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The seven month itch

Posted , 4 users are following.

tavidu
tavidu

Hi all and a Happy New year. just wondered if anyone can advise me on a decent over the counter anti-histamine to help relieve itching and rash caused by Hives. After a flare and withdrawal pain early last November by having to drop from 21mg to 10mg in 2 weeks my doc advised that the rash etc was Hives. I had to up my pred to 25mg but have since reduced to 18mg. As soon as I got down to 21mg the rash appeared (2 weeks ago and mainly on torso and arms) but the current doc supplied Atarax 10mg do not do anything to help apart from help me sleep for a cople of hours as they knock you out. I have been told that anti drowsey anti-histamines are better. I am hoping to reduce further by 1 or 1.5mg every other week and get down to 15mg or less and hope that the hives goes away. Has anyone got any suggestions or suffers from something similar. I realise this is only a small issue compared with others and know I am lucky just to have hives at present but even this brings you down. Good luck to everyone in their quest for a cure. Dave (tavidu)

1 like, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • constance.de
    constance.de tavidu

    Posted

    7 month itch?? I've heard of many "itches" but never a 7 month one!

    Seriously, though!  I suffered quite badly with skin problems (blotches, bruises, blood spots, etc.) when on high pred.  They are common delights of pred.  As I lowered the dose they gradually disappeared.

    Good luck and a Happy New, painless, New Year.

    Constance

    • tavidu
      tavidu constance.de

      Posted

      Thanks constance, hopefully as I lower the dose it will improve.
  • mrsmop
    mrsmop tavidu

    Posted

    Hi Dave, my GP prescribed Atarax [Hydroxyzine] to help with my itching and she told me that it was the old fashioned sedating type of anti histamine which was more helpful with itching.

    However, my itching [from Pemphigoid] only went away, when I was started on Prednisolone, so perhaps you should discuss this with the steroid prescriber - mine is my Dermatologist!

    You also appear to have dropped your steroid dose very abrubtly and too quickly.

     

    • tavidu
      tavidu mrsmop

      Posted

      Hi mrsmop. The reduction drop from 25mg to 18mg was quite quick but prior to the flare etc in early November I was on 21mg. I stayed on 25mg until 1st December then dropped to 21mg until 26th Dec. I stayed on 21mg until last Monday before dropping to 18mg, the only problem I have experienced is the Hives which appeared between the drop from 21mg to 18mg, this is exactly what happened last time. I am hoping to get down to 15mg as soon as my PMR allows me to do so as the Hives went once I had got down to 15mg last year. If pain returns I will obviously have to reconsider my options and hope that preds are not the only option to rid myself of Hives. Many thanks for your help. Dave
    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall tavidu

      Posted

      Good morning david, whilst I appreciate your reason for contacting us was because off the itching, great, another thing to add to everything else that PMR throws at us, but I do agree with Mrs mop you appear to want to taper back down again rather quickly. I was down to 9 mgs in late October of last year and when I attempted yo taper to 8 mgs I had a flare up. After two weeks I upped my preds back up to 9 mgs for two weeks then because the flare up symptoms had all but gone and I stupidly thought I'd be alright to reduce again. I had another flare up so put myself back up to 10 mgs so that the preds could really take control of the inflamation. that was on the 15 of dec and although I feel great again I have no intention of reducing down to 9 mgs for another two weeks, so that will be 10 mgs for 6 weeks. Then although I got down to 9 mgs with no difficulty last year I will now be reducing down to 9 mgs by the 10/9 mgs method for at least a month and then only if I feel ok will I go onto 9 mgs for a month or even 6 weeks. My flare up knocked my confidence and my peace of mind for six and I have no intention of it happening again. It really is slowly, slowly catchy monkey for me all the way. Christina
    • tavidu
      tavidu tina-uk_cwall

      Posted

      Hi christina, thanks for the reply. I realise the drop is quite quick but at the moment my body tells me that it is coping but should pain raise its ugly head again I wil up my dose. Eileen has made a good point about wheat (which I have daily) so will look at diet before dropping further. Good luck, Dave
    • tina-uk_cwall
      tina-uk_cwall tavidu

      Posted

      Yes david, I saw her reply. I have started this new low carbs, high inflammatory beating diet and am hoping to see a difference there. Christina
  • gpgp
    gpgp tavidu

    Posted

    Cetirizine is a common antihistamine which is non drowsy for most people
    • tavidu
      tavidu gpgp

      Posted

      Many thanks gpgp, will pop into pharmicist and see what they have to offer.
    • EileenH
      EileenH tavidu

      Posted

      It sent my cousin to sleep so be careful! Her husband tried it for hayfever and had to reture to bed in the middle of lunch! Loratidine is definitely non-drowsy.
  • Angela345
    Angela345 tavidu

    Posted

    Hi Tavidu. I've had two outbreaks of hives in the last two years. Both times in the same place on my hip. Very itchy. I tried Atarax which helped the itching and sent me to sleep (I took them at bedtime) but the rash took about six months to go. I was not on Pred the first time, but I was by the second time. Now I have a rash on my face which is similar but not itchy but which might be outbreak number three. So I'm thinking it's related to autoimmune disorders rather than the Pred.My doctor didn't seem to think the hives was related to my medical condition (rheumatoid arthritis) at the time. I hope you get some relief from the itching soon. Angela.
  • EileenH
    EileenH tavidu

    Posted

    I use loratadine tablets - dirt cheap from Lidl! Don't go to Boots, total rip off!

    I still maintain that saying "hives" is telling you what your symptoms are not what is causing them! Mine is due to wheat - try removing it from your diet for a few weeks and see if it helps. It's a bit of a pain but far less of a pain than the hives! 

    They started with the PMR I think - can't remember it's such a long time ago. They improved a lot with higher doses of pred (it is used for short-term hives) even if I did eat wheat but have returned now I'm below 7mg. Yes - they do bring you down, constant itch is awful, especially at night.

    • tavidu
      tavidu EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks Eileen, will pop into Lidl on the way to Poole this morning. Funnily enough I tend to have Weatabix each morning (as they are easy) so that I can take my preds so will cut them out for a few weeks. Hope all is well. Dave
    • EileenH
      EileenH tavidu

      Posted

      You may need to do more than cut weatabix (invention of the devil that, doesn't even taste good!), wheat is in EVERYTHING! I even found it in risotto in Oz!!

      Have fun in Poole - thought the Uk was buried in snow...

    • tavidu
      tavidu EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you darling - EVERYTHING. What do I have left to live for. Tina has cut my sugar to nothing so no Lidl cakes and now everything is out of reach. Don;t worry I will find some scraps somewhere. Rescued a 13 month old Rotweiller a week before Christmas so taking her to Studland Bay but no sign of snow at this end of Hampshire or Dorset (yet). All the best, Dave
    • mrsmop
      mrsmop EileenH

      Posted

      Don't believe all you read/hear!  Torrential rain and gales last night in SW Wales, that put paid to the snow!

      When I was on Hydroxyzine, I was taking 25mg but after taking it for 18 months,  I developed a side effect, restless legs.  Thank goodness I no longer need to take it.

      And, as for 'Hives' isn't that a term that doctors use when they are stumped?

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH tavidu

      Posted

      Mwwwwaaaaahhhhh to you too!!!! 

      Fruit and veg and meat and eggs and... All wheat-free. Not a lot of wheat in wine - and check your beer ;-)  There are quite nice gluten-free products - their jaffa cakes are even better than real ones...

    • tavidu
      tavidu mrsmop

      Posted

      Same here in Hampshire. I agree, is hives a figment of doctors imaginations, I just know its very annoying at night.
    • tavidu
      tavidu EileenH

      Posted

      Thanks Eileen, Lidl I am on my way.
    • constance.de
      constance.de tavidu

      Posted

      Life itself, Dave.  Just life itself!  You love it really!
    • tavidu
      tavidu constance.de

      Posted

      Very true Constance, as others have said “at least I am still breathing”, we just have to take life as it comes and get on with it. My wife has a heart condition and was told not to overdo it so we have just had a 5 mile walk along the beach near Poole Harbour and had a great time. All the best, Dave
    • EileenH
      EileenH tavidu

      Posted

      I salute your wife! "Not over do it" and "5 mile walk" - well, if you say so!
    • constance.de
      constance.de tavidu

      Posted

      I hate you!  5 miles AND a beach.  Jealousy, jealousy, Constance!
    • tavidu
      tavidu constance.de

      Posted

      You love me really. It was cold but bright and very windy but we managed to grab a coffee at a national trust site overlooking the Isle of Wight. loved it. Dave
    • tavidu
      tavidu EileenH

      Posted

      Walked from the ferry at Sandbanks and had a coffee at the National Trust site before going on but did'nt quite make it to Old Harry's Rock as the wind got up again. Had plenty of rest as we went along in the sand dunes and took our time.
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