atarax helps inflammation in general, not just mast cells, and it's a mild drug (in my opinion) and it's certainly not addictive......I don't know why he/she would be resistant to allowing you to try it.....it's one of the big helpers for me. And the generic is dirt cheap.

[leelee88]

My URO didnt hesitate when I ask her to put me on Hydoxzine, she said it was great for inflamation, which is a part of IC..

[notmybestday]

Hi all --

Thank you for the quick responses. How do you suggest I go about getting a prescription for Atarax from my resistant uro? I do not doubt my uro, but I am so encouraged by your success with this drug...

[leelee88]

I would get some info printed out and take it to him how antihistamines really help with inflammation and it blocks histamines of the bladder and thats a part of IC..

[SandyRN]

I really don't understand your doctor's hesitation. It's an antihistamine, not a narcotic. Like leelee said, I think you should print out some info from the web and from this site and take it to him. I was helped VERY much by atarax/hydroxymine---whatever you want to call it. The only reason I stopped taking it was because it caused my sleep issues to get worse. Now I take benadryl or chlor-trimeton at bedtime and these work almost as well but I have to take very large doses of benadryl to get the same effect. I did ok this with my doctor before I started taking the over the counter meds.

I'm wondering if he has mixed up Elmiron with Atarax. Approximately 25% or so (don't quote me) of patients get relief with elmiron....so maybe that's what he's thinking?

Sandy

[lauraheather]

I have been helped tremendouly by Atarax. My uro was willing to try anything to help me. I take 75 mg at night. If I miss a dose, it is very noticable. I would say it is worth pursuing with your uro just b/c of the immense help that I got from it.

[Julie B]

I agree with the others. Atarax certainly helps with the mast cell issue, but it is also an anti-anxiety medicine and by its nature helps a person sleep. My Atarax story is somewhat embarrassing. WAY back when I was diagnosed, 10 years ago, I was just plain exhausted because I couldn't sleep. It was affecting everything I did (and didn't) do all day long. (Sound familiar?)

My children's pediatrician prescribed Atarax liquid for my kids when we went camping because when they were bit by bugs they would get infected. I also knew that the Atarax zonked them out.

In my sleepless desperation, I took a big spoonful of the kids' medication. I slept really good for the first time in a year or more. I did that a couple more nights, then I realized my bladder was a bit calmer. I had NO idea that Atarax was being considered for use in IC, so I took it, a bit every night, with great results.

Now...I am NOT advocating taking someone else's medication at all. In fact when the bottle finally ran out (opps!) I had to sheepishly admit to my urologist what I was doing and try to explain to him that I thought that this drug of my kids' for mosquito bites was reallly helping my bladder.

He didn't judge me, in fact he said, you know, we are looking into using that with IC patients. And he gave me my OWN prescription and I have taken it every night ever since.

The neat thing is that he writes the Rx for three 25 mg. tablets a day so if I need 75 mg, I can take that, if I am doing well, I can back off. Also, if I am having a bad flare during the day, I can take just one 25 and get some relief without getting too groggy.

Personally, I think Atarax was the one thing that finally gave me my life back.

Good luck with your doc!

Julie B

[CarolinTexas]

My GP prescribed Atarax for me when I asked (75mg at night). I carried in Dr. Moldwin's book and he prescribed a little of everything in it. Maybe your GP would prescribe it. It was the most wonderful thing in the world and allowed me to sleep all night. The pain still came in the morning and all day, but it is wonderful.

My pain doc sent me to an allergist for general testing as he didn't understand why it helped so much but no allergies turned up. The doc said it was chemically related to Zyrtec and gave me samples. They only gave about 50% of the relief Atarax did.

I had a nerve surgery last month that has killed my bladder pain (see thread in Pain section) but I still had some (colon?) pain only after bm's in the morning. Went back on Atarax and bingo! It's gone. Of course, I had a surgery infection at that time. I'll try going off of it again as a test, but otherwise I'm ready to take it for the rest of my life!

Hope you get it soon and that it helps!
Carol

[notmybestday]

Ah, thank you all for the replies. After what's been said, I'm puzzled by why my uro would withold this med from me. Little nervous about pressing the matter -- I've contradicted him before, and the man don't like it. Then again, I don't really have trouble with sleeping. Some trouble falling asleep sometimes, and I get up maybe once in the middle. Thankful to not have nocturia...yet.

Thanks for the help.

[CarolinTexas]

So could you ask your General Practioner for a prescription?

[born2swim]

Atarax is a standard med my urogyno uses. He doesn't do biopsies. If you respond to Atarax, you are having mast cell trouble. If you don't, then discontiue it.

Atarax is my life savor. If I miss a dose at night, I wake up 5+ times a night. With Atarax, I wake up 1-3 times a night now. I wish it was better, but without Atarax, I couldn't sleep (I would wake up 5+ times in 6 hours and just "give up" and stay awake).

[KATIEBUG]

I was just wondering if the atarax helps with inflammation shouldn't we also be on something to help rebuild the bladder walls?

[born2swim]

KatieBug, The Elmiron is what you need to take to rebuild the lining of the bladder wall. Unfortunately, not everyone is helped by the drug. Some people get relief with Cystoprotek and Aloe Vera. Yes, repairing the lining of the bladder wall is important, but reducing inflammation is important also (for healing).

[LeeAnn]

Yes but the thing about Elmiron is that it's only temporary. It just coats the inside of the bladder. It's doesn't "rebuild" it in the sense that once it's rebuilt you can call yourself healed and stop taking it. That's why you generally take it three times a day and forever if it works for you... Any less than three times a day and it wears off because it only coats it for several hours at a time. I'm lucky in that it's helped me tremendously so I have no plans of going off of it. But some people end up having bad side effects or GI problems after being on it long term.......crossing my fingers........

[notmybestday]

Got my biopsy results back, and due to the lack of a large number of mast cells, no Atarax. At this point, I don't have access to other doctors, so trying to procure it isn't really an option. Any other recommendations for fighting inflammation? I've got a bottle of MSM waiting already...and I've been taking Marshmallow Root (away from my other meds!).

As always, thank you for your help.

[LeeAnn]

I'm still stunned that this is somehow used as the "standard" for prescribing Atarax by this doctor. I have NEVER heard of this. It's my understanding that a uro will "predict" it's effectiveness based on your overall history of allergies. If you have a general history of allergies, Atarax tends to help those people more often. That doesn't mean though that Atarax does not help non-allergic people with IC. An OTC drug that is similar to Atarax is Bonine. It's a drug sold to prevent motion sickness---so that's where you'll find it at a drug store. I once ran out of Atarax and was in a real bind and a pharmacist recommended it. I felt it worked pretty good but I had to take 3 pills at once to equal my typical Atarax dose and that would get expensive to use long-term. Honestly, I would change uros (or at least consider it). This one sounds uninformed and not current on the latest research. He/She also seems to lack common sense----considering that this drug is pretty mild compared to most used to control IC. That's ridiculous. And the thing is---you might not even like Atarax. Some people complain of a "hangover" effect, meaning they still feel very exhausted when they wake up in the morning.....so some people just don't like it. But for those of us who do, it has been a major player in pain and frequency control. I'm just really shaking my head on this one.....

[CarolinTexas]

Atarax does much more than what was described. At first I thought it only helped my bladder pain.

Since my nerve operation (no more bladder pain) pain only comes after bowel movements (yes I still have IC). I've tested it twice by going off of Atarax for a few days and Atarax relieves the pain after BM's because of PFD!

So, I asked my pain doctor a couple of days ago why it worked to keep pain down and that I thought it was mainly for the bladder. He replied that it calmed the whole area down and acts a bit like a muscle relaxer in calming spasms.

It's such a shame that you can't at least try it. Benadryl, oddly enough, does nothing for me so all antihistamines are not created equal. Also I was tested for allergies recently and have exactly none.

Hope this helps,
Carol

[Quinn24]

Hi 'Notmybestday'
If you have already had to contradict your Uro and are worried about asking him/her for Atarax.......I would be finding another Uro!!

[LeeAnn]

Seriously.....if you can't get something as simple and harmless as Atarax, then good luck getting anything else---b/c it's the most mild drug around, in my opinion (for IC that is). I can't imagine asking this uro for narcotics for pain relief or to try a drug such as Topamax for nerve inflammation.....both of which are more "precarious"........sheesh.

[Quinn24]

Hi Notmybestday
I just replied but nothing showed up..........my comment would be that if you have already had to contradict your Uro and you are worried about approaching him about Atarax, seriously I would find another Uro. A GP can help you with those types of prescriptions so no worries. I would try to find a more easily approachable Uro.

[Quinn24]

Ooppps, now my first reply shows up...........sorry list@!!

[notmybestday]

Thank you for your advice. Some of the things my uro says doesn't seem consistent with what I've gathered from here and from my own research. His numbers are completely off from what I've seen, and he is terribly impersonal. I am going to look into getting another uro when I have the time, but that is simply not an option at this point...

Thanks again. And I would appreciate any other recommendations people have for natural/OTC antiinflammatories. (Thanks, LeeAnn.)

[L. Thomas]

Hi all --

Just got diagnosed with IC, and my doc prescribed Elavil, Elmiron, and Detrol LA. I asked about Atarax since it seems that many patients here are helped by it. He replied that only 25% of IC patients need Atarax or other antihistamines since only their biopsies show mast cells. (Haven't received results from my biopsy yet.)

Is this true? I'm sure the doc knows more than I, but it seems like more than 25% of us use Atarax or versions thereof.


Interesting!!
I saw my urogynecologist just today and asked about connection betweem allergies and IC. His answer>>>DEFINATELY YES<<<<<. I was teasing him and said it seemed that every time I saw him my symptoms increased. Then I asked if IC was related to allergies. He got a kick out of "him" causing my symptoms to increase.

BUT he said there was much research and evidence that show a definite connection between allergies and IC. He told me taking antihistamines will help IC if you are have allergy problems. It does have something to do with mass cells.

I am going to ask my allergist if allergy shots will reduce the histamine release. If it does I am going to have the allergy shots. I don’t have many allergies but I do know that around March-April and September-October I have more flares.

I'll post after I talk with my allergist in January.

[Buggie]

I agree with everyone else. Even if you do not have "large quantities of mast cells" it is a medication that can help us get a better nights sleep. I feel like it is very helpful. I take 25mg every night and if I am in a flare I take 50 mg. So I can get some sleep!