severe chronic urticaria

[genster]

I have been suffering from very severe hives for months now... it started as pressure uritcaria in the winter, but now has become chronic hives. I wake up every morning covered in welts, with swollen eyes & lips, looking like one of Dr. Frankenstein's failures. I have been on hydroxyne, singulair, ranitidine, and prednisone for the hives, and on flonase and oxeze for sinuses and asthma. My purse looks like a portable pharmacy. While I have hives, my asthma is great! Not a wheeze! Nothing seems to help get rid of the hives, except large doses of steroids, which I don't want to take. I have had allergy tests, which showed a mild reaction to moulds and fungi, and to camels and flax (not many camels around this area!). I told my Dr. to either cure me or shoot me. So far he has done neither ! Pretty soon I am going to be found in the corner, with all my skin scratched off and my mind in a hopeless fog from all the drugs. Any suggestions anyone?

[Trail Rider]

My friend had the same thing for many years, turned out she was allergic to aspirin! Once she stopped taking any aspirin preparations (alot of medications contain it) they went away. Have you considered a food source for your allergies?

[genster]

I am beginning to wonder if there isn't something that I am eating... perhaps I have a gluten allergy, or something. Because of the type of job I do, I often eat on the run or grab something quick - usually some type of sandwich, although I have pretty much cut out potatoes, and don't eat read meat more than once a month. I do eat a lot of fish. My fear is a gluten allergy, as it would make it pretty near impossible to find food that was readily available (not sandwiches) out here in the middle of nowhere (I live in a very rural area, with a population of about 50 - not counting the neighbours pets). Does anyone know the symptoms of gluten/food allergy? I know they vary withthe individual, but is what I am experiencing within the realm of possibility for them? I first started with the severe hives 18 months ago, when I moved into a new apartment. When I moved out, they gradually got better, to be replaced in the winter with pressure urticaria. I moved again in October, and since the beginning of summer they are back, full force. I don't go in the sun, I don't spend a lot of time outside. It is getting worse and worse - adn in my job I have to meet the public, which frightens them when I look like the latest plague victim! Thanks for any and all suggestions, I am hopeful that someone will be able to help - even if it just lets me know I am not crazy.

[basilisk]

Genster, I hate to tell you this but the same exact thing happened to me for a year! I cut my diet every which way to try and find a cause. EVERY morning I had hives all over no matter what: I even got them when I was travelling which proved my animals weren't causing it and it wasn't my living environment. I had these hives from approx. december 2002 january 2004. The good news is that NOW, the morning hives have stopped! I no longer wake up covered in hives, they just seemed to gradually fade with less and less every morning.

I know how totally frustrating it is to wake up every single day with hives. I never found out what caused it.

The bad news? For the past year I have been getting excercise and heat induced rashes that I never got before. Amazingly, these have started to fade and guess what? Now I have a bad case of Dermographism which is hives that result from rubbing or scratching on the skin.... It seems I am going through all the phases of hives... All I can say is hang in there.

[HAIRDOER]

I have the same thing......pressure hives now mostly but have found a better medicine that has done wonders. Sulfasalizine. Not sure why it works but it does. I have tried all the other meds too.
You can read all my posts on here by clicking on my username here and then the dropdown window that says read all posts by me. I don't have time to write much now but you can look at what I have written in the past.
You are not alone either but you will survive. I have put in countless hours doing research on hives and I know how ya feel. It is embarresing to have red wealts all over you body and it is painfull too. Makes you not want to wake up and look in the mirror. I don't believe it is an allergy to anything either. Just your histamine in overdrive for no good reason.