Are antihistamines essential?

[dwardo]

I wonder how much of our hayfever symptoms are due to modern agriculture. I know when the rape seed is out near me which is everywhere I am at my worst.
If i go abroad which has been a loooong time I get no symptoms. Also lived abroad for a year and the same.

I am also much better off in the woods than at home. Who knows. Like above though its strange I didnt suffer as a kid.

 

[Paul_B]

About 36 years old I got a large, painful swelling of my top lip. I'd slipped and smacked my mouth with the hand holding my ice axe. I put it down to that but when my face became swollen at work I realised it was an allergic reaction. Took histamines and it went down in 2 hours. Still not sure what caused it but I've only had 3 attacks. Worth carrying for that.

About 38 I got urticaria or hives. I put it down to my switching to nikwax Sun protection lotion and insect repellent. Stopped using it and it went. Came back really bad on a trip. Anti histamines saved the trip.

Boots £1.25 for 14 I think, if not Tesco's own brand. Lightweight strip and it can stop something ruining a trip if you are unfortunate enough to develop something like I did. You'll take pain killers so why not these?

 

[Gimli]

Hi

I'll explain a wee bit and I'm sorry if I'm teaching you (or your granny) to suck eggs. Histamines are released by the body when a foreign object is detected, and I don't mean from a UKIP perspective. They cause a localised dilation of the blood vessels which brings factors that help fight the foreign body and aid recovery. This is usually seen as localised swelling and redness around a bite, scratch or injury, and is normally a good thing. Unfortunately some people have extreme reactions and have severe local swelling and irritation or systemic reactions which end up as a runny nose and swelling around the eyes. In some there is also a constriction of the bronchioles, excessive mucus production and systemic dilation of all the blood vessels. The later becomes anaphylactic shock then death. Antihistamines prevent the release of histamines.

For some antihistamines are a real life saver, although as said previously if you require an epi-pen you'll probably still need to use it. For those that suffer the runny nose and mild wheeze they are great. They turn a very unpleasant experience into normality. For those that are below this level, they turn the irritation of itchy bites into something almost non existent. Now if you suffer in anyway from bites then it's worth taking them. If you look at the weight/benefit ratio i'd say they are still worth it if you dont suffer. Each tab lasts 24 hours and one strip lasts an age. Do remember though that some antihistamines are prescribed as sleeping tablets cos they knock you out, so make sure you buy the non drowsy type.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

When you've fallen off your bike into a patch of nettles, being able to take a pill to stop everything itching is a real wonderful thing.

Last year I forgot both my mossie repellent, and my anti histamines, during the night my face (only bit of me exposed in my sleeping bag/bivvi bag), was attached by a whole squadron of mossies. A bite just under my eye left me with a very weird squint. I regretted not having the pills with me.

They weigh next to nothing, they cost next to nothing. I don't think there's any question on carrying them.

Julia

 

[Billy1]

Ok I'm convinced now I will get some Chlorphenamine tablets. Cheers!

 

[rik_uk3]

Hi

I'll explain a wee bit and I'm sorry if I'm teaching you (or your granny) to suck eggs. Histamines are released by the body when a foreign object is detected, and I don't mean from a UKIP perspective. They cause a localised dilation of the blood vessels which brings factors that help fight the foreign body and aid recovery. This is usually seen as localised swelling and redness around a bite, scratch or injury, and is normally a good thing. Unfortunately some people have extreme reactions and have severe local swelling and irritation or systemic reactions which end up as a runny nose and swelling around the eyes. In some there is also a constriction of the bronchioles, excessive mucus production and systemic dilation of all the blood vessels. The later becomes anaphylactic shock then death. Antihistamines prevent the release of histamines.

For some antihistamines are a real life saver, although as said previously if you require an epi-pen you'll probably still need to use it. For those that suffer the runny nose and mild wheeze they are great. They turn a very unpleasant experience into normality. For those that are below this level, they turn the irritation of itchy bites into something almost non existent. Now if you suffer in anyway from bites then it's worth taking them. If you look at the weight/benefit ratio i'd say they are still worth it if you dont suffer. Each tab lasts 24 hours and one strip lasts an age. Do remember though that some antihistamines are prescribed as sleeping tablets cos they knock you out, so make sure you buy the non drowsy type.

Well said; as it happens our local GP's now only give antihistamine tables, no more zopiclone et al

I carry Tesco Loratadine which are non sedative.

 

[Old Bones]

I carry Tesco Loratadine which are non sedative

Thats interesting. My wife bought me some Sainsburys own brand antihistamine last year (I've used Piraton for decades) - she reckoned they were exactly the same, so why pay more? They were like knock out drops, so after I got the first one out of my system, I went straight back to Piraton!

As to the original question - there are lots of excellent reasons to include them in a FAK. They can help with inflamation, etc, as other people have explained, and if you suffer from hayfever/asthma like me, they are an essential. However, as other people have pointed out, just because you dont have hayfever, or have suffered from anaphylactic shock does not mean your never going to.

About 20 years ago I was on a training dig in Sussex, which was surrounded by wheatfields. All of us with hayfever, etc had stocked up, and because it was ten days long, someone did a chemist trip each day for extra supplies. A friend of mine didn't get hayfever, etc, but about 4 days in, she suddenly had a big reaction to something - around her eyes got so inflammed that she could barely see, and she felt awful. We immediately gave her Piraton and she quickly got a lot better. Imagine that sort of reaction on a hike, when your hours from anywhere to get help. And a sting could bring on a really bad reaction.

Having just had my annual Epi pen training in school, it was emphasised that antihistamines might not be as effective as an Epi pen, but they are a lot better than nothing, and might be the different between being OK, and being a blue light special.

They weigh next to nothing, they cost next to nothing. I don't think there's any question on carrying them.

Totally agree

 

[Brynglas]

Very good advice!

It's not just for the midgies though, there are clegs and keds and ticks, and I know of at least one area with mosquitos.
It only needs one bite that goes nuts for the inflammation to make you utterly miserable
For the weight of one wee plastic card of seven pills for £1, I wouldn't be without them.

There are differences in the assorted variety of pills though. There's a hard hitting short acting 4 hourly one (that's a godsend. It stops a swelling from immobilising a joint) and there are longer lasting one a day kind that come both drowsy making (very good, but don't drive if you can avoid it) and non drowsy….not quite so effective but if taken after a 4hourly one, very good indeed.

For those saying that if it's bad enough to need an epi pen then these pills are useless; you are very mistaken.
I carry an epi pen for cleg bites. If I present at hospital with anaphylactic shock they'll administer the anti-histamines (by drip if necessary) before they'll try epinephrine. An epi pen is the last resort, it's a hellish shock to the system.

I sincerely hope you never need to use either, but, I pack them for my husband and sons in their first aid kits, and mine hang in one of those spy capsules on my keyring.

cheers,
M

 

[Graham_S]

A few years ago at the Moot, I was stung on the top of the thigh by a wasp and had a very bad reaction.
Fortunately Toddy had her anti-histamine there, the swelling was so severe my leg was leaking fluid through the skin.
I carry some now.
I'd never had a reaction so bad from a sting or bite.

 

[xylaria]

On two occasions I have walked into a chemist within 10 mins of reaction where my throat had a started to swell. Both times I was given overthe ccounter antihistamines and both times I was asked to remain in the shop until I improved. Both times the tablets worked quickly, and I didnt need further treatment. Oddly one of the those occasions was sorting an archaeological sample.

 

[KayakFisherFinland]

You just never know.
Some years ago I had an operation postponed and the last thing the doc said was "If the pain gets really bad, take couple of aspirins before going to sleep." Lucky I had someone with me, since I went into a mode where I either hyperventilated or didn't breathe at all. Handfull of antihistamines helped enough, so the trip to E&A was avoided and since then I've known that I don't tolerate Aspirin.
What if I was alone, somewhere isolated and without the antihistamines?

 

[Wayne]

I too am a late onset hayfever suffer and have an allegic reaction to cheese. I carry an epipen. I carry two when on exped to buy me a bit more time to reach care. However the only treatment is antihistamine.

 

[ateallthepies]

I have used Piriton as a sleep aid and it works wonders for occasional insomnia though the drowsy effects wane after a couple of days of continual use. Not recommended but I usually double up on dose!

 

[trubliphone]

I have recently added antihistamines to my FAK.

I can't think of a time when I've had an adverse allergic reaction to anything. However, a few weeks ago, my youngest son had what we think was a spider-bite. Rather than develop any kind of superpower (d'oh!), his whole hand swelled up. It looked quite uncomfortable. We took him to the doctor and she recommended antihistamines. They did the trick.

You never know who you'll be traveling with or who you might encounter that needs help. One extra type of medication doesn't weigh much.

 

[Toddy]

I find anti histamines are at times a necessity. I find that the ease that they give can be enhanced by taking anti inflammatories too.

I know this is not a necessity for most, but an insect bite on me ends up as thick as a pancake, red hot, with a tight white hard line around the swelling, which has on occasion been as big as a saucer. Ibuprofen, even low dose, helps to quickly reduce the swelling and the irritation.

Check with your Doctor, but if Doc sees no problems, then it's worth bearing it in mind.

M