Histamine Intolerance and panic attacks

[Nick]

A few years ago I had a panic attack 24 hours after drinking heavily. This has happened two other times. Only times it's ever happened in my life. I never really understood what caused it. I thought maybe the alcohol was putting the body under to much stress which triggered a panic attack.

Today I have found out that I have a Histamine Intolerance. Certain foods such as cheese, bacon, tomatoes, chocolate, bananas, and alcohol cause me to break out in a skin rash, cause my sinuses to fill up and I go mad sneezing. I've had this problem for years on a near daily basis. One other symptom of Histamine Intolerance is panic attacks. A lot of people here who suffer from panic attacks should find out if they have a Histamine Intolerance.

Something as simple as going out for a few beers could be triggering panic attacks, it did for me, or even a bar of chocolate. If you sneeze after eating something or while having a beer or wine, there is a good chance you have the same problem as me. Taking a Anti Histamine or high doses of Vitamin C which is a natural Anti Histamine, and also helps reduce stress levels (1000MG twice a day) might just work wonders for you. It did for me, I no longer suffer from sinus trouble, skin rashes, or panic attacks.

Alcohol is the biggest culprit in releasing high levels of Histamine which can make you feel like you've got a cold, runny nose, sinus problems, or in worst case, a panic attack. If you have a Histamine Intolerance.

[allergyphobia]

this is extremely interesting as i have really bad allergy symptoms. you have only just got the diagnosis but you already have the 'cure' you say - vitamin c? i took your advice and today tried a dose of 2000mg, even tho it says recommended is 1000mg.

how did you get tested for your histamine intolerance?

look forward to hearing more info !

[zygodactyl]

It's interesting that alcoholic drinks have this effect on you too! What were you drinking? The infamous "Red Wine Headache" is a histamine intolerance reaction, and red wine is one of the worst drinks for histamine. Symptoms of panic attacks and depression have also been associated with Histamine Intolerance.

I've read that its not actually the alcohol that we react to, but other ingredients in the drink. In fact, clear spirits that are mostly alcohol, like vodka, aren't quite so bad.

Unfortunately, levels of histamine build up in your body over time, so Vit C & antihistamines only work as a short-term solution because they're just masking the problem not curing it. In my experience, the best solution is to eat a low-histamine diet, avoiding the foods you mention (and some others)

The best way to get diagnosed for Histamine Intolerance is with a Diamine Oxidase blood test. Google to find a lab who offers mail order.

[paulhem]

Antihistamine injections were the cause of all my problems. I had an anaphylactic shock to one and then the panics started. Now im terrified of any injections.

I do cope with blood samples being taken ok and dental sedation but i wont let anyone inject me with anything else.

[Emphyrio]

Just bumping this thread.

I was wondering if anyone else here has histamine intolerance and how was this diagnosed?

I ask this because I've been having some rather weird experiences with anxiety and anxiety meds. For example, I found that citalopram completely annihilated my anxiety - even at 5mg - and then I found out that it acts as a mild antihistamine. The same dosage of fluoxetine didn't help my anxiety at all when I transferred onto it - even though these dosages are technically similar.

[cloudbusting]

Hi Emphyrio

I too am interested in this.

I have suffered from runny nose and a blocked ear for years, on and off. Took an antihistamine for two days over the weekend, no panic ... didn't take it yesterday - yep, felt panicky and was hyperventilating.

Shall watch this thread with interest.

Lisa x

[MCan]

Hello friends,

today me too registered this site, while is there any connection depression-histamine.
as far as I know yes there is.
do you know guys ? first anti-depressant was antihistaminic medicine. After scientices realized that they have started reserch on it and developed trisycli anti depresant in feve decades. After years researches also show (by coinsidence) serotonin also related with depression. Ofcourse it brings more money than cheap anti histaminc drugs.

so where does come from histamines to us. Body produce it byself against environment.
and ofcourse the foods we eat in regular daily life.Especially which cary us, modified foods, the foods we cant tolerate eithere sencitive. Most likely plus food ingredience.

Adrenals produce Aldesterone,ephinephrine,nor-ephinephrine and cortisol etc.
After we have stimulated with alergyc foods that we cant tolerate, body produce histamines (H1-H2-H3-H4 ...etc) adrenals get activated "fight-flee" and produce those hormons suddenly as well, and then start all anxiety syptomps starts. I read several book about endocrynology while I was sick in the bad "7 weeks" anxiety-panic attack end severe depression. As time goes with allergy, our adrenals get tired,and egzosted.
Adrenal hormones as is pancreatic hormones tired than dont produce enough insulin and we jump into diabetes II, same happen for adrenals and we fall in anxiety and depression. Using ,like zyrtec or benadryle reives my symptomes. And I cut all foods makes me tired. For adrenal support you can find the book name:Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome™ by Dr. James L. Wilson

so today I fight with high blood presure and early diabetes as a ruslt of antidepressant drugs !!! there are many effects on diabetes melitus. Please keep in mind antidepressant works for 2 years, but no more. I used many paxil,cipralex and others but most effective was antihistamincs and vitamines-minerals.

I wish you all, lucky research on adrenergyc system and histamine connection-anxity connection

[Blinkyrocket]

I think diabetes is more or less caused by high Free Fatty Acids because of the adrenaline and cortisol driving blood sugar up because the cells have become damaged by the free polyunsaturated fatty acids... Kind of a self repeating cycle because of the adrenaline etc.
diabetes is a sugar deficiency of the cell and a sugar overdose of the blood. Im not too convinced that sugar causes diabetes because my fasting blood sugar is like 80 which is actually down from the time I eliminated sugar and started eating complex carbs with fiber and whatnot, I try to get as little fiber in my diet now as possible or else I get bloating so I guess it's just a gut thing. It's just funny to me that I eat ice cream and add sugar to my orange juice because it's not sweet enough and yet my fasting blood sugar is 80. And before you say I'm a freak or I'm just born healthy, consider that BEFORE I started adding sugar and eating ice cream, my fasting blood sugar was 95-100. Screw medicine and their impeccable logic that sugar causes diabetes.

Idk why I went out on that rant, really, I just think that it's quite pointless to call any diet "healthy" unless you're making a blanket statement for absolutely any diet at all that doesn't include prepackaged foods like totinos pizza.

Oh yeah, serotonin liberates fatty acids (maybe), but for sure raises prolactin and a lot of inflammatory prostaglandins that interfere with the ability of cells to utilize glucose. So it probably causes diabetes.

I'm pretty sure that adrenaline is actually what causes the pancreas' beta cells to cease functioning properly.

What is adrenal fatigue supposed to be? Low adrenaline? It's probably low pregnenolone and DHEA, I can't remember what organ produces those hormones, probably the adrenals :P

[MyNameIsTerry]

so today I fight with high blood presure and early diabetes as a ruslt of antidepressant drugs !!! there are many effects on diabetes melitus. Please keep in mind antidepressant works for 2 years, but no more. I used many paxil,cipralex and others but most effective was antihistamincs and vitamines-minerals.

I used Citalopram for longer than this and did not experience any "poop out". There are plenty of people around who also stay on longer than this so I don't believe this can be considered a rule.

---------- Post added at 05:08 ---------- Previous post was at 05:02 ----------

What is adrenal fatigue supposed to be? Low adrenaline? It's probably low pregnenolone and DHEA, I can't remember what organ produces those hormones, probably the adrenals :P

Lots of interesting info to consider going in here.

DHEA is produced by the adrenals, gonads and the brain.

Adrenal fatigue is one of those ones, like Candida Overgrowth, where the medical community is split in some cases and with the vast majority not agreeing either way by not considering it. I'm not going to write it off on that basis though since every disease going was at that stage at some point in history. If they can't disprove it enough to rule it out, it's an unknown.

But it can't be insufficient levels of cortisol and aldosterone since that would be Addison's Disease.

Adrenaline fatigue seems to be a decrease or fluctuation, as opposed to the permanent damage seen in something like Addison's. Maybe it will become a "gap filler" like we have with various mental heath disorders that don't quite meet the full criteria that can be seen in many categories?

[Retsgard]

It's interesting that alcoholic drinks have this effect on you too! What were you drinking? The infamous "Red Wine Headache" is a histamine intolerance reaction, and red wine is one of the worst drinks for histamine. Symptoms of panic attacks and depression have also been associated with Histamine Intolerance.

I've read that its not actually the alcohol that we react to, but other ingredients in the drink. In fact, clear spirits that are mostly alcohol, like vodka, aren't quite so bad.

Unfortunately, levels of histamine build up in your body over time, so Vit C & antihistamines only work as a short-term solution because they're just masking the problem not curing it. In my experience, the best solution is to eat a low-histamine diet, avoiding the foods you mention (and some others)

The best way to get diagnosed for Histamine Intolerance is with a Diamine Oxidase blood test. Google to find a lab who offers mail order.

I've found that I get a really itchy face the next day from drinking beer or wine, no rash just really itchy. Also get horrific hangovers from only a couple of drinks.