I have Chronic Urticaria

I was siagnosed about a year ago. It has been the worst diagnoses along with my death sentence of MRSA Staph infection. I thought it was a string of bad luck for me but bad luck shouldn't last my whole life or at least to what I have left. I'm on medications for this chronic urticaria. the following is Doxepin 25mg, Rantidine, and my epi pen. My doctors described this as something related to my staph infection or stress. I'm really confused because the skin specialist was clueless to a point also. I had mass wealts covering my entire body. I went into a comatos state because I had itched myself and stressed myself so bad. I had acid covered in the entire surroundings of my throat from the reaction in my body. I lived with this for a long time. I was to embaressed to tell someone. I just want to have more answers. I want my life back. I need to know if there is something that can help that dosen't cause severe sedation.  

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Urticaria, or hives, is truly not one disease, but a reaction pattern of the skin.

In most of the cases of chronic urticaria, the underlying pathology is idiopathic i.e it is not linked to any cause. Idiopathic urticaria and angioedema can even be accompanied by symptoms and signs of anaphylaxis in a syndrome called idiopathic anaphylaxis.

It is essential to rule out the presence of serious illnesses of which recurring hives can be a symptom. Examples are hepatitis, hyperthyroidism, lymphomas, collagen vascular diseases, and cancers of the rectum, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Chronic infections such as chronic sinusitis can be associated with urticaria.

Causes of urticaria include Drugs and Chemicals, contactants, certain foods, infections and systemic diseases.

Have these systemic diseases being ruled out in your case?
Treatment is by oral antihistamines. The most potent antihistamine, however, is probably the anti-depressant doxepin. Although adverse effects (including sedation, increased appetite, and possible cardiac effects) often limit its use, doxepin is perhaps the most effective of all the antihistamines for urticaria and angioedema.

Unfortunately, however, a few patients respond only to systemic steroids. In this case the best mode of action is to give a short burst with a moderate dosage (e.g., prednisolone 1 mg/kg/day), and then try to taper the dose of steroid as antihistamines are introduced.

http://www.allergyweb.com/Articles/chronicurticaria_md.asp

Lastly,immunotherapy can be tried.
Pls consult an immunologist for the exact diagnosis and treatment as an allergy specialist/immunologist can only handle such kinds of cases.

[margypops]

Take a look at the thread by bwb ,top thread,dated July 25th on on going, it has a lot of information that I have found very helpful as I like you suffer from this .there are a lot of ideas for things that help.