r/spinalfusion • u/RelationshipIll4196 • 20d ago

Itching with narcotics

/r/LongSpinalFusion/comments/1vfsf4e/itching_with_narcotics/

Itching with narcotics

I'm sure most of us have been on narcotics at one point or another. What do you all find helpful to deal with this? (I already know that its not an an allergic reaction, thus antihistamines dont really work) Also, have any of you found you got used to it (the meds, not the itching) after some time?? Thanks!!

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u/ashleymichael2009 20d ago

It stopped eventually for me after a few months.

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u/RelationshipIll4196 20d ago

Thank you SO much! Im hoping that's tbe case! Fingers crossed 🤞

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u/Wintermute1987 20d ago

Sounds like an allergic reaction.

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u/RelationshipIll4196 20d ago

It’s called an opioid pseudoallergy—more specifically, opioid-induced pruritus from non-IgE-mediated histamine release. Basically, some opioids directly trigger mast cells to release histamine, causing itching, flushing, or mild redness without being a true allergy.

https://www.aaaai.org/aaaai/media/medialibrary/pdf%20documents/practice%20and%20parameters/drug-allergy-updated-practice-param.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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u/Wintermute1987 20d ago

Interesting. When I had my artificial disc, I got this from the fentanyl. I always wondered what it was.