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Best antihistamine for angioedema?

3 replies

belledejour · 09/02/2014 23:39

Last year on holiday I developed solar angioedema for the first time ever and my top lip swelled up hugely. This year I'd like to avoid the same thing happening - can any angioedema sufferers recommend an antihistamine. I asked in my local Boots and was told by a general member of staff (not pharmacist) that 'they're all good', but surely some are for rhinitis, others better at treating rashes etc?
Any suggestions gratefully received.

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Megbeth · 10/02/2014 01:42

I would speak to a pharmacist as they know how the ingredients work & which one would be best for your condition. The general staff don't have any medical training to advise.

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Aquelven · 10/02/2014 15:43

I get this, just awful when it flares up, it mainly affects my face & my eyes so they close up to slits & looks like I've done ten rounds with Mike Tyson. It isn't the sun that causes mine but medication that I have to take permanently for a heart problem.
Best thing I've found is to take one of the one a day Citrizine antihistamines, the none drowsy ones. Tesco make their own which are exactly the same & cheap though I get mine on prescription. Then if I get a really bad flare up I can take Piriton as well & I even have steroids & an Epipen on standby from the GP in case my throat is involved as it has been & landed me in A&E.
I'd talk to your GP if I was you, you can get much bigger packs of antihistamines on prescription than the piddly little amounts you get in over the counter packs.

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belledejour · 13/02/2014 10:29

Thanks so much Megbeth and Aquelven. I went back to Boots and spoke to the pharmacist, who told me that the generic Citrizine antihistamines, (which cost 99p for 7) were the best thing to take and exactly the same as Zyrtek and Piriteze (which cost 4 x as much).

Aquelven, my eyes didn't swell but my mouth blew up hugely and I looked like one of those 'when plastic surgery goes wrong' stories from the internet! I was mortified and it was very sore as eventually the skin split. I will try my GP although it's probably easier to get an audience with the pope than an appointment with a doctor in our local surgery...