Hives
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Have had hives for almost a month now - daily "crops" show up. Have had huge weals of hives show up around waistband of clothing where there is pressure on skin. Mainly on legs, torso, wrists, and sometimes back. Taking antihistamines, high dose Vit. C and Quercetin, with not much help. Seen GP twice, and set to see GP again this week, and dermatologist the week following. Wondering if it's a hormone issue, as no real cause found other than perhaps stress (which would normally be manageable but with hormone issues, perhaps no longer the case). Just completed one year with no periods in August, so now technically in menopause. Anyone have this nutty situation happen during this time of life?
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mary76311 jenni70
Edited
Hello jenni70,
Do NOT scratch! Scratching the hives open tiny bits of the skin; like microscopic scrapes and eventually tiny temporary scars like effect. Makes the hives worse. I had this in my late 50's. (Age 66 3/4 now).
Hope some of this helps you;
Hotflashes and humid weather makes it worse. But this may be due to the fact that hidden (eventually visible) mold was in our building from people flooding their apartments. We also had a man near us vaping, smoking pot. Made us and the kids sick and a waxy, sticky strange effect to the skin.
Using a air conditioner to remove moisture helped. But was not perfect. I scratched like crazy and ended up in the emergency room hospital 2 times. Lady head doctor very unsympathetic and no help. Just gave cream that never worked. Never suggested the cause. I had to discover it myself.
Well; I had to move. Other people developed breathing problems, hives, going out in Ambulance. Some were stubborn and blamed it on age, menopause and sensitivity to pollen.; a allergy. One lady had allergy shots and said it helped but not sure it lasted because I moved out. In new hotel; I got hives a bit (as you describe; on the waistband..., wherever cloths press on the skin. Could this be from the pressure... causing more heat, sweat or? I had to wash all my clothes, blankets and NOT scratch. Eventually in the new home the condition went away. I think it was from the mold, vapers and chemicals they were using in the walls to kill the mold.
Here is a test for mold; wet a CLEAN paper towel. Wave it in the air, leave it out for 30 minutes. Then place it in a sealed baggie. If mold grows on the napkin soon; its a sign you have a mold problem. Left for many days, a week; mold or bacteria might grow but be harmless. Its the quick mold that appears to grow in about 1 day or sooner that means there is a mold problem. Find a professional to test the air.
Maybe my problem was all menopause. But moving worked. Menopause symptoms have changed many times over the years since my first symptom at around age 38; hot outer ears, like a hotflash in only the outer ears.
Note; if you stay some place else to see if the hives stop; it can take a while if its mold; it needs to leave the skin (outer and inner pours...) and entire system.
Check diet.
If its menopause; it should not last forever. Get some ice packs. Put on the skin/hives.
Another strange effect; I drank beer to kill the pain, fear of ther hives. It stopped the hives. But hives came back when I quit the alchole. Could it have been mold and sweating out the alcohol killed the mold?
Good luck and stay POSITIVE; there IS a future, and it can be different. HOLD ON!
Mary76322
jenni70 mary76311
Posted
Thanks for your reply, Mary.
Thankfully my hives aren't terribly itchy. I'm beginning to think it was a chemical reaction to a skin makeup that I used on my calves one day (the hives came shortly afterwards), coupled with stress and pretty severe hot flushes. Since I'm just now in menopause, age 53, I exhibit autoimmune symptoms, which is yet to be pinpointed by my rheumatologist (he has given me a fibromyalgia diagnosis...which I used to reject however my elbows get inflamed and i have widespread body pain, sooo, I suppose it tracks).
Any pressure on my skin creates some pretty serious hives - which is why I haven't really seen them on my face or neck. Joint creases, legs, wrists, scalp and torso mainly. My back broke out in hives the day after i had a physio appointment where she manipulated my spine.
I figure it's autoimmune related, perhaps helped along by the body tanner on my legs, followed by a perfect storm of menopause/autoimmune factors.
Our house is new construction with a heat pump (AC) and nobody else in the house is exhibiting any issues. Just lucky old me!
Take care & thanks again for your thoughts and suggestions. I wouldn't have thought about mold, but I will follow up with some testing just in case.