Antihistamine and Acid Reflux Meds Help with Interstitial Cystitis Symptoms

Pepcid and Zyrtec for Interstitial Cystitis. Cetirizine plus Famotidine treatment. cetirizine 8 mg plus famotidine 22 mg in an orally. February 2023 case study paper in Scientific Research Journal

Mechanisms by which IC develops, progresses and persists:

Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome is an inflammatory disorder of the bladder, for which histamine has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. Histamines is a prevalent theory of why Interstitial Cystitis exists. This physican conducted study uses histamines as the basis for the cause and persistence of Interstitial Cystitis.

A physician-sponsored proof-of-principle case series of four adult female patients with chronic painful bladder and frequent urination, who were treated once daily with a low dose H1 + H2 histamine receptor antagonist combination was conducted.

Materials and Methods:

Four adult females with Interstitial cystitis/Bladder pain syndrome were treated once daily with a compounded oral dosage form containing the H1 receptor antagonist-cetirizine 8 mg in combination with the H2 receptor antagonist-famotidine 22 mg. The case series consists of a retrospective review of the symptom severity prior to versus following H1 + H2 treatment.

Results and Conclusions:

The once daily dual histamine receptor antagonist therapy substantially reduced the pain and urination frequency, and prophylactically maintained all four patients long-term with substantially reduced disease severity. The reduction in symptom severity was achieved at amounts that do not exceed the US FDA approved and exceptionally safe daily doses for the two over-the-counter monotherapies. This case series provides proof-of-principle evidence that a dual antihistamine combination of cetirizine plus famotidine effectively treated and maintained female patients, who were previously refractory to standard-of-care medications and/or procedures. https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=123319

The aggregate results of the four cases are summarized in the table below.

Table Above. Summary of four cases of IC/BPS in females. Urination frequency at baseline (pre-treated); urination frequency while treated daily with cetirizine 8 mg – famotidine 22 mg; bladder pain while treated daily with cetirizine 8 mg – famotidine 22 mg.