Postpartum Hives

When I was about 15-16 weeks pregnant, I began getting hives all over my body. They were flush with my skin and only itchy on days that were really hot or cold. My doctor told me to take Zyrtec and that kept them at bay for the most part. I had a few bad flare ups, but nothing severe. I had a c-section 8 weeks ago, and hours after I was out of surgery I had an allergic reaction to something. I am allergic to Penacillin and Amoxicillin, so the docs thought that maybe the antibiotic they gave me caused it. Well, we figured out weeks later that it may have been that, but I was also allergic to the 800 mg Motrin they sent me home with, which is related to the pain med Toradol which is what I was given after surgery. That caused facial swelling, and the hives to return in the hospital. They loaded me up on Prednisone and Benadryl and sent me home with a 5 day pack of Prednisone to take once I was discharged. The hives went away for a few days, but came back. They were a little different than when I was pregnant, this time they looked a little more like welts, but they were managable. This past Tuesday I went to see an allergist and we scheduled blood work and a scratch test. I have to be off any kind of meds for 10 days before the scratch test, so it will be on July 8th. She sent me home with 10 mg Prednisone and told me to take it each night after the last feeding. I am still nursing. It's now Friday and I have had a huge outbreak of hives every night after taking the Prednisone. I mean they are covering my entire body, scalp, breasts, buttocks, palms of hands and bottom of feet; no area is free of hives. I've also noticed heat makes them 10 times worse...and I live in FL! To be honest, I'm not even sure of what my question is anymore. My OB thinks it's hormone related, and the allergist seemed to lean that way too. I have seasonal allergies, but never any type of skin allergy. I haven't changed lotions, perfumes, soaps, detergents, etc. We've been through everything. Tonight to be on the safe side, we washed all of our sheets and even my pj's in hypoallergenic detergent to see if that would help, and I'm still completely covered. The only thing I realized tonight was that they came on after I took the Prednisone. Has anyone heard of being allergic to a hormone? Is it possible my body is reacting this way to a hormone I'm still producing because I'm breastfeeding? I don't want to stop breastfeeding for many reasons, and I'm afraid that the hives won't go away even if I do! I know this is lengthy, but I'm literally at my wit's end. Any help, thoughts, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :)

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
If hives started during pregnancy and then reappeared just after delivery then this could be Pruritic Uticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy, also known as PUPPP. Vit A, calcium and iron supplementation helps reduce it. Steroid creams & ointments, moisturizing creams, aloe vera lotions, wet soaks, calamine lotions are usually enough to control Steroid creams & ointments, moisturizing creams, aloe vera lotions, wet soaks, calamine lotions are usually enough to control it. Other than that if it is urticaria due to outside allergens, then it will be caught in the July 8th test.
Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!