1 Reply by Crimson

(1,275 replies, posted in Focused Discussion)

dougfunny wrote:

What is Claritine? Do yall mean Claritin? As in Claritin-D?

The one I use is called Clarityne D, and it might be sold under different names, depending on who the manufacturer is. I've also seen it sold as Claritinese.

The 'ingredient' to look for in the meds is Loratadine, so it doesn't really matter which one you get as long as it contains that. Just ask for an antihistamine that contains Loratadine. Clarityne D contains 5mg of Loratadine per tablet, so you'll need to take two of those to get the recommended 10mg dosage. Claritinese on the other hand contains 10mg of Loratadine per tablet, so you'd only need one of those. Be sure to check  how much each tablet contains before you take it.

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2 Reply by Crimson

(1,275 replies, posted in Focused Discussion)

I gave the Zantac+Claritine combo a decent test this weekend. Went clubbing last night and I did about 6 shots in about 2hrs (2 Jagerbombs in quick succession among those), which normally would've given me a beetdown, put I was fine throughout the night, the flushing never hit me at all. Not even a pink glow. Best of all was that I didn't feel my head throbbing which normally comes along with the flushing, and no hangover today either (other than from lack of sleep).

Thanks to KMan for pointing me in the right direction with the Zantac+Claritine combo. Zantac on its own has a minimal effect, but Zantac+Claritine works 100%. In fact I don't really feel the need to get hold of Pepcid anymore as I don't see how it could work any better than the Zantac+Claritine, but I think I'll try getting hold of some anyway just so I can alternate between the two and hopefully make it less likely to build up a tolerance to either the Z+C or the Pepcid.

I'd also like to add to what has been said about the dangers of using these drugs to stop the flush; people still need to drink in moderation and try not to overdo it because it's quite easy to get carried away with your new drinking abilities. Be responsible people.

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3 Reply by Crimson

(1,275 replies, posted in Focused Discussion)

Thanks flushie, will try that.

I suppose a lot of self-experimentation needs to be done before you'll find the right strategy that works for you, because everyone's metabolism and reaction to the alcohol is different.

flushie, do you use the Zantac + Claritine combo as well, or just Zantac on it's own?

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4 Reply by Crimson

(1,275 replies, posted in Focused Discussion)

KMan, do you feel any drowsiness after taking the Zantac + Claritine combination?

Since Pepcid isn't sold here I'm more in favour of a Zantac + Claritine combo since both drugs are readily available here.

How many pills do you take of each for it to be effective?

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5 Reply by Crimson

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Ok, tried the Zantac. I had something to eat at around 7:30, popped two Zantacs (150mg) at around 9:00, then started drinking at roundabout 10:00.

After my first bottle of Smirnoff Spin which took me about 30mins to down: slight redness, face feels warm, but nothing that I don't usually experience. My eyes are a bit itchy (from lack of sleep, not so much from the drinking) so I used some eyedrops.
Second bottle of SS: No real difference, face still feels warm and I can feel my brain giving off a very gentle throb. Again, this is nothing unusual from what I normally experience.

Took me about 1h30m to finish off two bottles of Smirnoff Spin, and the Zantac has reduced the redness but not completely eliminated it. I think the eyedrops made the biggest difference, as you don't look too smashed when your eyes are a soberly white. So, my advice would be to always carry around some drops with you if your eyes tend to get red, as bloodshot eyes are a dead giveaway, especially for me. This warmish glow isn't so bad, and it's something I could still face people with without being embarrassed. I'd call this colour "Calm Unripe Tomato".

The other downside is I still got the rapid heartbeat and slight tightness of the chest, and also the warm face. I still need to try some Pepcid, and hopefully that helps alleviate these other symptoms as well as the redness. Zantac is OK in my opinion, it does reduce the redness, but doesn't eliminate it completely. Maybe try the Zantac before you opt for the Pepcid. I think I could've got better results with the Zantac as I didn't have enough sleep last night, I didn't avoid dairy today, and I maybe drank my first drink quicker than I should have. I think what most of us need is something to help us through the initial redness, because after that wears off it's not so noticeable. The most important thing is that it did reduce the redness, and I didn't feel sick, or more drunk than I usually do. I actually feel like I could drink more if I wanted to.

And don't forget those eyedrops. Keeping those eyes white really does help. :)

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6 Reply by Crimson

(1,275 replies, posted in Focused Discussion)

Hi,

Great forum, lots of useful info on here. I was happy to find out about the flush just to know that it's a genetic defect and that I'm not actually cursed. :)

I will have to try Pepcid as soon as I can get my hands on some, but Zantac will have to suffice for immediate experimentation as it is readily available here. I'm a bit skeptical on how effective Zantac is as the general consensus seems to be that it doesn't work (or just delays the redness). Also I've seen people saying they get drunk easier when they used Zantac, which is not something I'm aiming for. If the Zantac doesn't work then I suppose ebaying some Pepcid will be my last resort.

I'm considering going to my GP to ask him for something with famo in it, but I'm not sure what to tell him. He's not my 'family' GP or anything but I prefer going to him when I'm really sick so if he flat out rejects my request for famo tabs then it's going to make things a bit awkward. Any tips on how I should approach him? He doesn't seem like one of these moral-high-ground docs and he's kinda youngish so hopefully he'll understand. I'm assuming being honest with him is the better route because if I try to fake heartburn he might give me something else, and then when I ask "Erm... have you got anything with famotidine in it?" he'll think I'm some kind of addict. :)

Any advice is appreciated.

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