Antihistamine with very little anticholinergic properties

[filmore]

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I have a question. If a patient is seeking an antihistamine with little (or preferably negligible) anticholinergic properties for the purposes of gaining weight (but avoiding the anticholinergic side effects like impotence), what would be a good one to go for? A second generation one like loratadine? Thanks.

 

[awval999]

I have a question. If a patient is seeking an antihistamine with little (or preferably negligible) anticholinergic properties for the purposes of gaining weight (but avoiding the anticholinergic side effects like impotence), what would be a good one to go for? A second generation one like loratadine? Thanks.

What?

 

[filmore]

Various gastro-intestinal problems are being investigated, but meanwhile something needs to be given to solve the rapid weight loss.

 

[Old Timer]

There is no correlation or proof of efficacy for Loratadine or Fexofenadine in causing weight gain or boosting appetite. Cyproheptadine is given to boost appetite, but I really think efficacy is lacking.

By the way, the effects you are looking to avoid are anti-muscarinic as the cholinergic division of the ANS has nicotinic and muscarinic receptors and the muscarinic receptors are the ones responsible for the side effects of these agents....

 

[Ackj]

What about dronabinol? Used in AIDS patients for weight gain/appetite, although that's more of a chronic weight loss, rather than an acute problem.

 

[iFarm]

Speaking of chronic... 😀

 

[filmore]

Unfortunately you can't really use dronabinol with a history of psychosis.

 

[eventualeventer]

Curious vet student here - do y'all use mirtazapine ever for weight gain? It's used frequently in dogs and cats for decreased appetite d/t both acute and chronic disease (cats in particular will stop eating for any reason at all and are prone to hepatic lipidosis), with diazepam and cyproheptadine as distant second choices. Just curious about the species comparison.

 

[pandapharmer]

Curious vet student here - do y'all use mirtazapine ever for weight gain? It's used frequently in dogs and cats for decreased appetite d/t both acute and chronic disease (cats in particular will stop eating for any reason at all and are prone to hepatic lipidosis), with diazepam and cyproheptadine as distant second choices. Just curious about the species comparison.

We were taught in therapeutics that they do like to use mirtazapine in the elderly for the weight gain. Haven't seen it too much in retail practice. Anyone else?

 

[xiphoid2010]

Curious vet student here - do y'all use mirtazapine ever for weight gain?

Yes, not infrequently for that purpose during my oncology month. Helps with sleep and obviously improves their modds a little too. It's a good choice in this patient population.

 

[ForcedEntry]

Allegra has the least anticholinergic effects

 

[Old Timer]

Allegra has the least anticholinergic effects

Less antimuscarinic activity than Loratadine?

 

[eventualeventer]

We were taught in therapeutics that they do like to use mirtazapine in the elderly for the weight gain. Haven't seen it too much in retail practice. Anyone else?

Yes, not infrequently for that purpose during my oncology month. Helps with sleep and obviously improves their modds a little too. It's a good choice in this patient population.

Thanks for feeding my curiosity!

 

[Pharmavixen]

We use mirtazepine in the jail to help anxious inmates sleep. And they often gain weight, but that may be because of the access to three squares a day and the paucity of crack.

I have more experience with SSRIs causing wt gain, though that's a SE, not the intended therapeutic effect.

 

[Pharmavixen]

I have fielded many requests over the years for cyproheptadine to help children gain weight. I believe giving children drugs to fatten them up is terrible, horrible, awful therapeutics on a number of levels, so I'd tell people we were out.

Not to pick on anybody, but about 99% of the parents looking for Periactin to fatten their kids were Philipino, for some reason.