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Chronic Hives

About six months ago since I moved across country and suddenly started to experience hives. I have never experienced this ever in my life, the only allergy I have had was to Shellfish and I stayed away from that. The hives seem to be very prominent in the morning and evening. They just don't seem to be going away. I am drinkning hot lemon water to cleanse my system and I was taking reacton but i really don't want to continully take pills like that. Is stress a big factor for these hives? Is six months a long time for them to last? I have seen an allergist but I was allergic to dust mites and still shellfish so should I go back to them and get tested again? What else can I do to get rid of these annoying hives? It's driving me crazy!

Thanks
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Avatar universal
Hi I am Nagwa Mourad From Egypt,

First I am pleased to find this site it helped me a lot and gave me release

I have been suffering from Allergy since I was a kid , from food like Banana, eggs Chocolate. I was managing it by antihistamine poor product as this was like 40 years ago I am 57 years now. Then it turned to be from medicine as well to the limit I got coma one day from Aspirin and Sulfa tablets!!! I don't know but I feel it is getting worse by time I never had allergy from Sulfa in my childhood. now lately since 4 months I got hives I saw so many doctors went through a lot of test's: allergic test, blood test but no one told me it is hives they all told me in hidden way like don't use detergent  or the diagnose is Vascular arteritis  and gave me cream and soap imagine?!!! it never goes away, now it comes when I wear my bra at also at the waist from jeans or any other trousers. this site actually helped me a lot to discover and understand what I have so I can deal with it. Hives I assume  it also affect my lungs I saw specialist who diagnosed my case as chronic allergic in the lung he gave me inhaler and singular 10 mg it improve my breath actually but I think the hives is the cause of my chest case as well.  In my case I think it is from pressure as I live under a lot of pressure since very long time but never imagined that it might lead to this stage!!

It is real bad feeling and annoying as well I hope we all get well soon.
my email:
***@****

Regards,
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Avatar universal
Same problem as soon as I moved cross country to a new state. Nonstop hives, swollen lips/eyes when it's really severe. My doctor has me on 2 different allergy meds that keep me from reacting but the minute I try to wean myself from them then I have an extremely severe allergic reaction, which has been getting worse with time (now 7 months). I can certainly relate to your misery, it's depressing.

I don't want to keep taking allergy meds which aren't good for you long-term, and in my case the meds make me drowsy. I'm male so it's not hormone-related, as in the case of women in this discussion thread that found relief after giving birth. I'm going to try avoiding Splenda to see if that helps.
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Avatar universal
I had small dry white bumps on the insides of my lower arms for years and I didn't know what was causing them. About a month ago I totally eliminated Splenda and all artificial sweeteners, & diet soda, from my diet and the bumps disappeared.
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Avatar universal
I've been suffering from uncomfortably itchy skin all over my body (especially feet, legs, stomach and bum cheeks) for about 4 months now, and it's progressively getting worse. I'm waiting on an appointment with an allergist. My doctor thought it may be the acids in fruit, so  I cut out all fruit and wine (VERY difficult). Things didn't improve, so she suggested citric acid. I cut this out, again very difficult, as it's in many things, and still no luck. I have now cut alcohol out completely for a week, and no improvement. This is driving me insane. I also have a shellfish allergy, and I use artificial sweetener in my coffee, so I'm very interested in this conversation. I'm going to cut out the sweetener as of tomorrow, but I'm not optimistic. Any advice greatly appreciated!
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Avatar universal
sweetie 4 months, really??? Im so sorry for your discomfort but try 16 years  230 moths
angioedema and chronic hives daily from swelling feet to ER runs  at 3 am for swollen throat. lips the size if balloons and scars everywhere. remember walking a mile in someone elses shoes may make your seem a lot more comfortable
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Avatar universal
Hello.
I think I may be afflicted with autoimmune uticaria as well. I've been tested by an allergist through the scratch test and blood test and both were only minimally reactive to dust. My first hives were in '98 or '99. The doctor thought I was reacting because I just had my first menustration. I reacted maybe once through the next four years. Four years later I had a really bad episode where the hives lasted for two to three days. Doctor told me to take Benadryl and use hydrocortisone cream. I moved south and had another really bad episode. This lasted for at least a week and I fainted. My joints were sore and my extremities swollen. I went to work ( I know it was stupid), and was sent home by the nurse to see the doctor. Nurse thought I was going into anaphylaxis. Doctor prescribed prednisone and I felt 90% better the next day. Two weeks ago I started seeing hives but stopped them with Benadryl. It's just crazy that no doctor can figure out my triggers. I never react when I eat something new or touch something different.  
I have read that hives and eczema can be related. Needless to say I have horrible eczema and have had it for years.
Unfortunate there is a need for this type of community. However I'm grateful because my family and friends don't understand when I have hives. Most if the time I'm in pain along with being uncomfortable.  
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Avatar universal
My allergist gave me the prick test and concluded that I'm allergic to many of the trees where I live.  I used to be a beer drinker and found that whenever I drank...the hives went away.  Now, I'm sober and haven't had a drink in about 6 years.  Has anyone else had this same kind of experience?
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Avatar universal
I also have auto immune chronic uticaria diease it has been in my life now for almost 6 years i have been on every drug i know of that is a blocker but i still have them every day. im getting very depressied that there seems to be nouyhing to make it go away . i go to some of the worlds best docs at barns jewish but even they are confusied on why it still doesnt stop. if there is anyone out there that could help me please let me know. thanks so much,im so glad im not alone
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Avatar universal
I need help 2 weeks ago I got these hives and they are not going away could I be pregnant I never had these hives in my life my breast are really sore and I haven't saw a sign of my period
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Avatar universal
I have acid reflux associated with hives.  I went to the gastro doc yesterday and he wants to do an endoscopy to see what is going on in that part of my body.  Will let you know if anything shows up.  In the meantime I am taking prescription Zantac 300 mg 2x daily, Zyrtec, and Zanax.  Good luck.
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Avatar universal
2 months ago I had colored my hair a redish color, I then decided to strip it and make it a bright red. After I got done my scalp itched so badly, my whole head was breaking out into hives  and it started spreading on my face. I thought I had just over done it with the hair dye, but it was so bad I had to soak it in dandruff shampoo to make it feel okay. I felt a little better but then over the next week I kept breaking out into hives all over my body. My mom is allergic to Red dye #40 and suggested that may be the problem, so I striped the red out and color it brown. It felt better but I was still a little itchy, and I couldn't figure out why, I cut out everything that had red dye in it and after a while its calmed down. I'm still itchy from time to time, but it hasn't been as bad.
Unfortunately all of this triggered a thyroid problem, which I'm now having to deal with. I feel everyone's pain, I don't remember who said it on here, but you really do have to figure it out for yourself. I'm very thankful for the internet because doctors don't know everything, yes some can be helpful but most of them that I have dealt with just don't have a clue and just try to feed you medication. If you want to get better you have to take charge and figure it out for yourself.
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Avatar universal
Hi,
I have had hives since May and the doctors can't seem to know what is wrong with me. My white blood cells are too high and we think that I might have an infection somewhere in my body. I am looking for a new doctor (internal medicine) to ask for another blood test, this time to figure out if I have a blood infection or what....... Did any of you found a cure yet?? Any Ideas????
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Avatar universal
Am I glad I found this link! I have had chronic hives for months. I switched to laundry det. and fabric softener that were hypo-allergenic and have been taking antihistimines almost daily. I thought I might be allergic to green tea so I stopped drinking it. I never even thought about the splenda I was using to sweeten it! I am going to detox from all artificial sweeteners and see if that solves things for me. Thanks for the info!
Quitcherfussin
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Avatar universal
I have had hives for about 6 years now. We have never figured out what I was allergic to, through many years of experimentation, we have found meds that work GREAT. Typical meds like benadryl, zyrtec, claritin, etc. never worked for long. I take albuterol pills (2 4mg pills every 6 hours), cimetidine (1 25mg in the AM and one in the PM), and 1 doxepin (75 mg) at night. I guarentee you this WILL work for some of you. Stay AWAY from predinisone, I was put on it when I was 13 and have been on it for 6 years. It works great, but it tears your body apart. It's detrimental......I hope this helps all of you.
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Avatar universal
For me, I have other hormonal symptoms with the hives, but since blood tests don't reliably detect hormone irregularities,  I always check out fine too. Like yourself, I tried prednisone but for longterm relief natural progestrone cream taken once a day has given me my life back.
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Avatar universal
I have had hives for 6 years now. I've done every blood test in the world and nothing has come up. The only medicines that work for me are albuterol, benadryl and doxepin. I also have been taking prednisone for about 5 years and they always get rid of my hives. But, the prednisone is affecting my body in strange ways. About 6 hours or so after I take it I get HORRIBLE pains in my legs. I have also developed an stomach disorder, where my stomach rejects ALL food. This has been going on for 2 years and no doctor has been able to figure it out. Has anyone experienced these problems? Or found an odd reason for why the have hives?
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Avatar universal
I feel your pain!! Although i have only had them for a week they are driving me crazy!! I am on three different types of Steroids for the hives and persription Benedryl. The emergency room doc gave me the benedryl and told me to take two every 6 hours... I am up to 4 every three hours!!! i have them everywhere on my body, even in my scalp. i went to the er to get some help because my face was swelling up and i looked like i was perminatly disfigured. they gave me an iv drip with the benedryl in it, a cortizon shot and another Steroid. the hives went away while they were observing me for two hours.... as i was walking out the er door what do you know i broke out worse than before. the er didn't even take a second look at me and told me i would be fine. these stupid things are taking over my life.. (after reading some of the stories above i feel lucky that i have not had them that long, but at the same time i feel hopeless because the stories are sounding more and more like my problem!!!)
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Avatar universal
I just take one tablet (10mg?) a night. But it does not help me unless I take 150mg of ranitidine with it.
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Avatar universal
Everyone is talking about Zyrtec what dose do I take?
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Avatar universal
I have found that my hives are hormone related. I tried many doctors who tested me for a variety of conditions, and I seemed otherwise healthy. I suffered with them for 1 1/2 years the first time and nine months the second time. I kept a food journal, changed my detergents, etc. Yet I noticed that the hives were worse during or after hormonal changes. After I stopped taking birth control (I had been on them for 10 yrs), the hives went away. After I had my second child, they came back. Then I read Dr. Lee's book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause" although I am not menopausal. He gives a long list of symptoms due to hormone imbalance (specifically estrogen dominance) and suggestions about how to restore balance. It was an easy read, and it has worked for me.My hives got better immediately and are either non-existent or minimal. They had been so bad that I could only wear a loose gown as my body was covered. I was also having chest pains. Here is what I am doing:

1) I use a Natural Progesterone cream in a pump at night. You can get it at a health food store, but Swansons on-line is cheaper (life-flo brand). Make sure it is Natural Progesterone and NOT Progestin or any type of Estrogen.
2) I drink more water
3) I avoid milk. I was never allergic to it before, but my worst reactions were after I had some.
4) I take a multivitamin, vitamin E, Flaxseed oil, magnesium, VItex (for gentle hormone balance), B-complex, and Quercetin with Bromelain.
5) He suggests eating more fruits and vegetables- I need to do better here.

It seems like a lot, but it helped me to get my life back. I was so frustrated like so many people on here because the doctors just seemed puzzled as to what was going on. Most said that they would go away in time but mine were not going anywhere. I hope that this helps.
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535822 tn?1443976780
I do sympathise as I have been through all this and have Hives, you are taking a lot of powerful drugs and you really need to be off them all, there are side effects with each one, I am going for Natural cures now,to get off these drugs you will have to go slow but you will still get withdrawal, put up with that, it will be worth it and dont let them put you on more put each drug into your Search Engine for side effects and withdrawal symptoms.Prednisone is a drug no one should use the reactions can be long term,My hives arrived Mid May and I am trying to do my own research,Anti Histimines made me ill and I was also given a steroid topical cream, then my hair started to come out. I have stopped that and the Hair loss stopped aswell.I think they are advised by the drug companys to give Xanax and Lexapro, Xanax is addictive so then they switch to Lexapro, which is given for Depression,.Try a Histimine Free diet like I am I cant say it has cured the Hives  but its a lot better than it was, you can get a list of foods and a diet from the search engine.Forget the Docs and allergists and all the other stuff go the Natuaral route you will be gald you did, Trust me. PS When the itch is Bad try dabbing on Apple cider Vinegar it soothes it immediatly.
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Avatar universal
I  had chronic hives almost 20 years ago and they're back.  It started last March when I had been under tremendous stress for about 2 years dealing with elderly parents. Unfortunately they're back.  I've  been dealing with them again for about 6 weeks.  Originally I started with a medrol dose pack, two 150 mg of zantac daily, two Zyrtec,  & 50 mg of Doxepin.  Once I was down to the last prednisone in the dose pack they came back really bad.  The doc then put me on 20 mg of Prednisone for 1 week, 10 mg for a week, and now 5 mg.  As I am writing this my forehead is covered in them.  I do fine when I am on 20 mg of Prednisone but I have to get off of it.  My blood sugar is high because of it.  Doc also put me on Lexapro 10 mg and 1/2 mg of Xanax twice daily.  I've only been on them a couple of days.  I feel better but I'm still getting hives.  Does anyone have any further suggestions?  My dermatologist added Tavist, another antihistimine twice daily, but it's not making much difference.  I have heartburn so bad from all the meds I am at my wits end.  Does anyone know if you can take Prilosec when you're also taking Zantac?  Sometimes I just feel so helpless.  I'm open to any suggestions!  Does anyone know how to rid your body from all these drugs?
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Avatar universal
Hi,
In doctor speak, hives are known as "urticaria.Hives usually appear suddenly and go away on their own in a matter of days, hours, or even minutes. Chronic hives, however, can last for six weeks or more.
Some causes to consider are.
•Foods (commonly eggs, shellfish, nuts, berries, dyes, or other additives)
•Drugs (any drug can touch off an allergic reaction, although allergies to penicillin, sulfa, and aspirin are especially common)
•Pollens and plants (nettles, poison ivy, poison oak, and so on)
•Animal fur
•Insect bites or stings
•Exposure to heat, cold, or sunshine
Hives are a nuisance, but are not usually dangerous.
Comfort is the main goal of treatment, since most hive outbreaks are relatively minor and short-lived. To soothe itchy skin, try cold compresses, calamine lotion, a cool shower, or a tepid bath with a few tablespoons of cornstarch (the kind sold in drugstores) thrown in. Try an over-the-counter antihistamine to reduce your body's response to the irritant and to relieve pain. Ask your doctor if you should take antihistamine pills.
Ref:http://www.myonlinewellness.com/topic/hivestreatment
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Avatar universal
About 10 months ago I suddenly started getting hives.  In my case they appear on my cheeks and neck.  Being the "I'll figure this out" type of guy, I researched hives online pretty extensively.  

One of the best resources I found is a book by an MD in Bozeman, Montana, who researches uticaria, Alan Wanderer, titled "Hives: The Road to Diagnosis and Treatment of Urticaria".  Amazon sells it for about $30.  It's an extensive workbook designed to help clinicians diagnose and treat hives.  

From it I learned that about 1 in 5 people will get hives at some point in their lives.  Yet sufferers are able to identify the root cause in only about 1 of 5 cases.  And the list of potential triggers are vast, including those I see mentioned in these posts, plus many more.  

In my case, I believe my initial symptoms were triggered by stress, as my business partner of 7+ years was dying of cancer.  I feel that stress is largely past me now, but my hives remain, triggered I believe by one or more foods.   My list of suspects includes strawberries, pineapple, raspberries and possibly blueberries.  I eliminated them from my diet months ago.  Recently I realized nearly any form of tomato triggers a reaction within minutes.  I also suspect diet coke and diet Dr. Pepper (maybe the dyes in them?  or the aspartame?), as I recently enjoyed a 10-day period of no outbreaks while drinking only water.  Then I ordered a diet coke in a restaurant and the hives returned (but was there some tomato on my plate that day? -- so hard to keep track of it all...).

To treat symptoms, I have found generic Benadryl to be the most effective.  I'll take 25 mg each night; 50 to 75 mg if I have pretty bad outbreaks.  Often the symptoms are gone by morning, only to surface again during the next day.  I also take 75 mg Ranitidine morning and night.  And Cetirizine 10 mg (generic Zyrtec) each morning.  I'm not convinced the Cetirizine (an H2 inhibitor) does anything.  Likewise, Loratadine seems ineffective for me.  All of these are available over the counter.  If an outbreak is severe, I'll sparingly apply a steroid Triamcinolone Acetonide cream 0.1%, which is by prescription only, which I find highly effective.

Still, the primary causes remain elusive.  If I'm like most, I may never know for sure the triggers, but in time my outbreaks might finally pass as quickly as they came.
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