Help with Hives (Urticaria)
Discussion
Back in January I was staying in a hotel and woke with a few hives on my legs, swollen fingers (couldn't get wedding ring or watch on). After 12 hours in work the hives had gone. Since then my symptoms have got gradually worse. Head to toe in hives, easily over 100 with many joining up. I've been absolutely covered in them. It is the same patten daily. I wake with it, whether on day shift or night shift and by the end of the day/shift I'm usually ok.
So far I've been to the doctor several times and have tried several antihistamines and steriods. I had one reaction where I ended up going to a&e on the doctor's advise. Swollen lips, eyes, face etc. I've paid to see a private consultant. His advice was to go on low salicylate diet. I've made I real effort the last 48 hours with eating only porridge, natural yoghurt and drinking only water. Symptoms have not changed.
I'm currently on 4x fexofenidine and 2x loratadine daily. This seems to slow things down to just a few hives on my torso but my legs covered and still the odd day with swollen fingers.
Has anyone suffered with this before? Anything else I can try?
So far I've been to the doctor several times and have tried several antihistamines and steriods. I had one reaction where I ended up going to a&e on the doctor's advise. Swollen lips, eyes, face etc. I've paid to see a private consultant. His advice was to go on low salicylate diet. I've made I real effort the last 48 hours with eating only porridge, natural yoghurt and drinking only water. Symptoms have not changed.
I'm currently on 4x fexofenidine and 2x loratadine daily. This seems to slow things down to just a few hives on my torso but my legs covered and still the odd day with swollen fingers.
Has anyone suffered with this before? Anything else I can try?
Thank you for taking time to reply. I've paid to see a private dermatologist. He gave me a talk about avoiding certain foods. Dried fruit to be avoided at all costs, which made sense as I had eaten Alpen the morning I went to a&e. He tested for allergies and only came back with pollen. Perhaps start of hay fever season has made me react like this although it's never happened before?!
Am I right in saying if it is something like washing powder causing the problem then changing my detergent it may not show instantly if this has worked? It can potentially take days or weeks to calm down? I've seen some supermarkets sell washing powder for sensitive skin. I will try this when I get home.
It's frustrating as my only trigger i can work out is going to bed. I can't avoid going to bed!
Am I right in saying if it is something like washing powder causing the problem then changing my detergent it may not show instantly if this has worked? It can potentially take days or weeks to calm down? I've seen some supermarkets sell washing powder for sensitive skin. I will try this when I get home.
It's frustrating as my only trigger i can work out is going to bed. I can't avoid going to bed!
Florida you say? I can do that! I'm going to Greece for a week at the start of May. I hope things change.
Strange you mention the deodorant. It's only occurred to me I spend ages itching my under arms. I never linked it to this in the past but it's something to look out for.
Luckily I'm in Wales so my prescriptions are free. My GP is very good at trying other potions and tablets. They may not be clued up but they are keen to help unlike my old GP.
Strange you mention the deodorant. It's only occurred to me I spend ages itching my under arms. I never linked it to this in the past but it's something to look out for.
Luckily I'm in Wales so my prescriptions are free. My GP is very good at trying other potions and tablets. They may not be clued up but they are keen to help unlike my old GP.
Patch1875 said:
You have my sympathies, my wife suffered for nearly a year with it, unfortunately don't think her eventual fix will work for you....pregnancy it instantly disappeared!
Sure she got an injection of some sort a week or so before our wedding to keep it away for a few weeks.
You obviously have the magic touch. Worth a shot! Sure she got an injection of some sort a week or so before our wedding to keep it away for a few weeks.
ST270 said:
I have experienced Urticaria and done loads of research on triggers / treatments.
Mine started at the gym and was originally attributed to increased body heat (no idea why this would suddenly start as never had it before) Anyway I took antihistamines and they didn't work - when you do some serious research on the condition you find out that urticaria is actually a reaction for something going on inside you body; therefore skin creams are useless as they do not stop or prevent the condition (as are antihistamines)
Hives are raised mast cells under the skin the same cells which result in heat lumps. Mast cells are all over the skin hence why some bouts of the condition show as single dots and other areas may appear as rashes.
Mine were all dots and occurred more often if i was run down / dehydrated / tired - basically when the natural immune system is at a low point (OP mentioned bedtime for when their symptoms began which is when the immune system is low)
Mine also occurred in cold temperatures and with wind chill. I found that antihistamines didn't work and after research i tried a Chinese Doctor (acupuncture and acupressure) the TCM was quite effective when combined with their herbal remedy which was antioxidant tea! The Chinese Doctor was knowledgeable re the condition and it is termed "wind cold" - They advised that it is the body's immune system producing hives as a deterrent to an internal issue.
TCM tries to re balance the immune system so that you body no longer perceives something is trying to attack it.
Solutions;
Boost your immune system and flush your system out with water (to start with take on more than the recommended daily intake then cut it back) - you need to be totally hydrated
Ditch antihistamines as all they do is mask the issue and do not cure it
Alcohol often aggravates urticaria and it dehydrates so cut it out for a while
Binge on antioxidant foods to aid the improvement of you immune system (i found blueberries are good for this along with green teas)
See a Chinese doctor (even if you are unsure i found them to have more time and knowledge with this condition than any dermatologist or G.P.
My symptoms lasted a period of 3 years whilst i tried all of the above - that was 4 years ago and i haven't had an attack since....
Thank you for taking the time to write that post. I'm currently on steroids to treat the hives. I had a bad attack a few weeks ago but steroids seem to work well. My course comes to an end in about 10 days so we'll see what happens there. Mine started at the gym and was originally attributed to increased body heat (no idea why this would suddenly start as never had it before) Anyway I took antihistamines and they didn't work - when you do some serious research on the condition you find out that urticaria is actually a reaction for something going on inside you body; therefore skin creams are useless as they do not stop or prevent the condition (as are antihistamines)
Hives are raised mast cells under the skin the same cells which result in heat lumps. Mast cells are all over the skin hence why some bouts of the condition show as single dots and other areas may appear as rashes.
Mine were all dots and occurred more often if i was run down / dehydrated / tired - basically when the natural immune system is at a low point (OP mentioned bedtime for when their symptoms began which is when the immune system is low)
Mine also occurred in cold temperatures and with wind chill. I found that antihistamines didn't work and after research i tried a Chinese Doctor (acupuncture and acupressure) the TCM was quite effective when combined with their herbal remedy which was antioxidant tea! The Chinese Doctor was knowledgeable re the condition and it is termed "wind cold" - They advised that it is the body's immune system producing hives as a deterrent to an internal issue.
TCM tries to re balance the immune system so that you body no longer perceives something is trying to attack it.
Solutions;
Boost your immune system and flush your system out with water (to start with take on more than the recommended daily intake then cut it back) - you need to be totally hydrated
Ditch antihistamines as all they do is mask the issue and do not cure it
Alcohol often aggravates urticaria and it dehydrates so cut it out for a while
Binge on antioxidant foods to aid the improvement of you immune system (i found blueberries are good for this along with green teas)
See a Chinese doctor (even if you are unsure i found them to have more time and knowledge with this condition than any dermatologist or G.P.
My symptoms lasted a period of 3 years whilst i tried all of the above - that was 4 years ago and i haven't had an attack since....
As you said, I found water to be a good help. I had lots of bottles of water and drunk a lot over a few days and felt better. Also the attack of hives I've had have all been when I've been run down with just a cold. All other times just seems to be low level. Tiredness could be a huge factor as I work nights and get very little sleep in the day. Usually 3-4 hours. Sometimes I work around the clock. 20:00 until the afternoon the next day with a lot of travelling.
When I come off the medication I will see what happens. I will certainly try some of the anti-oxidants food and keep my water intake up.
Quick reply as I know how desperate the situation can be.
I tried many many different things. Diets that were meant to make it better actually brought me out in the worst rashes. In the end I stuck with a fairly long course of steroids. 1 months at 5 tablets a day. Next month at 4 and so on. I've not long finished the course and during that time I had almost zero hives. I've not taken a tablet for a a few weeks and had no reactions.
See if your doctor will give you steroids if you want to try that. Best of luck.
I tried many many different things. Diets that were meant to make it better actually brought me out in the worst rashes. In the end I stuck with a fairly long course of steroids. 1 months at 5 tablets a day. Next month at 4 and so on. I've not long finished the course and during that time I had almost zero hives. I've not taken a tablet for a a few weeks and had no reactions.
See if your doctor will give you steroids if you want to try that. Best of luck.
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