Hives at night?

I am aware that I am highly allergic to many foods such as diary, tomatoes, beef, and fish.  I recently have found out that when  eat chicken and spicy foods that I will get hives and bite like marks on my body.  I know something is going on inside of me and realy need to find out what.

I have suffered with hives since 2006. No allergies and have been to every doctor and specialist there is. Have been on every medication. Doctors are quick to give you a prescription thinking it's an allergic reaction to something. Been there and have done it, believe me. Antihistamines, prednisone make me worse. Have been to a naturopath as well and specialists in Toronto and Hamilton. Benadryl makes me worse and they can't believe it. They would start in the morning and taper off....then I would wake up full again. Aveeno baths every night seemed to ease the itching. Body covered completely most of the time. Worst years of my life. Experienced severe depression and anxiety because I had to go to work everyday like this. Very embarrassing! Cold, Hot, Exercise, Excitement, anything would bring it on. I was diagnosed with stress induced hives. Had neck surgery around the time this started. Had a disc replaced in my neck which was so stressful for me at that time. Long story short....no doctor could figure this out! If your hives are not allergy related, do yourself a favour......it took me years of awful suffering, GO TO YOUR DOCTOR AND ASK FOR A VITAMIN B SHOT ONCE A MONTH! Forget all those drugs, simple cure.....please give this a try....I know what I am talking about. I hope I can help you .....begging you to at least try this! Your skin is the largest organ of your body and you must keep it happy! Good Luck! Finally free!

Post Edited (Cured!) : 1/21/2012 6:49:03 PM (GMT-7)

PLEASE - IF ANY KIND SOUL HAS THE TIME TO HELP, IT WOULD REALLY HELP...

Background

After a shower my partner had a bit of red skin on his arm and top of thigh, which continued to itch. Over the next few weeks it continued to itch severely, especially after baths and at night in bed. It has continued to be a bit red and very itchy since about November, but isn't raised with white bumps like my rash.
After R's rash and irritation began, I got a couple of little white raised spots on my leg that were itchy, I thought they were some kind of insect bite. Then they got more itchy and started spreading up to my thighs. The little white bumps with reddish area around them seem to move around different parts of my body, including my arms, wrists, back, waist, legs, ankles.

Doctor 1

R saw a doctor first, and she said it could be some kind of eczema, advised that he used Dermol cream to wash with. We both used it all the time, used non bio washing powder, no improvement.

Doctor 2 - Scabies?

I went to the doctor before Christmas and he said it might be scabies but he wasn't sure as it also looked like a viral infection. He gave me the medicine for scabies to try anyway (Lyclear, Permethrin), and me and R both did the treatment - it made us itch horrifically all night, and no sign of improvement.

On the subject of scabies, we spoke to our friend M, who said that him and his girlfriend had had a similar thing and taken scabies treatment and it had worked. But he said the treatment wasn't as uncomfortable as it was for us. My friend C then got diagnosed as having scabies after staying with us, but her doctor said she had a classic case with burrows.

Doctor 3 - Viral Rash?

We went back to the doctor's together, and he examined both of us thoroughly, including R naked, and my thighs where the white lumps were raised. He said it definitely wasn't scabies, but more likely some kind of allergy, potentially to the house or the mattress.(We moved house in September before this all began.) So we changed the mattress back to my old one. Doctor prescribed strong anti-histamines and steroid cream. The steroid cream eased us both for about a week, and the antihistamines helped with itching, but then the rash persisted. Mine almost went away during this week, but came back with vengeance!

Doctor 4

So I went to the doctor alone again, she said it might be some type of eczema or dry skin, said I might have caused it by scratching, and that it wasn't an allergy or a virus. She said if I moisturised and it didn't go away to come back and try scabies cream.
I tried moisturising and it made no difference. We thought we'd try the scabies treatment again in case we hand't done it thoroughly enough the first time. We washed all our clothes and bedding and hoovered the whole room and bed frame and kept the cream on for the right time. It still really burnt and stung and tingled. I did read that if you do have scabies the symptoms do not immediately disappear after treatment, but it still seemed particularly uncomfortable.

Doctor 5 - Hives?

We went together again. This doctor looked at photos R had taken and talked to us for a while. He seemed pretty sure it wasn't scabies. He suggested it was a viral rash or allergy of some kind, and that my raised patches resembled hives or weals. Suggested antihistamines and referred us to a private dermatologist. Or to try and get a referral from my GP, who was very unhelpful on both other occasions.

Today

The photos of my leg are from today, I hand't had a shower yet, I scratched my leg a bit, and the white areas came up after I'd stopped. Then faded after about 5 minutes but not completely. When it fades it leaves a reddish browny residual patch, almost like a scar area. R also still has the intense itching, but not the visible risen lumps that appear on my skin. The heating or baths or being in bed seem to aggravate it.

Photos: http://skinproblemsargh.tumblr.com/

I've been dealing with hives my whole life, and after 35 years I still don't know what causes them. As I've gotten older they have been worse, but don't happen as often as when I was young. From my experience hives are worse at night because your body does not produce adrenaline while you are sleeping. Not sure if your Doctor has ever given you a steroid shot as treatment, but that is what it is. That's why during the day they seem to go away until you go home and start to relax and poof there they are again. I know a lot of you are opposed to steroids, I myself do not like them but when you when you take all the antihistamines with no relief... well sometimes you have to give in.

I just came across this thread.
after reading the posts above I worry that this is never going to go away. A week ago i was hopeful that this was an allergic reaction to something and i tried cutting out everything that may have caused these hives to appear. But alas, almost two weeks later they are still here:(.
every morning I wake up covered in hives head to toe. Mostly on my right arm, hand and chest. I have put that down to being the position that i lay at night.
I am taking my antihistamines every morning, in fact i take more than the recommended dose because the ONE tablet per day that has been prescribed is just not cutting it. By 3pm roughly they are all gone. When i go to bed they have gone with the odd one still lurking around on my body. and u feel euphoric and HOPE that this is the last time you will wake up with them.. but no.. i wake up and just want to cry. its not so much that I have hives, but that my work, lifestyle which involves being around a lot of people means I become anxious about people seeing me like this. I get sympathetic gestures from most but its just so embarrasing i just dont even want to leave the house anymore. :(
I at first thought that it was an allergic reaction to garlic as the night before i woke up with them I had had some garlic that didnt look right but i still had it. two weeks later though and havent touched any garlic since i have soon realised that perhaps it wasnt this. Surely this wouldve been cleaned out of my system.

ive been to the docs twice. the first doc misdiagnosed me with pitarysis rosea, the second.. seems to think its hives (as i do too) but mine arent like any she has seen before. she also believes that stress isnt a factor.

I read on here about someone getting hives after the body is being compressed in bed (sorry the actual name escapes me) Im going to look in to that too.
of course.. my doc wont recommended me to a dermo until i have what they consider CHRONIC UTA but we all know that means i need to have this for anotehr 4 weeks!...then ill have to wait for another 6 months before my apointment comes up!.. makes me wonder what dermos do all day everyday.. surely there arent that many dermo cases..lol.surely!?

my hives are a variation of tiny dots to large welts.. but what apparently is interesting about mine is that they are pink with a darker ring around them.. so not all one colour. hope they go away soon:(

if anyone can help me please email me or reply to this. im in desperate mode:(

For those with long term urticaria, do you just take antihistamines regularly? Is that ok? What are the long term side effects of, say, Allergra? Is it better to take a short dose of steroids to knock the hives out or take daily antihistamines for a long period of time, ie, for months or years?

I never had hives until 9 years ago when I was pregnant and started experiencing cold urticaria. Over the years, the hives come and go, but usually if I do not let my skin get cold, I am fine.

But last week the hives started coming back, rather ferociously. Not cold related and much itchier this time. It does seem to start at night, like 9 or 10 pm, gets very bad by 1pm, and I wd give up and take an antihistamine. Then it starts again the next night. The hives appear usually around my panty lines, upper thighs, my arms, neck, back. But they change places all the time.

The only big change in my life is I got off my birth control pill 3 weeks ago. And given I first started having hives when I was pregnant, it seems to me it may be related somehow to hormonal imbalance or changes. But every doctor I speak to find that highly unlikely. Is there anyone out there who thinks their hives are hormone related?

I am feeling desperate. It is not my bed because when I take naps in the midday, nothing happens. I have never been allergic to any foods before, though I supposed I cd have developed an allergy. I use allergenic detergents, etc.
It seems time related, and pressure related, and at times temperature related. Everyone says hives are idiopathic. But it seems to me very bad to just keep taking antihistamines. What are some long term management solutions that are not drugs, if any??

I am an Alpha-Gal, well I have been diagnosed with Alpha-Gal.  It all started when I woke at 4 am with hives all over my body and ended up in the ER with Anniphylaxis. My primary care physician tested me for every allergy she could think of...all negative.  After several episodes I had a blood test called IgG which showed that I was allergic to Beef.  A week later after avoiding beef, I had another reaction again in the middle of the night just as bad but instead used an epi-pen which had been perscribed by an allergist and the symptoms subsided, I had eaten Pork sausage the evening before. 

 While reasearching the beef allergy I had stumbed upon a Website that indicated that beef allergies had been connected to tick bites and that the symptoms had been delayed by as many as 4 to 8 hours after consuming the meat.  The fit was nearly perfect...I had been bitten by nearly 30 ticks and seed ticks about 3 weeks prior to my first reaction.  I printed my findings and went to my Primary care physician and asked to be sent to an allergist who was a specialist.  The specialist had heard of this allergy and had 2 other patients with the allergy.  He did skin pricks for Beef, Pork and Lamb and the reactions while not extremely significant (less than a quarter of an inch)were positive (this is common with Alpha-

gal.  The Allergist then sent me for an IgE blood test.  It was positive confirming Alpha-Gal.  It is my understanding now that I am to be an Involuntary Vegetarian of sorts as I can have Fish and Fowl to eat but it is recommended that I do not have Mammal meat, this includes wild as well as domesticated mammals.  (ie. Beef, Pork, Lamb, Deer, Bear, Dog, Cat, Rabbit, Squirrel,even Kangaroo...anything with four legs and fur)

This may not help everyone who has posted here but if you are an outdoors person and if you have been bitten by ticks, seed tick or chiggers(which are esentially nymph ticks)...you could also be an Alpha-Gal Girl or Guy.  Very few are aware of this disorder because meat allergies have always been so rare.  I have started a website to try and inform those affected by this Allergy and those looking for answers as well I intend to try and get this info out to Family Physicians and Allergists, EMT's and First responders.  If you would like to entertain this idea I welcome you to visit and check out the links on the link page to research and other information regarding these findings. or Google "Tick Bite Meat Allergy".  You will find several news reports videos and articles. The University of Virginia is credited with much research on Alpha Gal be sure to Google them as well, they acually have a blog dedicated to folks with meat allergies.

My site is TickTalkAllergy.com, it is still under construction but you can access it and comment on the blog there.  If this helps one person discover the reason behind their night time nightmares of uticaria, angioedema, and aniphylaxis and ER visits. 

You can also feel free to email me at this site -- info@  TickTalkAllergy.com

Heat, as in when you're in bed at night, makes itches worse. I have been using Ice Gel..usually used for sports injuries!!!! it cools and takes away the itch. I don't have hives though, it's a form of (plant caused) dermititis. Have been on and off Prenisolone for mths, but now can be free of it as the itch seems to hve disappeared completely since using the ice gel. I sometimes use a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a tepid batch also. Menthol seems to calm itches.

Good luck to all and please get diagnosed correctly! Wendy from Oz x

I have been waking up for 11 days now with hives all over my legs and back. After I shower the bumps go away and they are just red spots till evening again and worse in the am. Cn anyone tell me why?

Hello everyone. I'm so glad I found this thread and then realized I'm not alone, for whatever reason in this very uncomfortable problem.

I am pretty sure it's stress related with me. It started with a swollen bottom lip about 6 weeks ago, and EVERY night since then. I'm taking care of my mother in law full time who has what recently entered into end stage Lewy Body Dementia at 63 who is 100% total care. I also have a very active 3 year old and 15 month old, they are soooo easy compared to my mother in law. Anyway, about 6 weeks ago, I should have said it started with a heated argument with my husband, that's not usual for us (he was about 78% wrong). A few days later, after much dwelling, at about 10pm, I start feeling my lip getting bigger and bigger. It felt like a bug bite reaction, so I took a benadryl and went to bed, all better by morning.

Next night, after everyone was tucked in and chores done, I start to relax, my nightly routine. I started itching, belly, back, hips. It has been happening every night since then. They come in different levels and different places. Sometimes I'm able to get away with not take anything but lately (last 3 weeks), I find I'm waking up with them everywhere if I don't. Last night my back was covered and inner legs. Tonight, palms of my hands, scalp, part of my face and stomach. The other night, all stomach, sometimes on feet and legs only. This is awful!!!

I had hives once about 15 years ago very badly. I was getting a divorce and finally decided I was going to move forward with it, a very long and hard decision for me. I remember the moment, almost instantly, I started getting hives. Had to go to ER because my throat was closing up, they had never seen such a bad case. None since then, till now.

I honestly feel this is a stress thing for me and I hope I can get over it eventually. I really don't like taking any medications but realize if I don't, it will get worse. My poor husband has realized how much pressure we're under and has really started helping out with other things not on his usual list, trying to ease my load. That said, it's 2:41 AM, I fell asleep with the kids and woke up itching.....

Well, I'm really thinking of all of you and your stories, thank you and I hope we all heal from this via diet changes, chemical changes or a simple change of scenery. I'll post an update if I go to a Dr. and find anything out different. Thank you again, meds kicking in and I must get some sleep.

Spoonpop said...
oh man! I broke out in hives 3 nights ago & it's getting worse every night. Neck to toes with facial swelling too. Looks like I got botox! This happened once before in 1995 while traveling in India. It went away after 3 days then & I assumed it was environmental. But this time I haven't done anything new, no food changes, soaps, bedding- nothing new. I am under a lot of self imposed stress. Going to see my Dr tomorrow. Glad I found your thread so I have some info to bring her. I had no idea this could just pop up one day & last forever!!!

What did your dr suggest? I'm still getting them nightly.

Hi all,
I had to chime in. I've suffered from hives for 9 years. I've searched the web every few years to try and get some new ideas. Mine started when I was pregnant with my daughter 9 years ago. Only when I sleep- day or night. Even just a nap! Huge itchy welts that start as small spots and spread to a big itchy web. One doctor gave me cream to use-cream! Really? Slather yourself with greasy crap every night!??? I was allergy tested- not just the scratch test but also the intradermal injections in my forearms. Nada. Oh, I am allergic to mold and mildew- and got allergy shots for a year- no change. I had one spot punch-biopsied hoping it would show some clue in the cells. I was tested for autoimmune diseases including lupus-negative. I was on xyzal until my insurance refused to pay for it anymore. I was on Benadryl for 8 years but quit using that when it stopped working. I've found relief in Zyrtec 10 mg every night and singular 10 mg in the morning. I've had absolutely no side effects from them. I can skip about every other day without breaking out in hives. And they are safe in pregnancy, or at least that is what my doctor said, as we are planning to try for our fourth this fall. I still wish I had an answer but for now I'm happy with being healthy and itch-free! I don't need steroids (MAJOR side effects-avoid long term at all costs!) and I don't need Benadryl which makes me so tired and dried me out. FYI- phenergan is actually an antihistamine used for nausea. I am a nurse and when I worked ICU and PACU it worked (so did Benadryl) to control nausea. Great for headaches too! I'm interested in non-med ways to treat this. I'm willing to change diet, but need a good reason to risk an outbreak by cutting back the Zyrtec!
Also, we have always used tide free detergent, my husband has eczema so we are very careful with everything. There isn't a drop of perfume in our house and nobody smokes etc. I have 2 cats and a dog but am not allergic according to my allergy tests.
Thank you!

In the ER if someone had an allergic reaction, we used to give IV Pepcid (yes it works like Zantac, it is an H2 blocker), IV solumedrol, IV Benadryl, and subQ epinephrine. Not IV epi as any nurse knows this is ONLY given during a code:) anyone who has watched someone accidentally give this the wrong way knows it too- sigh -
So yes- Zantac, Pepcid- are medications for stomach acid- but also allergies. Didn't work for me but worth a try.
Phenergan and Benadryl- again, are antihistamines sometimes used for nausea, but can make you VERY sleepy. I find them absolutely unsafe to use during the day, personally, unless it is a day I plan to spend in bed unconscious!
Xyzal, Zyrtec, Claritin- I've used these with luck. Singular is traditionally for asthma, works well for me.
With the Zyrtec and Singulair together I have zero side effects and zero hives. Ask your doctor-everyone is different, but maybe learn from someone else's trials and errors :) Zyrtec I buy online in bulk- can get a year supply for about $30 Good luck!