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All of my life, I have had sensitive skin, and had to be careful with bath products, laundry detergents, and even some materials up against my skin.
For the past several months now, I seem to have hives, on a continual basis, and can find no rhyme or reason. It is muck like they are just there, and a trigger unbeknownst to me, will erupt them. It has been the strangest thing.
I am seeing the dermatologist towards the end of this week, and am not sure what to expect. I am going to have a place in my hairline looked at -- too many years of tanning, and I don't let things go unchecked. This, however, has me a bit baffled. Nothing in my diet has changed, nothing in my environment -- nothing new to worry over. No new, or different meds.
I have not been out of my own little environment, no trips, vacations, or the like, to have contracted something.
Maybe something in one of your soaps has changed ingredients in its formula?
Good Luck.
Maybe try switching to a laundry soap like All free clear or I think tide has one as well. Or just double rinsing. the clothes
My sister has been battling this problem for several years. Her allergist has determined that her hives are not due to allergies but are an auto-immune response. Stress and exercise appear to trigger her hives. She has tried treatment after treatment to conquer this problem. She is now on immuno-suppressant therapy which initially seemed to be working but, unfortunately, the hives are now returning. She is now looking into changing her diet. Preservatives and dyes in foods are suspected to build up in the body and could possibly be a causal factor.
As Maia has stated not all hives (the technical name is urticaria) are due to an allergy. You should ask your internist to refer you to an immunologist or allergist for further evaluation.
My sister has been battling this problem for several years. Her allergist has determined that her hives are not due to allergies but are an auto-immune response. Stress and exercise appear to trigger her hives. She has tried treatment after treatment to conquer this problem. She is now on immuno-suppressant therapy which initially seemed to be working but, unfortunately, the hives are now returning. She is now looking into changing her diet. Preservatives and dyes in foods are suspected to build up in the body and could possibly be a causal factor.
Aha! You may be on to something -- thank you. I know I am compromised in respect to the auto-immune system. I will run this by the dermatologist when I see her today for something in my hairline, and I will ask my PCP when I see him the end of the month.
I had completely overlooked the possibility of an auto-immune response. That makes sense, when nothing else has apparently changed. Of course, making sure formulas for things haven't changed is a good suggestion, too. I am always on the lookout for those ad campaigns touting something I use regularly, as new and improved! In my personal situation, it generally isn't.
Thanks much for the feedback, all of you. I am now "armed and dangerous" as I head to the DR's today.
The dermatologist looked at my back, ran her finger across it, and had the PA note I was 'positive' for hives -- at least she used the medical term, which escapes me at the moment. Like I don't know what hives are, or can see them for myself? Aarrgghh -- doctors.
She says there are almost too many reasons for hives to cover in a visit, and suggested perhaps an allergist, which I had decided was probably the best way to go, myself. In the meanwhile, she gave me a prescription for Allegra, but I have it on-file at the pharmacy, and chose to wait upon filling it. The hives are aggravating, but at least I am not itching and/or scratching 24/7.
I did think to ask the pharmacist if he thought I could be reacting to any of my regular medications, which he thought highly unlikely -- but you know, who's to say when the allergy might show itself? Well, now I have a mystery on my hands. I am scheduled for a visit with my PCP soon, so I'll run it by him.
The dermatologist looked at my back, ran her finger across it, and had the PA note I was 'positive' for hives -- at least she used the medical term, which escapes me at the moment. Like I don't know what hives are, or can see them for myself? Aarrgghh -- doctors.
She says there are almost too many reasons for hives to cover in a visit, and suggested perhaps an allergist, which I had decided was probably the best way to go, myself. In the meanwhile, she gave me a prescription for Allegra, but I have it on-file at the pharmacy, and chose to wait upon filling it. The hives are aggravating, but at least I am not itching and/or scratching 24/7.
I did think to ask the pharmacist if he thought I could be reacting to any of my regular medications, which he thought highly unlikely -- but you know, who's to say when the allergy might show itself? Well, now I have a mystery on my hands. I am scheduled for a visit with my PCP soon, so I'll run it by him.
Zyrtec works really well for me and is otc now. You are also right about allergies suddenly appearing and might just be auto-immune related. I suddenly became allergic to things I had used my whole life meds, food, cosmetics.
I do hope that you sort this out. Good Luck
I have been battling hives since Feb of '08. My doctors have yet to determine the cause. I typically get them on my forarms, shoulders and back. In January I had a pretty bad sinus infection and was treated with antibiotics. I would typically get sinus infections twice/year and one time it turned into bronchitis. All cases were treated with antibiotics. I have also been under a lot of stress from losing my job in Oct of '07. So my thought is that in addition to the bad infection and the stress of losing my job I now have an immune system issue. Does anyone else have any thoughts to this? I to recently became allergic to certain foods that I never had an issue with before. Any thoughts on immuno-suppressant therapy? How does that work, what do you do, etc.. I appreciate any help with this. The hives are driving me nuts and I'm getting sick and tired of always having them.
Is anybody a heavy artificial sweetener user? There is a topic here about being allergic to them; I'd suggest you start there first; could be a lot cheaper than seeing doctor after doctor.
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Allegra prescribed for the hives
