thread: Antihistamine??

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Nov 2007
    295

    Antihistamine??

    My dermatologist has recommended i take an antihistamine to try to treat my allergies and dermatitis which are getting beyond a joke.
    Have anyone taken anything they can recommend.
    He recommended Polaramine but i'm not sure which brand to try..

    Any suggestions??

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Nov 2006
    Somewhere Over The Rainbow
    3,094

    unfortunately my doc told me not to use anythign at all as they are on the "unknown if safe" list.

    If you do come across something safe i would liek to know?!

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    Melbourne
    3,660

    I used polarmine no worries.

    i actually had it recommended to me by a pharmacist whose pharmacist wife was pregnant.

    i found that it also helped with my insomnia. thank goodness.

    just my two cents... many people have varying inputs, but i was told by docs and ph. that its fine

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Nov 2007
    295

    Yep I've looked up Polaramine and it's a Cat A drug so safe in PG. I wasn't sure if the actual product at the chemist is called Polaramine or it's if that was the name of the ingredient. When I looked up polaramine it came up with images of about 7 different products like claratyne etc.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    Melbourne
    3,660

    Ahh ok, well i actually had "Polaramine". It was in a pink box and the tablets were pink too.

    Funny though as i got told not to take claratyne.. Hmmmmm

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Aug 2005
    werribee,victoria
    371

    Claratyne and the new class of antinistamines are unsuitable for use during pregnancy,so zyrtec as well. The older style antihistamines are fine though. So phenergan and polaramine but they are likely to make you drowsy, But they will control your allergies.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Add MummyDuck on Facebook

    Nov 2007
    Melbourne
    1,065

    I have been lead to believe that SOME antihistamines are safe to take in pregnancy, some are also now ok to give to babies as young as 1 month old. Might be worth asking which ones are safe for babies to give you an idea of which are safe for pregnancy.

    Keep an eye out for Pseudoephidrine (which is in A LOT of antihistamines and cold tablets in order to keep you awake and alert) this is the ingredient that is not considered safe in pregnancy. This means taking an antihistamine that may make you drowsy.

  8. #8
    mfcr06 Guest

    I have severe chronic hayfever and I was told by my OB that Claratyne is fine to take while pregnant.

    I did with DS and there were no problems, so if I need it this time around, I take it.

    I suppose it all depends how desperate you get.

    Polaramine zonks me out for about 15 hrs and cant function until lunchtime the next day if I take it before bed......so it isnt really an option for me anyhow.

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Add NaeNae on Facebook

    Sep 2007
    South Gippsland
    3,753

    I'd check with your phamacist and tell them about your symptoms and go with what they recommend, afterall they are the experts.

    I have also been told Claratyne was safe to use by both my Ob and Pharmasist.

    I opted for a product called Avil. I think its a pharmacy brand (yellow box little white pills) I get really bad sinus stuff and being pregnant has made it worse which was leading to nasty headaches that were bordering migrains. I only took these at night though as there was something in it which made me drowsy but I didn't wake up once all clogged up.

    Could also be something your eating thats triggering reactions. I have weaned myself of yeast products over the past few weeks mainly because of heartburn but I have also noticed less sinus stuffiness.

    Nae x

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Aug 2006
    Springvale South, Melbourne
    2,826

    Hey

    When I was pregnant with dd, I was attending an allergy specialist for allergies to asprin, neurophen and voltaren.... besides my epi pen (which thankfully I never used) he recommended Polaramine as it is a CAT A drug. I used it a few times during pregnancy and things went well. It did make me a little sleepy though- good for pregnancy insomnia!!!!!

    HTH

    Melissa

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Jan 2008
    Northern Beaches
    23

    You can also ring the Mothersafe line - it's a free service run by RHW which can tell you what is safe and not so safe, based on clinical research. I have called them several times and they have alsways been most helpful and supportive.

    Here is their webpage: Royal Hospital for Women

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Feb 2004
    Melbourne
    11,171

    I had to get something today & my Dr suggested like someone else has that the older style antihistamines are fine. He told me to get Phenergen but three pharmacists refused to give it to me & would only offer Polaramine. Very annoying considering I told them they could ring my Dr to hear it straight from him, but they wouldn't.

  13. #13
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    May 2005
    in the national capital
    1,682

    I used to take Phenergen but have recently switched to Polaramine because my pharmacy doesn't stock high dose phenergen any more - the pharmacist told me that it had been linked with something (I wish that I could remember what now) - so Sarah - that may be why your pharmacist wasn't keen

    Polaramine is fine while pg or TTC but it does put me to sleep very effectively.

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Feb 2006
    Newcastle, NSW
    4,219

    I developed an allergy rash from moisturiser when I was pregnant with Harrison, and I took Polaramine for it and it worked wonders... the downside was it did make me drowsy, but at night that became a blessing.