AUSCC

Headaches are felt by everyone at various times but there are particular substances which makes it more likely to be triggered off such as caffeine. Caffeine is a drug found in certain products like coffee, chocolate and tea and is often added to soft drinks and non-prescription drugs such as cold medicines and pain-relievers. Caffeine is often used to improve muscle co-ordination, to increase the alertness of a person and minimize tiredness. However, with these enhancement, caffeine can also become too stimulating and cause headaches if used excessively. This article will go into details and discuss some of the warning signs of caffeine headaches and possible treatments.

Caffeine works as a stimulant on the central nervous system and it is also placed in drugs for getting rid of headaches but it can also work as a vasoconstrictor and can even ncrease a persons’s blood pressure, which can then cause headaches. taking large doses of caffeine on an empty stomach, can help to encourage a migraine headache because it changes your blood sugar levels and causes it to become irregular. Persons who suffer from migraine headaches require magnesium in their system to help get rid of it, but because caffeine increases your need to urinate it also has the ability to flush the magnesium from your body making the headache even worse. Medications that contain caffeine can also further increase the bad effects of a headache. Migraine headaches have the ability to continue for extended periods of time, from a couple hours within the day leading into couple days and even weeks depending on the severity.

Symptom

As with other causes of headaches, caffeine headaches has basically similar symptoms, like disturbed concentration, fatigue, aching muscles, dizziness and in some cases nausea. Continuous Disturbed concentration affects a person’s ability to actively function in their environment, especially if headaches prolong over long periods of time. In most cases headaches cause a lot of strain in various muscles in the body, especially the head, neck, shoulder and back areas. This can affect the ability of the person to be able to sleep properly. Sleep is one of the body’s basic necessities, it helps in the healing process of revitalizing, soothing the body and calm the nerves, so when this process becomes hampered it further increases the stress level, cause more headaches and further affects their performance. Headaches can also make persons become very irritable and may be affected by any and everything that affects them in their environment, minor issues can sometimes make them easily distressed.

Generally persons should make a note of how much caffeine they drink and make their daily consumption of caffeine as low and consistent as possible. Not doing this can cause overuse of caffeine and thus continued headaches. Over the counter prescription medications such as pain killers can be used to alleviate headaches pain, in case it restarts and worsen. If headaches occur over long periods then you may need to consult a medical specialists

Fexofenadine is normally found in the medications includingAllegra, Telfast, Fastofen and Tilfur. It is an antihistamine that is used in the treatment of hayfever and other allergic reactions. Fexofenadine does not easily traverse the blood-brain barrier, and subsequently will not cause sleepiness. It is indicated for the general relief of red, itchy, or watery eyes; runny nose; sneezing; itching of the throat or on the roof of the mouth. It may be taken by adults and children above the age of two years old. It may also be prescribed for the relief of symptoms associated with urticaria which induces hives and red, itchy elevated portions of the skin. It operates by blocking the unpleasant effects of histamine which is essentially a substance that triggers allergic reactions within the body.

Fexofenadine can be purchased as a tablet or as a liquid and will be taken orally. It may be swallowed in the case of the tablet with water no more than two times daily. Fexofenadine should not be taken with fruit juices such as orange, grapefruit, or apple juice as the acidic content may interfere with the effectiveness of the pill. It should be taken at the same time(s) everyday. In addition, ensure that you are taking it as prescribed. Have the doctor or pharmacist expound any thing that is not clear in relation to the dosage instructions. It is vital that you take it exactly as it has been prescribed to avoid any unnecessary complications.

It will lower the symptoms you experience as a result of seasonal allergic rhinitis and urticaria but will not cure either condition. Therefore, you will need to take it even when symptoms are no longer evident. Extending the period between doses may cause allergic symptoms to materialize. Always shake the liquid thoroughly before using it to promote a more consistent mixture.

Tell your doctor of certain pre-existing conditions like kidney disease and pregnancy. Be certain to let your doctor know what medications you are presently taking, if any, to avoid any unexpected reactions. Antacids that contain magnesium or aluminium will need to be taken a few hours before or a few hours after taking the medication.

Dosage

Children between the ages of 2–11 years will be required to take 30 mg twice daily

Children 12 years and older (including adults) will be prescribed 60 mg twice daily or 180 mg once per day.

Patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria who are children between the ages of 6 months to 2 years will need to take 15 mg twice daily.

For the elderly the starting dose will be 60 mg once daily. This amount will be altered based on renal function i.e. possible kidney damage.

The medications will be available in these two forms:

Suspension in the amount 6 mg/mL (30 mL, 300 mL) (raspberry cream)

Tablet in the amount 30 mg, 60 mg, 180 mg

Side effects will include:

Drowsiness/sleepiness

Headache

Nausea

Abnormal bowel movements

Dizziness

Vomiting

Weakness

Fatigue

Diarrhea

In Case of Overdose

Overdose with this drug is rarely occurs, subsequently the effects of possible overdose are not well documented. When tested on laboratory mice none died because of surplus exposure, specifically when given 5000 mg/kg, of the drug. This amount is 110 times the amount recommended for human consumption. The amount used in laboratory tested rats would actually be the equivalent of an individual taking 400 times the prescribed dosage. When testing was done on humans with excessive dosages no additional adverse reactions occurred.

Drug Interactions

If fexofenadine is taken in conjunction with fluoxetine it may trigger drowsiness.

Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that comes about when the body’s immune system starts to attack its own tissues and organs. The inflammation that results from lupus can affect several areas throughout the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs.

Lupus is far more often observed in women than in men but no clear connection for this observation has been identified. There are four types of lupus in existence these are: systemic lupus erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, drug-induced lupus erythematosus and neonatal lupus. Of the types identified, systemic lupus erythematosus is by far the most widespread and serious form of lupus.

The outlook for people with this disease was very poor in the past however improvements in the diagnosis and treatment methods employed for lupus has remarkably enhanced the likelihood of surviving with the condition. Once the disease is treated most people with the disease can lead normal lives.

Because it is an autoimmune disease, it not only attacks foreign substances that may enter the body, such as bacteria and viruses, but also triggers the immune system to attack healthy tissue. As said before this brings about inflammation and resultant damage to different sections of the body, inclusive of the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels and brain.

It is not yet known what causes the disease, like other autoimmune diseases it remains a mystery. It is speculated that it is the result of a combination of factors, most notably, the patient’s genes and the environment. Some experts also think that a person may inherit a predisposition to lupus, but not the actual disease itself. Instead, people with this probable inherited predisposition for the disease may only develop the condition when they make some form of contact with something in the environment that may trigger lupus, including some types of medication or a virus.

The disease does not always develop in the same way for all individuals affected by the disease . Signs and symptoms may appear suddenly or develop gradually. They may be mild or severe, and may be temporary with fluctuating bouts of the associated symptoms or permanent. Most people affected by lupus have a mild form of the disease characterized by episodes which are deemed flares when signs and symptoms are worsened for a short period, then improve or even disappear completely for some time.

The signs and symptoms of lupus that an individual will experience will largely depend on the areas of the body that are affected by the condition. However the more typical signs and symptoms may include any of the following:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Memory loss

• Fatigue

• Fever

• Weight loss or gain

• Fingers and toes that turn white or blue during exposure to cold or during stressful periods. This is called Raynaud’s phenomenon.

• Joint pain, stiffness and swelling

• Butterfly-shaped rash or malar rash on the face that covers sections of the cheeks and the bridge of the nose

• Skin lesions that appear and are actually worsened by sun exposure

• Mouth sores

• Hair loss (alopecia)

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Dry eyes

• Easy bruising

Once an individual develops an unexplained rash, ongoing fever, persistent aching or fatigue, he or she should consult a doctor to rule out the possibility that it could be lupus.

Once a person has been diagnosed with lupus, he or she should have routine consultations with a doctor so that the condition can be treated and monitored properly. Also any new symptoms should be assessed immediately.