Prednisone and Hives

[nUUts]

I have been suffering from hives for 6 months.  Right now I am out of town on business and have hives on arms, inner thighs, and hands.  These are the big ones that don't itch as much as they hurt.  I have taken Benadryl and  Prilosec which is a histamine 2 antagonist.  I have 10 mg Prednisone tabs with me but the directions are to take 40 mg for angioedema and gradually decrease dosage.  I know that if I take this dosage I will be up all night but am really uncertain about how much I should take.  Using Aveeno to sooth the welts with minimal effect.  I empathize with anyone going through this experience.  Any suggestions appreciated.  Am thinking of thinking an immunologist since the allergist was absolutely no health.  Or as I read somewhere a physician would rather see an elephant in his office than a patient with hives.

  
  

[hyon]

i understand your frustration.  I have been on prednisone for about 3months now. Have had mild case of chronic hives for 1.5years but last 3months have been hell.  My hives are similar to yours, don't itch but they sting.  If you can cover them up and can stand the pain, I say hold off on the prednisone. Take combination of antihistamines...claritin in the morning, benedryl at night, etc. If they itch but you don't mind the way they look, put the cortisone cream stuff.  If they itch/hurt and you don't like the way they look, take the prednisone and go see a doctor.  I see an allergist that my physician referred me to. The allergist has other patients with chronic hives and even had a break out himself so it works out nicely for me.   I hear even a dermetologist can help you as well. But either way, treatment routin is usually 1) antihistamine 2)prednisone 3)if really desperate and long term cyclosporine. I hope that helps.

[I_h8hives]

Oh my gosh...this is my first experience with such hives!  I want to cry.  Everyone keeps looking at me like I'm some kind of freak from the circus and they get away from me like I'm contagious or something.  My dematologist prescribed PREDNISONE 20 mg and I am to take 3 every morning then decrease my dosage within 3 to 4 days.  He also told me I'd be good as new within 24 hours and so far...not so good.  I'm miserable!  I itch all over.  I have hives from neck to toe.  I'm only greatful that I'm able to come to work still and able to close my hands after being swollen for 5 days.  I went to a regular doctor at first and he misdiagnosed my condition as the freakin chicken pox and gave me a prescription for blisters!  After two days of looking at myself and itching I just knew these were some weird looking chicken pox at the age of 26 so I went to see a dermatologist for a second opinion.  Sure enough he prescribed me PREDNISONE and a creme to help the itching.  He promised they'd be gone within 24 hours and I'm getting a little impatient because I just want them to go away!  I was just engaged this weekend and the day after I broke out!  I missed 3 days of work (27 hours) and it's my fiance's birthday this comming Wednesday.  Please someone just tell me everything is going to be okay and that this is going to go away sooner than I think!!!  I don't care...lie to me...anything to keep me from stressing out right now!  I can feel the heat comming to my face...I need to relax.

[papaya38]

I just started having hives last week neck to toe. However, about five years ago, I had them every day for about 3 months. At the time, I thought they would never stop. Like many other sufferers, I tried changing my environment, my diet, and grasped at any possible reason I could find on the Internet. I even became so desperate that I thought I had scabies and tried pesticide cream. I took Benedryll 24-hours a day, even setting my alarm to wake up in the middle of the night to have a dose before the itching starts. Then one day, they stopped for seemingly no reason as quickly as they came. My best advice is to stay on the antihistamines round the clock, keep your fingernails short, and have faith that one day they will just stop. Everything will be okay.