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chronic uticaria and thyroiditis

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Posted 7/29/2006 2:47 AM (GMT 0)
I am so happy to have found this site where there are other people like me with chronic hives, I have been feeling so sad about this and wondering if I am the only one who deals with hives like this. I have had chronic hives for 18 months now. I have been to so many Doctors I can't even count them all. They have me on Singulair, Doxepin, Claritin, Hydroxyzine and bursts of prednisone when ever I need it. None of this works except the prednisone, that I know is horrible for me to be taking. I just think if none of this is working should I just stop taking all of it or would I be even worse than I am now. I have hives all over my body my eyes swell and my lips swell and I itch horrible all of the time. Everyone keeps telling me to try not to get depressed about it, but it is very hard when you deal with something so miserable all of the time. I have had numerous blood tests done and everything is normal. I am hypo-thyroid and have been for almost 10 years now, but it is in the normal range so I don't know if this could be a factor or not. Also I notice when it is around that time of the month they seem to be much worse. Has anyone had these same symptoms and do you know if hives can be related to a hormone imbalance or something like that? Any response would be so wonderful. Thank You!!!
Posted 7/29/2006 9:58 PM (GMT 0)

Itchgirl,

My homeopathic doctor originally thought I had low thyroid too because I had a thyroid cyst removed when I was 11 years old.  But when he tested it (the second doctor to do so) my levels were normal too. 

My hives are absolutely worse the days just before and during my period.  Since I have been diagnosed with food allergies, I don't know why this is but will be asking my doctor when I see him next.

Since my last post, my hives are still much, much, much better but have not gone away.  However, I have to admit that I've had the hardest time sticking to my diet (am super busy lawyers so eat take out all the time) and the hives are always worse when I pig out on something I shouldn't eat or when I drink alcohol.  Happily, though, my hives have gotten so much better that I can pretty much lead a normal life - before I was missing work or would go to work with huge hives on my entire body, including face, and was extremely lethargic and depressed (I blame the meds - Doxepin & prednisone, esp).  I still take zyrtec once at night but I've lost 15 pounds since modifying my diet and starting the herbs my doctor gave me.  If I do have hives, they are usually small ones in the a.m. that disappear as the day goes by.

Make sure you get tested for food allegeries.  Mine was just a blood test.  I went 3 years and to 7 doctors before one tested me.  It might be the answer.  Good luck - you are not alone!

Super Hive Girl 

Posted 7/30/2006 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for answering my question, did you just go to an allergist to have the blood work done that can tell you your food allergies? I have noticed that when I eat tomatoes or anything really acidy or with citrus in it I get much worse, so I have now avoided tomatoe and citrus for about 8 months now. I know there has got to be more though because I still break out. I will for sure make an appointment to have blood work done that can tell me about other food allergies I may have. Thank you so much for your advice I guess I need to just keep bugging my Doctors.
Posted 7/31/2006 2:21 PM (GMT 0)

Itchgirl -

Actually, my homeopathic medical doctor ran several tests - one of was the blood allergy test.  He said he wasn't going to send me off for the allegery test where they prick you with needles because that only tests for immediate allergic reactions.  He said that since I had the hives for 3 years and couldn't recognize any big correlation between food and a reaction that it was probably a food allergy because those reactions can be delayed a day or two.  The main thing I am allergic to is yeast - which is in EVERYTHING.  But I'm also sensitive to lots of other things.  I am hoping that if I'm good for a while then my sensitivities will get better - seems like they should ... I haven't always had food allergies.  I do now recognize delayed reactions - if I drink, I have hives the next day.  If I eat something I shouldn't, I might have hives two days later.

Any doctor - especially an allegerist - can send the blood test off.

I shopped around different doctors for 2 1/2 years before I found one who took me seriously and ran a variety of tests.  I found that when I went to a specialist, they didn't look beyond their specialty.  When they found no answer, they told me I was just stressed out, needed to change jobs and take up yoga.  All those things may be true, but I knew there had to be some medical reason behind it all.  Don't take 'you are looney' or 'you are stressed' for an answer!

-Super Hive Girl

Posted 7/31/2006 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
I am so glad to have a next step I am going to check in with an allergist and insist that he permorms a blood allergy test. I sure hope that they can find some problem that is all I want is to know what it is that is bugging me I will gladly stay away from it, just to get rid of these hive. Good Luck and thank you for all of your help. I will let you know when and if I find anything out.
Posted 7/31/2006 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Itchy Friends!!!

I'm also a chronic urticaria sufferer... YAY!

I tell you it just makes me feel better hearing your stories and problems with this insideous, cruel condition. I'm contending with the weight I seem to continue to gain because I can't work out anymore. Heat/sweat seem to be a huge trigger for my hives. Not to mention with the incredibly hot weather we are having now, I'm constantly going around with my scalp itching like crazy. People must think I have lice, because it's so hard not to scratch it. :(

I have some volunteer work starting soon that I have been trying for ages to get involved in and I'm terrified working outdoors and/or doing anything physical is going to trigger bad attacks and I won't be able to continue with it. It's work that will be related to my (hopeful) career down the road.

Are the any antihistamine combos that have worked at all for any of you? It's hit and miss when they work for me, but I've only tried benadry (snorrrre) and claritin which never seems to help too much. The doctor tried me on a short course of the evil prednisone and that didn't even make a huge difference and the side effects were ghastly!

Anyway... sorry about the ranting, I just am happy to finally convey my annoyance with this to other people who might understand me.

Feel free to get in touch or share more of your stories or advice!!!

Thanks for listening!!
Posted 7/31/2006 6:17 PM (GMT 0)

Predisone is the work of the devil.  It didn't help and screwed me up!  Just taking it for a week started 2 years of weight gain.  After that, I took Doxepin.  It helped but I gained 20 lbs on it.  When I told my doctor about the weight gain he told me to exercise portion control.  I quickly got another doctor.

He put me on Zyrtec now and it helps though it took a while to kick in.  The weight gain stopped, but I didn't lose much.  After a year of Zyrtec, the hives were okay but still there everyday so tried a homeopathic medical doctor.  He found out I have food allergies (yeast mostly) and also put me on some herbs - anti candida stuff (candida is the bad intestinal bacteria that often gets out of control when yeast levels are haywire) and that has helped too.  Also, between the anti-yeast diet (no bread, pasta, etc) and the herbs, I lost all the weight.  I started at 170 ... was on route to being 250... and am now 170 - Thank God!  The weight loss has been without working out - though I am more energetic - which is good b/c can't excercise in public b/c heat = hives on face.

I still can't workout or get in the sun.  Which is a total bummer b/c I my only relaxation had been the pool/ beach.  My goal is to be back on the beach next summer.  I used to break out horribly when under ANY stress - even if I wasn't all that stressed out ... the rush would increase my body heat, I think.  Fortunately, that part is pretty much under control.  It really sucked being a trial attorney when I was covered head to toe in hives in front of a jury.

If anyone is in/ near Lawrence, Kansas, I can give you the name of my doctor who was the most thorough doctor I came across during the 3 hivey years before I found him.

Good luck - keep pushing for answers!

Super Hive Girl

Posted 8/1/2006 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
I know the feeling I was so glad to finally find people that are understanding to what you are going through. My family has been great, but it's not the same as someone feeling the way you do. I am checking into the allergy blood testing and hope that I have some luck with it. I to have took prednisone when I get desperate and nothing else is helping, it does take them away temporarily, but the weight gain is horrible and makes me feel like I have another problem to deal with on top of the hives. Sometimes I feel like I am fighting a losing battle, but I just keep trying and hoping that one day I will get better or find the cause. Good luck to all and I will definately let you know if I find anything that seems to help. Please do the same. Thank you for all the support and ideas I love feeling like I have something new that I can try. I'll let you know how the blood tests go.
Posted 8/2/2006 5:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all, I found this site and have mixed emotions, I am greatfull others exsist, but saddened that others are suffering as I have and still do on occassion. I am 36 and got hive when I was younger during puberty (1st onset) and with every pregnancy (hormonal I would assume). As the years past, I got cancer, I went through chemo and radiation. needless to say there was a lot of stress involved. I developed hives again 2 years ago after radiaton. the hive were explosive. I have been on everything mentioned in this forum and more, and a lot of the time I was on them all together. I was up to 80mg of prednisone and guess what, I just gained weight. I am up 100lbs since the start of chemo and hives. I forgot to mention. they put into surgical menopause onto of it all. so I have the hormonal issues as well. I finally got into see an alternative doctor so that I could get on bioidentical hormones, and to my surprise he tested me for adrenal fatigue. I had been taking one of the strongest antioxidents in the world and it brought my hive into my control. I was tested for everything by my medical doctor and told I was perfectly healthy, great for the cancer end, hopeless for the hives. I continued to use the antioxidents and the hive were almost gone completely with occassional allegera use. my doctor told me antihistimines cause weight gain as well and they make the body hold on to the weight, wonderful huh. the alternivtive doctor has me on adrenal rebuilder becasuse he says the adrenals need to be fully functioning to control.... stress, hormones, fatigue, weight, migranes, and the list goes on to match everyones symptoms in this forum. my hive got worse when I started the regiment, but he said they would because my body is repairing itself and completely confused. When I say my hives came back I mean I wake up with hives, take my adreanal stuff, my OPC-3, an allegra and they are gone by afternoon, I can exercise, sweat (memopause), and enjoy life relatively as much as the next person, I just can't stand 100lbs on my frame. I have back aches and such from a yr of bedrest and the exsess weight. no luck in weight loss yet but he says he has to get me leveled (up and down) before he can balance me (hormones) hope I could give you some insite as another problem area to look at. Stress is as evil as prednisone and it distroys your adrenals as well. my oncoligist told me I got the type of cancer I had because of massive free radicals in my system. free radicals are formed from many things by mainly from stress, and OPC-3 searchs and destroys them, I will be on it for life. I feel like I am normal again.
Posted 8/2/2006 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
Hates Hives,

How horrible. I feel for you and can sympathize but certainly didn't have the problems to the same degree you have ... nor cancer.

My homeopathic doctor put me on adrenal fatigue stuff too and it helped almost immediately - less fatigue.

Stress is soooo evil. I never quite realized the extent it can get you down until all this. As a criminal defense attorney in private practice, it hit me upside my head. I thought I was handling it all, but clearly I wasn't.

Antihistamines are a double edged sword too ... help with the hives but the weight gain is horrible. I feel for you ... to struggle with cancer, hives and weight gain. I know you can feel overwhelmed. I battled with depression during all my problems ... which only made me eat more and gain more weight. Fortunately, my homeopathic doctor put me on a diet that was able to reverse the gain. Once I quit eating wheat and started taking Candidis (anti-candida herbs which clean you out) I dropped weight immediately and without working out. I finally feel like my 'real' self is back.

Hang in there. Keep plugging. What a survivor and inspiration you are!

Super Hive Girl
Posted 8/2/2006 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
Super hive girl, I have thought for some time now that yeast or wheat could be an issue. I went off wheat for about 6 weeks still had the hive was re-tested they said I am not allergic to any foods at all. what anti-candida herbs are you on so I can treat myself. because as you know the doctors only know FDA drugs with more side affects to keep them in business. I need to lose this weight because it is the cause of MY depression I am dealing with. I had a just lost 76lbs and was in my dream size when I was diagnosed. I got wear a bikini one summer. with the scars I will never wear a bikini again but I would love to just get into a bathing suit. I have fat where I never knew you could have fat. plus my wedding ring doesn't even fit my pinky finger it sucks. you mentioned a diet plan could you give me the details or email me at [email protected]
thanks
Posted 8/11/2006 10:47 AM (GMT 0)
Finally, a website of others who know what I am going through. I too suffer from chronic hives and am about to go crazy. My hives started about 5 years ago. They started on my scalp and were huge giving me headaches and making me feel sick. I went to the Doctor and heard many things as to what it could be one even had the nerve to tell me it was caused by head lice. Well eventually they moved from by head to my chest and stomach. Still no known cause for them. Now they are appearing on my arms. I work in Health Care so I get a lot of looks because it seems when they are on my arms they form into one HUGE hive and are very visible. My husband tries to be sympathetic but he doesn't truly understand what I am going through. Until you have experienced it yourself there is no way to imagine what they feel like. They make me feel tired and under the weather not to mention what it does to yourself esteem when you look at yourself in the mirror and see these huge red hives all over your body. I need to go back to the doctor but after no help from them for five years you get discouraged. Does any body know of home remedies or vitiamins or even herbs that will help control them? Thanks
Posted 8/16/2006 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
tired of itching, I have been taking lots of vitamin C, opc-3 (one of the highest antioxidents around), B complex and I have started following a candida diet. If you read about candida one of the symptoms is chronic hive with no explanation. If you feel like you are becoming allergic to everything that goes into your mouth or the air you breath, check out candida (an overgrowth of the bad bacteria in you gut) I am also being treated for adreanal failure (symptoms can be hives, but candida can cause adreanal fatuigue) and hormones due to surgical castration. the hormones I take are bioidentical so they are very expensive. I hope this helps you. If nothing else it will give you a direction to start researching. I felt so much better when I took control back from the doctors. they only perscribe what they get for free from the reps. and doctors are only fancy and expensive paramedics putting bandaids on people rather then researching what could be the problem. There is a candida cleanse at like a GNC, or the ones on the internet but they are really!!!!!!!! expensive. The vitamins I order from myself (we are distributors so I can get it (opc-3)cheaper- I will be on it for life- it is that good)
Posted 8/22/2006 11:30 AM (GMT 0)
I am very sorry to hear about your hives. I was wondering something. Has anyone gone to WATERCURE.com? I think Dr. Bat is on to something when he goes into detail about why histamine is released. He is the ONLY doctor I have found that addresses histamine being a neurotransmitter and the reason it is released. Is it a coincidence that most prescription meds are antihistamines?
I bought The book "ABC of allergies, asthma and lupus". Sodium chloride produces hydrochloric acid which helps digest foods.
Please let me know if anybody has any luck with this therapy.

The reason I suggest this is my daughter started on Zyrtec at 2 months of age. She is allergic to over 20 different foods. Which
uticaria as one of the symptoms. I had her skin tested. Rotated her foods with the "specific carbohydrate diet" and I give her as much water as I can and put sea salt on her foods. I can honestly say her eczema looks fantastic and she has had 4 doses of zyrtec in the last 4 months. (food reaction was the reason why).
Also Dr Bat explains how to get itching relief. He states go into a hot shower, (as hot as can be tolerated) that will bring out the histamine. Then rinse in cold water(as cold as can be tolerated). This has helped my daughter tremendously.
Dr Bat explains hot water brings out the histamine and the cold water exhausts the histamine release providing relief for over 6 hours.
Good luck to everyone with hives. If I help one person to get relief and feel better that is all I am looking for.

Thoughts and prayers to uticaria sufferers.
TNorton
Posted 8/22/2006 12:29 PM (GMT 0)
Please discontinue posting on this post.  It has exceeded in length so I created a new one.  We try to keep these discussions with as little pages as possible for easier referencing.  Thanks! :-)
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