Half MH, half medical question, NEED input!

would you go on a fairly low dose but also pretty long course of oral steroids to try to get rid of hives, if you'd had them for 2 months straight almost every single evening/night? Our last ditch before the steroids was a big ol' shot of Benadryl followed by 50mg benadryl orally every 6 hours for the next 3 days after that. Monday was the shot and first doses of the oral benadryl. I had no hives Monday night but they were back by Tuesday night - I could cry.

Prednisone, at least at the dose I was on previously, screws my sleep bad bad bad. Then again so do the hives. I don't know what to do. I desperately want to be rid of these fracking hives. I also desperately want sleep. The course of prednisone would be at a lower dose than before, but for as long as 3 months!

I just don't know wtf to do. Advise me. Please have answers

eta, I'm now getting the occasional hive on my lower lip, a well as they have started appearing on the back of my neck. This worries me some. The rest of them are confined for the most part to chest, under breasts, belly, thighs, butt and tops of feet.

Hello phrick,

You're obviously sensitive have you tried changing to a soap free shower gel or one for sensitive skin?

Or do you have a washing powder that isn't for sensitive skin?

What dose of steroids are you to take over the three months? And what does your Doctor suggest?

First....Are you positive they are hives. It took 3 months, and 2 wrong doctors, before I found a doctor that told me I had something completely different.

Second...As we age our hormones and body chemistry changes. I had to switch to organic soaps and shampoos, etc.

Third...Hives can be caused by stress. I avoid stress, no hives.

Fourth...Predisone has worked for me in the past for hives, but long term on predisone can cause other things to happen.

Hope it clears up for you. ((((((Phrick)))))))))))))

I have another appointment for something else today, but at the same office so I'll bring up some of this stuff too.

I switched to Cetaphil for body wash, I use dye & perfume free laundry detergent now, but I don't know what dose of prednisone he'd put me on, and I don't know if he has a plan for sleep when (not if, WHEN) the sleep issues crop up again. Monday when I saw my doc I flat out refused the prednisone like I said but at this point it's either rasp my skin off with sandpaper, or face the pred. Either which way I'm going to be hurting, physically or mentally.

God I fricking hate aging and falling apart like this. I'm only 32 for crying out loud.

I hear the hesitation on the pred.// I have taken it for bronchits for a week and my head was scrambled so bad plus sleep issues.... I hope it is not hives... I couldn't imagine taking pred. for 3 months... my heart goes out to you and i hope you can solve this without the meds!!

What is causing the hives? I would find that out if I could. I was just reading today someone claimed to have hives because they didn't have enough Vitamin D, when they went outside a whole lot for a year or so (met their wife and the two were doing a lot of outside activities and just being outdoors talking, etc.) the hives went away (from being inside having dropped out of college and just sitting in their dark room all day) but when they again were inside too much, a new apartment with nowhere to go outside, the hives came back.

What changed, back the many months when you got hives? Have you had blood tests for all your various hormones (D is a pre-cursor to hormones, like cholesterol is too) and vitamins that might be too many/not enough and looked at all your meds, etc.?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiv...SECTION=causes

(((Phrick)))

I can feel your pain and frustration. I have been there too many times ! But, Prednisone never worked for me. It is meant to be only a very short-term relief. There are BIG negatives in taking the steriod for extended periods of time. #1. It really thins the skin excessively & permanently! It isn't worth one day without hives. You may think it is worth a day off is worth the chance in the really intense moments of scratching & seeing hives all over your body (some as big as your whole leg on your back).....but it is NOT worth it.

Cool oatmeal baths helps some people in those real dark times. Avoiding your triggers is HUGE in finding relief. That, unfortunately, takes some time. Delayed pressure urticaria is a frequent cause for many of us. That means no form fitting clothes, socks, shoes, or undergarments. Put watch on without any clasp. Let it hang loosely.

Some people have reactions to weather. I can't do cold or hot weather without becoming red and puffy. Which can make shopping in grocery stores a real trick! Something I just have to work around and get out asap.

Exercise, like rigorous exercise, can be a trigger. I believe that's linked to becoming real hot. If that's a trigger, do less intense work-outs.

Finding the trigger/s takes a lot of time. Hell, last time I just gave up looking. I figured what's the point? I've noticed that during flare ups, my skin reacts to almost everything and there is nothing to relieve it but time. I hate to sound like Miss Negative here, but it's so true. It can seriously take doctors YEARS to finally figure out what the problem is ~ and that'a a heck of a lot of hives to fight in the meantime. I was best off just saying, "F it. They'll go away one of these days." I avoided what really got my skin going and stopped meds, docs, etc.

I did put a link to a real helpful site on another post. May have been yours. Please do check it out, these people are much more knowledgeable and understanding than I can express. They are the International Chronic Urticaria Society.

http://www.urticaria.thunderworksinc.com

Best wishes ~ and gentle hugs!!

Phrick, are you seeing a specialist for this? I would recommend a specialist and not just your GP. I took prednisone for at least 2 months during a severe poison oak reaction. Just could not get rid of it without steroids. It was really hard, as the prednisone made me very jumpy and not able to sleep. Perhaps a specialist has another solution.

With hives, you often never find the cause. My daughter gets them occasionally, and we think it has to do with fragrances. I got a really bad case about 6 years ago that lasted for over a month and never found out why. They were all over my body and would come and go in the course of seconds, with nothing touching the skin at all. You could see them grow and recede before your eyes. My face was swollen and I got a lot on the bottom of my feet and this made walking very painful. I was hobbling around like someone much older would, and at one point, I was using a cane. I wore very loose clothing, natural fibers, and when I was in my own home, I wore no clothes when I could, and this helped somewhat. Even the briefest touch by someone or something would bring on hives. I took benadryl and oatmeal baths. The thing that most helped was getting shots of cortisone from my doctor. Eventually, I got over the hives.

Good luck, Phrick. Hope you can get some relief soon.

Greetings,

As for what medical treatment is best for you, I feel, only a medical professional is best to advice you.

Have a good one.