confused

[barbara1959]

I just recently have been put on steriods after having hives for over two months. I had to go to the emergency room twice with diffulculty breathing and swelling of the lips and face. They are testing me for lupus

[barbara1959]

Hi, Kerry
Thanks for your email. I did end up with a anaphalactic attack. They gave me a Epi-pen with the attack because of the breathing and swelling of my face and lips for two days in a row. I was told to carry two pens with me at all times. The thing that worries me the most is when with the allergist my raynolds syndrome has been acting up and my hands were black at my fingertips. He also feels my thyroid is enlarged with a possible sist. To add to all of this I have had two strokes that were a dissection of the carratiod arterory. We have a lot of autoimmune problems in our family.

[Kerrykins]

Hi; I also had problems beginning with hives and progressing to episodes of fainting/trouble breathing/swelling/redness/stomach symptoms.  An allergist diagnosed me with "idiopathic anaphylaxis" - it's where your body makes too much histamine, for some unknown reason, and you end up with an anaphalactic (sp?) attack.  It doesn't sound like you necessaryily have an anaphalaxis but hives are a symptom of too much histamine also.  Have this checked out.

The good news is that the symptoms (for me anyway) are very easy to control.  I take 2 OTC antihistamine daily and that's it.  Years of problems were resolved with one doctors visit (I'm still carefully monitored).  I also carry and Epi-pen everywhere; I had to use it a number of times before I was diagnosed but I'm advised to have it available.

So get thee too a good allergy doctor asap.  You may or may not have allergies (I don't - idiopathic ana. is something different) and there are one or two other conditions which can cause similar problems, but a a good allergist will be able to diagnose those also.