Why am I getting hives and swollen eyes?

Last July, I visited my boyfriend and the first day I'm there I am fine.  Then the next day I start getting itchy hives on my chest and upper back.  Sometimes, it starts itching around my eyes.  Then I wake up the next morning and my eyelids are puffy/swollen.  Now, I've been visiting my boyfriend since the summer of 2008 and I have never had any problems until July of 2010.  Now everytime I go there, I end up with hives and the swollen eyelids. I visit my boyfriend 1 weekend a month.  I go there on a Friday and I come home on a Sunday.  Once I get home, it usually takes several days for all this to calm down and go away.  Last time, instead of staying at his house, we stayed in a hotel.  My eyes didn't swell.  I did break out in hives, but they weren't as bad as usual.  Since July, I have seen allergy doctors and regular doctors.  I've had allergy testing and blood testing.  I've started allergy shots, because I'm apparently allergic to several things.  The only thing the blood testing showed is that I may have Benign Cyclic Neutropenia, but that's about all the doctor told me.  Now, when my boyfriend comes to visit me at my house, I don't have any problems.  No hives.  No swelling.  I'm beginning to think it's something at his house, but we can't figure out what.  He does have a beagle that he lets lick him and lay in his bed.  But I have a dog and I used to work at a vets office and never had problems. But I dread going to visit him now.  Does anybody have any ideas about this?  Any advice would be appreciated. It's making me crazy.  

Thanks!
Holly

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
You get the hives only when you visit your boyfriend’s place and there are no hives when he comes to your place. So it clearly means that you are allergic to something in his house. It can be the beagle or other causes like dustmites, mold, the laundry detergent with which he washes his sheets etc. Just keep a check on everything with which you come in contact. He can change his mattress and use some fragrance free detergents.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.