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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by yellowbird01 on May 27, 2012, at 12:56:41
My doctor recently perscribed Nardil, my first trial with any of the MAOI. I havent started taking it yet... I have some reservations and concerns about it for a variety of reasons. One of my concerns is about allergy medications. I have pretty severe environmental allergies in the spring/summer. Not life-threatening or anything, but pretty miserable some days. I know most (all?) allergy medications cannot be taken in combination with an MAOI. What CAN you take/do to combat allergies while on these drugs? Is there anything beyond the saline spray that wont cause a reaction? Thanks!
Posted by viper1431 on May 27, 2012, at 14:47:37
In reply to MAOIs and allergies, posted by yellowbird01 on May 27, 2012, at 12:56:41
I havn't had any issues taking anti-histamines or pseudoephedrine (even though it says it isn't recomended)
> My doctor recently perscribed Nardil, my first trial with any of the MAOI. I havent started taking it yet... I have some reservations and concerns about it for a variety of reasons. One of my concerns is about allergy medications. I have pretty severe environmental allergies in the spring/summer. Not life-threatening or anything, but pretty miserable some days. I know most (all?) allergy medications cannot be taken in combination with an MAOI. What CAN you take/do to combat allergies while on these drugs? Is there anything beyond the saline spray that wont cause a reaction? Thanks!
Posted by yellowbird01 on May 28, 2012, at 22:35:53
In reply to Re: MAOIs and allergies » yellowbird01, posted by viper1431 on May 27, 2012, at 14:47:37
Thanks viper. I guess I'll go trial and error... and just watch carefully. :)
Posted by psychobot5000 on May 29, 2012, at 1:52:27
In reply to Re: MAOIs and allergies » viper1431, posted by yellowbird01 on May 28, 2012, at 22:35:53
> Thanks viper. I guess I'll go trial and error... and just watch carefully. :)
>
>
This is probably...I was going to say a good idea, but the truth is, it's somewhere between good and bad. I did much the same thing when I took MAOis, without any real incident, but, yeah, you're playing with fire.MAOis are so dangerous and unpredictable that many drugs are ruled off-limits just in case, which is something to be aware of. That said, many others are genuinely dangerous.
I know of know particular reason why meds like claritin and allegra should be off limits to those taking MAOis. Even amphetamine, which is a bit like pseudoephedrine/sudafed but stronger, can be used with MAOis if it's done carefully (many doctors don't know this).
All this is probably not that useful to you. Very well, then, here are two pieces of advice that may be better. The two main things you need to worry about are serotonin syndrome (from an overload of serotonin), and a high-blood-pressure crisis. So learn the symptoms of serotonin syndrome--keep them in your wallet if you have to--just in case, and go to the ER immediately if they occur. And get a blood-pressure cuff and learn to use it, if you don't know how already. I believe keeping tabs on your blood-pressure while taking on MAOi is an important safety measure, at least for the first few months.
And don't take benadryl, because of the serotonin thing. Serotonin syndrome is very dangerous.
Hope that's helpful in some way,
pb5000
This is the end of the thread.
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