Antihistamines

As you would have guessed and I'm assuming that since you are reading this you would be a person of ordinary intelligence and common sense (SCROLL DOWN FOR A TEST ON ORDINARY COMMON SENSE, if you're unsure about yours) this post is to do with an allergy that struck me precisely 20 days back and took a fortnight to get better.

So, it all began with a mere redness and rash on the ears and quickly progressed onto my face and within 2 days my face bloated up almost like a puffer fish and diminished only after a strong cocktail of medicines taken over a period of two and a half weeks. My friend who's studying Pharma tells me that I've taken antihistamines ranging across the entire spectrum from Fexofenadine, Levocetrizine to Cetrizine and Hydroxyzine. And after 4 tablets of potent antihistamines ingested over a period of 24 hours for one and a half fortnights I was in this perpetual state of stupor. I almost missed my best friend's birthday. She had to come over to my place to celebrate her turning 20. And I'm told I looked like an overfed Chink.

I'm still not certain as to what caused this extreme trigger response in my mast cells. It could be paint, methi or just some microscopic allergen in the air. The only positive that came out of this was that my Mom agreed to me not having methi in the future ever again. :D

Three doctors were consulted. Out of them one is worthy enough to find a place in my blog. She's the Allergy Specialist in a leading hospital in Mumbai. I think she needed therapy herself. A flabby, early 60 something woman with islets of flab hanging down from her designer blouse, she very cheerfully assigned me blood tests for autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer's disease and prescribed drugs for Asthma and other ailments I do not have. And as far as the blood reports were concerned I could've consulted her only after another 15-20 days is what I was told in a "Himesh Reshamiya turns Robot" kind of a voice. :\

Now, what I was worried about was whether I would get addicted to Antihistamines. I mean people get hooked onto Crack, Weed, LSD but Antihistamines? That would not be acceptable. I didn't. Thankfully. The allergy didn't do me any good. It lasted as long as Made In China goods last. It didn't even serve as time for self introspection because I was too preoccupied by some entrance exams. I ended up going to the centres looking like what JLo looked like in Monster-In-Law post her character's nut allergy.

I wish Dr. Mark Sloan was for real.

The Common Sense Test:

Answer this simple question to find out if you are a person of ordinary common sense:

Do you find Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Maxx Mobile ad annoying?

• Yes
• No

If you answered Yes, you need to read those boring books on self confidence.

If you answered No, you need therapy. My sympathies.

By the way. Thank you Daniel Bovet. Sincerely.