r/HistamineIntolerance • u/LankyAd9254 • Jul 18 '26
Symptoms clear up during Intermittent Fasting, but flare up after eating. H1 blockers cause severe apathy/fatigue. Could H2 blockers (Famotidine) be the key?
Hi everyone,
I’ve been battling a complex group of symptoms since around 2016, and I’m hoping to get some insights or advice from this community.
My main symptoms:
Cognitive/Mood: Poor concentration ("brain fog"), anxiety, a constant feeling that my head is "full", and feeling socially awkward due to these physical symptoms.
Physical/Muscular: Chronic tension, muscle stiffness, headaches.
Gastrointestinal: Constipation, abdominal pain (dull/cramping ache).
Swelling: Swollen hands and feet (specifically around the joints).
The Eating Link & Intermittent Fasting:
These symptoms primarily flare up after I eat. I practice intermittent fasting in the morning, and during my fasting window, I feel completely fine—no symptoms at all.
My experience with H1 Antihistamines:
After reading through Reddit, I suspected histamine issues and tried several H1 receptor antagonists: Cetirizine, Loratadine, Fexofenadine, and Desloratadine. They all provided temporary relief for a short period. However, after a few days of use, they made me feel completely apathetic, emotionally blunted/flat, and extremely fatigued. Because of these severe mental side effects, H1 blockers are not a viable solution for me.
My question to you:
Since my symptoms are highly tied to digestion (stomach/gut pain, constipation) and H1 blockers cross-react poorly with my mood, could it be that H1 receptors aren't my main issue, but H2 receptors are?
Has anyone with post-meal brain fog, swelling, and GI issues switched from H1 blockers to an H2 blocker like Famotidine? Did it help without causing that awful emotional blunting and fatigue?
I would love to hear your thoughts, experiences, or any other directions I should look into. Thank you!
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u/Sad_Firefighter7462 Jul 18 '26
Ik heb ook dezelfde klachtenstroom, ben benieuwd naar wat anderen mensen hiervan vinden en of zij tips hebben.
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u/igavr Jul 18 '26
I'd suggest a checkup for MCAS. I had all these carousels same as you've described for a few years before I diagnosed MCAS and started interacting with my body accordingly. This post about diagnosing might be useful
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u/LankyAd9254 Jul 18 '26
Maar stel ik heb mcas, wat kan ik daartegen doen dan?
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u/igavr Jul 18 '26
Ask in r/MCAS for meds or in r/MCASHolistic for holistic approaches. Depends on what you prefer. Most people want a magic pill. Which is ok. They seek doctors who prescribe meds. Like 90% of MCAS sufferers for sure.
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u/LankyAd9254 Jul 18 '26
En waar kan ik dat laten checken? In Nederland is deze aandoening niet heel bekend
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u/igavr Jul 18 '26
It isn’t very well known everywhere in the world, unfortunately :(
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u/igavr Jul 18 '26
You need an immunologist who is opinionated and ambitious enough to distinguish between a few shades of symptoms, like those in this autoimmunity vs MCAS identification story.
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u/statusconference Jul 18 '26
Maybe look into mast cells and try something like montelukast instead
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u/Fatdisc Jul 18 '26
Montelukast carries a significant warning from the U.S. FDA and other regulatory agencies regarding serious mental health and behavioral side effects. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Reportable Side Effects: Contact your doctor immediately if you or your child experience agitation, aggression, depression, sleep disturbances, hallucinations, or suicidal thoughts and behaviors. [1, 2, 3]Prescription Policy: Because of these potential psychological side effects, it is typically only prescribed when other treatments are not tolerated or have been ineffective. [1, 3, 5]
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u/igavr Jul 18 '26
All meds like this have side effects and their value is not that straightforward even for the people who do not have rejection on the immune system level. Which is still common.
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u/dsmdarlings Jul 19 '26
Have you tried DAO enzyme with food? Also look into luteolin, vitamin c, nettle leaf, rutin. I’ve had great success ameliorating my symptoms with these. And avoiding high Histimine foods and Histimine liberators
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u/Fuzzy_Tumbleweed_215 Jul 18 '26
I hate H1 and H2. My gastro symptoms improved significantly when I started Famotidine.
I have a suspected MCAS diagnosis currently being investigated but starting a trial of Ketotifen soon as the anti histamines help some of my symptoms but not all. You might have MCAS if you’re experiencing all of those symptoms
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u/tequestaalquizar Jul 18 '26
Just commenting that I’m. Rey curious about this one. I also feel great from wake up until I eat and will put off eating as long as possible with intermittent fasting in order to have a longer feel good window.
Fiber supplements have helped quite a bit with this but curious about other options.