I've taken Stahist tabs, manufactured by Magna, for several years. It has always helped my congestion, drainage and allergies but now is unavailable. I'm searching for a substitute.
Q: One of my allergy medications, Stahist, is currently unavailable and I'm trying to find a substitue.
Answers (4)
12/15/08 4:08pm
Hi Sherry,
Stahist was a combination medication that contained pseudoephedrine, scopoloamine, atropine, chlorpheniramine maleate, and hyoscyamine. It is probably no longer available because of the pseudoephedrine, which has been taken off the market in most areas.
You might look into one of the second generation antihistamines that are far superior in most respects to the old cold & allergy medicines like Stahist. Drugs like Claritin, Zyrtec and Allegra work well for controlling allergy symptoms. If nasal congestion is still bad, you can try one of the combination meds that contain a decongestant, such as Claritin-D or Allegra-D.
Also, ask your pharmacist, who may be able to tell you of equivalent medications. Finally, any medication decisions should always be made in conjunction with your personal physician who knows you, your health status, and any other medicines you may be taking that could interact in a negative way with allergy medicines.
To your health,
Kathi
11/ 4/11 6:04pm
Barbie... As I've tried to communicate throughout this site, there is no one best medicine for everyone. Allergy medicine seems to vary in effectiveness from person to person. It's great that you had such good results with Stahist, but there is no denying the fact that medicines in that class often have more side effects than second generation antihistamines like Claritin, Zytec and Allegra.
But choosing the right medicine for an allergy sufferer sometimes entails weighing risks of side effects against potential benefits and comfort, so there will always be a market for these "older" meds too, I suppose.
Unfortunately, many of the combo meds and the first generation antihistamines are not as available as they once were, and that frustrates people who have come to rely on them. Not a lot we can do about that, however.
To your health,
Kathi
2/10/12 5:29am
I am right there with you. I have found otc stahist. It works quite well. But not as well as the original.
2/10/12 7:34am
Since posting, I was retested in my hometown by my original allergist. She said that if I need 2-3 Stahist daily, a steroid mist would be more effective (and more cost effective). She was right. The AstePro she gave me provides better and more instant relief. The only downside is that it tastes absolutely terrible. But for the relief, it is worth those 2-3 minutes of discomfort in the mouth.
5/22/09 10:44am
I take stahist and it is still available. Some doctors won't prescribe it they would rather give you zyrtec or claritan. But its 5/22/2009 and walgreens still filled my prescription
2/14/10 9:32am
I have taken Stahist daily for over six years and it is the only med. that has stopped my runny nose, sore throats, etc.----I think I had tried every allergy med. on the market-------- yes Walgreens was very good in keeping me supplied, but now Medicare won't allow you to have this drug-----very frustrating!
2/10/12 5:31am
I have found it at Kroger Pharm. it is over the counter but you have to ask for it.
9/29/11 9:02pm
Hi my name is tommy,I live in tennessee, and you can still get it here, it really works. I don't know if there is a substitute or not, I would ask your doctor!!!!
12/21/11 1:16pm
The reason that Stahist works so well for people with a large amount of sinus drainage is that it contained several medicines called anticholinergics, which essentially "dry up" all the secretions. The antihistamine and decongestant in Stahist are the same as Chlor-Trimeton D (at the pharmacy counter) in a higher dose. However there is no other anticholinergic medicine available on the market. So unfortunately all of us who relied on Stahist to make our lives bearable are basically screwed.
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I disagree with Kathi. I tried Claritin, Zyrtec and Allegra for my chronic sinus drainage caused by allergies. Claritin was the best, but it stopped being effective after only a few days. Then a new ENT in my area gave me a script for Stahist. I loved this medicine, except for the fact that it stopped working after 8 hours. I only wish that I could have taken it twice daily. Now the FDA has pulled it from the market due to a need for more research on it (along with 500 other drugs), the FDA says. As a substitute, I am presently taking Sudafed PE, but I still miss Stahist.