Hi.
I have been suffering on and off from chronic urticaria since I was in the fourth grade in 2006. Its been nearly seven years since my I first started getting hives. It started out of the blue and it didn't start small. I was rendered unable to walk most times because the hives swell over my ankles and knees making them painfully impossible to move. My lips would swell to the size of sausages and my eyes would swell shut. My doctor gave me every possible medicine, Clariton, Benadryl, Zyrtec, Loratadine, Hydrozyzine, Albuterol, Prednisone. You name I took it. NOTHING WORKED! (except for the steriods, which I can't stay on for a more than a few weeks.) I was given epipens in case of an emergency and sent home to wallow in pain. I took every blood test, every allergy test, every test and apparently, I'm not allergic to anything. Then, just as suddenly as it all appeared, it stopped. No more hives. We all felt incredibly relieved. I went through fifth and sixth grade without any problems with them. Still carried the epipens in case God forbid, something happened because of my unexplained outbreaks. Everything seemed wonderful until seventh grade came. The hives came back. Worse than before. None of the medicines worked. There were numerous times during the one year of schooling that I had to use an epipen because my airways would swell shut. At this point I was becoming a medical mystery to everyone around me. No one wanted to be my friend because they would catch my hives. Kids would make fun of me. I was miserable. It caused to become depressed and I only ever went to school and home. I didn't want to go to school, but I had to because I would miss to much school on the days where the hives would be overwhelming. Then just as suddenly as they started, they stopped. Again. What the hell? Is this a cruel punishment for something I did in another life? I don't know. All I know is that I sure as hell glad that they had gone away because I would be starting high school in less than a year after they went away. Eighth and ninth grade went by wonderfully. I was happy with myself for once and no one had reason to pick fun at my grotesque appearance. Tenth grade was going swimmingly. Was. This is where I am now. One month before school ends and the hives are back. This time, they're mild. They don't go anywhere near my face (thank God). They just cover every other surface of my body. My arms, legs, feet, back, hands, belly, and chest. This time around, the Zyrtec was working. I may be taking nearly six a day, but they are working. I went to a new allergist just today and he finally gave me an answer for what could be causing my hives. Hashimoto's thyroiditis. So finally what I have my have a name. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid gland is attacked by a variety of cell- and antibody-mediated immune processes. So basically my body is attacking itself. Great! So this would explain why I have awful hives everywhere. So now I have to go in for more testing (yay >:[ ) to see if I have said disease. But I'm only just getting to best part (no sarcasm intended). My new allergist said that he may have a treatment for me! Plaquenil. It was originally made for Lupus, which is also an auto immune disease, but apparently it helps in the treatment of hives. I am so excited to start taking and finally be able to get some relief from all of this! Has anyone else taken Plaquenil? If so can you tell me about
your experience with it?
Post Edited (PotterHead) : 5/20/2013 7:44:27 PM (GMT-6)