Hydroxyzine makes all the difference in the world for my pain! - Interstitial Cystitis Network Support Forum

Peggy · 06-24-2004, 06:47 PM

This is just a general post to those of you who experience a lot of pain . I was diagnosed 6 years ago and have tried everything. I had used hydroxizine in the beginning of my therapy but never realized how vitally important it is in the reduction of pain. I take 30 mg.a day, and my pain level has really improved consistently over the past few years of using it.
Taking so many meds , it's difficult to determine what is working and what isn't, but when I ran out of my hydroxizine for a month , I realized how much my pain level increased. After reading extensively about the pain cycle involved in IC for many of us, it makes sense that this medication is so effective.
If anyone out there hasn't given this therapy a try, please do,It's really helped me.
I know there is ongoing fatiague from using such high doses, but the alternative is pain, and I'd much rather deal with sleepiness than deal with pain.
I do take pain medication, but I"ve been able to reduce my pain meds , because of this medication!
God Bless,
Peggy

***Katrina*** · 06-24-2004, 10:41 PM

Hydroxyzine did help my pain for a while too....but I think people should start with very slow doses untill they know how it affects them. Doctors don't always think of that....Glad it helped you.

blue · 06-25-2004, 12:00 AM

Thank you for the information. I'm wanting my doctor to prescribe some instead of me taking Benadryl. It would be cheaper since insurance will pay for it!

Peggy · 06-26-2004, 03:16 AM

Let me know how you do on it. I will tell you it takes a while to really work well, approx. a month or two for me. Also, it's true that you will start with about 10 to 20 mg at first. I'm really taking a low dose compared to others. I'm very sensitive to medications, so it doesn't take much for me. I still have to nap during the day with my present dose, and it acts like a sleeping pill at night .
Really, the only reason I know this has worked for me is when I ran out and found that my pain had escalated without it, and, the fact that it helps in interrupting the cycle that creates pain,..ie. substance P.
Hope it helps you too.....
Peggy

TammyM · 03-23-2006, 03:37 PM

Peggy,

At my last appt. my doctor prescribed 25 mg Elavil. I took it for 3 nights. I slept good bu was really tired the next day. The 4th night I couldn't sleep at all and felt fine the next day. I stopped taking it at that point. I called the Dr. (thru his nurse) and was told to try 50 mg. I took 50 mg and slept good but couldn't function the next day. Once again, I stopped taking it. There's no way that I can go to work like that. Well, I had an appt. with my doctor today. He really wants me to give it another try and thinks that I'll benefit greatly from it. He prescribed 10 mg. Told me to start out slower, take 10 mg for 2 - 4 weeks, then increase it to 20 or 25 mg. I really need some help with symptoms and help with sleeping. What's your take on this? I really appreciate it. I tend to be sensitive to many medications.

ellienor · 03-23-2006, 03:48 PM

try taking the elavil earlier.
I take mine after dinner.
It still helps me to sleep and does not hang me over any more.
I only take 2.5 mg though.. I am sensitive too, to drugs.
I take 5 mg atarax at 4:00 pm.

I am going to try more atarax earlier now.
What is substance p?

ISONormal · 03-23-2006, 04:26 PM

Tammy M,
I think it's worth giving it another try. I'm sensitive to meds, too (I guess we all are to one degree or another, I just realized). Anyway, I found that when I upped the dosage from 25 to 50mg (one pill to two pills), I felt tired again, but that eventually (days, not weeks), my body adjusted to it as if it had no effect at all. I take it after dinner, too, like ellienor.

ellienor · 03-27-2006, 02:36 AM

Tammy:
Elavil is very strong.
I am honestly helped alot with 2.5 mg. The pain relief lasts all morning if I take the med at 7 pm, ( if I watch the diet ) .

Doctors tell us to take way more than we need.

SandyRN · 03-28-2006, 08:29 AM

It took 75 mg a day to help my pain, and I still have days where I'm very, very uncomfortable, but the hydroxyzine has helped me a lot.

Ellienor, everyone is different and requires different dosing of meds...what works for one might not work for another. I'm glad that such a small dose of elavil works for you, but you are the exception in this as most people have to take a higher dose to get the relief that you get. I'm glad that you're getting such good relief from a small dose.

Sandy

ellienor · 03-28-2006, 08:35 AM

But so many, dont even give the small dose a chance.
The doctors "put" people on 25 - 50 mg of elavil to start out with and they just comply.

Just a thought.

SandyRN · 03-28-2006, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ellienor

But so many, dont even give the small dose a chance.
The doctors "put" people on 25 - 50 mg of elavil to start out with and they just comply.

Just a thought.

I guess most doctors go by the 'norm' whatever that is....what the clinical trials came up with as the 'best' dose to start people on. 50 mg seems high to me to start with...I took Elavil a long time ago and it helped me but gaining 30 lbs didnt help at all, so we stopped it and looked for other options. You're really fortunate that you can get by with such a small dose.

Vampireness · 03-28-2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISONormal

Tammy M,
I think it's worth giving it another try. I'm sensitive to meds, too (I guess we all are to one degree or another, I just realized). Anyway, I found that when I upped the dosage from 25 to 50mg (one pill to two pills), I felt tired again, but that eventually (days, not weeks), my body adjusted to it as if it had no effect at all. I take it after dinner, too, like ellienor.

Could you please explain this "Elavil (worked well for pain but could not take urinary retention side effect)"

You could not pee? Or was there delay when you tried to?

rosesitty · 03-29-2006, 01:26 AM

Tammy - hydroxizine is an antihistamine like Atarax. Elavil is an antidepressant. Both probably affect pain, but serve very different functions.
Vampireness - I couldn't take hydroxizine (Atarax). It cause severe urine and water retention. My hands and feet swelled up like balloons and then when I had an instill, after I voided, the nurse was able to take 250+ccs of urine out when I thought I was empty. I've been taking a combo of claritin and benadryl.

Vampireness · 03-29-2006, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosesitty

Tammy - hydroxizine is an antihistamine like Atarax. Elavil is an antidepressant. Both probably affect pain, but serve very different functions.
Vampireness - I couldn't take hydroxizine (Atarax). It cause severe urine and water retention. My hands and feet swelled up like balloons and then when I had an instill, after I voided, the nurse was able to take 250+ccs of urine out when I thought I was empty. I've been taking a combo of claritin and benadryl.

Wow that sounds so scary and serious rose....now I know how one can react to it. Thank you.

rosesitty · 03-29-2006, 02:25 PM

Vampireness - this is not a common side effect. In fact, my doc said she had never seen that before. Unfortunately, sometimes meds cause me to have really different side effects than most people. It wasn't bad, once I stopped the Atarax, everything went back to normal and I stopped looking like a cartoon character. Just realized i couldn't take that med. That's why I'm taking Claritin and Benedryl instead. Don't know if it's helping, but...we'll see.
Stephanie