Has anyone else had issues with being itchy? I am sure it's from the meds, as many have itchiness as a possible side effects. Strangely, it happens more in the afternoons than mornings...and randomly seems to happen in various places of my body. It never lasts for long, but enough to be annoying!
My GP surgery prescribed an antihistamine, and told me it's a very easy tablet to swallow!
They lied! They are bigger than all of my other meds, and me and tablet swallowing isn't a good combination, ever! 😕
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Bruce67
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It might be worth getting a different antihistamine. I have to take one daily because of other medical conditions , not just medication side effects, and it is one of my smallest pills.Go to the pharmacy and explain the situation and ask if they have a smaller pill for your prescribed type.
Which medications do you take , if you don't mind sharing this , and how long have you been on them ?
If a medication is new , and the itching started not long after taking it it is easier to rule this out and find a different alternative,
If you have been on certain medications altogether with no problem for sometime and the itching is new it is unlikely to be the medication causing an intolerance or allergy reaction.
Unless : the brand of your medication has been swapped recently , this is worth checking as sometimes it's the packer or filler of the medication and not the active ingredients which changes with different brands and this can be what causes a sensitivity reaction in people.
This happens quite often to people whom are also severely lactose or gluten intolerant, or whom react to artificial sweeteners.
There could have been a batch of medication of your own brand which had a one off filler ingredient change and you are sensitive to that.
One reason we can get more skin irritation or hyper sensitivity months or even years after taking medication can also be the long term mild effects on two things.
1. The thickness and fragility of our skin.
Some medications can make our skin more fragile , thin or easier to tear. This is particularly true if you've had to use steroids for some reason.
This change in skin condition can make it feel more itchy and prone to react to irritants in the environment, or washing powders and skin products we use.
An antihistamine can be useful in the short term but you can also help to reduce the itching triggers by drinking the recommended amount of water each day , moisturising properly with a fragrance free zinc cream like Epaderm , eating a vitamin rich diet, changing any products fir skin or washing clothes with added fragrance and lots of chemicals , keeping cool and wearing clothing that is synthetic free or not too tight.
2. Long term use of certain medications can reduce how well you absorb certain vitamins and minerals because of the way they change stomach acid. Medications for GERD like PPIs and Antacids , Statins , Steroids and some antidepressants and anxiety medications used for pain relief can cause reductions in B12 and Folate absorption which in turn affects your Vitamin D and Iron levels. It's usually easy to help this with diet changes and in some cases a supplement.
Vitamin insufficiency ( very low or borderline levels) or Deficiency often causes skin hypersensitivity and itching because the low vitamin levels affect the health of your skin , particularly in relation to Vitamin B 12 , Folates and Vitamin D.
High iron levels can also cause itchy skin and if you are on any medications which can affect liver function it's wise to get a liver function / ferritin blood test to rule out that this is happening. If you haven't had your monitoring tests done in the last three months and this is a new symptom you should request to get the recommended check done at your GP surgery.
Increasing vitamins in your daily diet usually improves skin condition , allergies and itching.
If diet alone does not help , some people may find a sublingual active supplement taken at safe , not high. dose ( pill under the tongue or a spray) each day, or on alternate days , after a meal, may help the issue. Vitamin B 12 , Folates are particularly helpful for itchy skin or hypersensitivity/ allergy reactions , hayfever etc.
It's always best to check if other supplements like Vitamin D or Iron are appropriate to take with your medications or if you need them by requesting a blood test to check the range before you start.
And of course , it's worth remembering it may not always be the pills.
Double check what you've been eating recently and if there is anything in new products that might have caused it, or if your diet in general has become low in certain nutrients.
Also check if it's started since you've begun to use a new soap , lotion or clothes washing product , or if they've added a new fragrance to them as this is often the culprit.
It's also been a long winter , the effect of drier air in centrally heated houses and layers of clothing drying out your skin also causes us to get itchy as the skin becomes more fragile and sensitive as it dries out especially as we get older. So the drinking water and moisturizer trick usually solves that one. Moisturising is something that Men and Women should do each day as they get older. It isn't just about beauty , it's actually a self care treatment for the prevention of skin problems and hypersensitivity.
You can find when you know the culprits and make a few changes you can stop taking the antihistamines and things improve , take care , Bee
Which heart conditions? Is that on the in packet guidelines?As far as I'm aware , but I could be wrong , it doesn't interact with most heart medications and it can be taken after a 4 hour delay if you want to be cautious.
I know it's the oral antihistamine that has been studied the most to see if it causes an electrophysiology/ QT response and been found the antihistamine that is most safe with Arrhythmias.
The tablets rather than sprays did not cause side effects.
Cetirizine is also considered to be a safe option , I take that with no issue.
If you are concerned check it against your regular medications on a drug checker list , and contact the GP surgery , tell them you have read that the antihistamine has a risk with heart conditions and ask if they could double check if it's alright for you and call you back.
You could also mention the size and ask if it's safe for you to choose Cetirizine instead , although your GP may have chosen Fexofenadine because of the arrhythmia testing its been checked with.
I To get Itchy Skin and Scalp Mostly Worse throughout the Evening Which I Have Suffered with for Years NowSome Very Useful Information within your Article I will Look Into Some of the things you Suggest
I've been taking them since july/aug 2022 when I was quite ill with covid for 5 weeks , had HA oct 2023 and had no itching apart from when I stopped taking them for 10 days or so quite recently so I've found them ok . Maybe my system was already nicely topped up with them as I'd been taking them prior for over a year
Hi Bruce, have you seen pill swallowing spray before? It helps for people who find it hard to swallow tablets.
There are also pill swallowing cups which might help you as well. For me it was my 80mg statin pill that was causing issue and so they now give me 2x40mg as the pills are smaller.
Itching can be a sign of an allergy to the medication. Yes antihistamines can help but ideally I think you should have yoru tablets changed. Do you have a rash? When I started itching with oramorph and diltiazem they were changed immediately. It can be difficult to pin down which tablet is causing it unless it happens right after getting a new one.
Not directly related to your question, but I have had chronic eczema all my life do I know about itching. You could try a menthol moisturizer which helps to remove the itch. Feels cold at first but that helps remove the inflammation. I get mine on prescription.
I was put on 80mg Atorvastatin and I developed itchy forearms and my hair started to fall out. The dose was reduced to 10mg and the itching stopped and my hair started growing back.
I too have had a itchy scalp since my bypass 6 years ago.Doctor said it was because I wash my hair too much.Gave me some cream and a shampoo to use once a week.Didn't work,just put up with it now.x
Itching, or Pruritus to give it it's technical name, can be a symptom of Liver Issues from Heart Meds. Ask your GP for a Liver Function test. Along with my NSTEMI and Pericarditis I also have Liver Cirrhosis. I can always tell when my Liver is having a hard time because I itch like crazy.
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