Constant Hives

[stan4]

Probably she scratched your back for evidence of dermatographism which usually points to a higher susceptibility to urticaria that may be vasomotor related or related to thin membranes on your mast cells:
The symptoms are thought to be caused by mast cells in the surface of the skin releasing histamines without the presence of antigens, due to the presence of a weak membrane surrounding the mast cells. The histamines released cause the skin to swell in the affected areas.

Steroids tend to break the cycle of urticaria and zyrtec has been known to work very well for a lot of people. I would still do what you're doing and get the work-up for autoimmune or liver disease.

[cls64]

I have been diagnosed with "mechanical hives" and "dermatographism" due to hypersensitivity due to unknown cause. I am seeing a specialist in NYC and have been taking mega doses of anti-histamines since last April, 08. The hives are not responding as they should, my skin is itchy, bleeding from scratching (even black and blue from scratching at times!). I am using Aveeno exfoliation lotion in the shower (for extreme flakiness of skin) and Aveeno bath/shower oil (for extra moisturizing). The specialist has told me that we will never know cause of hives (I have already been to allergist and several other local dermatologists!).
Does anyone have any idea how to manage this????

[pitt_transplant]

You can also try red clover tea. You can develop allergies at anytime in life to things that never bothered you before. If you remove whatever it is..Sometimes the allergy goes away after a break and never comes back.

Do not use red clover tea if you have high blood pressure or are on any life sustaining medications. I would also wait 24 hours post allergy med to take it. A problem with most OTC allergy meds is that they slow the metabolism. I have a severe reaction to them. So I use red clover instead. No doped out feeling from it either. It actually makes you feel calmer and clearheaded as it is a blood cleanser type of herb. You can find it online and it health stores. It is also in some tea detox blends.

[Vbenson]

I had a bad case of hives this week. Two weeks ago I had a sinus invection and had to take an antibiotic. The day I took my last antibiotic I got a stomach virus that lasted about 4 days. Then I broke out in hives. I also had syptoms of asthma, swelling of lips, hands and feet. I had to go to the Dr. as they were getting worse even when taking antihistimine and he gave me a steroid shot and a steroid packet to take for 6 days. Does the immune system become overly active and is this what may cause the hives?

[I LOVE PA!]

Hives...oh how I hate them.
Myself, and both my daughters get hives. Here is the pattern I have seen....
All of us RARELY take antibiotics. It's been over 5 years since anyone needed them BUT....every one of us has had hives after taking an antibiotic. The Dr. didn't think there was any conection all times because they basically started after the last dose, saying an allergy would have started immediately. Since it was a few years later for each of us that antibiotics were needed, I trusted them again. And again....all of us had gotten them. They lasted several months after the completion of the antibiotic. Doctors say that it would not stay in your system that long, but I know it was the cause in some way. We did not take the antibiotics at the same time either.....each of us could be years apart. Basically in the last ten years, probably 2 or 3 times each, and all times we got hives. My oldest daughter also gets hives from excercise. She can't do any kind of exercise what-so-ever. Very dissappointing for a young person.

[fx103]

I developed hives after my doctor put me on diovan. He said it wasn't the diovan and so did the rep who sold it. I continued to have severe hives. I stopped taking it after two months (no longer needed it). Continued taking zyrtec. Hives stayed away. I assumed it was from taking zyrtec everyday. My doctor then put me on high doses of viaming B6 B12 and folic acid. My hives went on a rampage after that. Not one doctor I went to put two and two together, so I suffered for almost a year. Then one day my face swelled up and they sent me to an allergist for test. Everything came up negative. Still had severe hives and every once in awhile my face and throat swelled up. Last time I went to emergency room a doctor told me my facial swelling was due to a condition called angina edema. I was allergic to Nsaids, ace inhibitors, ibuprofen, etc. I was still breaking out into hives but no more facial swelling. I then went to an immunology allergist. He took me off of the B vitamins and folic acid. He knew that that what was causing hives. He said it was a common hive producer that very few people realize that. I have been hive free ever since the day I stopped taking them. Ask you doctor about this and if he says no way, go to a doctor that knows about this allergy.

[RDSLOTS]

All of these months later, and still, no real explanation for the hives. They remain just below the skin on my upper back and shoulders, and just pulling on a T shirt in the mornings can set them off.

The dermatologist is treating them with an antihistamine I take at bedtime, and can take throughout the day, if needed. I am managing them OK with the bedtime dose. The hives are not at the level of 'miserable' yet -- just uncomfortable and unnerving, at some times more than others. If I could figure out what triggers an itching episode, it'd be great, but so far no luck.