Hives caused by a bee sting?

I have been breaking out in hives nightly for about 5 weeks. It started about a week after I went on antibiotics for a reaction to a wasp sting. I had one 2-day breakout from head to toe and then nothing for 3 weeks. Then it started happening every night around the same time each night for about 5 weeks now. My doctor gave me medrol steroids which provided temporary relief but the hives reappeared as soon as I was done taking them. I take benadryl for relief but it kills my energy. I was wondering if it's possible that these hives could be connected to that initial bee sting or if this is just another case of mysterious hives that will disappear someday?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Hives (medically known as urticaria) are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. They have a tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours.

Many cases of hives are "idiopathic," meaning no cause is known. Others may be triggered by viral infections or medications. Take some oral antihistaminics like Benadryl (cause drowsiness) or Claritin and apply calamine lotion as it helps in soothing the skin. You can also apply a mild steroid cream and if the symptoms persist then consult a dermatologist as oral steroids may be needed. If the hives don’t go after 6 wks of treatment also, then it can be a case of chronic urticaria which needs further evaluation as it may be due to auto antibodies.
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.