antihistamine (allergy drugs)

[Shabs]

Can you use these to take away the symptoms of the common cold? I asked the chick in the chemist today for some drugs to stop my nose running as I have a cold, she handed me Boots own brand hayfever pills. She proceeded to tell me that you could use these to stop a runny nose regardless? I feel this is bullst, I always thought that allergy pills retard your immune system so that it doesn't react to pollin etc and that taking them during an actual sickness would just make it a lot worse.

advice please

SHabs

[Munter]

They might have a decongestant in them as well as the antihistamine.

[Shabs]

I have no doubt that they can top symptoms, but it is the impact on my immune system that I worry about

[E21_Ross]

all antihistamines do is prevent mast cells (and maybe basophils, but can't entirely remember) from degranulating, that means they are unable to release histamine.

regards your immune system working effectively against the virus you have, it is my current understanding that histamine does not play a role in the immune system when it comes to pathogens which are already circulating in the blood, rather, histamine is more used as a first line of defence (flushing out eyes, nose etc) and it also plays a key role in acute inflammation.

take them, see if they work. i wouldn't worry about the rest of your immune system.

i may be wrongand more than happy to be pointed out why if i am it's been a while since i did immunology!

Edited by E21_Ross on Friday 16th April 09:22