Q. I read your column about a person suffering with chronic hives. I had that problem back in the early 80s.
After many tests and a multitude of drugs I was finally given Tagamet, a then-new histamine 2 blocker. It worked like a charm. After the first Tagamet my hives disappeared quicker than they had after a shot in the emergency room. I continued with the drug for several months until the hives finally stopped.
A. Most people think of Tagamet (cimetidine) as a heartburn or ulcer drug rather than an antihistamine. It does block histamine, and we are pleased to learn how well it worked for your persistent hives.
Readers have reported a number of other approaches that can be helpful for hives on our website. We are glad to have one additional approach to add the list of possibilities, since what works for one person may not be helpful for someone else. Overcoming hives can require a lot of persistence and trial-and-error.
