occasional short bouts of itchy hands and feet, dizziness, palpatations, fainting, nausea

**DAO enzyme, not DOA**

thanks ellemem, that makes sense if night time histamine levels are higher. The cycle point doesn't work for me: my attacks come anytime in the month, I've only had one of the 13 during my period, mostly they are mid-cycle, or a week before I'm due. Will keep researching, thank you again for sharing a piece of the puzzle.

I wanted to give you a bit of hope. I have posted here before about all of the tests and scary false diagnoses that I went through when I suffered from these attacks for about a year and a half, July 2011-November 2012.

 

At last, they just ended. I did find out about some vitamin deficiencies, but I feel they were caused not by the illness but by strong antibiotics that the doctors gave me to treat what they thought was an infection causing the symptoms. This illness may return (it has gone away for a short time and then returned) but I'm hoping that my new diet sensitive to allergens and lower in fat (in case gallbladder truly is to blame) will help keep the terrible sickness away.

Many of these posts sound like what my 11 year old daughter is going through. She will wake in the middle of the night with severe stomach pains and diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. Pediatrician was baffled because it never happens during the day and sent us to a specialist who also thought it was strange that it was always in the night but thinks it may be abdominal migraines. I have a history of regular migraines in my family and he also asked if she gets motion sickness which she does. He prescribed an antihistime and wants us to call in a month to see it it has helped.

have you researched abdominal migraines? sounds like what my daughter is having and they prescribed an antihistime. Dr. thought it was strange that her feet were itching though. Her attacks are always in the middle of the night. She will wake from stomach pain and have diarrhea, itchy feet and sometimes vomiting and her face is flushed. after about 1/2 hr to an hr it will be gone besides feeling tired after

I thought I have been going mad. I just had my fourth attack two days ago. The first and third attack put me in hospital in September and December last year for 2 and 7 nights respectively. On the last hospital visit I was given a colonoscopy which was all clear. The doctor diagnosed IBS which I was adamant I don't have as I have never previously had any constipation or diahorrea issues. The first 3 times my symptoms were:

Tingling and itchy palms. This was then followed by severe stomach cramps and the urge to go to the toilet. Whilst sat on the toilet I experienced hot flashes and sweating. I was literally dripping and even with the window open I felt like I couldn't breath. Still on the toilet I started vomiting violently into my bath tub as I could not get up off the toilet. I then had really bad diahorrea which was like liquid. I had black spots in front of my eyes and felt like I was going to pass out. I fell onto my bathroom floor as I had no energy to move and  the stomach pains were so bad I thought I was going to die. I was crying out in pain and then my husband called an ambulance. 

The most recent attack mirrored all the above symptoms except the itching was so much more extreme. While I was sat on the toilet this time I was scratching profusely at my arms hands, head and neck. My hands swelled to the point where my wedding ring went tight. When I looked in the mirror I was red raw all over my face and neck, especially my ears. I went to lay in bed and continued to scratch at my skin and it was so sore. I scratched all over my body for at least 30 minutes before it subsided. I then went really cold but felt ok. I didn't want to go hospital this time as I felt I could ride it out which I did.

'm going to my doctor to ask for a referral to the immunology department as this is clearly not IBS and definitely allergy related. I need answers. 

 

I just had my third and worst attack last night (which is pretty much like what you describe except I also had violent vomiting and loss of bladder control along with it), and my husband also called an ambulance. The EMTs gave me a benadryl injection via IV, but it didn't do a whole lot (at least noticeably). The doctor in the ER said it definitely didn't fit the profile of allergy, and I just found out today that my allergy bloodwork all came back negative from a couple of weeks ago. The ER doc seemed to think it was related to something auto-immune, and recommended that my primary doctor look into that area. Which is what I've been trying to get my doctors to do for the last six months. So at least I'm not crazy on that front. Just had more bloodwork done today, will see what the results show.

For ellemem and others. I have posted here several times over the past few years. My attacks go back over 20 years. While it's almost certain that not everyone posting has the same issue, many of us do: middle of the night, severe vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, severe itching, shortness of breath, etc.

First, I've done dozens of hours of research, been to several allergists, been to an ER room numerous times. Many ER docs don't have a clue about histamine issues. Most EMT/ambulance techs don't either. Once an attack has started Benadryl has little effect. Epinephrine helps with the shock and acts as an antihistamine as well. I carry two epi pens everywhere but haven't used one for several years.

Research in Europe on histamine issues is far advanced from here in the U.S. Look up histamine degranulation in the European reports. What many of us are suffering from during an attack are two things, first the imune system response and second shock.

The shock part of the attack can kill you. I have been in the emergency room several times with no disernable blood pressure. Don't ignore this.

I'm almost 3 years now without a serious attack. As previously noted I take one generic Pepsid and Zertec (or Claritin) per day. While I still feel a histamine release take place once in a while, it is very minor and I just take two Benadrys.

Most docs don't know what this is, why it occures, or even how to diagnose it.  

Hello, last night I had diarrea and vomiting, my hands and feet became very itchy.  I had taken some vitamins a short while before this. Fish oil and a combined vitamin.  I'd like to ask ow many people experiencing this have well water?   Thanks, trying to make a deduction.  Maybe if we can find common ground we can figure this out. 

Saw an Allergist/Immunologist today.  He seems to think possibly that it is some sort of idiopathic anaphylaxis (what in my life ISN'T idiopathic nowadays???) or carcinoid syndrome  o.O.  Of course my referring doctor didn't have all my lab info sent to this allergist, so I have to wait for him to get all the info, plus take a few new tests before we move towards an actual diagnosis.  Doc was also surprised that the last two trips to the ER did not result in my being given an EpiPen, so that was prescribed along with Allegra and emergency-use prednisone.  

To answer previous poster, nope, no well water here.  And to another poster, no Zoloft or any mental-health meds here either, and my attacks have only happened once at night.

For anyone who is interested, I was having similar issues. It generally always started with itchy hands and feet (occasionally the back of my head) along with adominal discomfort. My skin would turn pink and be hot to the touch. I would sweat like crazy, get diarrea, vomit and then start to cool down after about an hour. After reading the so many believed it was an influx of histamines, we eventually traced my allergy to naproxen sodium, or Aleve. That may not be the cause for all of you but I thought I'd throw it out there as I am sure it is for someone else. For those who've ruled out foods, you may want to look at medications.

Do you have pain that feels like indigestion but it is not? Do you have upper back pain near spine on right side? If so I would recommend a scan to check for gallstones. It really sounds like the gallbladder attacks I was having. I experienced all the symptoms as you mentioned above plus horrendous upper back pain on right side for the past couple of years. My gallbladder is now out and I can't believe the difference in how I feel. My silly doc in NZ said it was stress attacks but effective Oz docs nailed it on the head I haven't had another attack since my gallbladder was removed. My daily upper back pain disappeared the first night after my operation. These are attacks I wouldn't wish on anyone!

I'm sure you have all had all your blood test, but I have experienced the same episodes but only 4 in the last year and they last for 15mins.  I have found out my Iron is too high and have hemochromatosis.  Ever since giving blood every 3 months I have had no symptoms

Who has a cat? My wife started having this issue when we got a cat.

It's amazing to read these posts, as all of them sound very similar to mine. OK so the first one happened in September of 2012. I just finished a breakfast of 2 eggs over easy, coffee, and green peppers. Then after eating I just felt gross, like the food wasn't sitting right. I went to the bathroom and had a normal bm, but while on the pot, started to get vaginal area itchiness and burning. Then my scalp started to get hot and itchy, as did my palms. I went to the mirror and my face was beat red. Then I started feeling weak, and lightheaded and nauseaous. I laid in bed and called my husband who was at work, he's a physician. He told me to take my blood pressure and take a benadryl. I could barely keep my eyes open and my breathing was shallow. My bp was low normal. I tried to take benadryl, called 911 and ended up getting sick. Then came the lower left sided abdomen pain. The EMS came and gave me fluid and Zofran via IV, the nausea disappeared immediately, but I still felt weak and had lower abdomen pain. The ER Dr. dx'd it as an allergic reaction. The episode subsided about 2 hours later and I felt FINE. Except later that day I got breakthrough bleeding of period cycle. I just thought this was due to stress of vomiting/and calling 911 and going in an ambulance. Then it happened a second time the Saturday after Thanksgiving (also mid cycle). This time I was awakened in the night by a yuck feeling in my stomach, like I was going to be sick, I got up and the nausea increased. After I vomited, then the lower abdomen pain started. I took a phenergan suppository and laid by the toilet for an hour. The pain subsided and I fell back to sleep feeling better the next day. ALthough ithiness wasn't as much of a factor this time, but later that next day, i started to bleed pre period. Finally the third time this happened was 3/24. It was a Sunday morning, I had just arrived on vacation after an 18 hr car ride the day before. I had 2 cups of coffee and a protein shake, then had the same YUCK feeling. I went to the bathroom and the itchiness started slowly. I thought, Oh no, not this again, but then I went into denial and continued about my normal routine, deciding I would go for a run. I went running with my husband, and while running, starting getting horrible itchiness in my hands and lips. Then I started to feel lightheaded. I made him run home to get the car. I knew what was next, vomiting. But while I was sitting on the sidewalk, I got up to move over by a rock to throw up and I thought I was going to faint. So I laid down and put my legs up in the air. Upon my husband's return, he took my pulse and said my BP was very low (vasovagal syncope) which is like a "shock" reaction to something. Again I took a zofran tablet, the nausea left, but the stomach pain continued for about an hour, while I was laying face down, unable to talk or move. I later got break through period bleeding. Since that time, I decided to check out my ovaries, to see if possible I was having an ovarian cyst rupture and the subsequesnt vasovagal episode was a result of this acute rupture? Today I have a pelvic ultrasound but haven't heard results. My obgyn started me on Sprintec, which I think is a low does birth control to stop ovulation. We shall see if this helps. I don't know if cysts are the cause, but that's where I am starting. Will let you know what I find out. I am a 41 y.o. white female.