Posted by gary g (208.133.221.201) on October 19, 1999 at 13:21:34:
In Reply to: histamines posted by hub on October 19, 1999 at 07:45:52:
Hub's correct in saying I swear by benadryl (diphenhydramine citrate) to help REDUCE (not eliminate) the intensity of both the overall cluster & indivdiual attacks
he's also right about the sleepiness -
there's also a tendency for the weight to creep up a little when I use it for an extended time
both of those are prices I'm willing to pay for the level of relief I get from it
BUT !
that particular medicine has SEVERAL effects on the body, so it's tough to accurately say which is responsible for the relief I get
it MAY or MAY NOT be the simple antihistamine action we think of in relation to colds & hayfever;
it's also used as the sleepaid in many OTC "nighttime" pain & cold remedies - (a side effect of the primary use for which it is marketing, turned to good use)
we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions through do-it-ourself "diagnostic prescription" because most of these compounds, AND the physiological attributes of CH, all contain SEVERAL variable factors - and THAT makes it VERY VERY difficult to arrive at a reliable conclusion
also, if you read the PDR entries on how a lot of these wortks, there is usually a sequence of biochemical steps that take place, between ingestion and the desired effect -
when a medicine works on some other ailment than that for which it is intended it is often because one of those internmediate biochemical activities is ALSO involved in the processes of the "accidentally" relieved ailment
but when something DOES work - even on a limited basis, it at least is a pretty good pointer toward where to look further
BTW Hub -
1. I don't see it as "testy"
I just see it as a very highly tuned bullshit avoidance response