Cold urticaria postpartum

[alwaysoutdoors]

I wonder if anyone has any experienced this before. Since giving birth 4 months ago I have had 3 allergic reactions to going in the sea. I assumed that it was something in the sea as swimming pools were fine but a few days ago I had a quite severe reaction the an outdoor (cold) swimming pool. My whole body swelled up and I was wheezing, it was really scary. It got me researching and I'm sure it must be cold urticaria. Does anyone here have experience of this, and particularly postpartum? Did it ever go away? Cold water swimming is a big part of my life.

[pandafish]

Hi, I can't offer any help but I appear to have the same thing. I am almost 4 months post partum and am continuing to have what I believe in cold urticaria. The dermatologist I saw basically said to try taking benadryl every night and zyrtec each day. She then said a more drastic measure would be a heavy dose of steroids. I am nursing my baby so desperately trying to avoid steroids. I am trying to get in to see an allergist but the wait is till February and I am petrified about what winter may bring (I live in a cold climate).

Today was only 50 deg F outside and I was there for 3 minutes and my face and head which were exposed turned bright red, lips swelled up, and head ached badly. When I eat cold things (ice cream or watermelon from fridge) my whole mouth and throat swell. I quit scuba diving bc I am afraid to go in water now.

Are you feeling any better? Did anything work?

[ShortnStout87]

I have cold urticaria and your experience matches the reaction that sent me to get treatment. I’d recommend fexofenadine as an antihistamine to use. Talk to your gp about getting a referral to a specialist. Before that you can live chat with allergy.org and they will know the nearest place to you and you can take that info to your gp. It does range in severity but definitely seek treatment as you can get prescription strength antihistamines.

It’s something that can disappear with time there’s been a number of way it appears mine was a bad insect bite, autoimmune, postpartum. There’s a number of Facebook groups that have great advice one worldwide and a uk one as well. Unfortunately swimming is one of the worst things for it, I have got to the point where I can go in a normal swimming pool but react if I go in anything colder but mines fairly mild.

Hope both of you get the treatment you need and don’t let them fob you off.

[alwaysoutdoors]

Oh wow I didn’t see these responses until now. I can’t believe I’m not alone in this. As the weather gets colder I have had a few reactions from the cold air on my skin. As you said @pandafish my whole face went red and head throbbed. My hands were covered in hives too. I’m dreading winter. I work outside and honestly don’t know how it’ll be?!? @ShortnStout87 can you take fexofenadine while breastfeeding?
I have had blood tests but waiting for results.

[sweetpea567]

Do any of you take antidepressants? That's what started mine off, as soon as I stopped taking them they went. Sertraline was the one I was on.