I am nineteen and currently a sophomore in college. Fitness has always been a huge part of my life. I played sports throughout high school, went to the gym everyday, and loved hiking and skiing.
However, since my first outbreak of hives the summer following graduation, I had to alter my life. My first experience with hives came mid workout class where my I began to feel beyond itchy. It wasn’t until my instructor rushed over to me did I notice every inch of my skin was covered in hives. From that day on I would get hives every time I worked out. Finally I just gave up going to the gym all together.
My primary recommended I go to an allergist/auto immune specialist, which made me hopeful for a treatment. I was wrong. However, my specialist turned out to be extremely unhelpful or even caring about my condition.
My appointments would last maybe ten minutes tops, and he spoke to me as if this condition wasn’t effecting my life and did not help me to understand why my body was reacting this way. Each appointment resulted in the same thing: he had me try another over the counter antihistamine, and each time it would not help me.
While living in Belize coast for three months, I was unable to swim. I would get hives just from being outside due to the weather, and I gain extensive weight from the limited food and inability to workout.
When I came home and started college, my mom and I did as much research on our own as we could about possible treatments. After reading an article I decided to try to cut out night shade vegetables (peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, and goji berries). This was around February, and right after, my hives went away! My hives stayed away and I was able to workout, swim, hike, shower, and do the things I loved again until this past October when I woke up at a friends covered in hives.
Here I am almost in February, and they are worse then ever. I still do not eat night shade vegetables, but it does not seem to help. I have tried to go gluten free, dairy free and even did a juice cleanse. My spirit is at an all time low, I am nearly in my 20’s, and I am afraid I am going to miss out on so much because of this condition.
I’m really looking for advice or tips on treatments that could possibly help.
Thanks,
Claudia
Marcia Hildreth McGrath says
I recommend getting the book on this website. It was very insightful. It seems that most people are eventually able to find out which foods they are sensitive to. For my son, it was sugar. He eats virtually no sugar, except in the summer when his hives are not so bad, he can have an occasional dessert. But in the winter, no sugar at all, and not even most fruits. He sweetens some things with Stevia, and that doesn’t seem to bother him. He has also found that if he goes ahead and exercises to the point of sweating, even though it is very very uncomfortable, once it’s over he feels much better, and will have no hives for a couple of days. But everyone is different, and you’ll have to experiment to find what helps you the most. My son only has trouble in the colder months, from about October til March or April. The rest of the time he has very little trouble. God bless and help you as you try to work through this issue. You will be in my prayers.
hope believe says
4 months ago, tried new hair conditioner, latter both hands itched like crazy. Try as I could because scratching, only spreads the itch. I couldn’t both hands both sides eraser size bumps, my hands inflamed, red. I finally stopped scratching, after using everything I could to help to the itch. Muscle rub, maybe a tad, but not really. Straight vinager, helped. Next day. My hands itched a little, didn’t scratch, and was gone. Besides the conditioner, I cut intake of eggs down to nothing. Even though high cholesterol, it has so many many things our body needs. Another changed in my life had skin cancer frozen off. It’s been 5 days now and I want to share what is working for me. Before this, I don’t know what happened. The bumps would show up out of know where. Not all at once, but after that 1st event, a week would go by and itching again. For the last 2 months everyday, different places, I saw Dermo, cream 0.1% triamcinolone. Nothing. that was 2 months ago, also he hit my skin cancer again. Last week saw primary care. oh yea on second visit with Dermo added Hydroxyzine 25 MG once a day. before i was using OTC anti histamine. Took that for a week before seeing primary doctor. Helped but still getting welts, bumps where the top of my socks ended, or if my skin was having a sensitive day, i could brush up on a wall, or anything, and it would start. But yeah, I hope the cure. So taking Hydroxine, for a week, didn’t help to get rid, the welts and bumps would show up but without the itch. Still no life. add, 4MG Dospak which is methylprednisolone 4MG tablets 21 tablets total. 1st day 6, next 5…on 6th day 1. On my 2nd day I got a couple new ones but went away real fast on 3rd day. Nothing, nothing, like how my life use to be. On my own right after seeing primary care, went to health food store, because I wasn’t sure anything would make it better. I bought something called hives, homeopathic, from hylands co. Which helps your body get back on track, with histamine adjustment in my body. Taking all 3 at once is what I have been doing for 5 days. Not sure, but I’m strong in my belief I never want to go thru that again. Hope this helps someone, who feels there is no hope. Because there is. If this combo, isn’t the greatest gift in getting rid of these, than for you there might another, just perfect cure for you! Good Luck!!
Nathan says
Don’t give up Claudia! It can be tough but you’ve shown that you can beat this, you’ve done it once you can do it again, we are all here to support you 🙂
Arnold says
this is my third winter wit CU, I wen t to many doctors allrgist, dermatologist, primary and all said there is no cure and only gave me antihestamine which dont work then I went to a naturopath and he told me to stop eating gluten, milk, all kind of nuts, eat more vegetables If I can organics and gave me some supplements Omega3, flax seed oil, vitamind D and a bottle called Restore to help restore the function of my gut. Since then I feel a lot better no hives and every day it passes I feel much better.
I just hope I do not get the hives agai.
Anonymous says
Do you get the itching/stinging when you get hot or sweat?
Nikola Zvezdov says
Hi Arnold,
I have CU similar to yours triggered by cold for two winters now. I stopped eating gluten and dairy products. No sugar. I am vegetarian as well. I have small t improvement so far. I eat sauerkraut and take Probiotic to heal my gut. I never heard about that product restore you mentioned in your post. How long did you take it. Do you feel better now. Did hives return..