I have noticed that I sometimes breakout when I get hot. Do you sweat in your sleep? Maybe change your detergent, dryer sheets, to make sure that your not allergic to any of that stuff, and make sure you are cool while you sleep, maybe try silk sheets and keep to temp cooler in your room? I always take a cool shower when I have a breakout to cool off my skin and it seems to help a little. Also, my doctor gave me a prescription for Ranitidine which is actually an ulcer med but it has a histamine 2 blocker in it that all the other allergy meds don't have. It helped alot for me.

I too have been battling chronic hives! I had them 1 1/2 yrs ago for 6 weeks and the only thing that got rid of them was 3 rounds of a high prednisone dose. Finally they were gone, and I had hoped for good. Unfortunately I got them back in November 2011 and I immediately went to the DR and they immediately put me on prednisone and BAM they were gone again! Whew. Well, they're back, I've had them since the beginning of February... I was sent to an allergist and a dermatologist. I've used dye free/perfume free lotions, soaps, deodorants and creams for as long as I can remember as I also have eczema which is irritated by fragrance. So it's not due to that. I had contact/pet/seasonal allergy testing. I'm allergic to most grasses, trees, mold, dust mites, ragweed, pollen, cats, and dogs. Well it's the middle of the winter and I'm not out there rubbing up on trees or grass. I don't have dogs, and I've had cats my whole life, but I try to stay away from touching them, but typically they don't bother me. I'm not convince it's the cats. About 8 months ago I was having other health issues and my thyroid levels were drawn and I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and started on medication. My levels are now normal. My allergist thinks it's related to my thyroid, so he repeated my levels and they are still normal. He drew some other labs that came back normal too. The best the dermatologist could come up with was it was a reaction to NSAIDS (like aspirin/IBU) and I immediately stopped taking them, which I only took them occasionally anyway, so I wasn't convinced it was related to that either. I swear I've taken every antihistamine out there from claritin, zyrtec, allegra, atarax, oral benadryl, and levocitirizine all in combo with zantac (an antihistamine for your stomach, it blocks the receptors there)... nothing works. Ive used every anti-itch cream/lotion made too but that doesn't touch the hives. I ended up in the ER swollen with angioedema so bad it hurt to wear clothes...and I couldn't stop itching, I was basically one giant hive. They gave me a benadryl shot (which kicked my butt I swear I slept for 12 + hours) and started me on steroids again (prednisone). That got rid of them as usual but within 5 days of ending the steroids, they came back... No one seems to be able to know why, which is fine, but I need them gone. I itch 90% of the time and I am miserable. I have scratches that are now scarring. I'm a mess. I'm not stressed in my life, until I get hives, and then that makes me stress which probably gives me more hives!

I'm not sure I can offer advice, but I can offer sympathy....

No one has ever mentioned Autoimmune uticaria to me before, what test do they do to confirm that?

Sorry for so many posts, I have thyroid brain sometimes I think :) Anyway, my doctor started me on oral albuterol today. I've only taken one pill and so far no change. Not sure if any of your docs suggested it? The meds he has me on now is:
Levocetirizine in the morning, zyrtec at night and oral albuterol once in the morning and once at night. I just started this regimen today so I can't say if it works.

I break out to anything and everything it seems. My hives go away when I sleep but start up in the morning again. I've got no known allergies. Even went on a gluten free diet. Still get them though. I get them when its humid, when its cold and damp, when its hot, and basically everyday by 5pm I have them all over my arms and legs. I've tried all the antihistimines and combos of them and nothing has worked. Now I just take antihistimines when my flare ups become unbearable. Its not an easy thing to live with. Its embarrassing for one. I can't wear shorts or short sleeve shirts very often or if I do I have to put up with people starting at my hives. None of the steroids helped either. Basically they are chronic idiopathic severe hives and I've had to learn to live with them. I hope you have better luck than I have trying different things! It is not a fun thing to have.

I've been posting on the "Dermatographism" forum for many years. I'm thinking we have the same thing, just a different name. I've had it for 7 years now. I take Zrytek, but it's not 100% effective and when I take it, it takes about 3 hours to really work. Because of that I've done more and more research looking for answers. Most of the time I come up with nothing, but the other night (at 2am when I was awake with intense itching) I learned about "leukotriene's" which are similar to histamines, but not the same chemical, and they too can cause even more intense itching! I also have had, all my like, bouts with asthma and eczema which are caused by leukotriene's. I never knew this! I am wondering of anyone here is taking Singulair? That would be a leucotriene blocker. I too it many years ago for asthma, but stopped taking it after reading all the long term affects. I am considering asking my allergist if I can give it a try for the itching.

I had chronic Uticaria, out break from head to toe, about a year ago. The only spot that did not have a itchy rash is my face. I also suffers from psoriasis for 16 years. I took antihistamine, in very high dosage, 2 tablets 4 times round the clock. most people will only require one, to last 24 hours. I did not sleep for 2 months. It itches deep into my bones. I have tried all the brands of antihistamine in the market. it gives only temporary relieve but the itch keeps coming back. My Skin specialist doctor tried every test and every medication with no success.

In my most desperate moment, I send my blood samples for test to a lab in Germany. Cost about $750 to test for 271 foods.The results came back a week later. So agonising waiting for the results. My results shows that I have 16 foods sensitivity.
The worse one is eggs, all types of eggs.duck, chicken quail, goose.
Followed by gluten, one nut called brazilian nut, one type of fish called ocean perch. One veg- parsnip, one seafood - lobster.
I was already gluten free for 2 years, so adding eggs is not a problem.

With the new egg free diet, it took couple of days for the hives and blister to subside and phantom itchy to finally disappear in 3 weeks. finally I was able to sleep like a baby. phew!!!
For all the other foods, it was easy to eliminate.
The worse food to eliminate is gluten, because everything has wheat in it. Going egg free is not easy. I still get into trouble every now and then, when food is contaminated with eggs, it takes 3 weeks to clear the itch, with one antihistamine per day .
BTW, I purchase Cetrizine (same as zytec) online. 365 tablets in bottle for $30+ Bulk buy. Or else I cannot afford it. Normally it cost between 70 cents to $1 per tablet. I used to take 8 tablet per day ie. 2 every 6 hours!I pray that I never have to do that again. It was a nightmare.

Using antihistamine is only for temporary relieve. It offers no cure. Best cure is to look deep into our diets and check for allergens.
I hope this will can help you all to find a cure. I believe we are all different and react to different foods.

Hello,

My sister mentioned this web site to me because I am so frustrated with the hives.

I broke out last spring (2011) and have been battling with chronic uticaria. I also have had all the blood tests and the tests came back negative and a biopsy of the hives and the test results were they are hives. The hives I have also come out at night. I can be just sitting and about 9 pm I start feeling the hives coming on. I am on Benadryl and Allegra. I take the Benadryl about 9 pm and then about 10 pm I will take the Allegra and then the next morning I will take an Allegra about 10 am. Last week I went back to the Allergist and was prescibed Prednisone again but this time it didn't even help. Last year on Easter I had a headache and took a motrin and, oh my gosh my face swelled up so bad, so now I stay away from all NSAIDS. I will only take Tylenol.

Anyway, I was wondering if the diet low in histamine has helped? I went out and found a histamine-restricted diet and I am going to try it.

Hi. I have a very similar problem. Since February 2012 I have been suffering with idopathic angioedema and urticaria. I have tried various diet changes which certainly seem to help but do not stop it completely. I'm currently on a gluten free diet which seems to help but I still need to take daily antihistamines. Like you I also notice that they normally (90% of the time) come on during the night and often reduce quite quickly in the morning when I eat/shower. I also notice that exercise makes a big difference in reducing them. Often a 45 minute intense work out in the morning clears all my hives and angioedema. In fact this seems to work better than antihistamines and has the added benefit of getting you fit!

I've been on Loratadine for 7 months now but lately have started to suffer from anxiety and sleeplessness so am looking to change medication. Allegra (fexofenadine) seems to get good reviews

I too have been dealing with hives since April 2008 from June 2009, was in remission until November 2012. Autoimmune hives and will start taking zyrtec in the morning, zantac twice a day, hydroxyzine an hour before bed and plaquenil twice a day. A change in body temperature and exercise makes me break out. Usually in the evenings I will experience an outbreak followed by a brief relief but when I go to bed, about two hours later my body is covered in welts. Lately, leaving the window open letting cold air helps a bit and other times will use ice packs and in extreme cases will soak in the tub of cool water with baking soda and vinegar-4/10 minute soaks.

I hope you will find some relief and the same with everyone else.

I read your post and have a few thoughts
- you mentioned you are on Vitamin D as your levels are low.
-Do you take Vitamin D3, if yes do you know it is made usually from lanolin and occassionally from fish oils. I recently wore a wool and angora sweater and got bad hives and looked into what the reaction was. I read that people usually react to the oils in wool. Lanolin is one of those oils. Perhaps you may have a hypersensitvity to Vitamin D3 if that is what you are taking.
There is also a few medical diseases in which people will have low vitamin D and if they take vitamin D supplements will have a hypersensitivity to it.
My young child had one of these diseases which is called Primary Hyperparathyroidism. He had a diseased parathyroid gland removed. This is an endocrine disease and the 4 parathyroids glands are located behind the thyroid. These 4 glands control the levels of calcium in your body. A diseased gland will cause your blood calcium levels to rise as they signal to release calcium from your bones into your blood stream. Often this causes high blood pressure, bone pain and kidney stones but not always. Many people get red irritated eyes, stomach upset, GERD, and skin reactions like ezcema. Eventually the disease causes osteoporisis and end organ damage like kidney disease.
Since you have low vitamin D, have you ever had PTH (parathyroid hormone) or calcium blood levels checked? Perhaps you should.
Hyperparathyroidism also causes low bone density as well as prednisone. Have you ever had a bone density scan?
Maybe google hypersensitvity to Vitamin D and look at symptoms you can also go to the Vitamin D Council and look at this as well.
I know you have been to see an allergist, some people do not have true allergies but what is called a hypersensitvity.
People with dermographism (form of chronic hives) often do not have an allergy to latex, penicillian, ACE inhibitors (for blood pressure), wool etc but have hypersensitivity and will get hives. Beds, bedding and pillows have latex in them, as well as many clothing items and personal hygenine items.
I hope this post helps.
You need to find out why your Vitamin D levels are low! Blood work should also include phosphate and magensium. If you have low vitamin D you will not be absorbing calcium from your foods. Low vitamin D can also be a sign of poor kidney function.

Hi - I found something that works! I've had the exact same thing for 20+ years, and was finally diagnosed with autoimmune urticaria after taking a blood test about a year ago. I had noticed in the last few years that acidic foods/drinks (tomatoes, wine, coffee, etc.) set it off. A few weeks ago, I got an idea to balance the PH in my stomach by ingesting something Alkaline and see if that worked. So, I drank some milk shortly after onset of symptoms. It worked within 5 minutes. Wow! So, I tried it again and again (about 10 times now) and EVERY single time it worked! Tonight I had severe outbreaks under both arms itching like crazy. Drank some milk. Gone! It's amazing. Try it! I hope it works for you!

MahaLia, I just drank some milk as you suggested and hope it works for me. Does it still work for you? Do you still get hives? Has anyone else tried this? This would be so amazing if it works.