Health-Chronic Urticaria(hives)

by Panda 15 Replies latest jw friends

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  Panda

  Chloe, Oh man I wish I had better news for you. But your ER treatment is the usual for chronic urticaria or any urticaria , besides what they gave you:

  a small shot of epinephrine and the prednisone for 5 days.

  You could also get an epipen prescription. One for at home and one for your purse. Going to an allergist or dermatologist is usually the first stop. If you have ever noticed a sensitivity to anything in your environment it would be good to note it for the Doc because the testing can be very specific if you want it to be.

  I didn't know this could be chronic

  Me neither! And when they first told me in the hospital in China I just told them "No way. I don't get sick. This will pass." So yeah I acted like a jerk because no way was I going to have hives for years.

  because this has happened before and the severeness of the swelling and the frequency are worsening.

  Yeah, I know. Maybe check out some web info about this before you go to the doctor. It would be great if this turned out to be a food allergy!
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  Panda

  LDH, You are so sweet and your advice is 100% on the point! To answer you, yes I've done the food avoidance. The really amazing thing about that was that I developed a reaction to shrimp, I can't even be near shrimp being cooked because it sets off an angiodemic reaction --- yet when tested I don't have an allergy to shrimp WTF!!! I had never had this sensitivity before, but with chronic urticaria your body may actually develop some new strong immune responses you never had before.
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  Panda

  Juni, You and I are thinking alike! I have read that CU usually begins in woman after 40. And I say hormones are definitely at play. It's trying to find the switch to stop the hormones from inciting the immune response (histamines). Unfortunately even post menepausal patients have continued to suffer CU. It's very frustrating. Stress is also a major factor for the idiopathic CU. For awhile I was on heavy doses of pain meds which made me very sleepy but I did have fewer hives, but still I had hives. It really sucks ... I guess I wanted to reach out to anyone on JWD who suffers with hives. It mattered to me to find people who could really understand what itchy 24/7 was all about. I appreciate your kindness and good thoughts ... Now excuse me while I go tear my skin off.
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  Panda

  BEBU, Oh your poor son! arthritis is definitely a symptom with chronic urticaria. And unfortunately it's the angiodema part that probably affects him the most. That pain is so bad that it can set off the urticaria. I feel bad for your Dad ... and those oatmeal bathes don't do anything to relieve hives, if it made him feel better thats what matters. It never ceases to amaze me at how many CU patients there are yet, so little research is being done. PM me if you want any info that I can help you with.
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  LDH

  The really amazing thing about that was that I developed a reaction to shrimp, I can't even be near shrimp being cooked because it sets off an angiodemic reaction --- yet when tested I don't have an allergy to shrimp WTF!!!

  WOW!!!!

  Then I would say you have an allergy to the shellfish oil that is released in the air during cooking, but not the meat itself! I just met a young lady who goes into anaphylactic shock when onions are cooking but she can eat them!
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  Panda

  LDH, That is so weird! Because I have only recently heard of others who are affected by cooking food fumes, but not the foods themselves. And another strange thing is that these are usually people with very sensitive smelling (heck maybe we're close to being dogs) senses. (smelling organs? smelling noduals? Oh I don't know) And I also have certain favorite smells which at times have actually calmed what I thought would be an anaphalactic episode. But I go into a cool room with a scent I like and I am soon breathing easier. Scent is so amazing. And of course this is one more proof for those who want to claim "it's all in her head."