Histamine Hell - Tamed
My battle to control the oestrogen/histamine/cortisol balance, was long, hard, stressful (ironically) and continues - 2 years on.
This is a long read. It was/is a long journey.
This is an outline of what worked for me.
It may not work for you.
We are all completely individual with completely individual biological make-ups.
Immediate Relief Tools
My skin felt like it was on fire. It was also hot to the touch, whilst the itching screamed underneath the skin. Immediate relief was found by using:
Cold packs were the simplest most effective way to calm and relieve pain.
Hydromol barrier cream was initially highly effective, but it’s messy, hence my need for piles of wound dressings
Burns dressings felt a-maze-ing, so cooling!
But having anything wrapped around my wrists made the skin react where the dressing finished
The large blue cold pads - https://www.jmldirect.com/chillmax-pillow-cooling-gel-insert-for-all-pillows were great for wrapping around my thighs and butt. Initially bought to place on your pillow at night to combat night heats (before I started HRT) but they came in very handy during this nightmare.
Our fridge and freezer were permanently filled with a variety of cold packs.
Local GP Intervention - i.e. a total waste of time
After sending photos of my skin to my online menopause specialist, she was insistent that I be seen by my local GP. She was extremely concerned and demanded that I get an appointment that day…. ha!
Hilarious !
An on the day appt in NHS Lothian? Appointments are only allocated if you call at 8am on the day you want the appt.
I rang them the next day at the allotted 8am.
I am pretty sure I only got an appointment because I said that ‘my specialist’ had told me to call.
However, as anticipated, she was beyond useless.
"This has NOTHING to do with your HRT, NOTHING" as she paced around me whilst I stood with my trousers round my ankles as she inspected the sores on my thighs.
"And, I don't CARE who your menopause specialist is, you should NEVER have been put on that high a dose, NEVER"
"And I mean.. how do you know you have angina?....." as she shook her head in disbelief, "have you had a heart attack or something?!" Her derision was obvious, she came so close to actually snorting at me. I began to cry.
After directing her to the dates of my SCAD heart attacks etc, she did stop hurummphing and charging around the room, declaring loudly about her training as a British Menopause Society ‘specialist’, but she was NOT happy.
(And I have no idea who she thought my menopause specialist was, but if she didn’t care to read about my SCAD heart attacks I very much doubt that she would have bothered to check the letters from my menopause specialist)
As well as being in extreme pain, I felt humiliated, standing with my trousers round my ankles whilst yet again being given a bollocking by a medical professional who obviously didn’t believe that I could possibly have had a heart attack/angina etc.
A few months later, I receive a call from the surgery to say that they’ll no longer be providing me with my HRT prescription from my private menopause specialist.
So how’s reducing your stress levels going Jill?…….
Not for the first time, I wanted to give up on the whole HRT pallaver
1 week of antibiotics
steroid cream to be applied for 1 week
2 weeks of antihistamines
May I take a moment to remind you this that skin issue has continued now for over 2 years.
Private Menopause Specialist Advice: highly effective
convertion from oestrogel to patches (less skin coverage)
Becanase Nasal Spray applied to the skin before applying patches. (Place palm of hand above nozzle as you spray 3-4 pumps, then whip hand up the right way and rub onto skin. Wait till it's tacky before applying patch)
Antihistamine, Fexafenadine hydrochloride - Boots the Chemist own brand is the cheapest. 3-4 per day.
We were aware that I don't absorb as well from the patches but at least the patches have a smaller area.
She also suggested a number of supplements but, as she knew the calibre and professionalism of my medical herbalists and nutritionists with whom I work beside, I was to be guided by them. They have known my body for 15 years - they would know which supplement would be most effective for me.
I never thought that THIS would be part of my HRT regime!
Under The Guidance of my Medical Herbalists:
Vitamin C
L-Glutamine
Quercetin
L-thianine
Nettle tea
Let me save you some money….
Please do not buy any supplements on a whim!
The above supplements are expensive.
Randomly buying some or all, guessing which may work for you is a fool’s choice.
You need guidance from those who know what they’re doing.
Believe me, spending money on a consultation with either a Medical Herbalist or nutritionist via phone call, video or in-person appointment will save you money in the long run.
No point in making super-expensive pee!
I was also on a variety of personally prescribed herbal tinctures and teas, for:
adrenal support
sleep
antibiotic effect
skin health
I was spending a lot of money....
My medical herbalists are Wendy Kelly and Clare McQuade at Napiers Herbal Dispensary - my place of work. For information check out the website here
Wendy Kelly - https://napiers.net/pages/practitioners/wendy-kelly
Clare McQuade - https://napiers.net/pages/practitioners/clare-mc-quade
It took many, many months to work out the best prescriptions. My body’s ability to find a work-around, to keep fighting whatever we tried was absolutely, unbelievably, stupefyingly ‘good’.
In addition to all the above, I was trying every cream in the land, either to give me relief or to ‘fix it’.
Some of the creams I tried 2024-2025
Eurax gel and Sunflower body lotion available from Sainsbury’s & pharmacies. The others from https://napiers.net/
Let me save you some more money….
The issue was hormonally driven.
My body thought everything was a stressor.
The skin issue was as a RESULT of this.
No cream would ‘fix it’ - it wasn’t the thing that needed to be ‘fixed’.
The underlying hormonal drivers were what needed to be ‘fixed'. Then, and only then would the skin begin to heal.
So if you are experiencing the same issue, don’t waste your money looking for a cream to ‘fix it’.
But by all means, look for a cream that will relieve it
Year 2 - and a new menopause specialist
I was persuaded to change from the patches to Lenzetto spray.
Lenzetto has to be sprayed onto the inner forearms or, failing that the back of the knees, where the skin is thinner.
I’m not sure why it was deemed a good idea to try yet another form of oestrogen and for it to be applied where the skin is at its thinnest.
I knew with every fibre of my body that this would be a bad idea and said so.
I’m a self-employed massage therapist, my forearms are the tools of my trade.
And by God I needed to be able to ‘trade’ to pay for all my private healthcare.
Tough.
As expected, another disaster.
And when the forearms became too painful and I switched to the back of the knees - you can see the results below:
Longer Term Plan (over the 2 years from initial onset)
converting from gel to patches - to reduce area of skin effected
applying Becanase Nasal spray to skin before applying patches
applying patches to the 'hard hide' of my butt, where the skin is thicker.
Fexafenadine hydrochloride antihistamines - 3-4x per day
a huge variety of wound dressings and creams to relieve pain, reduce itching. These had to be constantly rotated to remain effective as my body always found a work-around.
numerous weeks off work to allow the pain in my forearms to subside, before working again.
Hydromol cream
Balmonds Skin Salvation was also useful
Aloe vera gel - straight from the fridge.
Castor oil - poured onto wrist bandages then wrapped around my wrists for a few hours at a time. Such a simple thing! It really seemed to help the skin to heal
Keep the aloe vera in the fridge so when you apply, it’s wonderful and cold. The Napiers aloe vera and seaweed gel is also wonderful but it’s a bit pricey.
And The Final Piece of the Puzzle? (in the last 3 months)
The most unscientific thing ever!
Bach Flower remedies!!
Bach Flower Remedies - that worked for me
These work purely on emotions and I figured, if cortisol is driven by stress i.e. emotions, then maybe they would help?
There are 38 flower essences to choose from.
There is list of practitioners on their website who can help you to choose which are best for you. Again, we’re all different, my emotional makeup will not be the same as yours!
(Although, if you’re perimenopausal Impatiens is probably a good place to start as it helps with impatience…..)
Additionally, what helped:
Time
Sleep.
Avoiding all medical professionals as much as possible.
A supportive partner.
Time.
Not fannying about with my HRT regime, trying to force my body to comply with bloody guidelines.
Time.
Castor oil has been super-healing. The Balmonds skin salvation was helpful too but, the Napiers Starflower cream continues to be so.
March 2026
Current Regime (26 months since initial onset)
Becanase Nasal Spray under oestrogen patches- about 3 sprays into palm of hand then rub onto skin. Wait until it's tacky, then apply patch.
Consistant HRT regime for the last few months. which also means I can sleep.
Fexafenadine on clinic massage days and the day after.
Napiers Starflower cream which can help to improve the integrity of the skin
Vitmain C
Magnesium Glycinate
B vitamins to support my adrenals.
Bach Flower remedies. They've also helped me to create and maintain my boundaries
Takeaways
Once a histamine response starts, it’s hell to switch off.
GPs have no knowledge of histamine response.
Unfortunately, you need specialist advice - which costs.
If nothing else, seek professional guidance on which supplements to take - this can save you a lot of money and may make a lot of difference.
I sincerely hope that some of the above helps.
All the best
Jill x
Jill is a patient advocate for women's heart health and has been asked to speak on numerous podcasts, radio and TV newsreels.
She has been asked to give her patient perspective of women's heart health on a number of research projects for Edinburgh Napier University, the British Heart Foundation, The Alliance Health and Social Care (Scotland) and been asked to speak at a Cross Party Meeting at the Scottish Parliament.
All information in these articles should not in any way be misconstrued nor promoted as medical advice.
She is registered on the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)the independent UK regulator for complementary healthcare practitioners, in her capacity as a sports massage and rehab specialist and, is therefore not permitted to give specific advice on any medications.
She uses her vast experience as a teacher and therapist within the health and fitness industry to help people to advocate and navigate their own healthcare journey.