Do you suffer from allergies? Allergy symptoms affect so many people and can make your life miserable. It’s no secret that in Houston, as well as other parts of the country, we’ve all been having a tough time with the high pollen counts lately. As a result, many of us have succumbed to the effects of allergy-related reactions.
If left unattended, allergenic reactions to the environment can lead to respiratory distress, inflammation and an eventual productive cough, putting you at an increased risk of infection. So we want to tell you about some compounded medications that can help you with your allergy symptoms.
First, let’s start with the basics. An allergy is an abnormal reaction by the immune system to normally occurring substances in the environment, such as pollen, pet dander, mold, dust, and food, to name a few.
Common Allergy Symptoms
Many people take allergy shots or sublingual allergy drops, and these allergy treatments help prevent symptoms by desensitizing you to the allergens to which you are reacting. It builds up blocking antibodies (IgG) which block the allergy reaction.
However, sometimes that is not enough.
What is a Mast Cell and its role in allergies?
When you inhale or ingest various substances, they cross the inner lining of the body and they enter your bloodstream as allergens. If you have a genetic predisposition towards allergy, your plasma cells, which are a form of white blood cells in the bloodstream, produce an abnormal antibody, called immunoglobulin E (IgE antibody) to these various allergens. These abnormal IgE antibodies circulate in the blood and bind to mast cells which are on the mucosal lining of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, causing the mast cells to die, rupture and spill their chemical contents directly into your tissues.
A mast cell is a type of white blood cell, which is a part of your immune system, that releases histamine and other chemical substances into your tissues during allergic reactions, causing local tissue swelling, inflammation and drainage. Mast cells are found in your connective tissue, under the skin, in the lungs, near blood vessels and lymph vessels, in nerves, and in the intestines.
What is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome?
Mast cell activation is a normal process to mitigate inflammation in the body, but chronic activation is not. Many people suffer greatly from the effects of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).
First recognized in 1991 and finally termed such in 2007, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome is a large, prevalent collection of illnesses resulting from mast cells which have been inappropriately activated but which, in contrast to the rare “mastocytosis,” are not proliferating, or otherwise accumulating, to any significant extent. The lifespan for most MCAS patients appears normal, but quality of life can be mildly to severely impaired absent correct diagnosis and effective treatment. (1)
Symptoms of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
General
Skin
Heart
Digestion
Brain and Nervous System
Other conditions that may be related to MCAS
Does Mast Cell Activation Syndrome make allergies or allergy symptoms worse? If so, how?
In people with MCAS, mast cells are overactive and cause more severe allergic reactions. (Also, MCAS is keeping the body in a chronic state of inflammation so it doesn’t allow it to fully recover to defend against allergies.)
Our Compounded Antihistamines
At Physicians Preference Pharmacy, we compound antihistamines, that when used alone or in combination with allergy treatments, are highly effective against the effects of MCAS. Our compounded medications are always free of unnecessary dyes, binders or fillers, and our compounds contain the active ingredient and only the necessary filler for accurate and consistent dosing – hypromellose and/or microcrystalline cellulose.
The compounded antihistamines we offer include:
Why are our compounded antihistamines better than store-bought over-the-counter antihistamines?
Besides being free of unnecessary dyes, binders or fillers, one important point is that people with MCAS are SO sensitive that they react to literally almost everything. So typically, if they took a commercially available/over-the-counter product, they would likely react to the inactive ingredients or fillers. We actually refer to our antihistamines as hypoallergenic.
We Are Here to Help
Our compounded antihistamines do require a prescription from your provider. Please call our pharmacists today with any questions about your compounded prescription needs at 281-828-9088. It will be our privilege to serve you!
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Local: 281-828-9088
Toll Free: 877-640-5248
Fax: 281-828-9669
pharmacy@PhysiciansPreferenceRx.com
20214 Braidwood Drive
Suite 140
Katy, Texas 77450
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