I think a lot of medications can cause that kind of reaction. Check with your pharmacist if that's possible. But you'll want to also talk to your doc if your meds are causing some type of reaction. I started getting really bad hives from penicillan a few years back and therefore can't take it any longer. Not saying it's warfarin causing that for you, but you'll want to investigate it for sure.

It is listed as an allergic reaction response. But its very rare to be allergic to it. Are you are any other meds or eating any new foods? Seeing you Dr is best. They may decide to replace your dosage with Lovenox if you seem to be allergic.

I posted about this same thing quite a while back. From the time I was in the hospital, and for about the next 3 months I had hives what felt like non-stop! Drove me crazy. I did ask my doctor about it and she said that yes, it can cause hives. They were on my arms and legs, and she said if they got worse, or I found them unbearable we would take it from there. Luckily, and for whatever reason, they finally stopped. I will still get one once in a whille, but that is not out of the ordinary for me. I have no idea if it was in fact the warfarin, or the stress of everything going on. Though I will say, I am more anxious now than I was then yet no hives.

I never got hives but warfarin has made me ultra sensitive to bug bites and things like that that never bothered me too much before. Ive been in the ER with ant bites a few timex now because my reaction is a lot worse than it use to be. Good luck that sounds horrible to deal with.

That is really interesting betser! I have noticed the same thing in regards to bug bites, but figured it was just my body changing for whatever reason. A mosquito bite will now cause a huge welt! And, this summer, just from walking acorss the lawn (no high grass, woods etc) I ended up with ticks on me 4 different times. Yuck! I swear my blood is more attractive to them now. lol

philid... I apologize for not remembering how long you have been here, but I was just wondering did the hives start as soon as you started the warfarin or some time after? If after, was there a change in your dose? Anything else new added?

I also got hives with Warfarin. I initially started on 5mg, with occasional changes to keep my inr level. At one point it was low for 3 weeks in a row, so we upped the dose to 6mg daily. Because I already had a ton of 5mg, he just gave me some 2mg to break in half to start and then I'd be able to up the dose 1mg at a time as needed.

I started with the hives, awful itching soon after I upped to 6mg. I thought maybe I was allergic to filler or purple coloring put into the 2mg pill. I started taking Zyrtec (an antihistamine) and it stopped the itching. Then when we decided to keep me on 6mg, we gave me a prescription for 6mg warfarin, and those are a bluish purple too. I tried stopping the zyrtec and within two days the itching starts back up.

I also noticed the difference with bug bites. Now a simple bug bite seems to get big and red quickly, and seems to leave a mark for a lot longer. I had marks all summer on my legs even after the bites healed. They seem to be finally gone but it took a good 3 months for them to fade. I have one on my stomach from August that is no longer red or itchy, but left a dark mark on my skin.

Interesting. Im wondering if they are bug bites instead. LIterally, they are welts. I have one on my forearm now that is easily the size of a quarter. They are sporadic. I wlll have 2 or 3 at at time, and they itch and see to last forever. They started after I upped my coumadin to 8 mg.

As someone pointed out to me on here, and as Kare mentioned, the dyes in the different pills could be the cause. I don't think that was the case for me, but may be for you.

The welts are awful! When I get them they are literally inches long and wide, or sometimes my entire upper arm. Not fun!

You may have developed an allergy to something else besides warfarin too. I was a vegetarian for 10 years until I developed an allergy to pinto beans and soy. I actually went to an allergist because I was getting little, intensly itchy hives out of the blue. They did the skin test and sure enough - pinto beans and soy - main sources of protein in my diet at the time were causing the problem.
Oddly enough, I can eat soy in small amounts without hives now, but pinto beans are still an issue. Doesn't matter so much anymore cuz I'm an animal killer again....*sigh*.
Anyway, the point is, you can develop allergies at any time in your life, even to, especiall to, things you're exposed to all of the time.

Yep, same here LauraLu, I never had any kind of allergies, be it meds, animals or environmental up until about 6-7 years ago. Hitting age 40 pretty much made everything go straight to hell.

Shoulda stayed 39. Maybe I'll go back.

I'm having wafarin hives right now. I switch tonight to the 10mg no dye pills, hopefully it was the dye, not the wafarin that is causing the hives. What is strange is that I was on coumadin for a couple of months over a decade ago. No problem then.

I NEVER get hives or even a rash. I'm not allergic to anything (or wasn't until yesterday). Now it's on every part of my body above my waist. Itchy as all get out and driving me nuts. Am taking Benadryl 50mg at doc's recommendation, and using anti-itch creams on the parts I can reach.

Update - I switched to the 10mg coumadin (only one without dyes) and my hives are getting better. Still here and still itchy. But it hasn't grown, and it's starting to fade away in spots.

Might be worth getting the name of the dyes in the pill you were taking so you can avoid them in future meds. SO glad to hear that things are improving!