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Angiodema?? (swollen tongue, lips)
Hi, I'm new here. Just about 2 months ago I began developing strange allergic reactions. They have occurred on my feet, hands, back of knee, upper thigh, lip and now tongue. I have gone to the doctor before and they said it was contact dermatitis. I have not figured out what I'm allergic to yet and am still waiting for a call back from the allergy department. Last night, I woke up at about 3am with a swollen tongue. It really freaked me out. I took 2 Benadryls and thankfully it went down almost back to normal within a couple of hours. When it happened on my lip, it swelled to the size of a grape and the Benadryl took FOREVER to kick in.
Anyway, I went to the doctor this morning and she said swelling like this (tongue, lips) is called angiodema. She said if I continue to expose myself to this allergen (whatever it may be) the next stage could be anaphylaxis.
I'm really scared. I have 2 little kids and I'm terrified of something happening. I can't avoid the allergen if I don't know what it is.:(
Please help.
Thanks,
Becky
Anyway, I went to the doctor this morning and she said swelling like this (tongue, lips) is called angiodema. She said if I continue to expose myself to this allergen (whatever it may be) the next stage could be anaphylaxis.
I'm really scared. I have 2 little kids and I'm terrified of something happening. I can't avoid the allergen if I don't know what it is.:(
Please help.
Thanks,
Becky
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Early October I messed up my knee and limped around for about 3 weeks and went to the doctor. He gave me a one time a day anti-inflammatory med, Meloxicam rather than taking mega amounts of Aleve or Advil. Took the Meloxicam for 2 weeks. Knee was better but still hurt on the inside so the doctor gave me cortisone shot on Nov. 17. On Nov. 18 I was awakened by terrible stomach pain which lasted about 5 days. I took over the counter ibuprofen for it. Early Spring I had a gall bladder ultrasound because I’d had some pain in my stomach and it was okay – no stones. The pain I had on Nov. 18 was worse than any stomach/upper chest pain and almost went to the ER but didn’t. I did call the Gastroenterologist and they gave me a HIDA scan on Friday, Nov. 25. The HIDA scan was okay. So the Gastroenterologist diagnosed GERD and gave me Omeprazole to take for 2 weeks. Two weeks was up last Thursday, Dec. 15.
On Friday, Dec. 16 I was at work and had a major allergy attack I have had allergy attacks when I’ve eaten corn, grapefruit, oatmeal, chestnuts, shrimp and didn’t have any of those foods that morning.
(I did not take an Omeprazole that day). Started with a little pain in my upper chest and my palm was itching. I took Ibuprofen and the pain stopped but by then I had a hive under my chin and my right cheek began to swell. I then took a Benadryl. Within an hour swelling started in my lips and I left work. Got home, took another Benadryl. My lips were really swelled by then. Benadryl started to work and by bedtime I thought the allergy had subsided and I was over the worst.
Early Saturday morning I woke up about 3:30 with chest pain off and on and the top of my hands were swelled and also some swelling in my eyes. The chest pain (worst I’d had) and the hands swelling really worried me so we went to the ER. They did a cardiac blood workup and it was okay. They gave me prednisone and within minutes the swelling went down. They told me to take 2 Benadryl’s every 6 hours and prescription for prednisone which I didn’t’ take because I had been told by my heart doctor that maybe the cortisone shot in my knee was the culprit of the major stomach pain I’d had after I’d had the shot in my knee. They said to see my primary doctor and get an Epi Pen. Went home, good to go (I thought) and woke up early Sunday morning around 3:30 with my tongue swelled and the bottoms of my feet felt like I was walking on cushions. It was time for my Benadryl so I took it and within ½ I felt better.
Ok, went to the allergist. He did about 20 food testing and I was NEGATIVE!!! Total shock since I cannot eat sweet corn, oatmeal, grapefruit, cole slaw without hives, swelling. He diagnosed the chronic angiodema which is strange that it’s “chronic” when I can’t remember the last time I had an allergy attack. I avoid those foods, and I found in the past if I took an aspirin and orange and then exercised I’d have a major allergy attack with swelling/hives. He prescribed the zyrtec and zantec and I have a bottle of predisone if I need it.
The allergist also mentioned autoimmune diseases and I have hashimotos and fibromylgia…
I just know that this last episode scared the crap out of me. I had a heart attack in 2001 at the age of 45 (with no health issues other than the fibromylgia), we think maybe the vioxx I was taking for the fibro may have caused the MI so I see a heart doctor once a year. Only med I’m on is a beta blocker for it….
Early October I messed up my knee and limped around for about 3 weeks and went to the doctor. He gave me a one time a day anti-inflammatory med, Meloxicam rather than taking mega amounts of Aleve or Advil. Took the Meloxicam for 2 weeks. Knee was better but still hurt on the inside so the doctor gave me cortisone shot on Nov. 17. On Nov. 18 I was awakened by terrible stomach pain which lasted about 5 days. I took over the counter ibuprofen for it. Early Spring I had a gall bladder ultrasound because I’d had some pain in my stomach and it was okay – no stones. The pain I had on Nov. 18 was worse than any stomach/upper chest pain and almost went to the ER but didn’t. I did call the Gastroenterologist and they gave me a HIDA scan on Friday, Nov. 25. The HIDA scan was okay. So the Gastroenterologist diagnosed GERD and gave me Omeprazole to take for 2 weeks. Two weeks was up last Thursday, Dec. 15.
On Friday, Dec. 16 I was at work and had a major allergy attack I have had allergy attacks when I’ve eaten corn, grapefruit, oatmeal, chestnuts, shrimp and didn’t have any of those foods that morning.
(I did not take an Omeprazole that day). Started with a little pain in my upper chest and my palm was itching. I took Ibuprofen and the pain stopped but by then I had a hive under my chin and my right cheek began to swell. I then took a Benadryl. Within an hour swelling started in my lips and I left work. Got home, took another Benadryl. My lips were really swelled by then. Benadryl started to work and by bedtime I thought the allergy had subsided and I was over the worst.
Early Saturday morning I woke up about 3:30 with chest pain off and on and the top of my hands were swelled and also some swelling in my eyes. The chest pain (worst I’d had) and the hands swelling really worried me so we went to the ER. They did a cardiac blood workup and it was okay. They gave me prednisone and within minutes the swelling went down. They told me to take 2 Benadryl’s every 6 hours and prescription for prednisone which I didn’t’ take because I had been told by my heart doctor that maybe the cortisone shot in my knee was the culprit of the major stomach pain I’d had after I’d had the shot in my knee. They said to see my primary doctor and get an Epi Pen. Went home, good to go (I thought) and woke up early Sunday morning around 3:30 with my tongue swelled and the bottoms of my feet felt like I was walking on cushions. It was time for my Benadryl so I took it and within ½ I felt better.
Ok, went to the allergist. He did about 20 food testing and I was NEGATIVE!!! Total shock since I cannot eat sweet corn, oatmeal, grapefruit, cole slaw without hives, swelling. He diagnosed the chronic angiodema which is strange that it’s “chronic” when I can’t remember the last time I had an allergy attack. I avoid those foods, and I found in the past if I took an aspirin and orange and then exercised I’d have a major allergy attack with swelling/hives. He prescribed the zyrtec and zantec and I have a bottle of predisone if I need it.
The allergist also mentioned autoimmune diseases and I have hashimotos and fibromylgia…
I just know that this last episode scared the crap out of me. I had a heart attack in 2001 at the age of 45 (with no health issues other than the fibromylgia), we think maybe the vioxx I was taking for the fibro may have caused the MI so I see a heart doctor once a year. Only med I’m on is a beta blocker for it….
This sounds EXACTLY like what I have. I also have a sore throat about once a week with swollen glands. Sometimes It feels like food is getting stuck in my throat and is really difficult to swallow... Like I can't breathe even though I can. Sometimes it even causes joint pain mostly in my wrists and shoulder sockets. I've been to the doctor about 4-5 times, they say it's allergies. Most of the time, the hives look like bulls eyes, and it's not lymes disease. Other times they are small red raised bumps. And other times, they're in no specific shape, but larger. I've seen an allergiest, and had a scratch test for 24 common triggers, but all came back negative. I have no idea what's wrong with me. I have yet to see a dermatologist, but at this point, I think it's an autoimmune disorder that will probably go undiagnosed. If anyone has any information on what I'm dealing with (This has been going on for about 6+ years.) And like the post above, I had ZERO problems my entire pregnancy. Does anyone think it may be related to smoking??? Please help! I'm desperate at this point.
It can be acquired Angioedema (allergic) and not hereditary. If an epipen or allergy meds help it, then it's generally considered acquired angioedema. If you're having the lip/tongue/eyes/hands/feet/throat/etc swelling (google photos of it) and an epipen or steroids (prednisone, etc) doesn't help, then that generally indicates it's hereditary angioedema. There is also a blood test they do for hereditary angioedema wherein they check your C1, C3 (I believe) & C4 levels. Hereditary angioedema is thought to be caused by malfunctioning/insufficient C1 protective proteins in your blood. The swelling is due to fluid leaking from your blood vessels into the connective tissue.
I just started having this issue a few weeks ago & for almost 2 weeks straight (save for one day) I had swelling in my lips (top & bottom, left & right halves, at varying times) varying in size from a pea to a sausage link (it got alarmingly big), swelling on my face in various areas, swelling on my hands/fingers, and hives all over my body with welts ranging in size from a pea to a grapefruit. I haven't been able to identify what caused it yet (I'm starting to think it might be a BPA allergy, as I had just started drinking bottled water every day around the time it started). Nothing had changed in my home (products, etc) or my routine during that time (other than the water thing). Could also be related to emotional stress, as I was under a *lot* of that at the time. Pending an allergist appt myself to get a scratch test done; hopefully that'll shed some light. For now, Dr. had me on prednisone for 8 days & RX Cetirizine/Zyrtec (10 mg @ 2x/day). Haven't had an outbreak sinec starting the prednisone/cetirizine, but also stopped the bottled water the same day, so who knows. - Dawn M.
I just started having this issue a few weeks ago & for almost 2 weeks straight (save for one day) I had swelling in my lips (top & bottom, left & right halves, at varying times) varying in size from a pea to a sausage link (it got alarmingly big), swelling on my face in various areas, swelling on my hands/fingers, and hives all over my body with welts ranging in size from a pea to a grapefruit. I haven't been able to identify what caused it yet (I'm starting to think it might be a BPA allergy, as I had just started drinking bottled water every day around the time it started). Nothing had changed in my home (products, etc) or my routine during that time (other than the water thing). Could also be related to emotional stress, as I was under a *lot* of that at the time. Pending an allergist appt myself to get a scratch test done; hopefully that'll shed some light. For now, Dr. had me on prednisone for 8 days & RX Cetirizine/Zyrtec (10 mg @ 2x/day). Haven't had an outbreak sinec starting the prednisone/cetirizine, but also stopped the bottled water the same day, so who knows. - Dawn M.
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