what am I allergic too?

Recienty I have been having allergic reactions. I have never been allergic to anything in my life. I had such a severe reaction I had to go to the hospital. It starts with my hands itching really bad. Then small red bumps appear on my wrists and over time spread up my arm. Then it goes away after a few hours or it gets worse and starts to spread over my entire body. My face swells or just one eye will swell. Its always a little different on how it attacks my face. Before I thought it was a lotion I had used. But I don't use that lotion anymore. The last 3 times it has happened I had been out drinking the night before. In the morning when I wake the itching on my hands start. But it is so many hours after the drinking. Why would it take this long for symtoms (symptoms) to start.  Also I am not on any medication.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This could be allergic reactions to unknown substances, skin hypersensitivity, eczema, dermatitis or sun rash.

Do you notice the lesions trigerred in response to a specific stimulus like sun exposure, some substance related to your work place?

You should try to keep the area dry and clean. Try some powder to absorb the sweat.

Apply calamine lotion at the site and take some oral antihistamine medications for your complaints.

If the symptoms are still persistent, consult your dermatologist and get a proper clinical evaluation done.

Let us know if you have any doubts and keep us posted on how you are doing.

Good luck.

[jenn123]

I don't think they come from the sun. It has never happened after laying out. I am a limo driver and I work graveyard.  I think it could be from some ingrediant in the alchole. Each time it starts I start taking a benadril. What puzzles me is that when I went to the hopsital they said it could not be something I injested because it ALWAYS starts on my hand and not my chest. The only other thing that I fear it could be is my cats. But I have always had cats and have never ever been allergic to them. My cats also sleep with me each night and this only happens once or twice every 14 days.  Could a simple allergy test tell me what it is? I don't have insurance and I don't know how much those cost. I don't think it is eczema based on what I know about this skin condition and what I have read.  I did the calimine lotion and it really does nothing for me. The itching on my hands is like when you try to open a tight bottle cap and you get a type of indian rug burn. I don't know how to describle it. Kinda like little needles tingling on the palms of my hands and fingers.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

This could be an allergic reaction to some unknown substance.

Have you tried taking oral antihistamine medications? Have they helped with your symptoms.

It would be best to consult an allergy specialist and see what he/she has to say after a clinical examination.

Whether an allergy test will be successful in finding out the cause of your symptoms or not , cannot be said with surety.

Let us know about how you are doing and what your doctor advises.

Regards.

[jenn123]

Well we have new symptons.... I took a side job this weekend and I had to stand in the sun a lot. I  got a sunburn and it turned into large red bumps on the burn. I went and bought sunblock to keep the burn under control. I also was able to move to shade as the sun went down. Slowly the large red hives went down but as the day went buy I started getting the same red bumps I get when I have a reaction. They were even on my stomach and other areas of my body where the sun did not burn me because clothes had covered those areas. My right eye also swelled. I took 2 benadryl when I got home and fell asleep around 7:30 pm. I slept all night when I got up the burn was of course still there but the rash and hives were gone. also my eye was back to normal. SOOOO now what am I allergic to the sun??? This is getting crazy. I don't have insurance or money to find a primary doctor. It seems like I am allergic to everything. What would have changed in my body to make me like this as I reached my 30's?  I have not tried an oral antihistamine. This would prob also require a doctors visit. Is it a precript that I would take every day just to keep reactions from occuring?

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

There are over the counter antihistamine medications - loratadine and cetrizine should help with your symptoms.

Apply calamine lotion at the sites of the lesions and wash them several times with fresh water.

Try to minimize sun exposure and use a medicated sun screen - reapply it every 2 hours.

If your symptoms still persist, you will have to consult a doctor.

Let us know about how you are doing and what your doctor advises.

Regards.

[jenn123]

I am going to the pharmacy to check out the medications you suggested. Could you please try to answer some of my questions????


What would have changed in my body to make me like this as I reached my 30's?

Could it NOT be an allergic reaction but just some new type of skin sensitivity?

Is this common in older people?

Thank you,
J

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Usually and in most cases there is no cause and age for allergic reactions to present - a skin allergic reaction would almost imply the same as skin hypersensitivity.

You should tr to find and localise a trigger for your symptoms.

You could look for loratadine,cetrizine or fexofenadine at your pharmacy store and calamine lotion.

This is not age related.

Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.

Keep us updated.

Regards.

[AllergicOne]

Jenn, by information you provided you probably have allergic reaction - and it's progressing. I agree that you must take some antihistanime medication but you must also know that only a doctor will know the one that is the most efficient in your case. Generic ones will do as first help but will not be sufficient if your condition gets worse.

In my case I learned that immunity boosters (colostrum, astaxanthin, calcium with vitamin D, omega 3-6-9) can help a lot as addition to medical help.

Also, by the way you described your symptoms you probably have food allergy (or hypersensitivity due to low immunity) and if so start using probiotics and drop alchohol and spicy food.

[cambean]

I am having similar symptoms and sometimes after use of alcohol.  my eyes swell and i am trying to figure it out as well.  I am in my 30s as well.  i am going back to the doctor because i have had pressure behind my right ear and eye that will not go away.  I have been researching candida.  I have stress in my neck and shoulders, eye swelling, pain in my leg that comes and goes,  yeast infections that come and go.  It is annoying and I feel like I am dying and I hate it.  I don't know what it is.  

[jenn123]

I was taking vitamins a few months ago and quit. I am going to start taking the vitamins again to see if this helps. The immunity booster sounds like a good idea. I am under a lot of stress and I don't eat right. Just as soon as I get caught up on the bills I will be trying to find a doctor. Thanks for all the help and I really hope we figure this out.
Hang in there cambean I compleatly understand how you feel. Sometimes I am in bed for 3 days with a bad reaction and my face looks like I was used as a punching bag. It really sucks. But we will figure this out.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi jenn 123,

How are you doing now?

Let us know about any further progress and if you need any information.

Regards.

[iamtheone39]

Thanks friend for the post! Your not experiencing a food allergy..there are a few other posts under this topic describing the same symptoms. I do believe it must be in the air/environment. I havent changed my diet in 27years and I am experiencing like symptoms. Hopefully someone in the medical field will stop blaming our cats and see about a real answer. It is frustrating NOT knowing what your allergy is from. I have never been allergic to anything,but have experienced hives in quarter size portions and also aching palms/joints. Your not alone friend and soon we'll have an answer I am sure.

[sourgirl76]

i have been dealing with swollen eye lids and hand rashes for about 3 years now...i am home right now with swollen eyes from work. It is a multiple cause.... a few that is def causes is whatever they use to disinfect bar/restaurant glasses....stop touching them bare handed. anti bacterial soaps, anything with fragrance (sunscreens-lotions) -(I use aveeno plain and Alba fragrance free sunscreen)- cologne-some shampoos- and my biggest trigger is any type of cholrox product...I have a prescription for eiledel cream which is a miracle lotion....it takes the cycle from a week of miserableness down to 2 days. This is the most terrible time of the year for this allergy because EVERYONE is obsessed with disinfecting everything. which is why i am home today..i work on comouters and everyone douses their keyboards with thos chlorox wipes and if i unknowingly touch it..i am swollen within hours. Hope this helps...I know how awful this is!