Hives - Advice please

[Glowque]

Hello, I would like some advice on hives that keep appearing on my body. I’ve had them for around 2 weeks now and they come and go and appear in different places. I’ve been taking anti- histamines but they don’t appear to be working as I wake up with new hives in different places. Has anyone experienced the same and knew what the reason was or doesn’t anyone know what they could be linked to? Thanks x

House dust mites, grass? I'm very allergic to both of these and get hives.

New medication?

Chronic hives are not uncommon but usually linked to a trigger such as mentioned above. Some people have hives for many years periodically. Stress is a major factor.

I would definately speak to your GP about it.

did you have covid?
a relative had covid and is still (a year later) coming up in hives when they are getting sweaty. never had issues like that before.

I have this every few years, OP, with no known cause. Antihistamines did nothing until a specialist recommended taking ranitidine (aka Zantac) alongside my usual antihistamine (cetirizine). Within half an hour the hives I'd had for a month disappeared.

Unfortunately there was a safety recall for ranitidine, but there are some safe equivalents here: "There are 3 other medicines that are similar to ranitidine. They are cimetidine, famotidine and nizatidine. Like ranitidine, these medicines are H2 blockers".

They are normally used as antacids/indigestion drugs, but apparently they also work on the histamine receptors in the gut. When I get the hives now, I start taking the tablets straight away, then experiment with stopping and seeing if the hives stay gone.

Phenergan tablets help with my hives until I can get to see a go for my stronger meds.
They can make you sleepy though.

Do you have animals? It could be harvest mites/chiggers or fleas if they sit on your sofa or bed. I'm the only person in our house who reacted to our cats when they got harvest mites. I came out in hives mostly at place like waistband or wrists. Breadsoda kills them if that's the problem.

I had constant hives for a few years, mostly put down to stress. It was very very scary and I went into anaphylaxis more than once with them. Please see your dr, and you will probably be prescribed fexofenadine to take daily, and piriton as backup.

Also my husband came out in urticaria rash after insulating our attic. He was on daily anti histamines until he heard about ending your shower with a cold blast. That cleared it up after a few weeks and he doesn't take the tablets anymore.

Forgot to say, if you are really suffering, have a warm bath and sit in it until it goes cold, that should bring you enough relief to sleep

I had a really bad episode of hives many years ago, they can be so uncomfortable. Agree you need to see your GP and there must be ways of approaching the question of what is triggering it?

Is anything in your home, diet or life in general different to the period before the hives started? Although we can become allergic to things we weren't previously allergic to . Had any beauty treatments? Changed washing powder? That sort of thing.

I get hives and its generally from allergic reaction to hay etc due to our animals or pollen. I did get it recently following covid jab and appears to be called covid arm may not be exactly hives but its a red itchy rash down both arms. Anti histamines help a bit but ask a doctor or pharmacist if bothering you.

Have you looked into histamine intolerance? This can cause hives.

My dad was breaking out in hives on his arms daily starting last Oct Nov time, then mysteriously stopped. Started again on Monday, but didn't get any today. Finally worked out what is it. He lives alone and goes to his local coffee shop every morning for brekkie and chit chat. He didn't go because of lockdown and started again Monday when he could sit in again. He didn't go today so no hives. We think its the table anti bac.

My dc gets hives if he eats something he's allergic to. It's a delayed reaction, so it happens day/days later. So it's not always instant reaction.
Best thing you can do is get tested. At my ds's allergy clinic, they can test 120+ allergen from single blood test.

@Glowque hi! Did they go? X