Urticaria (hives) & pregnancy

[mrspotter]

I am 12 weeks pregnant and for the last couple of days have had hives (cold urticaria I think it is called). I recognise it because the rash and feeling is exactly as it was when I was started taking the contraceptive pill twelve years ago. I stopped taking the pill once I'd realised it was this that was causing the hives all over my body. Now I am concerned that my pregnancy hives is caused by one of the natural hormones oestrogen or progesterone as the levels of these increase during pregnancy I have been told. I think these hormones are also in the contraceptive pill.

Does anyone have any experience of this? I am concerned it will get worse as the hormone levels increase. Currently it is only on my hands but when I developed it before it spread all over my body particularly my thighs but also my face and chest and my hands and feet were swollen and numb.

Any help or advice would be appreciated

[tr001]

i stand corrected i just wrote in about the Chinese doctor and how he would save us all and i just returned from my appt and he won't give me herbs!!! now i am doomed!
he said to avoid spicy and hot foods, red meat, shellfish, seafood and take epson salt baths, slather on the aloe vera and aveeno. ugh. i hope all this works.
oh and he said to cut back on the prenatal vitamins! that the vitamin B and C generate acid and you want to be more alkaline.
that's the best i can do
tara

[tr001]

first i will tell you to go to this website i found www.itchymoms.com
just so you are aware of ICP - a liver disorder.
i had horrible Urticaria in the past brought on by what i believe were too many mosquito bites...i was put throught the RINGER with doctors that tested me for EVERYTHING - all allergies, disorders, even lupus and they found nothing. they just kept me on antihistamines and oral corticsteroids for 7 months (against their better judgement) but it was the only thing that gave me temporary relief and kept the horrible giant excrutiating rash from spreading like wildfire..
AT LAST I FOUND A CURE!!! out of desperation to try anything i went to a Chines herbalist and he told me i had too much acid in my system  recommended foods to avoid (red meat, shellfish, seafood, wine, chocolate) and then gave me a 2 week supply of herbs that i boiled into a tea every night - by night 3 i had real relief and then slowly went off the steroids and never got the hives back!!! until now. i am 21 weeks pregnant and itching like crazy, i am going to my Chinese doctor today as i don't want to go through a battery of tests and be put on dangerous medications - i have not had so much as a 2 Tylenol this entire pregnancy so believe me when i say i am cautious about anything i ingest. try to find a reputable chinese doctor that really knows his herbs and i guarantee you will find relief.
good luck and hang in there i know it is MADDENING
tara

[san0006]

Hi i am chronic urticaria patient & i want to be pregnant but i am worried about medicines is it ok for my baby? 7 years before i feel itching,hives& rash,on my back, doctor said that it is chronic problem & u should take ZENON CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLODRIDE tab. & Levasol-m tab., i take this tab.but i m not feeling so well, give me some advise plese.  

[flygirl45858]

I have been having hives for about a month now.  I just found out I am pregnant today.  I had hives once several years ago but don't know what from.  I am not allergic to anything that I know of.  I am miserable.  i have been taking Xyzal for the past three weeks.  I will not take it anymore till I see my OB.  Did anyone find any wonderful cures since these last posts?  

[babygirl1025]

yes, benadryl is fine. my obgyn let me take it in the 1st trimester. is is a category b drug... go to safe fetus.com..do not take any meds with a D after it....such as sudafed-D... you can't take pseuodephedrine

[nu_mom2b]

Hi again... still waiting for a response from anyone who knows.  Benedryl is safe even during 1st trimester?  The hives are going from bad to worse.  I woke up yesterday with the entire right side of my face swollen from them, including an eye swollen shut.  I've been taking 25mg of Benedryl, but I find if I try to skip even 1 day I have a horrible flare up.  I'm waiting to see the Ob/Gyne, but can't get in until Dec. 10.  I'm worried this is too much exposure to Benedryl.