Could recurring hives before my period be linked to progesterone?

[ForeverDelayedEpiphany]

Can you be allergic to your own hormones?

As in, develop an intolerance almost of progesterone?

I'm on my first day of my period and my left leg was "bitten" - or so I thought! - an insect, and i have about 12 large swollen spots/bites mainly on my calf, with a few on my upper thigh.

I'm actually wondering two things now though: it could be hives, rather than bites, and if so, does the timing with my period possibly indicate that it's hormonal?

It isn't the first time I've had these "bites" on my legs, and it makes me wonder if it's more than coincidence that it's happening before my period.

I do have a history of hay fever, allergies, possibly mast cell activation disorder after pregnancy etc too.

Just to add, I'm about 6 years into perimenopause and I have noticed this only quite recently.

From what I've read it's normally progesterone that controls histamine and it does drop down low right before your period, that's why you start to bleed. So perhaps it is related.

yes both myself and my daughter get this - in the opposite position to you, as I’m going through menopause it’s getting better. I used to get raised hives on my fingers, elbows and legs. My daughter gets exactly the same

I get this since entering perimenopause x I am not on hrt but it is definitely hormonal as I get it at certain points in my cycle. I have also noticed they appear when pressure is applied to my skin thinks like my watch or socks or even just my pj's grazing my leg lightly I thought it was bites too til started taking an anti histamine and they went straight away xx

Ah ok, that's really interesting you say that. Do you notice a pattern at certain parts in your cycle?

My poor eldest daughter is annoyed with me as she thinks I'm blaming the cat, as i thought it might be fleas too. (Although I noticed my two youngest children have had some bites appear, but it might just be coincidence...)

I'm pretty sure mine look like hives but I will see if any more appear before continuing to worry about blaming the cat lol 😹 😆

I'm in the ovulating part of my cycle and I'm so itchy with various hives in different places (ankles, waist, legs, even my chest!) Do yours get worse around ovulation at all?

It seems to be when I am ovulating or at least my body is trying to lol x I'm 48 qnd been in peri for a few years I have blamed everything almost threw the matress out and made my other half inspect for bed bugs I also blamed washing powder x I get them on my ankles waist back and chest x and randomly just behind my ears I thought that was acne when it started x I looked it up and there is a particular type of hives caused by pressure which can worsen with hormones or stress xx

https://healthinmenopause.co.uk/histamine-intolerance/ I also found this x

Oh wow, behind the ears is the thing I had! One behind my right earlobe... I think you might definitely be on to something.

So sorry you have been struggling with these too.

@Sleepybear1234 just a quick pic of the ones that have appeared this morning 😳😫

They are a nightmare aren't they x yep they look like the ones I get x they seem to clear if I take piriton xx

Just tried to add a picture of mine but wint let me for some reason xx this cream also helps too

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01HQVSJLC?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image

Very common for hormonal shifts - puberty, pregnancy, peri or post menopause- to result in histamine issues, although sometimes allergies or asthma can improve. Progesterone aids in breaking down of histamine in the blood, and oestrogen works with mast cells that create histamine so when your progesterone starts falling (from age 35 on average) and your oestrogen levels start being very erratic in peri women often develop new allergies, hay fever or worsening/lessening of reactions

I get hives if my estrogen is getting to high and is unbalanced with not enough progesterone. DO you take HRT? I take progesterone only, and sometimes I have to go to a higher dose for a few days if I start getting hives.
People make the mistake of thinking perimenopause means low estrogen but in fact it's progesterone tanking to really low levels (because you aren't ovulating) which causes imbalances with your wildly fluctuating estrogen.

No, no HRT yet as I'm worried about it possibly exacerbating my movement disorder symptoms (which was caused by an off label antipsychotic prescribed for severe insomnia and anxiety after a head injury and post concussion syndrome a decade ago).

The fact that the flea trap things i bought from Amazon seem to have caught absolutely nothing might mean there are no fleas, but then again, it might mean they are just crap! 😅

Here's said flea trap with no sign of any fleas!