Hello everyone,
Thank you to all of you who responded to my initial post about my sister and a Hives outbreak . . . I'm updating the post because I have more information. She went to a dermatologist and he diagnosed her with DERMOGRAPHIC URTICARIA and he gave her prednisone and some other stuff she's taking. Have any of you dealt with this? I read a few things online that says that it can last for years. Some reports say that it could be food related and others say it's not. She's miserable . . . is there anything she can do to help with the symptoms other than what she's doing.
Thanks in advance for your help.
T. M.
My 8 mo. old daughter is suffering with hives now too. At first I thoght it was from food or from pool chemicals. after rounds of benedryl, (didnt touch it!) I took her to the drs. Come to find out she is fighting off a virus. Her little throat is swollen with pus. I would have never known!! So they put her on Zyrtec which seems to be making the hives managable. Bottom line is that I would go to the drs. There has to be a reason for them.
Benedryl liquid and sleep through it. I get hives when I am super stressed. I had a severe outbreak in 1969 when my grandma got sick and passed, then didn't have another outbreak until 2003 but hives are horrible. Clariton or generic helps but only keeps the bumps and itching at bay. The only thing that really works is Benedryl. A few months ago my 10 yr old granddaughter broke out with hives and my son was at his wits end. I told him get some Benedryl and ride it out. She stayed with me during the day while he worked. I tried baking soda baths and it helped but honestly the only thing that works is Benedryl liquid.
After a couple of days of this my son got concerned and made a doctor's appointment and they get into see the doctor and he said give her Benedryl and hopefully it will go away.
Hives can last anywhere from a couple of days to weeks. Often you never find out what caused the breakout.
Hives can also be from new clothes or shoes if they are treated with a chemical, or a change in laundry detergents. Also new shampoo, toothpaste and other beauty products can have unknown additives. She should consider ANY new item in her home as a possible source.
I get hives whenever I come into contact with something I'm allergic to OR I eat something. I usually take Benedryl to stop the reaction, but yes, you do have to ride it out.
The best remedy I can think of is a cold compress. It's the only thing that stops the itching for me! A cold washcloth or a cold pack really helps.
I have used niacin to help flush the toxins out. You have to take regular niacin, not the no-flush kind because it's the flushing that pushes out the toxins. Tell her to drink lots of water as well. Hives are the body's way of pushing out what it thinks are toxins, so any way you can help it along makes the duration shorter.
I've also heard of using an oatmeal compress, but I never tried it myself.
Hives are NO FUN! I hope your sister is able to ride it out! My worst case took a week and then it was gone.
My daughter had them really bad once. The benedryl didn't work for her, but zyrtec did.
Ahh chroinc hives. We had to have my son on antihistamine for over three years, daily to stop it. Daily zyrtec was a blessing to my son. Doctors were lit6tle help, but we happend to meet two families going through the same thing. Comapred notes shared them with Doctors and got a plan that worked.
My niece had an extreme case of hives due to an allergy to a medication. She had to be taken to urgent care twice because of the severity. Other then medications that were given to her in the doctor's office, we were told to give her claritin and to use aveno brand cleanser and lotion. Claritin because it is non-drowsy and aveno because it is natural and contains oatmeal, which has soothing properties. Even though my niece was 5 years old, the doctor recommended the aveno baby instead of the regular because it is even more gentle than the original. You can even take an oatmeal bath, which would feel good. Her case was so severe that she had hive for months, but the itching and uncomfortableness subsided about a month into the hives and the size and amount of hives decreased as well. Good Luck!
that is true.
my first take is is she sure it isn't shingles?
My son had an outbreak of hives for just over a week. I had changed to the Bounce dryer bar and he didn't like it. I kept him on Benedryl for a week and rewashed EVERYTHING from the week before.
My brother had an outbreak that lasted for almost a year. He was on 4 allergy meds. They could never decide what triggered it. Then one day he realized it was gone. Bam its here and poof its gone. Its been 4 years and he hasn't had another outbreak.
I also randomly get hives but mostly I get them if I am stressed, worried or upset about something, sometimes without even realizing I am until I get itchy and hives and realize I need to calm down. I take Benedryl and it helps with the itchiness and also seems to help them go away faster. Also I have found out if I eat wheat (I am gluten-intolerant) I will get hives and my face breaks out really badly. My typical outbreaks last anywhere to a few hours to a week or so, most of them are done, meaning no new hives and itchiness gone, in a few days, the red spots will remain for a couple of days after that, I have a couple of spots on my arms that are still here from an outbreak I had two weeks ago, not itchy just red bumps.
