Posted by fachad on March 30, 2002, at 22:25:26
In reply to FACHAD: U R so helpful! 2 more questions here: » fachad, posted by Janelle on March 30, 2002, at 15:04:59
Q: How did you find that post since it is now in the archives? Did you do some kind of search (if so, what terms)
A: I tried to search for it, because I remembered typing up an answer to a similar question not too long ago. I then learned that Dr. Bob only archives the posts every so often, and you can't search for very recent posts.
If you click the "Search with Options" you can see the available date range. As of today 03/30, you can search up to 02/21. That thread was after 02/21, so I kinda just "browsed" for it. A little work, but I figured it was less work than re-composing and re-typing the answer. 10 years of psychopharmacology has not cured my laziness!
Q: and then did you copy/paste the URL for the post in your answer here?
A: Once I found the thread, I just clicked in the Address Bar, which highlights the whole url that you are currently at, and did Ctrl+C (copy), clicked down in the message text box, which puts the cursor there, and then did Ctrl+V (paste). Again, incurable laziness, or maybe I should say "treatment refractory laziness".
Q: You had written: "An anti-histamine blocks histamine receptors and the things they do like make itching, watery eyes, runny nose and hives". I thought that receptors are *holes* which only RECEIVE messages, so I'm confused by your saying that histamine receptors cause itching, watery eyes, runny nose, etc. How can receptors *cause* things? I thought they were just part of the message relay system so to speak.
A: Poor word choice on my part. I should have said that histamine receptors MEDIATE the itching, watery eyes, etc. They are not the direct cause, but they are a link in the chain reaction.
The chain goes something like this (less than perfect scientifically, but basic idea is there): An allergen in the body is perceived as an irritant, histamine is released, histamine receptors are activated, nerve impulses are transmitted, and the final event is hives or whatever.
So the histamine neurotransmitter and the histamine receptor are two links in a chain that starts with cat hair and ends with hives. If you stay away from cats, or if you block the histamine receptor, you can avoid hives. Although neither cat hair nor histamine receptors are the total CAUSE of hives, you can avoid hives by blocking the process at either point.
> Fachad,
>
> THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH for your PERFECT explanation of an agonist and an antagonist. Now I totally understand these concepts! Thanks again.
>
> I went back to that post you linked and have a couple more questions:
>
> 1) (this should be right up your alley, since you are a computer person!) How did you find that post since it is now in the archives? Did you do some kind of search (if so, what terms) and then did you copy/paste the URL for the post in your answer here? I am fascinated by computer applications, especially online type things, so I'm very curious how you did this.
>
> 2) I'm copying/pasting something from that previous post which I now have a question about: You had written: "An anti-histamine blocks histamine receptors and the things they do like make itching, watery eyes, runny nose and hives"
>
> I thought that receptors are *holes* which only RECEIVE messages, so I'm confused by your saying that histamine receptors cause itching, watery eyes, runny nose, etc. How can receptors *cause* things? I thought they were just part of the message relay system so to speak. Could you please clarify this for me - thanks very much.
> -Janelle
poster:fachad
thread:100946
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020327/msgs/101029.html