posted 09-21-2002 10:08 AM            

I was tested for every allergy under the sun and came up negative to all of them. This even cleared up a previously diagnosed allergy to eggs! It took about 6 months to really go away. But I've been fine for a long time now. I do find that I get some mild symptoms of it if I stay in hotels or even sleep at my in-laws home.

posted 02-07-2003 01:10 PM            

In the meantime, or in addition, I have some hives-tips for you. These are things that I have learned about and my fiance has tried for his hives. Apparently, some of these ideas work for some people some of the time.
1. My fiance swears by cold showers when he's feeling itchy.
2. Try anti-itch creams, like hydrocortisones, commonly found at Walmart, etc.
3. Also, try anti-fungal creams, often used for athlete's foot.
4. Try dabbing cotton balls soaked in red vinegar onto itchy skin (be sure the red vinegar has "mother" in it- it will say so on the bottle- the "mother" is the ingredient that helps the itching- red vinegar that you buy in the grocery store doesn't have the "mother" in it and is purified, so don't use it- you may have to go to a health food store or GNC to find red vinegar with "mother").
5. Try taking Quercetin, an herbal remedy often used for hives.
6. Try soaking in lukewarm bath water with baking soda in it or oatmeal. You can try the oatmeal bath mixes available at Walmart (ask the pharmacist where they are- they're often used for chicken pox, etc.).
One more thing: Like someone else mentioned, the good news is that there is a strong possibility that you will grow out of and/or suddenly stop having the hives. From what I've read, it's very common for people to start having them all of a sudden, and then, after a while (maybe a year or two, even), the hives stop. My fiance has had his over five years, so we don't think he'll outgrow them. We won't lose hope, though!!
If I think of other tips for you, I'll let you know! Good luck. Let us know how things go!!

posted 06-05-2003 02:59 PM            

like all you unfortunate people, I to have dermogrpahism (aka DPU.) I have had the condition all of my life and refuse to accept that all we can do as sufferers is to supress this condition by taking anthistamnines, which can cause long term problems when taken to excess. This is the solution in Western medicine and believe it or not this type of urticaria is not taken seriously by GP's. It is treated and classed with the same name and procedure as Ideopathic Urticaria (using anthihistamines). This is thought to be a physcologically induced disorder, in other words people us dermographic sufferers are creating in out little heads I can honestly say that i think doctors have no idea about this condition and they use anthihistmanines to solve a problem they or us sufferes know little about.

My hives I'm sure are caused by food intolerance/allergies, but because I have the condition all of the time, I have no idea what the allergens are, but my condition becomes a lot more severe if i have had consumed preservatives such as Sunset Yellow and Sodium Benzoate. It is for this I have decided to see a NEAT practioner recently. I have only had one appointment, but i will keep you posted on the results, if you wish. I am apparently allergic to a few things, such as Vitamin B complex (in fruit and veg). My only concern is that this treatment is needed for about 40 sessions, as people like us are ellergic to a lot of things. This may cost $500 or £1000 depending where the practioner is from. That would be great if people like me could afford it. Oh well, i'm willing to give it a go for a few.

There are also so many other special practioners that we can see, such as herbalists, hypnotherapists, accupuncrists etc but do these people have any idea about this condition, even thought they claim that they can cure it, however so few of us sufferers seem to be have been cured. Interestingly, GPs say that the condition 'burns' itself out eventually, once the body stabilises. Well........23 years and still counting

I thought i'd post this message, so that I could contact other sufferers such as yourselves. Even though I wish none of you had the condition, it helps to know that i'm not alone.

Ciao for now.

[edited to remove link. Please never post commercial websites.
Only the name of a product or service may be posted. Thank you!]

posted 07-14-2003 07:19 AM            

Reading through other postings on this page, I am interested to read that other sufferers report shortness of breath/nausea. I too get these symptoms, but was wondering if anybody else out there gets occasional chest pains, and more worryingly it appears that when I'm having a particularly bad "wave" of "lumps" I find that the glands all along my neck and up the back of my head are raised and sore. Does anybody else notice this? This normally goes hand-in-hand with a horrible headache - can it affect the brain? (I often feel quite "spaced" when I'm bad)

Also, I now know when I'm in for a particulary bad dose as I get extremely hot in the day/night preceding the next batch of lumps. Anybody get that too?

I take a combination of Clarityn/Fexofenadine/Atarax most days but they don't really help and I don't like taking such a strong combination of drugs. I have tried just about every anti-itch solution/cream known in the UK and am trying Tea Tree Oil/cream at the moment (it's a natural anaesthetic as well as soothing) and it does appear to help to calm things down a little bit.

I really empathise with any of you out there who are suffering too - on the days when I can't walk/use my hands (ususally because I've gone mad and done something daring like walking or vacuuming the day before!)it really feels like I'm on my own and being punished for something!

posted 08-10-2003 10:32 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by sapphirefair1:
Pelican,
It is good to know that there are other people out there that are suffering with the same condition. I was told that I had this disorder by a dermatologist. He suggested Benadryl tablets, but they only worked for a couple of hours and made me drowsy, too. My regular doctor prescribed Zyrtec and it works well to relieve the itching and hives. I too, only have to take one every three or four days. However, if I do any significant physical labor, it does not help. I will swell up and have itching feet, hands, elbows, knees, waistline, inner thigh, etc . . .

I would like to ask if any of you who have posted have ever heard of these hives attacking your respiratory tract or heart muscle the way it does the rest of the body? The reason I ask is that every now and then I become short of breath with a mild cough. One cough leads to another and before I know it I have to cough to be able to breathe well. After an hour or so of this the coughing subsides and I can breathe just fine again. Also, I have had an episode when my heart seemed to skip beats over a period of several hours, again, this too subsided as quickly as it began. I have contributed this to the hives. By the time I went to see the doctor, it was over and he could not help me much. I would appreciate any insight into this aggravating illness. I tell people that I am "Literally Allergic To Work." That's no lie!
Thanks for your time . . .

sapphirefair1

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posted 08-10-2003 10:56 PM            

In reply to the questions about different helpful medications, I've found the only relief I can get is from taking Prednisone, which of course can bring its own long term problems. My doctor prescribed and EpiPen, which is used in emergency situations during allergic reactions that involve the swelling of the throat.

One thing that still seems strange to me, is that this all started the very day I moved into my new house. Doctors have discounted this theory, by saying that this disease is not caused by allergies. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

posted 09-01-2003 06:40 PM            

I have had urticaria for 5 years now, i've tried Xyzal, Piriton, Benadryl (3 a day and one a day) Loratadine, etc, the only ones i know that DO work are Telfast (Fexofenadine Hydrochloride). They actually make me feel cooler, which is something that really bothers me, i get far to warm which starts the whole itchy process of. I've been to the doctors today and i'm starting on Doxepin for night times and Telfast during the day.

Although tablets work for a while, they do wear off, i really want to know if anyone knows of a permanent solution. My doctor mentioned that it might be something to do with my thyroid so i had a blood test for that today. Fingers crossed i can pin point it down to something and get it sorted once and for all!

All i want is not to be a horrible, red blotchy bride!! lol!

Thanks people,

posted 10-08-2003 05:53 PM            

Navy

[This message has been edited by navy (edited 10-08-2003).]

posted 10-18-2003 10:35 AM            

As for the symptoms, I never had the boils either. I suspect that is boulis something (can't recall the name off hand) but not DPU. As for the muscle aches. I have them way more than I have hives. I get cramps in my sides, calves, arms or wherever. Right now I have little hives on my feet and my calf is all cramped up but you can't really see any of it. That is the worst part about this. Our hives are so deep that they often can't be seen to the naked eye. Fortunately, I have a couple docs that know they won't be able to see them all the time. I don't think they understand the extent of pain but they do get it to some degree.

I met with a lawyer last night about social security and he said I have a good case but it will take a while due to the complexity of it and the administrative judges usually award something like this after the board has turned it down. Good news to me because I don't think my heart could take returning to work. The prednisone I have had to take for the last couple of years so I could tolerate massive dental work has me really messed up. Be very careful about that one. I thought I didn't get side effects but they were just sitting in waiting.