I don’t know what’s going on

[[Ca...]]

Hi, I’m struggling lately with weird reactions to medicines. I know antibiotics and some of the others listed on BIC but I’ve been having reactions since starting on folic acid (high histamine). I’ve had similar reactions to NSAID’s and Tylenol: disoriented, dizzy, nauseous and feel like I’m going to pass out. I became sick this week with something viral and since I cannot take the above I told ColdCalm which is homeopathic and it gave me mild anaphylaxis like symptoms: tightness in my throat and chest, nausea, feeling dizzy, blood pressure dropped. Also, this past week I thought I was starting to get a UTI and I took Macrobid and had a culture done (negative) and it threw me into a significant withdrawal, similar to the one when starting this whole process. I’ve been taking Macrobid as needed after intercourse as a prophylactic but I have been for years, so this was a new reaction. I’ve also been having Fibro like flare and UTI symptoms burning and urgency but no UTI. So my questions are: 

is this part of the taper process? I’ve been tapering now for 8 months, I stick with a strict 5-10% decrease over the course of the whole month.

 

is this something similar to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?

 

Do I have a MTHFR mutation?

 

Should I be on a low histamine diet regardless?

 

Should I see an immunologist/allergist?

 

*Note i’m not soliciting for medical advise but really clueless and not sure what has been going on with my body with all of these reactions lately and hoping someone has had a similar experience.

 

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Hey there!   it sounds to me like you are really sensitive to a lot of different things.      Our nervous system is destabilized during this process,  and will sometimes become even more so when we take certain medications, supplements, etc.     

Part of the benzo withdrawal process causes histamine issues.    It seems that our histamine levels become higher than normal and can cause certain symptoms like itching, hives, breathing difficulties, etc. This could act/look like MCAS.    There are members who adhere to a low histamine diet. 

Also, having a virus can also cause your symptoms to intensify as well.  I looked up the ingredients in ColdCalm and I am not familiar with most of the ingredients, but the last thing was magnesium.   Some people in withdrawal have trouble with magnesium so that may be something to stay away from for now.

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome can be tricky to diagnose.   If you do end up going to an immunologist please know that they will most likely not be familiar with benzo withdrawal or BIND (Benzo Induced Neurological Dysfunction).  

As for the UTI symptoms, but not an actual UTI, this is extremely common in benzo withdrawal.   Lots of women report having UTI like symptoms, and some actually do have multiple UTI's.   It then becomes a catch-22 because you want to be careful about taking antibiotics but you also don't want to let an actual UTI go untreated.

As far as the MTHFR mutation.  You would have to get tested, and I don't think there is a definitive connection between the gene mutation and having difficulties in benzo withdrawal.   

Was there a medical condition that caused you to take folic acid?  Is your body having trouble absorbing it?  If you google folic acid on this forum you will get lots of posts where people are talking about this topic.  

Hopefully, others will weigh in on your post, but it sounds to me like you are having typical withdrawal symptoms that are being exacerbated by things you are taking.....macrobid, ColdCalm, and possibly the folic acid.   The sensitivities to these things may come and go.  There really is no predicting how your body will react at any given time during this process.