Hello, I’d like to tell you guys about my story… My name is Zane and I’ve been enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as an infantryman for just over a year in Camp Pendleton, CA. In October of 2015 I began to experience key symptoms of having cholinergic urticaria.
I began to get these “bee stings” on my face that would move down my neck and down my back when my body temperature would raise during running or putting my combat gear on. At first I thought that maybe I just got some prickly stuff stuck on my shirt. As time went on experiencing the same “bee stings” every day it began to affect my combat effectiveness and became unbearable.
It began to get worse and worse every time. It would affect me multiple times a day, so much that my fellow Marines began to notice my intense pain. I thought these “fire ants” would leave me alone or go away after a while but they never did. I eventually went to BAS (Basically a military doctors office) and they had no idea what it was and they couldn’t find anything in my blood or any marks on my skin.
I began to lose hope. I took every antihistamine I could get my hands on in the course of a few months but still no help. Depression struck and I realized I couldn’t be in the military anymore. I contemplated going AWOL and just quite frankly didn’t want to live any longer.
I never thought I would be battling not only our nations enemy’s, but my own bodies. 1 month ago I read on a forum about a plant called “Nettle.” I heard that it could help with hives. I rushed straight to my local Farmers Market and purchased it.
I can honestly say I had no hope of it actually working, but it did. My symptoms began to vanish day by day until I had none. I’m now still in the Marine Corps and I thank God every day for leading me down the right path and for my friends, family, and this forum for support.
The meaning of this post is to never give up, even when it flares up or seems like the end of the world. DON’T become a slave to your own condition like I did. Stay positive and try something to relieve the daily stress of your hives.
God Bless!
-Zane
Hivesguy says
Thanks for sharing your story, Zane. I’m glad to know that you’re doing better. God bless.
Anonymous says
Hey Zane, did you purchase the nettle extract in supplement pills form or liquid form?
Zane says
I purchased the capsule extract.
Anonymous says
Hey zane, can you tell me the brand of nettle root extract that you use.
Zane says
Nature’s Way. 435mgs. Take note that I’m constantly active and sweat every day.Nettle doesn’t seem to work as well if I’m just in my barracks room all weekend and haven’t had exposure to heat. I’d recommend going to the gym working past the hives and working up a sweat then take nettle. Then the next day you won’t experience the hives.
Anonymous says
So Zane as of now, your cured??
Anonymous says
Zane.
Thank you for serving.
I am glad to hear you are better. I can’t imagine being a Matine with this. I am an accountant and could hardly deal with it. Please contact this site if you ever need someone to support your position in describing this.
John.
Zane says
Thank you. If you ever have any questions or just need some support feel free to ask.
Mel says
Hi Zane,
Great to read of your success against the hives. I also had a ‘cure’ with nettle capsules 20 years ago.
I posted on this forum Dec 6 2015 because the last 3 months I have been battling the hives again.
This time the nettles werent working for me though I continued to take them along with vitamin D.
A week ago I started taking a probiotic and vitamin C as well and since then have been hive free.
It is wonderful to feel ( and look) normal and be able to eat freely. I had been trying an elimination diet
which wasnt helping much ( though the hives seemed to be clearly affected by digestion and some foods
caused an immediate bad reaction) and losing weight – not good as I have a small frame and have all my
adult life only weighed 92 lbs despite having a big appetite.
Good luck all of you looking for relief from hives and allergies. Keep trying, some times its just a small
adjustment you need to make to get your body balanced again.
Anonymous says
Hey mel, which foods did you once remove from your diet
Mel says
Id looked at a website called chronichives.com it has a well laid out list of foods allowed and not allowed on a histamine restricted diet.
I was trying to eat as simple as possible so that I could tell what I was reacting to. Finally got down to a vegetarian – white rice , black beans and steamed vege.
First night, less hives. But the next two nights I ate the same thing and each time had an increasingly worse reaction. Also was not eating diary and sugar and gluten. Or anything spicy.
Strangely my reactions only happened after the evening meal, still there when I woke in the morning but mostly gone by midday.
I did have an extreme instant reaction when I ate some potato chips one night. Have also (when I had this 20 years ago) extreme swelling after eating spinach ( spinach along with tomato, and eggplant and pumpkin are veges not allowed on histamine restricted diet). I’m so thankful that the supplements I’m taking seemed to have fixed things cos I found the elimination diet frustrating.
Anonymous says
Hey Mel, I have 1 more question for you. Did you have cholinergic urticaria where when you get hot you get hives??
Mel says
No, my hives only came on after eating. And now I’m getting no reaction to any food.
Zoran says
Could some to tell me about gluten diet,I have cholienergic urticaria 19 years and I cut gluten and dairy in last 3 weeks but my hives are worst now.Why?Could I expect better results after more time without gluten and dairy?