Acetazolamide (Diamox)
So today is turning into a pretty crappy day as regards side effects and symptoms of the condition itself.
Where to begin - 2 days ago I had a flare up of IH symptoms - the pressure headaches, the vision issues, the problems with balance, ringing in the ears and the damned word confusion and forgetting the most simple of things.
The waking up at 4.30am to drink gallons of water just to try and take the edge off the thirst this drug causes me and the constant bathroom visits were really taking there toll too.
I took my Diamox and decided to grab an early night, only to wake up covered in very itchy blotches with the worst pressure head EVER! Trying to be sensible I called the GP who decided I was potentially suffering from shingles (yes shingles) or maybe I'd eaten some fish that didn't agree with me so I should take an antihistamine! Bear in mind this Doctor hasn't seen me and is speaking purely based on the symptoms I can declare over the phone. Anyway, having never been one to complain I decided to self administer a dose of 'Suck it up Buttercup' and over the counter Loratadine antihistamine as suggested by the GP. The itchiness subsided but the blotchy rash remained and my IH symptoms were becoming worse :(
The following day even with taking the Loratadine there was no difference and the blotchy patches kept appearing my chest felt tighter and I seemed to have less of a lung capacity. I phoned the GP again and luckily got a different Doctor who took me seriously, she wanted me in that afternoon!
When I arrived to my appointment she gave me a thorough check over and decided it was urticaria but because she didn't know enough about Diamox OR Idiopathic intracranial hypertension, never mind how the two could interact with one another and the sheer fact she was so unnerved by my breathing she sent me across to my local emergency department! 4 hours......4 freaking hours of waiting......4!! But the outcome was seriously worth it, they too took me seriously and prescribed prednisolone steroids to counteract the allergic interaction until I could get around to seeing my neurologist since they feel it unwise to faff around with my Acetazolamide personally >.<
Yes this means I am now on the grand sum of 15 tablets a day with no improvement to my symptoms and if anything feeling more sh**ty than when I was first diagnosed.
I guess I wrote this post because mostly we see 'I am a warrior, I have IIH it doesn't have me'. Well I like to keep things real, for the last 4 days I have crawled through my battle with IIH and it has certainly bloody well had me. But give it a few days and I'll be back to attempting to kick it's ass. It's ok to feel down, it's ok to be beaten and it's ok to cry in despair because guys even the best soldiers don't feel like fighting some days! Just know that we do all have those days whether we like to admit it or not. We are siblings in arms fighting a never ending war, but through the highs and the lows I want you to know.......you are amazing and you are NOT alone! xx
Where to begin - 2 days ago I had a flare up of IH symptoms - the pressure headaches, the vision issues, the problems with balance, ringing in the ears and the damned word confusion and forgetting the most simple of things.
The waking up at 4.30am to drink gallons of water just to try and take the edge off the thirst this drug causes me and the constant bathroom visits were really taking there toll too.
I took my Diamox and decided to grab an early night, only to wake up covered in very itchy blotches with the worst pressure head EVER! Trying to be sensible I called the GP who decided I was potentially suffering from shingles (yes shingles) or maybe I'd eaten some fish that didn't agree with me so I should take an antihistamine! Bear in mind this Doctor hasn't seen me and is speaking purely based on the symptoms I can declare over the phone. Anyway, having never been one to complain I decided to self administer a dose of 'Suck it up Buttercup' and over the counter Loratadine antihistamine as suggested by the GP. The itchiness subsided but the blotchy rash remained and my IH symptoms were becoming worse :(
The following day even with taking the Loratadine there was no difference and the blotchy patches kept appearing my chest felt tighter and I seemed to have less of a lung capacity. I phoned the GP again and luckily got a different Doctor who took me seriously, she wanted me in that afternoon!
When I arrived to my appointment she gave me a thorough check over and decided it was urticaria but because she didn't know enough about Diamox OR Idiopathic intracranial hypertension, never mind how the two could interact with one another and the sheer fact she was so unnerved by my breathing she sent me across to my local emergency department! 4 hours......4 freaking hours of waiting......4!! But the outcome was seriously worth it, they too took me seriously and prescribed prednisolone steroids to counteract the allergic interaction until I could get around to seeing my neurologist since they feel it unwise to faff around with my Acetazolamide personally >.<
Yes this means I am now on the grand sum of 15 tablets a day with no improvement to my symptoms and if anything feeling more sh**ty than when I was first diagnosed.
I guess I wrote this post because mostly we see 'I am a warrior, I have IIH it doesn't have me'. Well I like to keep things real, for the last 4 days I have crawled through my battle with IIH and it has certainly bloody well had me. But give it a few days and I'll be back to attempting to kick it's ass. It's ok to feel down, it's ok to be beaten and it's ok to cry in despair because guys even the best soldiers don't feel like fighting some days! Just know that we do all have those days whether we like to admit it or not. We are siblings in arms fighting a never ending war, but through the highs and the lows I want you to know.......you are amazing and you are NOT alone! xx