Ongoing: Random Hives

Hello!

For the past month I have had random hives appear all over my body. And I mean random, I go days without having one single hive and then all of a sudden patches of hives appear!

Please keep in mind, I do not have any food allergies and have not changed any detergent, soaps, perfumes etc.

The only place I seem to break out is when I am in bed doing absolutely nothing. For instance, last night I was watching TV and began to itch, I pulled my shirt back and noticed a hive the size of a quarter. I recently washed my sheets with fragrance free detergent and dryer sheets.

My hives usually appear along my waistline, behind my neck and groin area. They can be the size of a water droplet to (the size of) 2 quarters put together.

I am getting frustrated because I cannot figure out what's causing my random breakouts. My only solution is to pop a benedryll, but I don't want to do that every time. However, if I don't take a benedryll my hives spread (not rapidly) & do not seem to go away quickly. So far, I have not had trouble breathing.

Like I said, I do not have any food allergies (or changed my diet) & although I am sensitive to fragrances, I've always used fragrance/dye free soaps.

WHAT'S CAUSING MY RANDOM HIVES? Any ideas are welcome.

[stozernz]

Have you had flu or cold like symtoms (symptoms) as well cos what you got souunds like what I have I also have a rash on my forarmand had been running the odd temp. are you on any meds you got gout or thiroid probsdo you use any viagria or the likes do you drink lots of milk

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Hives (medically known as urticaria) are red, itchy, raised areas of skin that appear in varying shapes and sizes. They are of two types: acute and chronic(when hives persist for more than 6 weeks). The most likely triggers for acute urticaria are allergies to pets, horses, latex and foods, such as shellfish and nuts, bee or wasp stings, allergies to medicines, Viral infections, such as glandular fever and herpes, dental and sinus infections, fungal infections, blood transfusions and vaccines.

The cause of chronic urticaria is often more difficult to identify. Most cases are called chronic idiopathic urticaria, which means they're caused by the body's unexplainable development of antibodies to itself (auto-antibodies). My sincere advice would be to consult an allergist.
I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep us posted in case you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.

[benji763]

Hi i suffered from hives for 2 years on and off. I finally got rid of them for good when i started attacking them from multiple angles. For instance u should be taking at least one allergy medication a day. Loratidine(claritin) and cetirizine (zyrtec) are nice because they don't make u as drowzy. I had to take them both daily with chlorpheneramine and benadryl when it got really bad. Make sure its okay with ur doctor, and all that but when u have suffered for a while with hives u will do it. These taken all together helped to reduce the outbreaks, but that is only part of it.
     You have to take cooler showers and use a moisturizer a couple times a day, preferably with oatmeal in it which helps reduce inflammation.
       The 3rd part which was difficult for me is the nutrition element. You have to stay away from foods that make inflammation worse. Greasy, sugary, crap at mcdonalds or burger king or wherever is gonna make it worse. This sounds crazy but u are what u eat. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables daily with a lot of water and green tea. Vitamin E has been shone to help as well as Vitamin b-12 and omega 3s from flax seed oil or fish oil. Quercitine can help as well , as well as vitamin C. Exercise more, it is very possible that hives are a manifestation of the body and immune system being unhealthy. Other people swear by homeopathic herbs, others by acupressure and acupuncture. Just keep trying things, its important to keep a good outlook especially with a frustrating problem like this, in which western medicine can only do so much.
      Wear cotton, well breathable, loose fitting clothes. Wear nothing if u are home alone because fresh air is good for the skin and the body. Obviously u cant walk around public naked but the concept is more fresh air is good for the skin.
  ok so to break it down: multiple allergy meds a day  (if ok with doctor). Use moisturizers with oatmeal and take cool showers. Eat healthy fruits and vegetablesc, cut down on red meats and greasy stuff. Helpful supplements include: vitamin E , vitamin B-12, Vitamin C, quercitine, green tea, omeaga 3s. Exercise more , drink more water, be healthier in general. Good luck!

[cassjoe2005]

i have had hives since 2001 from taking a medication called bextra which has been taken off the market becasue it causes skin conditions and other stuff well my friend gave me a sample and took for my cramps it got rid of my cramps but later that night i thought i got bit buy a spider and i started scratching well stayed up scratching the whole night my body was covered i went to allergist im not alergic (allergic) to anything i was put on claritin turbutalene and 12 day steroid well i still got the hives and such it did stop the itching but then sometimes i would swell up my toes bottom of my feet my calf my arms my lips my eyes my fingers i would really like to stop breaking out on the daily base. funny things is when i was pregnant with twins i didnt have no hives whatsoever it was great i wish there was a drug that was to act like your pregnant so u wouldnt have hives but i live with hives every day

[Afv_8910]

Hi!
I just started getting hives randomly all over, but usually on my stomach, back, back of my neck, and lately on one side of my lip. Same thing as you, happened when I was watching tv in bed doing nothing, got itchy, scratched, and they appeared all over my abdomen. I havent changed any of ny daily habits. I'm not allergic to anything and I'm not even terribly sensitive to detergent or perfumes. Also my itch was a normal itch but when I scratched, while it relieved the initial itch, it leaves a kind of weird resonating dull ache. Not really painful, just more uncomfortable. I see you posted this two years ago and was just wondering what has happened since then. I am a young female, working to live (obviously) and put myself through school, with no medical insurance, so If there's any information you can share with me about what you've found out since then as far as diagnosis or treatment or whatever I'd appreciate it! Thanks so much!

[itchyhives515]

I to have been experiencing this. I get hives randomly throughout the day..once or twice. I doesnt matter where i am. I'll get an itch and notice hives around my neck, underarms, head, and along the bicep muscle. No allergies, no stress. i have 2 dogs but again...it doesnt matter where i am - they just come and go. Somtimes when the itch is too much i will take a benadryl or when its bearable i'll take a claritin or zyrtec.