www.incontinentsupport.org

Does anyone here have allergies or anything they take antihistamines for? I have heard that the main antihistamine / sleeping aid (diphenhydramine or benadryl) can exacerbate incontinence issues and that you should avoid antihistamines if you suffer from incontinence. However, I get an incredible heat rash constantly during the summer months and want to try something to alleviate it since it is a histamine reaction. I did a brief google search but was unable to find good data.

So, if you have incontinence and also have allergy issues, what do you use for your allergies? Are there any "safe" antihistamines for people with incontinence?

I've got too many allergies. I've tried all kinds of antihistamines, in large doses, and even some that were not very common at all. Unfortunately none of them would do more than dent my allergies so I don't usually take them. When I get really bad it turns I to an asthma attack which I have a strong rescue inhaler for.

Ultimately I just had to go with allergy shots. I fully finished getting an immunity to my worst allergies about 10 years ago, and about 1 year ago started them back up again for my lighter allergies. Unfortunately this is only helping as I also have something called neurogenic dysinergia cough. It's basically overactive nerves in my throat that are overreacting to the littlest bit of phlegm that everyone normally get.

Anyways, I never really noticed the antihistamines making my incontinence worse, except when i would first start taking them again. Some would keep me dried out so I'd loose the extra water at first, then go back to peeing normally after that and while staying a bit dehydrated.

Speaking as someone with relatively light IC issues most of the time and takes benadryl fairly regularly when something sets off my allergies, I haven't noticed any significant affect on frequency, urgency, or leaking issues when I take it.

I have seasonal issues for the first time in about 4 or 5 years and am taking Claritin (sp?) but haven't noticed any difference whatsoever. Nor have I in years past.

Diphenhydramine is a mild anticolenergic. The same class of drug as many of those used to treat OAB. If you have problems with bladder spasms, it may help, but if you have retention issues, it will likely exacerbate the problem.

For my incontinent issue, antihistamines doesn't have any fact one way or the other on me. I could see how they could help a person with OAB. Naturally Im not a doctor so this is something you need to discuss with him or her.