Allergies and depression

[BlueBooby]

Hi, this is just a question really. I'm feeling depressed today. Yesterday I had quite a bad allergic reaction and today I feel depressed. I realised that this has happened quite a lot of times. I have a lot of allergies and carry an epi-pen. I try to avoid my triggers as much as possible but sometimes mess up. I always take an allergy tablet when my reaction starts - I try to limit how often I take these as I have never found one that doesn't make me drowsy (though I've since read an allergic reaction itself can be the cause of drowsiness so maybe it's not the pills).

I have suffered from depression before, proper depression that lasted for a sustained length of time. This is the exact same depression feeling, but I am quite certain that by tomorrow I will feel ok again and it's some how related to either the allergic reaction or the antihistamine. I am only just becoming aware that it has been a repeated pattern for me. Allergic reaction - antihistamine - bed - wake up and feel depressed for the next day - back to normal after that.

I'm just wondering is there a known link between either allergies and depression, or allergy tablets and depression? Or has anyone else ever noticed this?

Could you be feeling low because of yet another allergic reaction? I mean, you must be completely sick of them.

My son has bad allergies; I will ask him your question when I see him later.

I do remember him having a reaction as a toddler and being a complete nightmare for a fortnight afterwards. Then one morning when I was in bed feeding the baby I heard him coming up the stairs with DH and he sounded really happy, and I thought "phew, that stroppy period has passed at last." When he came into the room my first thought was how beautiful he looked . . . when I thought about it I realised that if was because his eyes looked really big: they had been puffy for two weeks because of the reaction but I hadn't noticed. So in summary , DS definitely felt unhappy whilst that allergic reaction was going on , but maybe he just felt ill?

I think nowadays he feels low when he has a reaction because it is always because he has been let down, eg a restaurant saying something is safe to eat but it turns out it isn't, and the result is one more place he can't go to, one more thing he can't do with his friends etc.

I have intolerances - red itchy rashes when I've eaten something I'm intolerant too, lasts a couple of weeks. Always makes me feel down and grumpy. Not sure why though!

It's like the exhaustion after a migraine or stomach bug, I'd think. You're washed out. Could it be that?

Thanks for the replies. I feel a lot better today but not 100% myself. Yesterday I was so miserable and weepy. Maybe some of it is the exhaustion like that getting over a stomach bug feeling. The last few weeks my mood has been so good and then yesterday was a real down and I was thinking how strange it was having been so positive and motivated recently, and then I realised that I always get like that after an allergic reaction. It's like clockwork. Interesting that you have noticed you get grumpy after your exposures to allergens/intolerances Felly. I really do wonder if it's a thing.

Definitely linked. When you have an allergic reaction, your body is flooded with histamine which are exhausting and can cause low mood. Also, you will have increased cortisol and adrenaline, and that's before you've used an epi pen.

Think of your body going to war against the allergen, it's no different to physically fighting someone.

When it's all over, your body will be knackered physically, but also it's a bit like the low of blood sugar after the rush of eating a lot of sweets/ pudding.

Obviously if it lasts longer than a few days, get it checked, but see you're feeling a bit better. Take care!

I think the two are connected. To do with wonky methylation or something.

It must be rubbish for you having so many reactions and then the aftermath each time.

I have low-level intolerances along with my beastly life-long depression. It’s crap.