Hives and flu shot

[Craig901]

I was recently diognosed with hives. I had symtoms the following day after recieving a flu shot. Do you think the flu shot caused the hives?

[jenatini]

I just sent this link to the CDC - as I, too, am suffering hives/allergic reaction from a flu shot I received just 2 days ago. I told them that this needs to be brought to their attention and addressed.

I'm in my late 30's, healthy and just recently had a baby, trying for another. How concerning. In an effort to keep myself safe and "healthy" for the sake of my child(ren) - I'm now going to suffer from hives for the rest of my life? JOY!

[Jejen]

I'm gonna try the vitamin D pills, I've heard that they can help a little too. I'm taking 360 mg of Allegra, 30 mgs of  of doxepin, 20 of singular and Benadryl! I'm tired of taking these meds! I'm gonna try the natural route as well. I've never heard about the Humaworm, but at this point I'd try anything! These meds I'm taking aren't even working anyway. But I'm gonna try probiotics, I've heard that it could maybe be H. Pylori causing some of this hives too. But I'm gonna try the low histamine diet. I'll let you know how it goes!

[Ceri23]

I also recently received the flu jab and roughly 5 days later broke out in a skin rash on my neck and face which then developed into full blown hives over my body and swelling around my eyes. I am certain now that the two are related. I am doing everything I can to control the hives/itching without resorting to medication. I was initially managing it with anti-histamines but on further research found that long term use can actually create more problems! I am currently following a low histamine diet which involves sticking to a basic pure diet; nothing processed/packaged. I tend to mostly eat meat, veg, sweet potatoes, rice products, coconut products some fruits and cook with hemp oil. It includes cutting out tea and coffee (which was almost worse than the hives for a few days!) but I am now starting to tolerate decaf coffee again (tea is still a no no for me). So far it is working to manage the symptoms :) but I am still occasionally getting flare ups (1 or 2 small hives once a week). I am also taking Quercetin which is a natural antihistamine which seems to be helping, so I would definitely recommend people try this (maybe along with a reduced dose of antihistamine at first-obviously check with your doctor for any drug interactions). I have also found a lot of links between autoimmune skin reactions and gut health so my next step is to carry out a cleanse in the hope that it might rid my body of whatever it is reacting to (or at least help!) so I have ordered Humaworm for adults (which has had great reviews) and once completed I intend to start a high potency probiotic (200 billion bacteria ordered from seeking health.com) I am also waiting to try their histamine block, which again has had great reviews! As you can probably tell I am determined to get well again and beat this thing without medication. Sometimes just knowing that there is an alternative to medication can give you the much needed hope for a cure. I hope that some of this information is of use to you. On a final note, the low histamine diet can be hard to stick to but is definitely worth it! Good luck!

[Jejen]

Go to your doctor or call an allergist, if you've seen wheals or wells on your skin.

[Jejen]

Did you mean skin tested? Yes I have, but still they can't find anything!!! The doctors as well as my allergist looked at me like I was insane when I said, " I've never had hives until after my flu shot"! And they quick to say that was not the cause, but truly in my heart I know it was. I've seen other people mention the same thing on other sites. I'm just so scared, but I go back to another doctor next week. Hopefully they could do something, because I'm really tired of waking up to swollen lips, eyelids and polka dots all over! I'm not trying to be stuck on prednisone for the rest of my life either. The Benadryl is already making me foggy in my brain, as well as forgetful. Cetirizine doesn't really help too much either. But hopefully someone can find a safe cure for this crazy skin immune disorder. We just have to pray for someone to step up and take responsibility instead hiding behind the big bucks!

[jazzdoll]

I got a flu shot today and can't stop itching but i don't have hives what do i do

[KellyGrant]

did you ever get sorted?

[KellyGrant]

Hi,

reading this comment 5 weeks after my flu vaccine and I am STILL plagued with hives, is there light at end of the tunnel. Has anyone got a time scale or does anyone know what I can do to stay sane? Literally going crazy and been to several GPs, A&E, dermatology, going to go private and get an allergy test this week.

Be nice to know if anyone got better in a reasonable time!

kelly

[Jejen]

I too have gotten the the flu shot. I got it taken 10-8-2015, and 2 days later I started itching all over and the the next thing I know......I had hives! I'm not allergic to eggs or anything else. I know it's from that flu vaccine, I have never had hives and low and behold after this shot that's all I been dealing with. I've taken Benadryl and using aloe Vera lotion mixed with gold bond powder and that kind of soothes my skin. I will not be getting that flu shot ever again....someone needs to step up in the medical profession and find out what this issue is! Doctors are in denial when you inquire about "hives" being the cause from flu vaccines! It's like it's taboo

[G4ecj]

Lee1306, you posted this a long time ago.  Are you still dealing with this?  Have you taken Zyrtec?

[zenpeace]

Did it ever stop for him bcz my daughter been having hives after flu shot for the past 3 months.  Every other day I have to give her Zyrtec.

[SShib]

Has this improved for your daughter?

[doxyleslie]

My daughter has had them for almost three months since Feb. 2018. Did your daughter's hives go away ?

[zenpeace]

Did it ever stop?  My daughter been having hives after flu shot for the past 3 months.  Every other day I have to give her Zyrtec.

[zenpeace]

Did it ever stop for him bcz my daughter been having hives after flu shot for the past 3 months.  Every other day I have to give her Zyrtec.

[zenpeace]

Did it ever stop for him bcz my daughter been having hives after flu shot for the past 3 months.  Every other day I have to give her Zyrtec.

[doxyleslie]

My teenage daughter has had hives for almost  three months now. She got the flu vaccine on 1/10/18 and woke up with a swollen upper lip. She took an antihistamine which helped. In early February she broke out with hives and has been fighting them ever since. She's had negative allergy tests for things. The dermatologist suspects the flu vaccine . If she is on Zyrtec, that helps, but I want the hives gone and her off of meds. How long did your daughter's hives last ? I am so upset. My daughter has never had a flu vaccine reaction before, but she is never getting a flu vaccine again.

[Toks18]

we noticed cold urticaria in our daughter just after having the flu jab too...its really had an effect on her..it shows up on her skin in the cold and hot conditions. Her Doctor has prescribed different anti allergy (antihistamine) no result. The NHS should find a cure and prevention of negative side effects of the flu jab.

[Mikki09]

I recieved the flu vaccine(FluMist) for the first time this past October, and have had re-ocurring hives ever since. They seem to develop while I'm eating or shortly after, and I've never had food allergies (or any allergies for that matter) before. The wierdest thing is that the hives are the worst when eating any food with MSG, even "naturally occuring forms", and I've since learned that the flu mist has msg in it. It may be crazy but it seems more than just a coincidence where I'm wondering if somehow the msg in the vaccine may have triggered some kind of hypersensitivity now. I'm wondering if anyone else who has developed chronic hives after the vaccine has experienced this?  

[Maryft]

Craig, did this ever resolve for you? I got the flu shot Nov 11 and have been breaking out with huge welts, hives ever since. Been on several Meds and a steroid shot too. They seem to stop for a couple days then break out again. Sure hope it leaves me alone soon. Have had the flu shot begore several homes with no problem.

[angelhealer]

   I received a flu shot at 7pm at Costco Tuesday night, Wednesday morning at 4am I woke up to extremely itchy, red hot palms. The injection site is sore but not red or swollen. Because I had to go to work I took an Advil Cold & Sinus which took the edge off the itching and running my hands under cold water helped a bit. By Wednesday night my palms were bright red, hot, swollen, so itchy and my finger tips were turning purple. I took a couple Benadryl so I could drive home from work. Waking up on Thursday morning at 5am, I started crying because my palms itched so bad, like nothing I have ever experienced in my 50 years. I ended up going to Urgent Care and the dr told me that there were a lot of people coming in with itching over various parts of their bodies from the flu shot. The only thing he said that would work is to take 50mg of Benadryl every 6hrs. I have been taking it every 4hrs because the itching gets so bad.
I hope this goes away quickly!!

[brydo1]

I'm male, 42, had my first flu shot in the middle of September 2014.  A few days later, I developed small pink hives on my hands, forearms and ankles.  It's now 8 weeks later and I've had hives every day since and the breakouts have been getting more severe.  Allegra and Benadryl have helped somewhat.  I've also recently developed some minor aches and pains in two arms and one leg.  I had seen my nurse practitioner a few weeks ago for a routine checkup and she didn't make much of the symptoms.  I'm seeing my doctor next week and hopefully he will have better insight into these problems.

[ciapinetta]

I developed terrible hives from base of my neck to my tail bone directly along my spine. After a few hours of sleeplessness and itching I remembered a remedy I used after being swarmed and attacked by wasps two summers ago - baking soda and vinegar soaked paper towels. My husband laid them all the way down my back and I took two benadryll and finally fell asleep. The itching stopped and hives subsided some, but I feel my skin still activate somehow.

I am almost without a doubt this was caused by my flu shot earlier that day. I learned of an egg-whites allergy about 10 years ago, after which I stopped and slowly reintroduced into my diet. I've had no problems since, and as well, no such side effects in the past two years of receiving the flu shot. Flu shots are required in health authority employment. This year, I advised the nurse of my previous egg-white allergy but he said since I've had no reactions the past years, I should be fine.

Well, the hives have subsided thanks to the home remedy but I still feel the after effects today, two days later, of sensitive and slightly burning skin. I'm concerned about what has happened and might continue to happen, based on many posts who are still battling the hives. I will not be receiving the flu shot next year even if I must change jobs. I was also recommended to administer the flu shot to my son who has an autoimmune disease and I will definitely not be doing that. I believe it will only complicate matters. My son is mainly the reason I continue getting the flu shot. If there is a lesson, here, it's that I need to be more informed on what exactly is in this vaccine and what may have changed this year. Look forward to hearing more... Following...

[bjean58]

I did not recd flu shot and of course got really sick last year.  I decided to get flu shot and dealt with chills a few days after the shot.  Now its been approximately 10 days have shot and have hives under my arms, stomach area and upper thighs.  I attended pancreatic cancer vigil last night and a survivor told me her symptoms for this type was cancer was itching all over her body.  I started thinking about it and thought of the flu shot and here I am discovering this hives reaction is common.  I recd a monthly shot for dust mites and will bring up this issue to my allergy doctor but don't want to take more drugs to control it.  Also a nurse that specializes in dementia told me Benadryl is horrible for the brain and does not take it at all.  That got my attention and I wanted to post it for all users that posted they use it a lot.  I may try the peppermint tea deal but hope the hives go away, I have recd flu shot in past years but never a reaction like hives, I am not allergic to eggs.

[KLC68]

I recently had the high dose flu vaccine since I am 68 y.o.  70 hrs. Later, I had itchy palms that quickly progressed to full blown hives.  Immed. Took Benadryl every 4-6 hrs. & each time a dose wore off the hives returned.  This continued for 3 days & then I saw my family doctor to see what I had reacted to the last time I had hives...about 2 yrs. prior.  Was informed it was the seasonal flu vaccine.  Last year I had the shingles but no flu vaccine & only had a local reaction at the injection site & in January of this year had the pneumonia vaccine & no reaction.  I am wondering if there is a different preservative or do I react to the active ingredient/killed virus?  I have absolutely no allergy to eggs.  Guess I won't get another flu shot.

[dusty06]

In December of 2012 at 32 years old I received a flu shot for the first time. The very next day I experienced facial swelling and a day after that I was covered in hives. The swelling has gotten so bad that on 2 occasions I had to go to the ER. Today is 11/21/13 and it's been about 6 months or so since I have had any severe symptoms.(although the hives have never completely gone away) My allergist put me on hydroxyzine, ceterizine, and montelukast which I took until a few months ago and I believed it helped. Now I just take benadryyl before bed and like I said I haven't had any severe breakouts. I am convinced it was the flu shot that triggered this and have seen that this subject has very little consensus among the medical community. I have medical records and photographs documenting my case so if anybody is collecting data on this subject please let me know. Thanks

[annie469]

I had my flu shot a month ago with resulting hives and itching.   The hives disappeared within a few days but the itching continues intermittantly.   I have seen an internist and a general practice doctor with only the suggestion of taking an antihistamine which unfortunately disagrees with my system.    Any suggestions.   I do not want this to become a chronic problem.

[SallyG20]

Less than 24 hours after my 10 year old got the flu shot, she's have hives everyday for 3 weeks now, mostly on her back and stomach. Some of them are 3" across. We went to the pediatrician she is on 25 mg of hydroxyzine, which really seems to stop the hove, but we tried to take her off and 24 hours later the hives are back. I'm convinced the hives came from the flu shot