Severe hives - too afraid to touch anything. Sat on office chair naked and crying

I’m on Xolair
the increased cancer risk is tiny, it’s something like it says it doubles but in reality it means 2 in 1000 instead of 1. No hair loss for me and I’ve suffered from it before
its been life changing

I honestly thought you’d got naked in your workplace! 😳
You poor thing, that sounds unbearable. I definitely echo what the others are saying about going to the doctor, and I hope it eases soon x

Try lorotadine, or a different antihistamine. Also, nettle tea acts as a natural antihistamine.

You have my sympathies - I have developed a pregnancy related rash that has spread almost over my whole torso.

I get hives when my Hashimoto's flares. I see an allergist for it. I'm on a daily antihistamine regimen with stronger antihistamines subbed in when I have a flare. Some people have to take stronger medicine. I have a relative (by marriage) who has mast cell activation syndrome and had to deal with a lot of hives (and other worrying symptoms) until they sorted it all out. Hives are not necessarily just because you are allergic to a food or detergent. There are other causes.

No I don't suffer from hives but both ds and my step ds do. DS finds fexofenidine works for him. Omalizumbab improved step ds symptoms about 90% and by all accounts this was unusual...in that for majority it sees a complete cure.

Hydroxychloroquine! It’s been a godsend. The dermatologist prescribed it after a biopsy on two fresh hives confirmed the urticarial vasculitis diagnosis. Was initially on 400mg daily but now on 200mg and not had an actual flare up for 18 months 🤞🏼 (bar a few hives after I stupidly spent too long in a hot tub last year 🙄).

I also think it’s interesting how many have said the link with low vitamin d and iron. Both of mine are low too.

This sounds so familiar. Which meds have worked for you ?

Fexofenidine is the only antihistamine that works for me. Also, when an attack happens, I find hitting that part of the skin stops the need to itch. I’m sorry you’re going through this- hives/urticaria is a bitch.

Has this worked for you ?

I’m glad you’re feeling better. I’ve had urticaria previously and even had hives on the inside of my mouth at one point. Not fun. And Piriton made me faint. Hopefully this medication will keep it at bay, but tepid baths, ice packs, rolling cold drinks cans over my arms and legs and calamine lotion all helped me with the itching.

I’m glad the Alevia has worked, despite the GP cutting you off. I know they are probably busy but that seems really rude.

If you've had a cold, it's likely something that's been triggered by a virus. It's possible it's Vasculitis. Google and see if the rash looks similar, as it's triggered by a virus. If you can get any hydrocortisone cream, it's a mild steroid cream, and try it. Call your GP in the morning and get an urgent appointment. My son is prone to Vasculitis, and it's horrible.

How are you feeling now @Dancerk ?

I'm having this same issue at the moment after taking flucloxacillin. I stopped the antibiotic on Monday but the hives just kept on getting worse. The speed at which the hives have been spreading across my body is quite shocking. Can I ask how long it took for things to calm down? I started steroid tablets yesteday but it is still getting worse at the moment.

Glad to see it’s getting a bit better.

when this started happening to me, we eventually figured out it was things I had been using for years. For the longest time I was convinced I was allergic to my own sweat. In a way I was, because when I got warm, I was activating the product residue on my skin from the shampoo or the detergent and giving myself a rash. It took allergy patch testing and a bit of trial and error to figure it all out.

one thing that can help to keep from scratching is ice packs. Cold showers also work if it’s everywhere.

I similarly get hives about once a year and last time when antihistamines didn’t work and was in utter can’t do anything discomfort went to boots. Pharmacist there explained to me there’s two types of antihistamines and a bit like you can take ibuprofen and panadol together in extremis gave me them and said it would be safe to use both for up to three days otherwise see gp. Thankfully worked so maybe a good avenue, and quicker than getting gp appointment. Good luck and really feel for you

Please check your shower gels etc for Methylisothiazolinone, Acrylates, SLS, Acetate….all these can cause severe rashes. And you should see the Gp face to face and ask for patch testing.

I’ve got that. It’s stress related. I take antihistamines for that. When not stressed or away from busy family home, no hives!

I had something similar out of no where and hadnt had anything new BUT it turned out my regular daily medication had changed. The prescription didnt specify brand so pharmacy gave me the equivalent cheaper one which had a different coating on the pills. Once I went back to the previous brand it was fine.

uritica/hives you need a course of steroids call an ambulance now I got to the point I had bruises and swelling on my face from itching. The only thing that works is medication, creams and ice or as cold as possible baths loose clothing and I was allergic to bleach cleaning products.

I read with interest as I had similar over Easter this year.

I had chronic childhood eczema and have had flare-ups over the years, usually face and hands. But never anything like this. Intense itching and hives over my entire body - every part of it except my face and hands, ironically!

I eventually ordered some Betnovate cream online (been to GP's and derm's so many times about my eczema over the years that honestly, I lack faith and I was in too much pain to move far, anyway. Plus, I knew I needed steroid cream). I have used the steroid over the summer along with Certirizine (I find this more effective than other anti-histamines). I was taking 3 or 4 anti-histamines a day at one point.

I was also using a knife to scratch and the only relief from the itch was hot water from the shower head (I am currently still using this to relieve the itching on my feet).

I have managed to get on top of it with the Betnovate and am still taking 1 anti-histamine in the morning.

I am amazed at the number of friends I have spoken to this summer who have had eczema flare-ups, especially it seems on their legs. A couple of close relatives ha this and they've no previous eczema. I am starting to wonder if it's some kind of pollen. One thing I have noticed is that oddly, the itching is worse when I get home from walking so am wondering if it is pollen or sweat that I am reacting to.

I hope you feel better soon, OP. You really do have my sympathy. I could easily have cried on a lovely stop assistant in Boots while I was on holiday visiting my son as it was so bad, so painful I only just managed to walk from the hotel to the shop.

One things I did find was that when my skin was very flared-up, it would react to anything I put on it except the steroid cream. I think this is quite normal for a lot of people with eczema. I am allergic to a lot of the emollients, anyway but putting any moisturiser of any kind at all just angered my skin more. So at those times, I used salt in the bath and just the steroid cream for a few days until it calmed down.

Allevia is brilliant

for the skin, have a mild bath with oats in it (put them in a sock so you’re not just in porridge!), it helps massively

So glad to read your update OP. I got covered in bites (either sandflies or harvest mites) a few months ago and they itched like nothing I've ever experienced before (I'm in my 60s), I was utterly miserable. I went and spoke to the pharmacist at Boots who gave me Fexofenadine and Eurax cream and the relief was incredible.