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histamine-free diet for 2 weeks but rashes dont go!

Posted , 6 users are following.

Neena123
Neena123

Hello.. im new to the forum..hope i get support and answers here

Ive been on histamine-free diet for two weeks now but rashes dont go.

Before the diet, i used to have hives every other day and took 1 pill of Xyzal when this happened or else i would itch forever and my lips and toes will swell.

During the diet, there is a mild rash every day but it vanishes without meds smile .. i only had to take a pill of Xyzal 5 days after i began the diet cause the rash that day was unbearable.

Im also taking cortisteroid 20mg daily since im pregnant and i have thyroid antibodies

Im wondering, since im not getting any histamine inside my body..why do i still have rashes and itches!!

Any idea or similar experience?

0 likes, 25 replies

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  • wendy62425
    wendy62425 Neena123

    Posted

    Hello

    Maybe It will take more than two weeks for your body to be effected.....if that is the issue.  It is so hard to determine the cause of our hive breakouts.  Good for you that you are trying the histamine free diet!

    mine is auto immune probably due to stress.

    Blessings to you and your baby!

    Best,

    Wendy

    • Neena123
      Neena123 wendy62425

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply and kind eishes Wendy. I always thought that my hives are autoimmune, but seeing the results of the diet, i guess not!

      How do u know its autoummune? Have u tried any autoimmube diets?

    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 Neena123

      Posted

      I don't think there is any autoimmune diets.  I guess it just takes time for our immune system to heal. I've had urticaria two other times in my lifetime each time I was able to keep the hives away using Allegra Fexofenadine or Claritin each day.  Each time it lasted about two years then just went away with more than a decade each time totally hive free in between.  This time when the urticaria came back they were severe and past meds did not work so I have had to go on Cyclosporine and long slow taper of Prednisone to keep them away.....looking forward to going off them as they are not good to be on. (Definitely not when you are pregnant!). I am in my 60's now so probably harder to heal like I did when I was younger 😕. Did you have the hives before you were pregnant?

      wendy

    • Neena123
      Neena123 wendy62425

      Posted

      Hope your hives go away sooner than the previous ones.. they are really a disturbance. The predinsone im taking has absolutely no effect on my hives but i have to take it for the antibodies.

      Yes i have had hives for 8 years now.. moved from 1 med to other and settled down with Xyzal for one pill EOD. Once i got pregnant, i got afraid of taking too much meds.. so i am trying the diet, keeping nutritions and supplements for the baby. Hope it even lessens the dose.

      Wish me luck

  • tonello26977
    tonello26977 Neena123

    Posted

    I agree with Wendy. There is no real thing like a histamine free diet and even if there is it doesn't really work or it tends to work for only a very small subset of people. There are 2 types of chronicurticaria: chronic idiopathic urticaria and autoimmune urticaria. Both can be debilitating, differentiating between both requires a well nuanced understanding of immunology and such understanding is necessary in choosing the right treatment option. The fact that you are pregnant and already have a preexisting diagnosis of anti thyroid antibodies points towards autoimmune urticaria, and I'm sorry so say this but at the very least, I am skeptical about a 'histamine free' diet working for you. Go see an immunologist in and make sure he/she talks with your obgyn as the treatment modalities involves might have an impact on you baby. Avoid dermatologists; they tend to cost more and have absolutely no idea of what they are doing when it comes to this dreadful illness. Here is a link to a good medscape article on CIU and ACIU:

    www.medscape.com/viewarticle/815273

    On a good note, congrats on your baby and I hope you are able to get your hives into remission soon :-)

    • Neena123
      Neena123 tonello26977

      Posted

      I guess u r right that i have autoimmune urticharia. The problem is that ive only heared about it after i got pregnant. My endocrinligist and immunoligist had told me on 2013 to live with the antibodies and no need for meds, both did not connect to the hives. With the histamine-free diet i was trying to lower the antihistamin drug ive been taking and it works to a level. I do not intend to add additional drugs during pregnancy. Predinosone is supposed to suppress the immune system and lower the antibodies for the sake of the baby.

      I will definitely take ur advice after i got birth, hopefully.

      Thank you for the wishes smile

    • tonello26977
      tonello26977 Neena123

      Posted

      Hi, I'm sorry that I actually overlooked your initial question in regards to why you are still making histamine. Histamine is a neurotransmitter synthesized by the decarboxylation of histidine, a common and essential amino acid. While you can chose foods high in a particular amino acid eg tyrosine for mood health, one cannot select for a diet low in any one particular amino acid. Also all diets: meat/vegan, fresh/processed, gmo/non gmo etc contain protein and as such you cannot avoid histidine. There are however foods that contain histAmine and yes, eating them will raise your histamine levels because you've simply told your body to take a break from making it itself. However stopping foods with histamine simply means your body will start making it on it's own again. I didn't ask but did the hives start with your pregnancy or was it a preexisting condition? I ask this because if it coincides with the pregnancy,then the birth of your child might just mean goodbye hives. Feel better
  • lorraine34338
    lorraine34338 Neena123

    Posted

    It's difficult to know what is the trigger for urticaria as it can be different for each person, no real list of reasons and symptoms differ as well. High histamine foods could be a trigger but as you are pregnant you are going to have to have a diet to suit both your body and the babies development. My trigger was my gut not working properly allowing particles of food to filter through my small intestine into my blood stream which got my immune system working overtime. Also like Wendy stress and anxiety can be a big trigger and when you have hives that's a big stress in itself. Try talking to a nutrionalist to find out the best diet for both you and the baby. To mend my gut l use L-Glutamine, probiotics, a good vitamin regime and a diet full of non processed foods. It's processed foods like hard cheese, smoked foods, sausage, ready meals, shell fish etc. If you cook with fresh food including very fresh meat and fish you can't go far wrong. You probably are not drinking alcohol because of baby but if you're tempted to have a small drink keep away from wine, particularly red, a big no no. You need to make sure you are seeing a specialist in urticaria. Not all dermatologists or immunologists know enough about chronic urticaria, it's a specialist skin/body problem completely different to say psoriasis, eczema or dermatitis so it needs someone who has research this properly.  I wish you good luck and all the best for you and the baby.
    • Neena123
      Neena123 lorraine34338

      Posted

      Ofcourse i am trying to have all baby's needs.I read about your condition and the diet u r following (similar to paleo) and im happy that u had a success story. I had an appendix removal surgey in Sep2005. It was infected and the wound got infected after the surgey. I took tons of antibiotics. 18 months (2007) later my hives and swelling started. I was 23 then. In Apr2008, i got diagnosed with hyperthyrodism and graves disease and i got meds for 9 months and thyroid came back to normal. In 2013, thyroid antibodies were discovered, no hashimoto though but the autoimmune disease was not linked to the hives that never stopped since 2007. Ive seen an immunologist, endicrinplogist and dermatologist.. they never talked to each other though !!

      I'm wondering how could one know that they have a leaky gut?

    • lorraine34338
      lorraine34338 Neena123

      Posted

      It's a special test using a liquid with the presence of special molecules. You have to swallow the liquid and catch your urine in a container for the next 6 hours take a sample and send it off to the prescribed lab. I did this and after analysis it showed the presence of these molecules in my bloodstream having bypassed the usual route. I am not familiar with the scientific terms of the molecules used but it was definitely worth it for me. Sometimes doctors say they are testing for leaky gut and give patients a stool sample test but this is not appropriate for leaky gut which happens in the small intestine not the bowel.
    • Neena123
      Neena123 lorraine34338

      Posted

      Can see that !! but I really appreciate your effort. Thank you very much smile
    • kathy13404
      kathy13404 lorraine34338

      Posted

      I live in the US. What kind of Doctor do I look for? I am currently working with an allergist. But he has never had a patient with CIU, nor the dermatologist or my regular dr. I am currently on n Xolair and it is working but would like to find a dr that has some experience with CIU.
    • wendy62425
      wendy62425 kathy13404

      Posted

      Hello Kathy

      I live in Virginia. Yes try to find an immunologist that specializes in CIU.  I am actually seeing a rheumatologist at Johns Hopkins as other specialist thought I may have vasculitis urticaria.  It was a blessing as she is a great doctor with experience with urticaria and "cares" and expresses hope which we all need.  My hives were severe this time and my other doctor ran out of options to treat me.  Xolair did not work for me after the second month.  How long have you been on the injections and do you need any other meds to keep the hives away? I look forward to getting off cyclosporine and prednisone! Praying for remission!

      Take care

      Wendy

    • lorraine34338
      lorraine34338 kathy13404

      Posted

      What part of the Us do you live in? Someone else on this blog might know of a good specialist in you area of the States.
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