Hives and flu shot

I was recently diognosed with hives. I had symtoms (symptoms) the following day after recieving a flu shot. Do you think the flu shot caused the hives?

[gyps29]

Are you allergic to eggs?  People that are should not take the flu shot but surely they asked that of you before giving it.  If not that is unusual but can happen I guess.  Had you taken an aspirin or anything afterwards or the night before? eaten anything different?  With allergies to cause hives you really need to start backwards from the time you broke out to at least the day before or 2 days before and see what could have caused it.  
Hives is considered a severe reaction to a substance.

[Chris135]

Did you ever get any answers to your correlation?  The same thing happened to my son and we have been dealing with hives off and on since then?

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

gyps is right - allergy to eggs can cause an allergy reaction - flu vaccine does have egg as one of the constituent.

You should try some OTC antihistamine medications and apply local calamine lotion and see if the lesions respond.

It would be advisable to consult an allergy specialist for your symptoms.

Let us know if you have any doubts.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.

[summerluvr]

i'm allergic to eggs and i broke out in hives  after getting the flu shot.. i also develped sinusitus and fluish symptoms.. but i heard this is normal reaction to flu shot, so i'm not sure if it was my allergies or not.  

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

There is no normal reaction to the flu shots. A few patients have fever and even fewer have other symptoms as side effects.

So any hives, sinusitis , etc should be reviewed with your doctor to rule out an allergic reaction as the cause.

Hope this helps.

Regards.

[Craig901]

I posted a message back in early November.It is now 2/17/08 and I still have hives. I developed these symptoms the day after a flu shot. I've been to my primary doctor,a dermitologist and to a few allergist,within a group practice. I have been on predisone along with zertec and trimcinolone creme. I also took hydroxyzine in the evening. Later added was ranitidine for dual purpose. I have acid reflex. It became under control where I was just on zyzal. All prior treatment meds. were elliminated. I was going to be tested for allergies. One and one half days later it came right back. To complicate matters during the first week of starting treatment meds. again, I took feledine,an antiinflammatory for chronic back pain. I developed  a severe reaction. Currently I have been taking zyzal,ranitidine and predisone in the morning and then take predisone, raitidine, singular,hydroxyzine and allegra in the evening. I am growing more and more concerned. Is this ever going to pass?

I reviewed a reply asking if I had taken asprin or anything (feledene) within a few days prior to having the flu shot. I'm not sure,but could be a possibility. What are your thoughts? Is there a resolve to all this?

Sincerely,
Craig

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

You need to reconsult with your allergy specialsit and talk to him/her about getting you off the medications gradually.

This would be done very slowly with the dose being decreased in a step by step way so as not to cause a flare up of your symptoms.

Let us know if you have any more doubts and also about what your specialist advises.

Regards.

[theirmum]

Seems the hives reaction following the flu shot is not uncommon.  try the cold and flu forum for more reports.
once triggered, it seems to be re-triggered.
Frustrating when there is so much denial from the medical groups.

[PlateletGal]

I just mentioned the other day in the fibro / CFS forum that I've had a flu shot once. Despite the fact that I was told that I could not get the flu from a flu shot... I did. Now I'm reading from physicians that you can have a reaction from the flu shot.

My thoughts are this : if you can get Guillain Barre Syndrome, a sometimes deadly autoimmune disease, after getting a flu shot.... then you can certainly get hives after getting a shot.

[lovelypriyanka]

After my flu shot my arm was swollen and sore  with small bumps and fever on the arm

[km1731]

I am a man in my late 30's and got a flu shot 3 weeks ago because my wife is pregnant.  I have had all of the same symptoms as you.

I developed itchy palms the day after a flu shot. They progressed to hives from head to abdomen.  My original doc thought it was herpes.  Nice.  Got all of the pertinent tests and everything came back normal.   Since, I've been to my a dermitologist and she's related it directly to the shot. I have been on 40mg predisone, a prednisone shot along with zertec, zyzal and trimcinolone creme.  They come back in full force every two days or so in the middle of the night.  I was about to go to an autoimmune doctor and allergist.  Now seeing this, I know I'm not crazy.  But...the other possible complications do worry me.   Thanks for posting.

[hylagirl]

Craig, I ended up with hives after my flu shot first week of October. The problem is regardless of what causes the hives, it is exteremely difficult to get rid of them. I joined a hive selfhelp group and it is pretty scary to see the number of people who has had to "live" with hives for years. UGH! Mine is calm right now, but it will break out again out of the blue. Nothing doctors or allergist can do for you except pump you up with drugs.
I am currently using Clobex ($300 for 2oz) and Nistarix solution ($75. ) it heals the skin from the harsh Clobex. Histarix ts suppose to eleviate the hives but it doesn't, but it is soothing. Unfortunately I don't have good news for you.

[Lee1306]

I know this is almost a year since your post here but I began having chronic uticaria, hives that
come and go every six months and last for weeks.  I went to different doctors and no one can say
what causes them.  Prednisone does take them away for a short while but in about 2 months
they come back worse then ever.  This has been going on for about 8 years and that's about as
long as I've been getting flu shots.  I'm not going to get a flu shot this year and see what happens.  I did find out that cider vinegar taken internally by pill or liquid vinegar helps to control them along with a cream
called Clotrimazole & Behamethasone Dipropionate.  I put the cream on at night and cover the
spots with saran wrap and they usually go away in a couple of days.  If I don't do that they grow
larger and don't fade for a couple of weeks.  The flu shot is the only thing I can think of that could
be causing the hives.

[ohno812]

I was always hestitant to get the flu shot. This year I decided to get it due to the fact the my hospital employer were really preesing for everyone to get it and due to moving to the east coast in the middel of winter this year. I have hives!!! It has been 4 weeks that I received the injection.I've been breaking out 1-2 times a week with some scalp itching behind the base of my skull. Then last week I would wake up everyday with hives on the back of my thighs and they would go away by mid day. Today, It got really bad where I got a large lump/mass on my thighs and really itchy neck and scalp. I took 3 benadryls to control it. Good thing since last week I have already made a doctors appoitment for tomorrow. So what I am reading from the posting, it looks like I'm in for a cocktail of medications for months. I am not allergic to eggs. But I am allergic to chicken meat. But my reaction has never been hives but nausea & severe fatigue when I eat chicken meat. I read up on allergic reaction to flu shots. Some said to avoid the flu shot if you're allergic to eggs, chicken or chicken feathers. I've known about reaction if allergic to eggs (which I'm not), but chicken??? Gee thanks! a liitle late there. And I work in a hospital, and the consent form does not mention chicken, only egg allergies. I need to have them add this disclosure before more people get the shot.

[erica_s]

Late last fall (2008) and through winter I had unexplained hives for 4-5 months.  I had no idea what it was from.  I got them about 10 days after my flu shot, but I had gotten flu shots for at least the past five years (with no issues)...so I didn't think it was from that.  Benadryl would suppress the hives, although it made me so tired. Toward the end, I decided to go to the Dr., even though I didn't think they would be able to figure out what it was from either.  I had several pictures of my horrible hives if I would let the Benadryl lapse. My throat and face would swell, my eyelids would swell closed, I could have the whole back side of my body covered with hives and red blotches. It was horrible. The dr. never did figure out what my problem was...but within a couple weeks of that they went away.
Then, in October 2009, I decided to get another flu shot...I immediately had pain in my arm, and later that evening I felt woozy and shaky. Guess what I woke up with? Hives!! The Dr. prescribed Prednisone...and while I was on that I didn't have hives.  A few days after that prescription wore off though, I had them back again.  A smart nurse told me that Zyrtec might work without the drowsiness.  It did - but not as well.  I take a few 24 hour Zyrtec pills every day so I'm not so tired, and then at night I need to take 3-4 Benadryl pills to keep the hives suppressed.  I heard that the flu shot is designed to stay in our system longer this year...perhaps 6 months! Yikes!  p.s. I am not allergic to latex or eggs.  I'm not sure what exactly I'm allergic to in the flu shot. :(  I hope if anyone is having similar problems they realize it may be from the flu shot. I was surprised by this - especially since I didn't have problems with the flu shot the first 5 years I had them.  

[Maltadiva]

Around 4 years ago I too took the flu jab. and a couple of days later - hives which progressed rapidly till i went into anaphylactic shock. nice! a year of consultations, tests, medication and DESPAIR followed. for 7 months i was on 40 - 50 mg of ultralan DAILY (it seemed to work better than Prednisone), 2 atarax tablets, 3-4 Xyzal (or zyrtec) daily. if i even tried to lessen the dose then my lips, tongue, eyes and throat would swell. the hives lessened but never fully went away. my weight ballooned and i was in a constant stupor and NOT HAPPY. oh noooo. eventually i started bi-weekly sessions of acupuncture which really really helped and finally i was off the medication. i still take a daily xyzal otherwise the hives come back not the anaphylaxis though.
the steroids muck up your system totally. i would rather have 30 swine flus then ever take them again.
like a poster said above - if the jab can cause autoimmune problems like Guillain Barre Syndrome - then what are Chronic Idiopathic Hives but an autoimmune problem?
my advice - STAY AWAY FROM FLU JABS. the alternative is worse!

[mick73]

i am a man in my 30s,i also got flu injection through work in 2006.I also came out in urticaria a few days later,i did have the chicken pox a few months earlier,i;m not sure if anyone can relate to that in some way?Anyway I went to doctor,a dermatoligist then a allergist/immunoligist,i was diagnosed with chronic urticaria,the specialists said it probably was due to the flu injection but we cant prove it .(i seen a dietitian who put me on a low salicylates and amines diet.I then got sick with vomiting bug and when i recovered from that my urticaria was gone(a year and a half after it started)So i thought,until 2 months ago after i had the flu it came back,(2.5 years after it went away)this time more aggressive than ever,ive been on prednisone for most part of those 2 months,just seen allergist again put me on zyrtec and zantac,which has helped but still getting flair ups.The specialists still say its not due to the flu injection!!!!Myself personally am 100% sure it was the flu injection that triggered the chronic urticaria and we need to get together and prove it!    I am going to see a natropath soon,spoke to a lady in a chemist whos son suffers from it,she says theres 2 immune systems,and when one is low the other can rise causing urticaria,she said cod liver oil helps balance them out along with vitamin d.She also said most skin conditions come from the stomach so get your stomach checked.

[Eugene1023]

Hi Craig,

I had the H1N1 shot back in Oct of 2009, and like you I have been plagued with hives since the very next morning after my shot. I am a male in my late 30's and was in perfect health prior to the shot. I am experiencing hives every day and it has been nearly 9 months.
Check out:

http://canadiansforhealthfreedom.wordpress.com/h1n1-vaccine-side-effects-canadians-please-report-here/

to see more information. I and many others think this should be a class action lawsuit.
Good luck!

[Sickofthisreaction]

Hey there,

Got the flu shot for the first time last week. After about 5 days of muscle soreness and generally not feeling well I developed HIVES. They have come and gone over the past three days, covering my entire body at their worst. In the middle of the night my upper lip swelled up to three times its size and I went to the ER. They gave me a steroid shot and an order for Prednisone. I guess I am starting my journey down the road of dealing with a FLU shot allergic reaction.

[Katrina557]

Many of the vaccines contain formaldahyde as a preservative.  You may have a formaldahyde allergy.  I had the allergy patch testing done two years ago after dealing with rashes on my body and had been doing pretty well after a shift in lifestyle which included eliminating formaldahyde products from my home which included, detergents, shampoo, conditioners, no dryer sheets or fabric softeners, dish detergents, etc.  I recently purchased a new piece of clothing and immediately broke out in a rash after contact, and got that somewhat under control, and then had to be treated with an IV antibiotic for an infection.  The rash/hives have been full-blown and nearly unbearable.  I know it is not the antibiotic as I can take them orally, but it had to be the preservative in the medication.  

[epo123]

i had been getting hives for years and one day my doc said get a flu shot today it is the season..  two days later the skin on my feet and hands peeled and lost my toenails and fingernails.. finally healed and i have never had hives or flu shot since. this year is the h1n1 and dont know if is should or shouldnt get one.......

[Tsubie]

I got the flu shot last Thursday as I didn't want to risk getting the flu during GRE week. I am a senior in college applying to grad school. The following Sunday night, my body atRtes itching and by morning, I was fully covered with hives, after having no hive history at all. Last year I had gotten the h1n1 shot only and this year was my first time getting the flu shot itself. The health center at my school still isn't convinced it may be due to the shot due to the amount of time between the breakout and the shot. I have GREs this Saturday. So much for paying $20 to not get the flu....

[tomchen26]

I had flu shot back in Oct 2010. Follow by fever and few days later, Hive break out in my back!! Went to the doctor and took 5 days Prednisone and hive got better, once prescription is gone, it get back to me again!! Now it has been 6 weeks and I am about to running out the prescription again!! let see what will happen in next few days!!

[Angie5008]

My story is the same as most of you. When I was pregnant (2009) my OB pressured me into getting the flu vaccine.  WITHIN 2 HOURS I saw small bumps forming on my abdomen and they grew so big that they all connected and covered half my body.  It was my first encounter with hives and now I have been breaking out with them often.  There is no doubt whatsoever that it was the flu vac that caused this condition.  Eugene, I would love to hear more about that class action law suit!  

[Curious1908]

I've been getting the flu shot for years, since early 2000s. In fall of 2008, I developed hives aprox. two days after the flu shot I got at work.
I have NO allergies, and this never happened before. Started on my head and hairline and progressed to the rest of my body, tried everything from topical stuff to eventually a month of Prednisone. Eventually they went away on their own after a few months (lasted aprox. 4-5months)

This season I skipped the flu shot for the first time in years, and I got the flu. Guess what appeared a day before the mega flu symptoms - HIVES! They lasted for three days into the flu cycle and went away again.
Has anyone had Hives with the flu?

[jetmox]

Yep.
I had a dose of the hives I knew it was an allergy thing as it progressed from the middle of my body to my hands feet and then dissipated the same way like a water ripple.

Not had them so I am told by my parents for 41 years.

About 4 weeks later I was stupid enough to have the flu shot... no hives tho but as soon as I started to fall sick I had an out break 2 x a day once in the morning when i rise buttock/waist area and the about 6-10 pm at night on my groin area.

As I am recovering from the flu it seems to be getting less not 100% sure yet as I am still in recovery mode. I have given up diet drinks ( Aspartame) as well as some high histamine foods to try and resolve this without drugs but the itch is slowly getting to me....but I don't want to take drugs.


will update you in a week or so when hopefully i am over this flu thing with some positive results.

[thewemhoffs]

my 3 year old is not allergic to eggs (she eats them all the time) and this year she also broke out in hives on her hands/wrists, feet, and knees (a couple on her tummy and neck) the day after receiving the flu vaccine (injection, not nasal spray).  The nurse on the phone said she'd never heard of this, but clearly it is something that happens. My daughter wasn't exposed to anything else unusual.

[mkolmos]

My 6 six daughter just got a flu shot Tuesday before school and the next night she had mild hive breakout, and then Thursday it was head to toe in hives.  She is currently at doctor now and that is why I am looking up this information.

[jenatini]

I just sent this link to the CDC - as I, too, am suffering hives/allergic reaction from a flu shot I received just 2 days ago. I told them that this needs to be brought to their attention and addressed.

I'm in my late 30's, healthy and just recently had a baby, trying for another. How concerning. In an effort to keep myself safe and "healthy" for the sake of my child(ren) - I'm now going to suffer from hives for the rest of my life? JOY!

[jenatini]

Also, I'm not allergic to eggs or chicken and eat both on a daily basis.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/b/excipient-table-2.pdf

This link is to the CDC for the 2010 vaccine ingredients if this helps.

[AnnieLSC]

I can certainly understand what all of you are going through. I am 46 and have had hives for 6 MONTHS NOW! I am ready to lose my mind.  I am told that it is either idiopathic urticaria or an allergy to sulfites. It is just so hard for me to comprehend. I have never been allergic to anything in my life! To develop an allergy now, is somewhat unbelievable, although not impossible, according to the research I have done on sulfite allergies. I also have been getting the flu shot for the past 4 or 5 years now. I thought I was protecting myself from the flu but I have been contemplating getting the flu shot this year. I got the shot in probably early October of 2010 and didn't develop the hives until April of 2011. I am scared of the flu shot making the hives worse. At this point, I don't want to put anything else in my body. I am currently on allegra and zantac when I first wake up, 2 doxepins mid-morning, two zyrtecs and another zantac after dinner and yet another 2 doxepin at bedtime. The hives are still breaking through despite all of this medicine. Frequently, I wake up with a swollen eye, or a fat lip. I am scared to death and sleep with an epi-pen on my night table. I pray and hope that maybe one day for me, they will just disappear. The thought of living the rest of my life with no sulfites means I cannot drink anything else but water!!!! I can live without canned foods, but it can be in foods that do not list sulfites in the ingredients because it has to be over a certain amount. WTF??? Who says Cod Oil helps, who says vitamin B, who says acupuncture. I want to try it all! I think I have let off enough steam for now. Wish all of you luck!

[akeogh]

I received the Flu mist on Thursday, September 15, 2011, with my 3 children while at the pediatrician for annual well visits for them. The kids have had no reaction to it. But two days later (Saturday night), I started with an itchy scalp (so much, that I worried I had lice). two days after that, I started having seriously itching palms. That, plus a few bouts of itching feet, lasted two weeks. I wondered if I was pregnant because the last time I had itching palms was during pregnancy. But no, I am not pregnant. The itching palms lasted two weeks, then I had a few days of relief and thought it had passed. But then, the hives began. I have gotten hives - on different parts of my body - since then (I think they started around September 30, and now it's October 23.) Sometimes my forearms flare up, sometimes they stretch across my abdomen, sometimes they are on my legs. My ears get inflammed, my skin turns red, I feel my face getting red. With Benadryl, it goes away, but as I write this now, I am in tears. I feel sure it is related to the Flu Mist, but I'm freaking out. It's not normal to have to daily self-medicate with benadryl!!!!!!  Do I have a bad immune system? I'm not allergic to anything except cat dander.

[SaintSinner_]

I Had flu shot in October 2010 developed Hives two weeks later with severe outbreak over whole body. Since then they gradually get less and less severe control with xyzal. Had another flu shoot October 2011 again week later got severe outbreak. Trying again to control with xyzal and cyproheptadine. I can't be certain but flu shot is number one suspect and it's sad medical community is in full denial probably because companies like Sanofi Aventis and other getting paid billions of dollars selling vaccines.

[Louise11]

I had the flu shot in march 2011, 10 days later I was up in the emergency department with a bad case of the hives. It started just like you with itchy palms and feet. Also the scalp with be itchy as with lumps all over. My hives would start with a small red dot then turn into the size of dinner plates. He said I was having a bad reaction to something and asked if I have done something different. I knew I hadn't. I ended back up in the emergency with angiodema, again they said the same thing. I've been to numerous doctors, specialists, and nothing seems to stop them, I keep flaring up even with all the meds I've been put on. No medical expert will agree to the flu shot is the cause, but it didn't start until I had that. And I'm not allergic to eggs. Its been 9 months now. The best I got from a dermatologist was he wasn't a betting man but 99% is was the vaccine!

[janelm2]

Hi, I am just recovering from hives that happened after the flu shot and I am not allergic to eggs!  Yes you should consult your doctor to get you off of the meds, have you ever tried drinking Yogi herbal no caffine tea of peppermint and/or skin detox teas.  Peppermint is good for calming the nerves which is part of the hives and I applied the skin detox to the areas of my arms affected with cold water in a bowl and put the skin detox tea bags in the water.  Let it stand for a few minutes, then take the soaked tea bag and just softly touch the areas with the soaked tea bag.  Only dry the unaffected areas and let the affected areas air dry.  I also went to the doctor and got hydroxyzine, ointment which did nothing except make me sleeply.  If you can't find the Yogi Tea at Albertsons or Target go online and you can buy it.  Good Luck!

[Mom__of2]

My son got the flu shot Dec of 2010 and started with the chronic hives one week to the day. We visited many doctors and all denied the flu shot was the culprit and no one can tell us when this will go away! He takes 2 zyrtec and benedryl at night. If he misses a dose his eyes and lips swell up and he is covered head to toe. It's annoying that I know what caused this but no one will own up to it.

[Jourjor]

Do you know what can cure this post flu shot misery now? Pls revert to ***@**** anybody? Need help urgently.

[Jourjor]

I got my flu shot at riteaid, where did y'all get yours?

[mayHelpOthers]

I got severe hives 5 days after I got my flu shots this year. This is my 3rd time taking flu-shots in 4 years and never had any allergic reaction before...Again, pharmacy, doctor all denied that it was due to flu-shots, but knowing me (an my body), I was never allergic to anything. Benedryl, Allegra did help, but I needed prescription (metho....) that my doc prescribed to be cured.

Will think twice OR may never get another flu shot.

[akeogh]

I wanted to write an update on myself. After receiving the flu mist in September 2011, I had daily hives for about 14 months...until around November 2012. Now it is end of January 2013, and they mostly flare up once or twice per month. It's like they are finally fading! A hellish year plus more...I will never take a flu shot/mist again and am grateful I wasn't left paralyzed or with other problems. Scary stuff! MedImmune (the maker of flutist) seemed surprised the hives lasted so long - that they did not have any other long-term hive reports like mine. Bull! I'm sure many have had chronic hives after taking that product - people need to know that immunizing is important for societal health & that I think most should vaccinate - but go into it understanding that bad, life changing reactions do happen to normal, healthy individuals, such as me.

[akeogh]

I had taken the flu mist for five years before getting itchy palms, head and the install full blown hives within 48 hours of getting the flu mist in September 2011. They are now - a little more than a year later - starting to be less, both in intensity and in frequency. Thank God they seem like they are finally going away! Zyrtec in the morning and a Benadryl at night helped me get though it.