Hives after birth

[sfb76]

I just found the post from the other woman who gets hives after giving birth.  This happens to me as well.  I got hives/eczema within a few weeks of giving birth in 2006 to my first child.  They went away in a couple of months.  I had another baby 12 weeks ago, and the hives have been even worse this time.  Biopsy shows that it's the same reaction as last time.  They are much, much itchier than anything I have ever experienced.   I've been on singulair, zyrtec, benedryl, zantac, and atarax daily for about 3 weeks as well as 30mgs of prednisone for 10 days and it has actually spread during this time.  My dermatologist and obstetrician wonder if I am sensitive to progesterone.  I breastfeed exclusively, so I get frequent progesterone spikes, and after the most recent pregnancy I put in a mirena (IUD with progesterone implant), which would have added to the problem if this the case.  We pulled my IUD out 3 days ago, so maybe that will eventually help.  Neither my dermatologist nor my OB have seen this before, but I would love to know if there is anything we could do about it.  I do not normally have reactions to my cycle, and have been on oral birth control previously (estrogen based).  


This discussion is related to Chronic hives months after having a baby.

[greenapple23]

I had a bad cold/cough virus about 4 months postpartum and broke out in severe hives and some swelling. Now it is getting close to a year later and I am still having problems with hives. It's not just the hives but I also have a constant feeling of tightness in my throat and irritation around the inside of my lips whenever I have hives. (I do carry an Epipen just in case). They seem to flare up when I get my period. I take zyrtec twice a day and when they are bad I also take zantac twice a day. I am still nursing a couple times a day but going to start weaning soon. I am frustrated and feeling desperate, as my allergist just keeps telling me to keep taking what I'm taking and it takes 4 months just to get an appointment. Trying to do some research on my own. (I doubt this is related but I have RH negative blood type...I got the rhogam shot during pregnancy so I don't think it's from complications related to RH factor).

[LauraLSB]

It is working!  My hives have gone down considerably. I think I need a higher dose but so far it has made a world of difference!

[LauraLSB]

Have any of you had your testosterone and progesterone checked? I have had chronic hives for 7 years now. They started right after I had my daughter.  Mine flair up horribly right before I ovulate and right before my period.  I get them all month long but at those times they are the worse.

Doctors had no idea what was wrong, I couldn't control them.

Then I found a doctor who had seen it before so they tested me.

I have low testosterone and high progesterone.  I was just diagnosed so I am not sure if the testosterone cream is going to cure it or not but I am sure hoping I have found an answer!

I will keep you all posted.

As to the thyroid issue, I thought the same thing. Long story but thinking it was my thyroid was good thing. I had thyroid cancer.  But my hives weren't linked to my thyroid.

like I said if this testosterone works, I will let you all know!

I hope you all check back to see.

[LauraLSB]

Have any of you had your testosterone and progesterone checked? I have had chronic hives for 7 years now. They started right after I had my daughter.  Mine flair up horribly right before I ovulate and right before my period.  I get them all month long but at those times they are the worse.

Doctors had no idea what was wrong, I couldn't control them.

Then I found a doctor who had seen it before so they tested me.

I have low testosterone and high progesterone.  I was just diagnosed so I am not sure if the testosterone cream is going to cure it or not but I am sure hoping I have found an answer!

I will keep you all posted.

[drea0410]

I have had these exact issues since the birth of my son 3 years ago!!!! The hives stopped while pregnant with my daughter, but they are definitely back!!! I just left my allergist...he sent me off to have some blood test done...in my research I think I have Hashimoto's disease which is in relation to my thyroid. Thyroid issues run in my family, but I think anyone who is having hives after giving birth should have their thyroid checked out or see if there are some autoimmune issues. See an Allergy Dr, NOT a dermatologist...they act like they have no clue what's going on....good Luck!

[Miserable_Meredith]

Here it is 2014. Is anyone on here still dealing with this or did it go away?

[Garee28]

This is my second time around with the urticaria. I had it with my second pregnancy and now with my third. The first time around I was in agony also, trying to figure out what it was, going to all these specialists. And, FINALLY, someone named it...urticaria (which is basically a rash with no explanation). I have found that Zyrtec works the best, but you have to double up on it. It only comes in 10mg, so doubling would be 20mg, which is just as strong as any other meds they will give you at the doctors. They double up on it in Europe, so, for me, that will have to be safe enough to overcome the pain and itchiness. Do not let any time pass between your next day dose or you will get the itchies again and initially it will take a week to fully kick in and the hives will disappear while you remain on it.
  The only doctor that was able to help me the first time around was my child's pediatrician. He told me it was a virus that can last up to 5 years in adults and will either, eventually burn itself out, or will attach onto another virus (such as a flu or common cold) and exit your body at that time. Needless to say, I got the flu and it did leave at that time, one year later.  Now I have it again, 4 years later after having another child and I am praying for the flu!

[bestmomof3]

OH MY GOD, I feel like you're telling my story! I have been researching for months, going to see doctors, taking 2 kinds of medications, and I still have these hives! My son just turned 1 this week (3rd child) and I was somehow expecting these hives to magically disappear when he hit his first birthday, but they haven't. I have never had hives in my life, never had any postpartum issues after either of my other 2 kids either. I first started getting these "itchy bumps" at 6 weeks postpartum. I had no idea what they were so I went to a general MD, that is where my hell began. She sent me to a "skin specialist" who falsely diagnosed me with SCABBIES! My life spiraled out of control for weeks...my entire family had to be treated (even the baby) with this horrible cream, we tore the house apart to wash everything, but still the bumps kept coming. I was beginning to go crazy imagining bugs living in my body, I was scared to hold my baby thinking I would pass them to him. No one else was getting any "bites" though. We had Orkin come twice to check for bugs, I went to a dermatologist to test the bumps to see if they were bug bites but nothing was conclusive. I then went to an allergist who said exactly what katbaby08's dr. said, that because my skin is so sensitive to everything (and that I have Dermatographic urticaria), an allergy test won't be conclusive anyway and prescribed me with the 2 meds to help reduce the symptoms.

How is there no research on this? How are there no allergists aware of this? I want to find a dr. that can actually help but where do we begin?

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, welcome to the forum, there are many risk factors for urticaria (hives), but it is rare to be associated with pregnancy and it can be possible. Three distinct types of allergic manifestations have been studied which is associated with pregnancy. They are autoimmune progesterone dermatitis of pregnancy, Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP) and Laryngopathia gravidarum.

In your case it seems to be due to progesterone sensitivity. Body is known to become sensitive to its own endogenous hormones. This condition can worsen when one is given progesterone intramuscularly. In such condition, estrogen administration will reduce the symptoms. Anti histamines like loratidine or citirizine are quite helpful o reduce the symptoms. Even bronchodilators may be needed if breathing difficulty. Glucocorticoids may help in severe cases. Take care and regards.

[hellopippi]

I am also suffering! I have been diagnosed with Chronic idiopathic urticaria since having my first child who is 2 in November! I would get hives covering my whole body including my face and it would get especially worse in the heat. As I was pregnant with my 2nd child, although I still had the hives, it didn’t appear as much as normal but now he is 10 weeks old, it has come back with a vengeance!!! I have been to many doctors, dermatologists, herbalists and homeopaths (who said it was the bodies reaction to a traumatic birth, however my 2nd birth wasn't bad at all!), and nothing has worked other than steroids, but I do not want to live on steroids for the rest of my life!!! I am breast feeding and did with my 1st child, but stopped after 6 months to go on steroids as it got so bad!! - I don’t really want to have to go back onto them again and am appealing for help as I, probably like all the others on here find it really painful, itchy and very depressing - I just don’t know what to do anymore and doctors / dermatologists don’t see any urgency, and tell me  nonchalantly that ‘one day it will just disappear’!!!! – Well it hasn’t yet, and meanwhile I really need help with it! If they ever suffered the way we are then maybe they wouldn't act so casual about the whole situation.

[annabadee]

I also have had this issue. I gave birth to my son on March 17th 2007 and have had hives every single day since I had him. I usually get the hives once to twice a day and they are severly itchy. I have tried to seek help from dermetologists but they always say that they don't see any reason why and advise me to take an antihestimine such as benadryl. The benadryl helps to relieve the itching for a little while but the hives always return. It's been almost 3 years and there has been no relief, not even for a day.

[skullaria]

I had hives after giving birth too - in my case it was just local dermatitis from the adhesive on the pressure bandage they gave me.