Chronic Hives and Prednisone

I have been diagnosed with Heat-Induced Urticaria by my allergists and she put me on Prednisone for 10 days along with Fenofexadine and Alavert until I go for my follow up examination. These medications have suppressed the itching and i dont break out with bumps at all. The itching is not fully gone but I force my self to itch by working out and once i heat up and start working out vigourously the itching goes away but i feel real hot and i cant sweat nowhere on my body but my face. i have not sweat since the fall of last year because the hives started again and has not stopped until i just started taking these meds. i want to know if the effects of the prednisone will last after i come off of it and what other medications would my allergist prescribe to me if the hives were to come back after coming off of the prednisone.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

The mainstay of treatment of hives is antihistamine which may be necessary for prolonged periods (in excess of 6 weeks). Double conventional doses of these non-sedating antihistamines such as Cetirizine(zyrtec), Loratadine(Claritin), Acrivastine and Fexofenadine may be needed to get symptom relief. Sedating antihistamines such as Chlorphenamine or Hydroxyzine are used at night to get urticaria control. Short courses of oral cortisone or steroids are taken for short periods (one to three days) to settle more severe symptoms.
The effect of prednisolone will come off once you are off it.It will not last long.
You may take Vitamin C along with the prescribed treatment. Vitamin C is a general anti-allergy supplement. It helps stabilize mast cells so they are less likely to release histamine.

If none of the medicines prove effective,then your allergist can give you allergy shots.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep us posted on how you are doing.