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MedHelp Member's Question

Chronic Hives..driving me nuts!!

by woody21, May 15, 2007 12:00AM
I'm a 29 y.o female who has had hives 9 months.  When I first saw my doctor he gave me a course of steroids, that didn't help at all.  I have tried all sorts of antihistamines... Zyrtec, Claritin and now i'm trying Chlor-Trimeton. All of them not helping much anymore.  I have read article after article about hives and the more I read the more down I feel about it.. not being able to find a cause.
I have had an allergy test and I have high allergy to dust mites.  How can you totally free your home of dust mites!  I have used Tea Tree oil in my washing machine for my towels, bed sheets and clothes.  I have had a blood test, which was pointless.  I'm not sure what else to do.. you forget what it was like to be itch-free!  My hives started on my back.. extreme fiery red itch.  But recently it hasn't been on my back at all.. its now my arms and my legs, occasionally my chest and tummy.  Extremely itchy, very warm and alot of welts.  Its driving me nuts!! People say "it will take its course", well i can say for myself and i bet alot of others, its not that easy.. it is EXTREMELY uncomfortable.. extremely!
I have read about Quercetin, a natural antihistamine.  Has anyone tried this at all and has helped relieve there hives?  I have also read Mint helps and also Sandalwood oil helps too.  I prefer natural remedies personally but I will do whatever for them to go away for good.  
Has anyone had relief from doing a Total Detoxification program at all? A remember reading a gentleman's log and he had gone to India for AYURVEDA treatment.. i can't seem to find his log anymore though.  He left a website http://www.ayurveda.org/

I would appreciate any help or information that anyone can give me. I know how you all feel out there!  It's not fun. Best of Luck everyone.
Thanks again.
Member Comments (167)

by Deeds, May 18, 2007 12:00AM
ask for the Candida blood test - if that is elevated then demand a stool test as well - which will pinpoint the type of
yeast that may be causing your hives!

((just a thought))

p.s. you don't eat Splenda do you? that causes major hives and not a lot of people know about it!

by woody21, May 19, 2007 12:00AM
To: Deeds
Hi Deeds,

Thanks for responding to my message.  

I do eat Splenda now and then.  But when the hives came on, I wasn't using Splenda back then.  However I was drinking alot of Coke Zero and Diet Coke.

Do you think aspartame, which is the sweetner in those drinks could cause hives?? I know its not good for you.  Any thoughts?

Thanks again.

by Deeds, May 19, 2007 12:00AM
To: to woody
Yes, aspartame can cause allergy!! and hives! (rash)
I would cut it out of your diet for a good 2 weeks and
see what happens - it's worth a shot!
My husband swears that diet coke causes him to itch!!!

by debomb, May 29, 2007 12:00AM
Hi .. i have have chronic hives for approx. 12 yrs. the dr. i saw gave me allegra which you are supposed to take once a day, it relieved the iching for the day. so i had another dr had me try Chlor-Trimeton which i found i did not have to take once a day.. maybe every 3 to 4 days.. if i did not have the Chlor-Trimeton i would scratch my skin so badly it would bleed. and leave nice little round wholes in my skin that would take a long time to heal.. "Work it course" huh!!!
If the Chlor-Trimeton stopped working i would just die.. the itching is madning madning i say !!!!!!

by ams.nhs, May 30, 2007 12:00AM
To: woody21
I can`t really give you any advice, but I just will send my prayers out to you. I am a 16 yr old female and I`ve had severe hives for a little over 6 months now. They don`t know what the cause of mine are. I`ve recently developed a new condition. This whole process sucks. Doctors seem to be clueless as to how to treat hives. I too started off on a steroid pack, zyrtec, and claritin. Now because off this other condition that is similar to an allergic reaction and they also have no clue to I am on prednisone twice a day, zyrtec, allergra twice a day, ranitidine, and singular. I still have whatever this condition is and although it helps a little it never completely goes away. So again, good luck and god bless. Just wanted to show some support because I know most people don`t understand what this puts us through especially during the summer where clothing can`t hide them.

by ams.nhs, May 30, 2007 12:00AM
To: debomb
did that medication make your hives go away or just stop itching? Sorry woody to be asking questions on your post, I am just really curious.

by woody21, May 31, 2007 12:00AM
To: dabomb/ams.nhs
And I'm back again!  I have to agree.. Chlor-Trimeton has been working wonders for me!  I only need to take one every 2-3 days.  I also ended up buying a bottle of Sarna lotion, over the counter.. with no cortisone!!!  I find it very helpful with the itchy rashes.  As soon as i feel myself getting itchy i apply it to the area.  Its excellent.  I forgot to write in my post first off that i tried Singulair too... but that was hopeless!  It ended up being 100 times worse, getting rashes under my arms and down my forearms.. it was awful.  Plus they cost a fortune!!  A waste of money!!

I have to agree with you dabomb... the itching just drives me crazy some days!  I've forgotten what it was like not having hives!
I really want to try Quercetin.. natural antihistamine.  I have read a little about it, but i haven't heard any reviews about it yet.  If it actually helps or not.
Thanks for all the responses everyone.  Any other questions or recommendations let me know.. I'm open to ALL ideas and thoughts.

by Deeds, May 31, 2007 12:00AM
To: to woody
I too had a bad reaction with Singulair. They are thinking the Candid (systemic infection) is the cause of the allergies/itch/hives... so many doctors put off diagnosing it but, it is really something you can look into. A place called Genova Labs (I think in South Carolina) has a stool sample test that you can send in on your own ($46 with no insurance) the test takes 2 weeks but, the results are worth it!!!!!!!!!  Candid is SO overlooked! I think $46 is worth it....

by woody21, Jun 02, 2007 12:00AM
To: Deeds
Thanks for your help Deeds!

Did you send in your own or did your doctor do the testing?  Do I just look up there address and send in my own, or give them a call.
I just want to get to the bottom of this!  Did you have any other symptoms other than the chronic hives??  

Thanks again :)

by Deeds, Jun 03, 2007 12:00AM
To: Testing...
I received the test kit from my allergist that came from Genova labs...
I am thinking you can call Genova and ask them for a kit to be sent to you or your doctors office - you then take the kit home and follow the enclosed instructions...they have you then call DHL courier for pickup (they provide shipping matierals  and they pay shipping costs too) I stuck my check/payment inside as instructed and waited two weeks.  I not only got a call from my allerigst with the results but, Genova sent me a report too...
and yes, I did have more symptoms then just hives & itch...I had a bad case of tonsilitis followed by a severe case of bronchitis...on top of developing huge allergies to peanuts, mushroom, chocolate (I had never had before)... I always thought I had IBS (Irritable Bowel) but, I think it was my food allergies...now possibly more Candida related then a true