Help me find RELIEF for HIVES!!

[Lua]

Hives showed up on my arms for the first time in my life the first week of June. A few days later, I had my annual physical and mentioned it to my dr. She recommended try Reactine and if they got worse in a week or so to call and we'd start investigating. I got Reactine right away and paired with the Benedryl at night, it seemed to work.

I was hive-free for weeks.... BUT..

Now I'm on my 15th straight day of getting these nasty, ITCHY hives EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!

DH and I have been racking out brains and are 10000% positive that I haven't eaten/used/done ANYTHING different that could be causing these.....

Went back to my Dr last monday and her first step was a urine and many blood tests (they took 7 viles from me! lol) .... Last Tuesday it was so bad, I had to call in sick from work. Literally the backs of my legs were completely covered... Dr office get's back to me wed. Blood tests all normal.

Next step - refer me to a Dermatologist.

That was last wednesday. As of yesterday, I still hadn't heard about a dermatologist appt. My referral was faxed, but no appt yet. They said the dermatologist should be in the office wed and will hopefully give the go ahead for me to get an appt.

So... that being said, it looks like the soonest that I'll see the dermatologist is next week.

In the mean time, I get to continue suffering... *sigh*....

BENEDRYL = does NOT work... it did at first, but not any more. it will knock me out at night, but then i'll wake up part way through the night scratching like crazy

REACTINE = does NOT work....

CLARITIN = I've been taking one every morning and after a few hrs I seem to feel a tiny bit of relief, but it doesn't last

OATMEAL bath = does NOT work...

CALAMINE lotion = does NOT work.


see a trend here???

Does ANYONE have any sort of home remedy/tips on something else I could try using to relieve this ITCHINESS!?!?!? I think I'm going to start going crazy mad soon!!!

[VeeVee]

GAH Lua that sucks! I had hives after a penicillin reaction lasted 3 days and it sucked...they gave me some meds that took the penicillin out of my system...but it seems something your eating or even touching is causing this....crazy wish I could help.
Could it be something in your garden??

[Natalka]

Gee, seems to me you need to see an allergist to get skin testing done...

One point about what they may be from (I'm not a doc and I do not portray one on tv!). They can be from exercise, heat, medication, latex, infections, lotions, etc. or food. Unfortunately it can also be idiopathic - having no cause and appearing for long periods of time.

It doesn't have to be from something different you are eating or being around. This happened to my niece in her mid-20s - all of a sudden she started reacting to fish, then seafood. My sister - her mom - had this happen in her 50s.

NOTE - watch out for any changes in your breathing. If you have notice anything, get to emerg.

Hoping you get relief and answers soon!

[Lua]

aww thanks for the responses ladies!

i'm thinking it has to be something around home because they seem to get better during the day but then start to flare up again in the evenings being at their worst when i wake up in the morning. (they were literally all over my neck and face this morning)

i tried cutting out dairy to see if it made a difference but after 4 days and no results, i broke down this am and had a bowl of cereal. i REALLY hope it's not milk.

definitely keeping an eye on my breathing though. all seems to be a-ok so far.

i do notice that they got worse on the weekend when i was sweating while working at the farm (although i know it's not the farm as i stayed away for a week and they were actually worse during that time). I think the heat and sweat irritate them so sadly, I haven't been running or riding in the past few weeks and am going stir crazy lol.

keeping my fingers crossed that i can get that dermatologist appt asap!

[gourmetsue]

Could it be your laundry detergent? Are you using anything new?

Not sure if you have tried the benadryl spray but it seems to work pretty well.

I feel for ya..allergic reactions suck.

[Giving-Small]

I've had an outbreak too recently and am wondering too what is "new"? I have allergies like hay fever but not hives since I was a kid.

Definitely heat makes it worse - a lot worse. If I do start to perspire, I head to the bathroom for a sponge bath.

I use ozonal - doesn't last long but there's a bit of "dulling" the need to itch.

I have used a cold pack just to number a particular bad area.

My OTC medication for hives is chloratripolon.

I have switched to wearing silk whenever I can.

Do you have pets? I'm thinking that I might just have started to react to the one dog's fur/dander.

Hope it settles down asap.

[Lua]

Could it be your laundry detergent? Are you using anything new?

Not sure if you have tried the benadryl spray but it seems to work pretty well.

I feel for ya..allergic reactions suck.

I've actually been using the same detergent - Clorox Greenworks - for almost 2 years now (since I got the Bzzz Campaign 2 falls ago)

I have not tried the benadryl spray, so i think I'll pick some up tonight. thanks for the tip.

Do you have pets? I'm thinking that I might just have started to react to the one dog's fur/dander.

Hope it settles down asap.

I do have 2 cats and I hope to god it's not them. I've had cats since I was a baby and don't know how I'd live without having them around. i have a horse too, but have tried staying away from her for a week and the hives still came on strong, so at least it's not her. lol

[VeeVee]

Lua I was talking to a co worker and her husband gets hives every summer when its really hot and humid....his are caused by heat. Im hopping you feel better today!

[roxyjazz]

Have you tried Aveeno anti-itch lotion ? I tried it this year and it helped me , hope you find the cause of your hives and find some relief ....

[nothingfancy]

i *THINK* you can use hydrocortisone cream. it's available over-the-counter in .5% concentration. a pharmacist could tell you for sure. it also available in 1%, but you need a prescription from your doc.

good luck.

[Giving-Small]

The Aveeno anti-itch lotion has hydrocortisone in it.

[nosobbq]

do you go tanning/?

a girl friend of mine has this from tanning... tanning beds/ tanning out side.... yes its summer and kind of hard to avoid but? you never know...

did you get a new bodywash/shamppoo or condtioner or a new soap? a new razor?

go back to your doctor and getting something for the itching...

maybe greenworks has changed something in the detergent?

hope the itching stops soon... good luck!

[Lua]

thanks for the comments everyone.

although the hives are definitely still there today, they're actually a bit better. *fingers crossed*

i actually bought the Aveeno Anti-Itch lotion on the weekend and have been using it. It seems to help a tiny bit, but for those super itchy buggers it doesn't help.

definitely don't go tanning (never have, never will)

definitely no new bodywash, shampoo, soap, razor lol

just waiting now for my call back from the dermatologists office so i can get an appt!

[nothingfancy]

if the Aveeno seems to help, maybe you need something just a bit stronger. ask your regular doctor for a prescription for the 1% hydrocortisone. we've gotten it from ours no problems. you don't have to fill it if you don't need it, but at least you have it.

our wait to see a derm in Ottawa was 4 weeks.

[Psychojo213]

Have you been spending time outside at dusk or in the evening? I wondering if you have bug bites, like me.

You would swear I am covered in hives and people at work have even commented at my spots (big, red, itchy welts) but I know they are mosquito bites. They say we are having a horrible summer for mosquitos.

I'm also trying to find relief from my itching but so far the only thing that works is scratching.