Allergy meds after donation

[jstx]

I've been taking an over the counter allergy medicine (Walmart brand for Allegra, I believe) & today we had a health screening at work where my blood pressure was 159/98. I've been running at a very normal-low normal range since donation. Someone at the health screening asked me about the allergy medicine which is what helped us connect the dots (I guess anti-histamines can affect blood pressure). Has anyone heard whether allergy meds are a no-no or whether some are safer than others?

I've just started a new job & have new health insurance which my PCP doesn't currently take, but is working to get back into the network so I'm putting off seeing her until she's back in-network. I could try to call my donor coordinator since I never could get her via email when I had another question a short time ago (my email bounced back undeliverable).

What would you guys do?

Thanks for your feedback!

[Orchidlady]

I take regular claritin-type allergy medicine when I need it, but nothing with the "D" (decongestant) part. I had asked that question early on in the evaluation process. I know my husband is okay to take the same, but they have said nothing with the "D" in it because of the issues, exactly as you described, of raising blood pressure. He also can't take a lot of the cold meds for the same reason. Permission was given to take only certain cough medicines and only Coricidin HBP or the generic equivalents. He has had to use the afrin type nose sprays to get congestion knocked out, but they have been very reluctant to say they approve of that - same reason in that the active ingredient in it raises blood pressure - although it is a bit more localized in its action that the systemic action of a pill.

I pretty much follow along on the same "rules" that they give him. I figure it can't hurt.

My personal opinion is that I see no problem with you calling the transplant center and get a donor coordinator on the phone and ask your questions. I bet they have been asked this before and probably will have a good and complete answer for you.

Allergies are miserable, and it is certainly getting to be that time! Good luck!

[sherri]

Hi Jocelyn,

It could be from the allergy medicine. You may want to monitor your blood pressure for a week or so and see if it has returned to your baseline. If not maybe something else is going on.  Either way, call one of the coordinators at Hopkins (maybe Sharon did retire who knows?). Try your original coordinator's email and see if you get a response.  Let me know if you have trouble tracking someone down.

Sherri

[jstx]

Thank you for your feedback. I'll hold off on taking allergy medicine and will try to get a hold of someone at Hopkins tomorrow. Took my blood pressure tonight & it was 112/69. Back down to where it tends to stay. I'm going to watch it but will call them in the meantime.

Thanks again! You guys are the greatest.

[jstx]

Took my blood pressure again this morning. Nice & low, thankfully! No allergy pill for me today! Will just fight on until I hear back from Hopkins. Sherri, Sharon retired last June & now it is a voicemail for Kate, I think the message said. Left her a message about what is going on & asked her to call me back. We shall see what she says.

[Mizchelle]

Allergy and Cold medicines nearly landed me on Blood Pressure Meds last year.  I had one sinus infection after the other and allergies were at their worst.  If it weren't for one of three doctors telling me that it was probably from the OTC medications, I may have consider the meds and that would have ended any chance of me becoming a donor.

To offset this now, I try to prevent the allergies and sinus issues with natural & homeopathic remedies and my Blood Pressure has been fine since.

Hope you're feeling better. 

[jstx]

I got a call back from the new donor coordinator, but I was running errands and couldn't take the call.  The message she left said that Claritin should be just fine and shouldn't give me any problems.  She doesn't understand why it would've caused high blood pressure but maybe that was because I was nervous (white coat syndrome).  She's glad that my blood pressure has come down to normal and she thinks I should be just fine trucking on with the over the counter meds......now some of this sounds suspicious to me.  I will test it out and take a pill and then check my blood pressure here at home with my cuff to see what it shows.  If it is elevated I'm not going to keep taking the pills.  And when my PCP gets back in network with my new insurance provider, I'll go see her to see what she thinks.  I just don't feel comfortable putting myself at risk if I do see a connection....I can't understand why the coordinator didn't see the blood pressure as a result from the meds.  I do get white coat syndrome but I don't think 149/98 was all white coat.....that sounds like it had some help to me.  But I'll do a little testing here and see how it goes.

[Dora76]

Hi!  It sounds like you've got a plan of action in place already, but I thought I'd share some information in case it's helpful to you.  I have pretty bad allergies too, so I've tried a variety of over-the-counter medications.  I haven't had any adverse reactions with blood pressure.  A primary care doctor basically told me that in general most medications are safe for a kidney donor, but I should be cautious of medications that get metabolized in the kidney because long-term use can be stressful for the kidney.  High blood pressure could be a separate side effect and as I understand it it's not uncommon for antihistamines.

But if you're concerned, I think you're doing the right thing by talking to the coordinator at your transplant center.  Or, you may want to consult with a pharmacist--my mom (my kidney recipient) has done this for general information and feedback with success.  Also, she had a history of high blood pressure (then low blood pressure after going on her transplant meds) so she monitors her blood pressure regularly to look for spikes and dips over the course of several days.  Her doctor was able to work with her on it after they could identify some type of documented pattern.

Good luck, hope you're feeling better!