Advice On Treating Hives

[Deleted member 5487]

Did some sprinting the other day on a grass feild.
Took pregnenolone that night for the first time in months. Low dose.

Woke up with rash on genitals, arms.

Woke up the next more, this morning, with it under my eyebrows/above eye lids. Behind my ear, and my neck.

Doctor tomorrow morning, but I know she is going to give me oral steriods probably.

What is the best way to treat this?

Did I overstress endotoxin with the sprints? Or did the pregnenolone tank cortisol?

 

[VansEnigma]

did you ever find a solution for this? I've cutting weight for the past months. Diet relatively clean - eggs, liver, heart, milk, whey, collagen, gelatin, casein, honey, OJ, and watermelon. I've taken preg, dhea, thyroid, d3, cypro, k2, aspirin, and lapodin to keep my cortisol low. However, last two days, I started getting rash on my genitals, inner thighs, and a little on my wrist as well.

 

[Iceman2016]

I had chronic idiopathic urticaria (hives) all over my body for many years in my 20s. It came on very suddenly and the hives were extreme. Massive doses of antihistamines couldn't keep them under control. I saw some of the top specialists in the country and did every test imaginable only to have no one able to provide a solution. Eventually I came across an older doctor who suggested that in his experience, any case of chronic hives where no obvious ongoing cause can be found should be treated with broad spectrum antibiotics. In my case he suggested I take at least two or three antibiotics simultaneously for an extended course to resolve any hidden infections that may be causing a immune response. I ended up taking a tetracycline (minocycline) and an erythromycin (azithromycin). The reason these two drugs were suggested was they both are effective against different types of bacteria and these two drugs also have very high tissue penetration vs previous earlier generations of the same classes of drugs. I had chronic hives for years but after about 1 week of the antibiotics, the hives completely cleared up. I was advised to stay on the antibiotics for a longer course to be safe which I did (for a total of 4 weeks I think) and was fine after that.

A few years later I had a sudden attack again and after a few weeks of misery I went on the same course of antibiotics again and was cured, again.

Just sharing my experience and what worked for me.

 

[Iceman2016]

Just to add, most cases of hives resolve on their own after a few days or weeks. So it might be best to keep taking your antihistamines or whatever else gives you temporary relief and see if they just resolve themselves. I don't advocate taking large amounts of antibiotics unless you absolutely have to.

 

[VansEnigma]

I had chronic idiopathic urticaria (hives) all over my body for many years in my 20s. It came on very suddenly and the hives were extreme. Massive doses of antihistamines couldn't keep them under control. I saw some of the top specialists in the country and did every test imaginable only to have no one able to provide a solution. Eventually I came across an older doctor who suggested that in his experience, any case of chronic hives where no obvious ongoing cause can be found should be treated with broad spectrum antibiotics. In my case he suggested I take at least two or three antibiotics simultaneously for an extended course to resolve any hidden infections that may be causing a immune response. I ended up taking a tetracycline (minocycline) and an erythromycin (azithromycin). The reason these two drugs were suggested was they both are effective against different types of bacteria and these two drugs also have very high tissue penetration vs previous earlier generations of the same classes of drugs. I had chronic hives for years but after about 1 week of the antibiotics, the hives completely cleared up. I was advised to stay on the antibiotics for a longer course to be safe which I did (for a total of 4 weeks I think) and was fine after that.

A few years later I had a sudden attack again and after a few weeks of misery I went on the same course of antibiotics again and was cured, again.

Just sharing my experience and what worked for me.

I'm going to see my physician first thing tomorrow. The antihistamine is not working and hives are starting to spread. I believe it has to do with both bacterial infection in the gut and the idealabs supplements. The hives appear only in places where I applied the supplement, however, it has started to spread to other places. I woke up this morning with my tongue being somewhat white (this hasn't happened in a good while since I started Peating). Hopefully, I can convenience my physician to put me on a round of strong antibiotics. I've had great success with azithromycin when I caught COVID.

 

[VansEnigma]

I had chronic idiopathic urticaria (hives) all over my body for many years in my 20s. It came on very suddenly and the hives were extreme. Massive doses of antihistamines couldn't keep them under control. I saw some of the top specialists in the country and did every test imaginable only to have no one able to provide a solution. Eventually I came across an older doctor who suggested that in his experience, any case of chronic hives where no obvious ongoing cause can be found should be treated with broad spectrum antibiotics. In my case he suggested I take at least two or three antibiotics simultaneously for an extended course to resolve any hidden infections that may be causing a immune response. I ended up taking a tetracycline (minocycline) and an erythromycin (azithromycin). The reason these two drugs were suggested was they both are effective against different types of bacteria and these two drugs also have very high tissue penetration vs previous earlier generations of the same classes of drugs. I had chronic hives for years but after about 1 week of the antibiotics, the hives completely cleared up. I was advised to stay on the antibiotics for a longer course to be safe which I did (for a total of 4 weeks I think) and was fine after that.

A few years later I had a sudden attack again and after a few weeks of misery I went on the same course of antibiotics again and was cured, again.

Just sharing my experience and what worked for me.

By the way. I went to see my physician but she prescribed me some prednisone 20mg, antifungal cream, and anti-histamines. So far I've only used the antifungal cream and anti-histamines and it didn't work at all. I came back and convinced her to prescribe me antibiotics which she did, 875mg of amoxicillin twice a day. So far the antibiotics aren't helping either. I'm a bit lost. Maybe I need a heavier dose with different types of antibiotics?

 

[Smitty]

I had chronic idiopathic urticaria (hives) all over my body for many years in my 20s. It came on very suddenly and the hives were extreme. Massive doses of antihistamines couldn't keep them under control. I saw some of the top specialists in the country and did every test imaginable only to have no one able to provide a solution. Eventually I came across an older doctor who suggested that in his experience, any case of chronic hives where no obvious ongoing cause can be found should be treated with broad spectrum antibiotics. In my case he suggested I take at least two or three antibiotics simultaneously for an extended course to resolve any hidden infections that may be causing a immune response. I ended up taking a tetracycline (minocycline) and an erythromycin (azithromycin). The reason these two drugs were suggested was they both are effective against different types of bacteria and these two drugs also have very high tissue penetration vs previous earlier generations of the same classes of drugs. I had chronic hives for years but after about 1 week of the antibiotics, the hives completely cleared up. I was advised to stay on the antibiotics for a longer course to be safe which I did (for a total of 4 weeks I think) and was fine after that.

A few years later I had a sudden attack again and after a few weeks of misery I went on the same course of antibiotics again and was cured, again.

Just sharing my experience and what worked for me.

This is the most promising thing I’ve read in months. I’ve been suffering with debilitating chronic urticaria that is no longer controlled by antihistamines. Do you happen to recall the dose of erythromycin taken? I don’t expect this to be a panacea, however at this point I’m willing to try anything.

 

[Regina]

My first summer in Florida, I found that I was "allergic" to my own sweat. I did not have this reaction from profuse sweating during aikido classes in Chicago. But outside in Florida, I'd sweat profusely in the garden and end up with skin peeling down along the sides of my ribcage--leaving raw beet red inflamed skin that took days to heal.
Then it stopped. I gardened all through last summer and this summer and my sweat does not bother me anymore.
Maybe it was PUFA?

 

[Smitty]

My first summer in Florida, I found that I was "allergic" to my own sweat. I did not have this reaction from profuse sweating during aikido classes in Chicago. But outside in Florida, I'd sweat profusely in the garden and end up with skin peeling down along the sides of my ribcage--leaving raw beet red inflamed skin that took days to heal.
Then it stopped. I gardened all through last summer and this summer and my sweat does not bother me anymore.
Maybe it was PUFA?

That's a very strong reaction! It sounds like cholinergic urticaria, relating to heat sensitivity. Mine seems to have no specific triggers – I've tried strict diet regimens avoiding histamine and even lived in a different house for a couple weeks in case of mold.. to no avail. Last night was spent in the hospital as my lips were larger than Kim Kardashians and my throat started to swell. It's terrifying, although I've read (and the doctor reassured me) that chronic urticaria is highly unlikely to progress into full blown anaphylaxis. I'm trying Ketotifen now which has promising anecdotes and study results for treatment resistant CU. Fingers crossed but until and if it works, I'm stuck with awful hives from head to toe, quite literally.

 

[Regina]

That's a very strong reaction! It sounds like cholinergic urticaria, relating to heat sensitivity. Mine seems to have no specific triggers – I've tried strict diet regimens avoiding histamine and even lived in a different house for a couple weeks in case of mold.. to no avail. Last night was spent in the hospital as my lips were larger than Kim Kardashians and my throat started to swell. It's terrifying, although I've read (and the doctor reassured me) that chronic urticaria is highly unlikely to progress into full blown anaphylaxis. I'm trying Ketotifen now which has promising anecdotes and study results for treatment resistant CU. Fingers crossed but until and if it works, I'm stuck with awful hives from head to toe, quite literally.

Oh wow! I'm sorry to learn. Those raw areas look like what I had when adjusting to Florida.
Well, this is a mystery for you. I hope you get some more good responses and get to the bottom of the cause.

My dog responds very well to ketotifen. I've taken it a few times--to help fall asleep in a hotel.
Knocks out histamine and serotonin.

Well good luck and prayers.

 

[Smitty]

Oh wow! I'm sorry to learn. Those raw areas look like what I had when adjusting to Florida.
Well, this is a mystery for you. I hope you get some more good responses and get to the bottom of the cause.

My dog responds very well to ketotifen. I've taken it a few times--to help fall asleep in a hotel.
Knocks out histamine and serotonin.

Well good luck and prayers.

Thanks for the kind words