hives

Posted by msnglnk (428 days ago)

i am having an alergic reaction to something (i don't know what). i got hives (i think) under my arm, down both sides of my torso, my neck and on the inside and outside thieghs. i have been popin claratin like pez and its cleared up some but not completely.

i think i need something like benadryl but i don't think they have it at the pharmacies in shanghai. i know benadryl is just a brand name like claratin. so can someone tell me what the chemical compostion of benadryl is? or can you tell methe chinese brand that has the chemical compound of benadryl? if you can tell me in chinese characters or pin yin would also be very helpful.

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by Tidings 2 (428 days ago)

See if you can get Atarax. It is the best thing I know of for urticaria (hives). It will probably make you drowsy as it is also used as an antianxiety drug but it will help you.

Shanghai is very modern now. You can find almost anything legally there that you could in Hong Kong.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by msnglnk (427 days ago)

can you translate that to chinese? what does the packaging look like?

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by john23694 (427 days ago)

You cam contact me using this email woneo5@yahoo.com

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by Claire (427 days ago)

The active ingredient in Benadryl is Diphenhydramine. 苯海拉明

Hives is荨麻疹(风块) - in Pinyin: ma2 zhen3( feng1 kuai4)

(I am based in Unspecified)

Posted by msnglnk (427 days ago)

i searched the local pharmacies and none had a product containing diphenhydramine. but they were quick to push claratyne; like they didn't remember me buying all their claratyne before. i tried to convince them that claratyne (loratadine)wasn't working. the only alternative one pharmacy had was some kind of ointment. can someone tell me the chinese for "atarax" and/or the chemical composition of it? it sounds like a prescribtion drug but i got prescribtion meds from the local pharmacies without presenting a prescribtion.

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by Claire (427 days ago)

Atarax is Hydroxyzine. Comes in 10mg and 25mg tablets. Don't take if pregnant or breast feeding.

Found two different ways to write it.

安泰乐
an1 tai4 le4


羟嗪
qiang3 qin2

(I am based in Unspecified)

Posted by msnglnk (427 days ago)

the directions of use for claratyne says; 1 tablet every 24 hours. would it be safe for me to take 2 or 3 daily? i am a pretty big dude with no other health issues.

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by Tidings 2 (427 days ago)

claratyne it not really normally prescribed for urticaria.
Can you Google Atarax and read abt it for your own sake? Hives can just drive you crazy !

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Meiguoren (426 days ago)

I've been having the same question. We need to keep benadryl on hand for our allergy "emergency kit"! Claire you are wonderful! Thank you!

(I am based in Guangzhou)

Posted by Meiguoren (426 days ago)

Just a note on the allergy reaction, msnglnk. We use benadryl as first line of defense and, like you, are out of it. As well as out of all other antihistamines we brought from USA. (Last time severe skin reaction happened in USA, allergist prescribed brand name Allegra for daytime cause of drowsiness issues and benadryl for night time.) Like you, I find the clarityn less than ideal. Anyway, when a rash is really, really bad (one of my daughters gets a raw rash on her face about once per year from some mysterious allergen), a course of prednisone can help. We keep prednisone in our emergency kit as well (cause you might need it fairly fast), and you probably can get it in China, but you really can't take prednisone without supervision of a medical professional. (Once you take a medical dose that's big enough to knock out your own body's natural immune response, that dose is so large that it also knocks out the body's natural production of the hormone so you have to keep taking it for several days in lower and lower doses until your body has resumed your own normal production.) Our doctor has us keep it in our emergency kit, with instructions about when to use it and how much for the initial dose, and then we are to call him for follow up instructions.

(I am based in Guangzhou)

Posted by msnglnk (426 days ago)

thanks for everyones input and/or help. the local pharmacies don't have anything but claratyne (loratadine)for allergic conditions. my next step is to go to a hopital or clinic pharmacy but i am pretty sure i will have to see a physician before a hospital or clinic pharmacy will give me meds.

thanks again....hind sight is always 20/20. lot of good it does me now............

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by msnglnk (426 days ago)

i know there are a lot of things and/or circumstances that may cause one's body to have an alergic reaction ie...hives. some people told me that a parasitic infection/infestation will cause an alergic reaction.

i don't think i contracted a parasite but it may be possible. i had a bad case of lice (crabs) a month or two ago and i got treatment from the pharmacy (which also included claratyne). i also had the hives at the same time as lice. the lice went away and the hives almost cleared up. i know mosqiutos carry and pass on all kinds of stuff. perhaps lice do the same?

(I am based in Shanghai)