I am experiencing my third bout of hives. The first time was in 1980. I was traveling on an extended vacation. Mount St Helen erupted and I was covered in hives within two to three days. They lasted for about a year. The second episode occurred after we had Hurricane Isabel. They were extremely severe, scratching until my body was covered with scabs secondary to bleeding from digging to control the itching. I went on multiple medications including prednisone, which caused problems with my diabetes. I took Ranitidine to knock them out. Then, approximately six weeks ago, within 30 miles from our home, we had tornado come through. Suddenly I am covered in hives. They are head to toe. The itching is most intense on my shoulders and trunk of body plus the ankles. I have been on Ranitidine for maintenance since then.
I am currently suffering my first experience with hives. I woke up one morning, and out of the blue, I was covered in them from my shoulders to my feet. I tried calamine lotion and Benadryl. My face swelled up a couple times, and I went to the urgent care clinic, where I was given a steroid shot and an Rx for hydroxyzine and Zantac. I'm taking those twice a day, and I'm exhausted constantly. I haven't found a doctor who thinks they can help me. I guess I'm on my own with these meds. I just hope the hives go away soon. They are always the worst in the morning, so I think it's something in my bed, although I've switched out everything since the hives started.
My husband suffers from hypothyroidism, is overweight (all in the middle), and 57 years old. He has had good health until his thyroid medication was changed. He immediately developed severe hives on his back (the size of silver dollars and raised) and a peanut allergy. He has had to be hospitalized with his tongue so swollen it was obstructing swallowing and breathing from the peanut allergy. The hives have been dormant for several months, but have just reappeared for no apparent reason. The only things that we can relate to time of the reappearance is that he took cascara sagrada, 1 capsule-2 days; his basal temperature had dropped so Armour was increased by 60mg. We do not know if this is the actual trigger. So far he has hives, no tongue swelling, but we are in fear it is to follow. Is there any way to reverse what the medication has done?
I am 32 and have never had any skin problems of any type before. I jumped out of bed one night and thought there was a spider in my bed biting me. I got raised, itchy "bites" that itched like crazy. Turns out that they were hives. I have gone to two doctors and my allergist and they have all said the same thing "95% of the time we will never find out why this is happening". I find that hard to believe in our age of technology. I break out every other day or so. They are not unbearable, but they are really making me mad.
Published: June 25
I have small itchy collection of swollen bumps on my arm. Over the next month the hives would appear anywhere. At first it seemed brought on by contact with objects (I have since learned that those are called physical hives as opposed to allergic hives). But it doesn't always occur that way. Right now my wrist and hand are itchy with hive clusters. I take Claretin but that isn't working as well as it used to. I feel like a big itchy mess and I am so tired of scratching.
Published: June 23
I am in a hive outbreak now and have been for three weeks. I have experienced this before; it is miserable. I have visited dermatologists and allergists and no one can diagnose what it is. The only thing that helps is prednisone. Benadryl makes me sleepy, and doesn't work fast enough. It seems as if the hives sit dormant for about five years for me and then appear and stick around for a few months and then go away. I just wish there were something out there to make them go away!
Published: June 20
I sometimes break out in small red hives in my nape area for no particular reason. If I am nervous or extremely angry I will break out in large, red, boil looking hives along my forearm. I have always wondered if it could be an allergy to adrenaline. I was diagnosed with allergies and asthma at 18 months old. But I only seem to have symptoms to mold, nervousness and anger.
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The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Eczema, also known as dermatitis, is a general term for many types of skin inflammation. The most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis. The other forms of eczema include: contact eczema, seborrheic eczema, Nummular eczema, Neurodermatitis, stasis dermatitis, and dyshidrotic eczema. Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of eczema may vary from person to person and may depend on the type of eczema.
Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch), disease (hyperthyroidism, liver or kidney), reactions to drugs, and skin infestations (pubic or body lice). Treatment for itching varies depending on the cause of the itch.
Eczema is a general term for many types dermatitis (skin inflammation). Atopic dermatitis is the most common of the many types of eczema. Other types of eczema include: contact eczema, allergic contact eczema, seborrheic eczema, nummular eczema, stasis dermatitis, and. dyshidrotic eczema.
The most common food allergies are to eggs, nuts, milk, peanuts, fish, shellfish, strawberries and tomatoes. Symptoms and signs include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, itching, hives, eczema, asthma, lightheadedness, and anaphylaxis. Allergy skin tests, RAST, and ELISA tests may be used to diagnose a food allergy. Though dietary avoidance may be sufficient treatment for mild allergies, the use of an Epipen may be necessary for severe food allergies.
An allergy refers to a misguided reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. When these allergens come in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to it. It is estimated that 50 million North Americans are affected by allergic conditions. The parts of the body that are prone to react to allergies include the eyes, nose, lungs, skin, and stomach. Common allergic disorders include hay fever, asthma, allergic eyes, allergic eczema, hives, and allergic shock.
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that affects a number of different areas of the body at one time, and can be fatal. Causes of anaphylaxis can be food allergy, latex allergy, allergy to insect or but stings/bites, asthma, or other materials or conditions. Symptoms include flushing, itching, hives, anxiety, rapid or irregular pulse. Severe symptoms may be throat and tongue swelling, swallowing, and difficulty breathing. Some disorders appear similar to anaphylaxis such as fainting, panic attacks, blood clots in the lungs, heart attacks, and septic shock. If you think that you may be having an anaphylactic reaction, seek emergency care or call 911 immedately.
The most common cause of a black eye is due to an injury to the face or head. Most black eye injuries are minor and heal on their own, however, some may lead to significant injury. In addition to trauma to the face, cosmetic surgery can cause a black eye(s) as a side effect. People should be aware of the situations in which medical care should be sought immediately for a black eye.
Bug bites and stings have been known to transmit insect-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme disease. Though most reactions to insect bites and stings are mild, some reactions may be life-threatening. Preventing bug bites and stings with insect repellant, wearing the proper protective attire, and not wearing heavily scented perfumes when in grassy, wooded, and brushy areas is key.
Drug allergies are cause when the immune system mistakenly creates an immune response to a medication. Symptoms of a drug allergic reaction include hives, rash, itchy skin or eyes, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, fainting and anxiety. The most common drug allergy is penicillin. Treatment may involve antihistamines or corticosteroids. An Epipen may be used for life-threatening anaphylactic symptoms.
Atopic dermatitis is a very common, often chronic (long-lasting) skin disease
that affects a large percentage of the world's population. It is also called
eczema, dermatitis, or atopy. Most commonly, it may be thought of as a type of
skin allergy or sensitivity. The atopic dermatitis triad includes asthma,
allergies (hay fever), and eczema. There is a known hereditary component of the
disease, and it is seen more in some families. The hallmarks of the disease
include skin rashes and itching.
The word "dermatitis" means inflammation of the skin. "Atopic" refers to
diseases that are hereditary, tend to run in families, and often occur together.
In atopic dermatitis, the skin becomes extremely itchy and inflamed, causing
redness, swelling, cracking, weeping, crusting, and scaling. Dry skin is a very
common complaint and an underlying cause of some of the typical rash symptoms.
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
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I am experiencing my third bout of hives. The first time was in 1980. I was traveling on an extended vacation. Mount St Helen erupted and I was covered in hives within two to three days. They lasted for about a year. The second episode occurred after we had Hurricane Isabel. They were extremely severe, scratching until my body was covered with scabs secondary to bleeding from digging to control the itching. I went on multiple medications including prednisone, which caused problems with my diabetes. I took Ranitidine to knock them out. Then, approximately six weeks ago, within 30 miles from our home, we had tornado come through. Suddenly I am covered in hives. They are head to toe. The itching is most intense on my shoulders and trunk of body plus the ankles. I have been on Ranitidine for maintenance since then.
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