meka
Full Member
Posts: 164
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Post by meka on May 2, 2006 20:03:18 GMT -5
I was reading through some of the old posts in the "What has helped your pain" thread, and I noticed someone posted a message about Benadryl being helpful.
Well, I've been getting hives for a week and a half, and I tried to hold out on taking any medicines, but the itching was driving me crazy and preventing me from sleeping. So, I started taking Benadryl. Coincidentally, I started taking it (the pink pill) a couple of days before my period started. . . and . . . ;D yippee! My level of pain has been very low (a 2 on my 1 to 5 pain scale, on which I normally rate the pain at a 4). Also, the blood flow lasted one day less, and the pains that I normally get for the next 2 weeks have been MUCH less severe.
I don't know if it's because of the Benadryl or something else in my diet, but I thought it was an interesting coincidence worth noting.
Could it be the anti-inflammatory action? Anyone else noticed anything like this with Benadryl or any other allergy medicine?
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Post by ouchy on May 2, 2006 20:50:01 GMT -5
Meka!!! That is awesome that you are getting relief! Benadryl, however, is not an anti-inflammatory. It is an antihistamine. Benadryl is great for your hives, though! And, you know, now that I think about it, I wonder if the Benadryl could have had an effect on your endo pain by blocking some of the receptors invovled with endo aggrivation. Here is a blurb I got from Wikipedia on histamine (things Benadryl, an anti-histamine blocks) . Histamine exerts its actions by combining with specific cellular receptors located on cells. The four histamine receptors that have been discovered are designated H1 through H4. H1 histamine receptor - found on smooth muscle, endothelium, and central nervous system tissue; causes vasodilation, bronchoconstriction, smooth muscle activation, and separation of endothelial cells (responsible for hives), and pain and itching due to insect stings; the primary receptors involved in allergic rhinitis symptoms and motion sickness H2 histamine receptor - located on parietal cells, which primarily regulate gastric acid secretion H3 histamine receptor - decreased neurotransmitter release: histamine, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin H4 histamine receptor - unknown physiological role. Found primarily in the thymus, small intestine, spleen, and colon. It is also found on basophils and in the bone marrow. If the Benadryl blocked some of those histamine receptors, you'd obviously have less pain, especially with smooth muscle and gastro system! Good luck
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meka
Full Member
Posts: 164
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Post by meka on Jun 1, 2006 23:44:19 GMT -5
Well, my pains came back with a vengence this month. I lost my bottle of Aleve, and was in too much pain to make it to the store. I couldn't go without taking something, as I had done in the past. So, I tried some leftover Benadryl from the hives I had a few weeks ago. It didn't seem to help this time. But then again, I didn't take as much Benadryl as I did when I had the hives.
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Post by ouchy on Jun 1, 2006 23:54:30 GMT -5
I'm so sorry, Meka. I also had a reallllllllllly bad period this time!!! I didn't take nearly the amount of cohosh I have been taking, and it caught up w/ me! I took just enough to induce ovulation... and after a 42 day cycle, my period hit me...I was on the floor w/in 15 minutes of starting!!! It was crazy contraction-type pains, and I was on the floor for several hours. I took a vicodin, a couple Aleve, and even a birth control pill! Crazzzzzzy! I thought about having my husband drive me for a morphine shot!!! and I loathe morphine!!!! Sorry you were in so much pain, too! I totally identify with you!!!!!
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