Unexpected Allegra (Fexofenadine) withdrawal psycho- symptoms

I have never thought that there is such a thing as antihistamine withdrawal . The story: I have been taking Allegra for a few years because I have allergy for pollen and dust. Recently I realized that it gives me depression and upsets my liver and stomach (I wondered why I was depressed and found the info about side-effects) so I stopped taking it. I was fine for a few days but then I began having semi-hallucinations (like seeing shadows and grey shapes around me), dreadful headache, memory loss, acute sinus pain, suffocation, and panic. Actually, I even do not remember much of the first week of WD - I was semi-psychotic (i.e., insane inside, moderately weird outside).

 

I am feeling much better now (only having panic attacks), taking herbs (garlic etc complex) to settle my allergies. I was told by a brain scientist that there is nothing surprising in my reaction because antihistamines work with certain receptors BUT all brain receptors interact and also my previous benzo- and Keppra WD could make me hypersensitive to all this. However, I am still surprised with the intensity of the psychiatric WD symptoms. I wonder if anyone here had a similar experience with antihistamines?

 

PS I do not think that I will ever touch any medicine now unless it is absolutely necessary.

My wife went off Zyrtec after taking it almost every day for a couple years. While she didn't have any psychiatric reaction to this, she did definitely go through an unpleasant withdrawal; basically she was in a hyper allergic state for a week or so, hives, flushed, itchy all over. She hasn't taken it since, I don't think.

 

Antihistimines act as serotonin reuptake inhibitors to some extent, so it makes sense that someone already in a sensitive state like benzo w/d might have more profound withdrawal along the lines of discontinuing an SSRI.

I had the same thing happen with Zyrtec. I had to stop taking it because it was making me feel so sick and it didn't help with my allergies at all.

spengler

2writerlou

Thank you.