Prednisone and Hives

[nUUts]

I have been suffering from hives for 6 months.  Right now I am out of town on business and have hives on arms, inner thighs, and hands.  These are the big ones that don't itch as much as they hurt.  I have taken Benadryl and  Prilosec which is a histamine 2 antagonist.  I have 10 mg Prednisone tabs with me but the directions are to take 40 mg for angioedema and gradually decrease dosage.  I know that if I take this dosage I will be up all night but am really uncertain about how much I should take.  Using Aveeno to sooth the welts with minimal effect.  I empathize with anyone going through this experience.  Any suggestions appreciated.  Am thinking of thinking an immunologist since the allergist was absolutely no health.  Or as I read somewhere a physician would rather see an elephant in his office than a patient with hives.

  
  

[BHarton21]

I've had CIU for about 15 years, the longest breakout cycle was 3 years and I was literally planning on checking out permanently as the hives covered a third of my body at all times and just seemed to move around every 4-6 hours.   I have had them under control now since 2014 with the approval of Xolair. Xolair is administered once a month, two shots, one in each arm.    I do not respond at all to any of the steroid or immune suppressing treatments.  Xolair is expensive, out of pocket expense is $1500 per month (it started at $1000).  My insurance charges a $250 co-pay, however, the manufacturer provides co-pay assistance, which allows me to pay my standard office visit copay.  My allergist office did all the work on getting the insurance approval as well as the co-pay assistance.  Xolair literally saved my life.  Because of the cost, most insurance companies require step therapy, you have to try everything else first and it has to fail.  I cannot say enough about Xolair, it changed my life.  I hope this helps.  If you google Xolair, you'll find many stories like mine.  Good luck... I'm sorry you're going through this.

[alopa48]

Ok My friend I had the same problem and finally looks that I found some kind of relief (maybe a cure, we'll see). My allergist from Cleveland clinic here in Coral Spring FL prescribe me CETIRIZINE 10MG 3 tablets a day for a month and then bring it down to 2 a day. I began with the treatment on March 2021 as today  July 27/2021 I can tell you that I'm feeling  85% better before was every single day going to hell, today I'm not completely free, but feel much much better. Try it. CETIRIZINE is the same as ZYRTEC, but less expensive if a Dr. prescribed it . Good luck. Write later at ***@**** and tell me if it works for you.

[dm0225]

I had a partial sigmoidectomy in 12/15 due to diverticulitis.  About 2 mos later I started having outbreak of hives.  This has continued. I was first given a Medrol Dose pak which helped, but no lotions helped with itching. My dr. explained due to the fact I was under anesthesia so long (2.5 hrs) there is something in the anesthesia that stores in the liver and releases very slowly and is in form of hives.  I'm praying this stops soon because I break out every 2 weeks since then.  Dr. won't put me on prednisone due to side effects. I'm taking Zantac 150mg. twice daily along with 4mg Cyproheptadine every 4 hours which totally knocks me out.  Have tried every OTC lotion for itching. Nights are worse. I put ice on it which helps for awhile.  Even tried home remedies such as baking soda paste, rubbing alcohol, organic vinegar and all of those were useless.  I sympathize with anyone who deals with this as it's basically made it impossible to function when the outbreak occurs.

[Annawangdinicola]

There is a new drug just approved by FDA for treatment of Hives. It's an injection called Zolair

[Spam2002]

I get hives from taking steroids. I have had this for over 10 years. Alcohol, illness, steroids, anything that alters my inner workings gives me hives. The worst episodes happens when I have an illness. I recently was in hospital for 2 nights. I needed 150 mg flush of steroids, antihistamine on IV and andrenlin in the backside. I think I have mine for life!! But then again some people have a lot worse things in life and would swap it for hives any day. #madworld

[LIzafern]

Although I have dermagraphism, I have recently developed hives.  They are huge welts that are very painful.  They started on my scalp and ears and over a period of a week grew and spread.  I saw the doctor after a week and he prescribed Prednisone, 25 mg for 10 days.  After reading about the side effects, after 5 days I started to ween myself and the hives came back with a vengeance.  I am so grateful to those who have posted alternative solutions and home.  Having hives is very discouraging.  It makes sense to me that the hives are initiated by stress but caused by underlying problems.  I will try to clean up my diet, take supplements, and reduce allergens. I will continue to take the Prednisone for at least 5 more days.  15 mg is not working so I'll try going up to 20mg.  

[LIzafern]

Although I have dermagraphism, I have recently developed hives.  They are huge welts that are very painful.  They started on my scalp and ears and over a period of a week grew and spread.  I saw the doctor after a week and he prescribed Prednisone, 25 mg for 10 days.  After reading about the side effects, after 5 days I started to ween myself and the hives came back with a vengeance.  I am so grateful to those who have posted alternative solutions and home.  Having hives is very discouraging.  It makes sense to me that the hives are initiated by stress but caused by underlying problems.  I will try to clean up my diet, take supplements, and reduce allergens. I will continue to take the Prednisone for at least 5 more days.  15 mg is not working so I'll try going up to 20mg.  

[jstarfromwash]

I've had chronic hives for 2 years and occasional angioedema. I took Benadryl around the clock along with Zyrtec (1 or 2 a day or else my lips blister), Zantac (H1 blocker) and Allegra. After 19 months, I was prescribed cyproheptadine and that worked pretty well although I had to take the maximum dose and it really dries out your mouth and skin. My RA flared up and I was prescribed Prednisone. That really helped, absolute Heaven. The hives returned when I stopped the Prednisone so I am back to the cyproheptadine, Zyrtec and Zantac. I am sure my hives are autoimmune related since I had them and the angioedema back when I was 10 years old. Having read the many experiences of others, I am going to try some probiotics since that couldn't hurt and I am desperate. If you can tolerate Prednisone, it is worth having a break from the chronic hives because the hives can drive you crazy. It is good to get some relief. The cyproheptadine isn't covered by my insurance without the extra paperwork submitted by my doctor but I would pay for it just to keep my sanity.  

[krissyp60]

I have had skin rashes/hives for 13 years, the heat can set mine off, so can stress, I hold off taking steroids if I can, but usually I have to give in because the pain and itching gets so bad. I had a biopsy at the hospital last year and it showed no particular reason or remedy. I have been told by a dermatologist that I could be just unlucky and be in to a 15/20 year cycle of suffering from this. I feel very sorry for myself and others that suffer from this condition. I have to start on 40mg and work my way down to 5mg over a week or two, it works for me, but is not ideal, and there is no cream available to ease the itching, believe me I have tried them all over the years

[Dgraphism]

I am 33 years old and have had dermatographism since I was about 9 years old. I went four years suffering and no doctor being able to explain so I basically scratched my self to bleeding constantly.  When I was 13 my little brother went to the hospital and I randomly asked a doctor about this condition and I was lucky he just attended a conference on the subject. I started Hismanal and it worked decently but was then removed from the markets. However, during my child hood I experimented with foods and chemicals often and found detergents and soaps with fragrance made symptoms worse. Foods like cow milk, coffee and red meats tend to make it worse for me. I drank almond milk which helped but now found I have RA and am transitioning to coconut milk. After Hismanal was removed from the market I tried several over the counter and prescription drugs. For me Benedrayl and Claritin worked slightly but did not help enough. Zyrtec has worked wonders for me and I have now been on it for almost ten years. There have been times I forgot it when it was only prescription form and used Benadryl to take the edge off but it is not as good. However, if I forget nowadays it is sold over the counter at wal-mart, CVS, Walgreens, etc.  Coffee is the one thing I cannot really quit and when I drink it I can feel the itch a little more even after medicine but I love coffee and unless it is worse will drink it. Alcohol makes it much worse too.

[TS1985]

This is really good advice. Took me years to discover it; though I don't need to take any antiallergy meds. I found colostrum quite useful too. Also, I was suffering from chronic constipation for over 15 years, I think that had a strong link with my allergies. I have been able to regularize my bowel movements, but if I do not have a bowel movement in over two days, my allergies surge up and the relationship is quite evident.

They also found H. Pylori in my stomach, which I took a regimen to treat, which had a good effect. Also, I was lacking Vit D. I regularly take supplements for that; I hear that may also be related to the allergies.

Anyways, would you have any advice on how I can stop the constipation from triggering break outs?

Thanks!!

[Sabby87]

Thank you so much for your post! I am unfortunately suffering from hives for almost 2 years now. I read your post and started taking probiotics, colostrum and l glutamine. My hives are still there but not as much as before.
My l glutamine is in tablet form. What about yours?
And how Re your hives now? I really pray to god you get well and so do I

[Taralake23]

I have been living with these hives since I was 16 and I'm 25 now I've been prescribed a steroid for over 7 years I completely understand how you feel the only thing that I could get other than steroids which are not good for you to make these go away is a injection from xhual unfortunately I had to stop taking the injections because I lost benefits I've been back on the steroids for 4 months after 6 months worth of medication and I'm telling you it feels like my body is falling apart itchy hives all the time even when I'm taking the steroids they only work for a few hours and then come back it just gets worse the injections do work but they are up to seven hundred at at the lowest if not more a month just to have normal skin and not be itching and going crazy and hurting and crying and feeling disgusted with yourself

[chan8]

Hi, a few months ago the same thing happend to me, I know how you feel!!!! I went to see a dosen dokters and took every medication possible, nothing helped. Then I started drinking natural medication that help your PH levels. I stope eating sweets no artificial sugar, no soda and NO ALCOHOL. I think it may be acid but not 100% sure. I drink these PH tablets every day for a month now and had some wine, it seems to be much better now. Not entirely gone but I don't get them every day and as bad (looking like shrek lol) any more. It started after bench drinking for a month in the holidays (not proud of it, but true) now I have to take care of what I eat and drink less than before. Try drinking a lot of water and fresh fruit like berry's lots of apples and take all the vitamins your body needs. Our body tells us when it needs attention. I hope this helps you, please let me know if it does, I would love to know if it helped you as much as me.  

[scientists]

Preservative kill bacteria in GI track and cause gut leaking.

[tumi747]

Did you ever find a common preservative in the fast food chains?  I don't have chronic hives but some kind of restaurant preservative common in burger meat breaks me out all the time.  So I stopped eating burgers but I would still love to know

[scientists]

I am reserach scientist with a Ph.D degree in a top pharmaceutical company. Share my experience of treatment.

Sympton: Skin hives for more than 2 months. More serious after dinner, evening and morning. Previously I was not allergy to any food.

Reasons: Immune response to dirts in blood due to the gastroinstinal leaking and unbalanced baterial in GI tract.

Treatment:

1. Probotics (Walmart, balance your bacteria, two doses with food at the first two days, one dose daily later)
2. L-Glutamine (Walmart, Strength your GI tract barrier)
3. Green tea extract (Walmart, nature antihistamine, make you feel good)
4. Zyrtec and Ranitidine (prescription or overcounter, H1 and H2 receptor, these two combination is important). Pepcid could replace ranitidine
5. Drink large amount of water or green tea (better ) (help clearance of histaine, make you feel better)
6. Avoid greasy food and meat, eat vegetable and brown rice.  Do not get your blood dirty.

I saw effect within 2 days.  If the above does not help, talk to your doctors.

To Doctor: Prescribe low dose (5 mg) prednisole to your patients for temporary relieve. High dose will not help much since the allergy source is not removed. After prednisole, skin hives could rebound.

[TS1985]

Thank you. Your post was quite helpful. It encouraged me to take Probiotics. I am doing great now and wanted to thank you. I hope your daughter is doing well also. I still have to try colostrum. There wasn't anything seriously wrong with me, all the tests were always clear, turned out it was leaky gut. I am doing a lot better now, thanks to you! :)

[TS1985]

Leaky gut can cause hives. I think I have cured myself and this is how: I am 27/F and have had hives for over 3 years now. Could not find the root cause, had tried all types of doctors. Finally, I got an endoscopy which indicated that I had H.Pylori in the stomach (bacteria which is quite commonly present in the stomach), which, overtime, had damaged my stomach and intestinal lining. I also had a bad case of constipation for over 15 years - so I had a good guess that it had something to do with the GI tract. I thought I had found the root cause, but after taking a regimen to clear up the bacteria, my hives would still not go away. I was sensitive to everything, especially food color, coffee, and seafood. Then after doing lots of research, I realized that bacteria may have lead to leaky gut. I decided to forget all the doctors, all the medicines, and everything else that was ruining my life and try my own treatment. I look L-Glutamine (to heal the intestinal lining) and Probiotics for a month. Slowly, the hives cleared up. I'm doing wonderful now. I'm off antihistamines now and still cannot believe it. Although the hives still exist, they are not recurrent. In fact, they are almost all gone now. I can have coffee, I eat fish and eggs now, and I feel just great!! My life is slowly returning to normal, thank Almighty!! You guys should do some reading up on Leaky Gut Syndrome and food allergies. I can't promise that it will be the case for everyone out there, but I am sure it will help out some people.

I plan on continuing to take Glutamine and Probiotics for another couple months and add in Colostrum as it I believe it can also help out immensely in my case.

Screw the doctors out there, they will only misguide you to continue making money. Listen to yourself, listen to your body and find the root cause!! If you are allergic to everything, it just may be that its not the immune system causing it. I think anyone with food allergies should try Probiotics and Colostrum. I am sure it will help. Give it a try, I know you all have tried almost everything to rid yourself of the torture. It sure did me good. And please, post back here if you feel that this post has helped you out. I would be honored to know that it has benefited someone.

[equinox2012]

My hives started 2 day before Thanksgiving and I was in bed for turkey day.  Went to dr and was given the epi, prednisone and cortizone shots.  Also given prednizone pills for 5 days, gradualy decreasin them and given itch meds.  Worked for about 6 hours, then hives became worse.  Went back to dr and he changed the meds to a stronger dose and gave me the same shots, only stronger.. Next day...still there and BADDD.  Went to dr and he did blood tests, checking for about 15 different things.  Came back that I have Lymes Disease, Liver and Kidney malfunction, Mono, COPD thru chest x ray and Hepatitus B. 51 years old and never been thru so much pain...this is worth than having my 3 babies all at once. Going Monday for a skin biopsy of the hives...have to clue how they do that.  I AM MISERABLE, still taking meds, but hives go away for a few hours after taking prednizone, then come right back.  I had to quit my job due to all this.  I am on complete bed rest and would rather be dead than goin through all this.  Appears that there is no END in sight in getting over ths.  I believe in GOD and a a Christian but this stuff is horrible and I so wish GOD would take me to my home in the sky.    

[youngin07]

   This past spring I went through what I now believe to be hives. I went to the Doctor, well actually went to 2 Drs not counting several trips to the ER each time they told me they thought it was Poison Ivy. I found myself  unable to sleep so I would look up things on internet trying to diagnose. Wish I found this then!! I too thought bed bugs, scabies, measles and much more. It  was terrible but prednisone started clearing it up. one Dr even had me covering myself with calamine lotion, I did look ridiculous a nice shade of light pink from head to toe! Still don't know what caused it and hope to never have it again! And my apologies to my 4 year old twins that got the blame for "playing in poison Ivy" and bringing it to me. LOL!

[awaitedmoments]

Stay strong, I live with this.  Just hope it goes away and is not constant like mine.  I have been diagnosed with Chronic Hives (Urticaria) of unknown origin and I have been getting breakouts for over a year now.  It just started out of nowhere.  I think mine are from stress and when I break out it only gets worse cause I get stressed about the pain, itch and looking like I have big red polka dots.

[ItchingandConfused]

I just broke out with hives after i went to this clinic last weekend for a boil on my bottom after getting a splinter about 6 weeks before. I had also had these bumps on my arms that felt like bug bites. The women at the clinic said she thought i had scabies because of the bumps pattern on my arms. So she gave me antibiotics for the infection(boil) and some cream just incase i had scabies. So i took it the first time and it did nothing, so the doctor said repeat it about a weeks later. The second time i used it that next day i broke out in hives on my face(cheeks, forehead, etc.), arms and a little on my legs. So my mother took me to the emergency room before it got to my tongue. the doctor said there was likely a virus in the clinic and that is where i got the hives from. So he gave me a benedryl shot and prescribed me benedryl pills and i was on my way. Today is the second day of my hives and they have tripled the size as before on my legs, now i have them on my chest, more on my face (lips, nose, etc.), in between my breasts, my stomach and my upper and lower back...some are even on my bottom. It makes me feel dirty and greasy. This is the most uncomfortable feeling i have ever had in my life. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

[RobertaChampion]

Hello My name is Roberta and I too am suffering with Angieoneurotic edema welts, first I thought I was allergic to my dogs then, bed bugs..lol
Well It is me, I have many foood allergies and I LOVE MONSTER WITH JAGGER well, I think I am allergic to Citrus Acid, Milk , Eggs, and maybe Alcohol.
My symtomes sometimes look like bug bites then they all form one large mass connecting together, red , itchy and raised. The welts I recieve are much more severe, like 20 welts down the crack of my glutts to bottom of my butt..lol So embarrassing..
Then I get them across neck, alwasy more than one like 4 or more. I get them on wrist, inside hands , fingers and same with my feet. It is very painful and I have trouble walking due to the back that Ive got welts like lrge gum balls in between toes and in my arch and pads of feet.  I have only had one welt under lip twice, so knock on wood. I am waiting on bllod test and stopped drinking all forms of alcohol and avoided all known allergens, waiting for results on blood work. I am so scared one day I wont be able to breathe from the welts , maybe in my throat or tounge.
It says people with IBS are sensitive to it too, I have it...
Also Dog dander
What makes this hard for me is since this can be irrotated by stress , it doesnt help anything that I also have Panic Disorder...Dang if I couldnt get a break...lol
Anyways thank you all for suffering with you and I have enjoyed reading all the comments and advice. Wish you all the very best.

[Jayanne]

Hi, I have had daily hives and angieoedema for 3 years. Sometimes sparse sometime covered. Small hives, giant hives,  deep painful hives and itchy annoying hives. I've worken up in the morning with my eyes swollen shut or my lip bleeding because my lip was so stretched out it would blister and crack. My cheeks swollen and
hard to my scalp and face itching so much I can't get any sleep. For 3 years. Have been to an allegist and I'm not allergic to anything but
apparently myself. Autoimmune hives, as I have
hashimotos diease which is an autoimmune thyroid condition, where as the antibodies IgE
are apparently high. I tried antihistamines (
atarax,  reactin, benydrl. They never go away and steadily gotten worse. So I finally have given in to predisone to see if they can be irradicated for good. I'm keeping my fingers crossed as the angieoedema is getting more frequent which makes it impossible to go out.Dr. Put me on 50 ME on predisone for 5 days. Everyone seems to be on smaller doses. Hope this works for awhile anyways.

[proverb32]

Just out of curiosity has anyone checked for bed bugs? I had a friend that moved and since then one child had hives,{ no one else in house was allergic to bed bugs}, so it was assumed she was allergic to something in the house. They would appear to be hives , and seem to come and go, without explination.