I started getting swollen lips usually just a 1/4 at a time in April. I have now progressed to under my eyes and on the side of my nose, by the tear ducts. Also inside my mouth (where your smile lines are) above/sides of lips Increasing in Frequency & I can usually feel it coming before I see it now. So far, I've read angioedema as the diagnosis and no cure in sight. I have eliminated certain food groups left and right in trying to determine food allergy - nothing so far. Sodium Benzoate however, has come up a lot in my readings.

I notice it especially if I am very stressed or tense, which is also on the increase since March.

Any help at all is Greatly Appreciated in Advance.

Jennifer :wave:

Have you been to the doctor? You didn't say. If not, it sounds like you need to go.

Not yet. My GP is a "get more exercise & eat better" type anyway. I got the name of a reputable Allergist in Pgh today and will try to get an appt. tomorrow, but I actually didn't do that earlier b/c I wasn't sure where to start. I almost called a dermatologist even.

I also forgot to mention that my face has no itching when it swells.

Do you suggest an allergist first?

Thanks so much for the reply!

Jenn :wave:

I have had swollen lips for the past week. They also feel like they are burning and it also affects my upper gums which appear to be red. In the morning, everything is normal but by the afternoon, it is all flared up again. May be an allergy. Let us know what happens and good luck.

Twanger, Do you know what the cause of yours is?
I am the opposite. Usually starts after 5-6pm, continues overnight, then is worse in the am. The longer I am up and moving throughout the day, the swelling seems to go down a little.

I don't know what the cause is. I am still working on it. Maybe allergies. It sounds like you may be retaining water or something. When I retain water, my face, lips, eyes will swell up in the morning and go down as the day goes on. Also, may be a sinus infection that starts to drain as the day goes on.

Wow. Validation. I was wondering if that was it (retaining water). I'm sure it's not all of it b/c I look like I just walked away from a car accident or beating. My face is pretty distorted from the swelling. I finally got an appt with an allergist and I'm going to ask about the angioedema theory.

Thanks again for your input, I'm at my wits end and any support from someone who even remotely knows what I'm going through is really greatly appreciated.

The allergic reaction may be to something you are breathing at work, air pollution or maybe pollen/ ragweed. The cause of giant hives is hard to find, because sometimes a person will have one attack and never get another. I dont think stress is a trigger in most cases. What you have is hives and they are called giant hives because the swelling is deep under the skin not on the surface. I had them on my feet, hands and legs. Some people have the whites of their eyes swell shut. There is an antihistamine you can take which will stop the swelling, but you do need to see an allergist.

Sodium Benzoate ... nasty stuff. About ten years ago I began having swollen lips that would split, peel and bleed. Sodium Benzoate preservative was the culprite. It was in everything, toothpaste, root beer and many foods, breads and chips. My Dr. prescribed Diprolene gel 0.05%. I used to carry it everywhere I went. As soon as I felt the burning I would apply it and it stopped the splitting, peeling. It took about 3 months to isolate the cause and since then I have avoided anything with sodium benzoate and have not had any more problems.

You know, I've read about that Sodium Benzoate with regard to the swelling. I have read every label on every food I've eaten since then. Is it in a lot of stuff? Do they not always list it? I drink A LOT of that flavored water that is carbonated and I thought for sure it was in there. It wasn't on the label. Does it also have another name?

Are giant hives the same as angioedema? The swelling is definitely way deep under the skin. It just started in my throat last Saturday. Scary. I am scouring the internet for any information on this as it makes me look like Frankenstein. I finally found an allergist who would see me sooner than the end of this month. I took the advice of the kind folks on these boards and other info and bought antihistimines, but the allergist said I have to be off them until I see him on Monday. This is the first time I've gone 36 hours without any swelling since May, so I know the few days of antihistimines I was taking were doing something to help.

Thanks again to everyone! :wave:

Yes giant hives are the same as angioedema. Regular hives are weals which appear on the surface of the skin as a red raised area. You have them deep under the skin. Any number of thinks can trigger an attack. For instance some people are outside in the cold and any exposed skin can begin swelling. I had them on the bottoms of both feet and the doctors were totally clueless.

Hi Everyone,
Thanks to all of you who so kindly responded to my questions!

With your help and the internet, I successfully diagnosed myself with uriticaria and angioedema. I saw an allergist on Monday who took x-rays of my face (also diagnosed with severe sinusitis - couldn't even see my eyes or nose on the x-ray!). Did an allergy test on my back and took blood. The question now is what am I NOT allergic to, apparently I am so full of histimine and my body is "exploding" as he put it, that almost everything environmentmental is negatively affecting me right now (no food allergies, though). He put me on a regimen of Loratidine 3x/day, Cimetidine 3x/day and Atarax b4 bedtime. Lots of drugs and I'm pretty sleepy - BUT NO SWELLING SINCE SUNDAY!

Thanks to everyone again, and if I can be of help to someone else out there, I will. I'm certainly going to be checking the boards!

Jennifer :wave:

As a typical man i dont go see a Dr unless im not breathing.That being said..i always thought people were born with allergies and that a 37 y/o like myself doesnt suddenly have one..is this untrue? Yesterday morning i woke up with a swollen upper left lip.Didnt hurt myself or anything like that and just assumed it would go away..whatever it was.Now this morning my whole upper lip is swollen and i look like BullWinkle.This has never happened before and i didnt eat anything that i dont normaly eat.However while sitting here reading these forums it hit me..we just got a new fluffy furry kitten.Could this be it??? We've always had cats and this has never happened so could it be? We got her the day before i woke up with this.How would i find out? Is there any kind of over the counter allergy meds i can try to at least see if this thing will subside? Again i wont see a Dr untill im withering in the fetal postion.
help??
Ira

I think Claritin non drowsy antihistimine is sold OTC now.

Jen - glad you've found some relief with your allergist. In your case, it's important to use medication as an immediate relief and also work to eliminate allergens from your environment. I made a post elsewhere about food allergies that you may find relevant. Allergies (i've found) are cumulative - the more allergens you're exposed to at any one time, the worse the reaction. If you can eliminate/reduce allergens from your environment, you'll find over time that you can withstand some exposure to allergens. Good luck!

Ira - I have cat allergies (among many others). They can be very severe and can manifest themselves in many ways. Mine are typically respiratory (i have asthma also) but once i got hives all over my face from a cat exposure. So, it sounds to me like your reaction could easily be an allergic reaction. If you're doctor-averse, try an OTC allergic remedy (claritin is better than other OTC drugs that can make you drowsy). Maybe you've got a mild allergy that can be treated OTC. If not, it's either get rid of the cat or go to the doctor! Don't wait around for a severe allergic attack to strike you! Be safe.

Ira;
That is exactly how it started out for me in March/April! About a 1/4 starts, then overnight either another part starts. Sometimes it will even look like a little ball (or a bee sting on your lip). My best advice: Find a good allergist!! I had never been allergy tested in my life before this and I was at my wits end, I thought like you, that I had all my allergies by age 35. It is well worth it. The "weird little lip thing" progressed into under my eye, on the side of my nose, inside my cheek...... after 4-5 months. I am on Loratidine 10mg 3x/day (Generic Claritin) and some other stuf b/c my histamines are going haywire inside my system. Try the loratidine 10mg for now. I also researched the crap out of this on line and found that mine is called angioedema or urticari-something. These boards are awesome, too. You'll find so many people who have yours or a similar experience and really want to see you get some relief. Good Luck! :wave:

Hi Seredipity1984;
Thanks for the advice. I actually bought a dog grooming business 3 yrs ago and am selling after all this. I have always cat a serious Cat Allergy, but staying away from cats has always worked in the past. BUT, just as you said, the more allergies you have..... My testing showed that my allergens are anything environmental and included dogs! I had never had any reaction to a dog before, but so many and so much allergen reaction made even the smallest ones a big deal for me I guess. I will go back & try to find your post on the Food Allergies.
Thanks again, Jenn

My wife has the condition. And it is a symptom to Nettles Rash. Doctors claim they do not know what triggers it, calling it an allergy. In fact I think it is not an allergy but a warning light/ signal to you that your immune system is down, and it can not fight off whatever you you deem is the culprit. It is also triggered by change of temperatures being extremely hot, to colder air. Some people think it is the air conditioner with mold, but we are not talking about legionaires disease here. The change in temp caused it. For the swollen lips my wife used aloe vera and lemon as an external application, and then we blended in a blender and she drank. Make sure you remove the green skin on the aloe vera, but blend the lemon skin with the lemon then drink.

Immune support is essential to overcome reoccurance, so rebuilding your immune system is key to stopping the problem. Taking ginseng will increase immune function and resistance to infection. It also supports liver function. Echinacea also is recommended as an immune stimulant.

To stop the itch for Nettles Rash is to use a herb called Nettle.(Urtica dioica) or (Urtucaceae). The root is known to stop prostate enlargement, and is an antiallergenic. Key actions: Diuretic, tonic, astringent, prevents hemorrhaging, antiallergenic, leaf increases breast-milk production, and root reduces prostate enlargement.

Another herb is HeartsEase also known as Pansy's . Is very good for internal inflammations and itchiness. and Calendula also known as Marigold is used to treat Nettles Rash. The flower tops are used in a tea. 5 grams per cup taken regularly throughout the day.

These herbs build the immune system. But for immediate relief to stop the itching my wife used Cetirizine Hydrochloride Tablets.:angel: