My annual outbreak of Hives
OK, so this is becoming an annual thing. As I was going to bed on Thursday night I noticed my right wrist was itching - looking to see if maybe I’d been bitten I realised I had a rash all up my right arm….by the time I woke up on Friday morning I had red wealds on both wrists, around my waist and behind my ears.
I took an antihistamine tablet and smeared on some hydrocortisone cream and then spent all day at work trying desparately not to scratch. It spread all over my torso and onto my feet. I left work early to get to the pharmacy to buy some more antihistamine and by the time I got home and took off my top I was one huge weald from my neck, down both shoulders, both underarms down my sides, joining up across my stomach and right down to the tops of my legs - lovely!
I took a bath just because I was on the point of screaming from the itching…..it didn’t help much. It spread all over my back. I sat in my loosest pyjamas all evening took another antihistamine and it seemed to calm so at least I got to sleep.
This morning my arms are covered in red bloches as are my knees, ankles and the very base of my spine - it’s even spread onto my hands - one of my palms is actually very sore.
The weirdest thing about my hives (or urticaria) is that they seem to flare up this badly just once a year in November…last year I had an outbreak on 1st November and the year before it was the 29th October. So this years outbreak is a little late. We’ve never managed to pinpoint a trigger for the outbreaks - at least nothing environmental or food that I might be allergic to. The fact that it seems to be occuring at the same time of year is now making me wonder if there is something environmental - what is there around at this time of year which seems to be triggering these outbreaks? The only thing I can find in common with the outbreak I had last year is that I had just had a horrible cold then and I am just recovering from a cough/cold now so perhaps it’s the cold virus that is triggering this?
Whatever it is - it is very, very annoying. Apart from the fact that it looks horrible (great big pale lumps surrounded by red skin) the itching is driving me to distraction….
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Tags: hives, urticaria, allergy
November 24th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Could your hives be related to stress, maybe the stress of the holidays?
I have a swollen thumb, weirdly enough, and I can’t explain what caused it either. I doubt it’s hives for me. I’ve had them twice in my life, but never as bad as you describe.
Hang in there! I hope you figure what is the cause.
November 24th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
How does it correlate to the time frame in which you start to heat the house? I had an aunt that would break out in hives every time the furnace came on for the first time every year.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:17 am
I am afraid that I don’t have any helpful suggestions for you- but I DO hope that they are gone by now and that you are feeling all better!
November 25th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Oh no, how horrible… Tony has had an outbreak the last week or so too. Maybe it is something in the air at this time of year.
November 25th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Eek, that’s awful! I hope it clears up soon so you can be comfy again.
November 27th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Good gravey, this souds completely dire. Could it be a combination of environment (e.g. the central heating b eing turned on) combines with cold medication? Whatever it is, sympathies and hopes that the blotchiness disappears quickly : (
November 29th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
I think Wend is allergic to me.
December 1st, 2007 at 2:23 pm
If you’ve had urticaria in the past in response to a viral infection, it can, I understand, be re-triggered by another infection or inflammation eg a cold. In terms of allergens around at the moment, certain moulds and spores are at their height in November/December. I hope you get better quickly. As a fellow urticaria-ite, I send you all sympathies.
December 1st, 2007 at 3:24 pm
I am feeling a great bonding with you. I had 2 weeks of a reaction after my heart catherization in may and then a reaction to the tape used on the surgical dressing 2 weeks ago. If you have never had one of “our” itchings you can not imagine what it is like. I itched my recent one raw till it bled before I found a cortisone creme to slather on, and I did slather. I fairly dripped with the stuff. John was afraid I would slide out of bed. I read your blog for 2006 near this time and no mention. You did picture some leaves blooming in the garden. I can no longer have flowers in the house after 2 days. They start to drop their pollen and I have to get them out. I feel for you and send great healing thoughts across the pond. Romelda
December 4th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
I am tagging you for the “7 Random Things” meme…
http://www.pluggedout.com/2007/12/04/the-chain-letter-from-hell/
December 6th, 2007 at 12:22 am
Did you take any medication for your cough/cold?
January 9th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Hi Wendy,
I found your blog while looking through some knitting websites. I am a university student in Ontario, Canada, and I have a keen interest in knitting. I am actually writing an article on knitting for my school newspaper, the York University Excalibur. I am looking for quotes to use from an experienced knitter. If you could answer a couple of questions I would really appreciate it. Please email me back! Thank you!
January 28th, 2008 at 3:29 am
Hi Wendy
Aveeno makes a wonderful product an oatmeal bath powder, I used it many times for my kids. Hope it is better soon. Thanks for the answer on experts ( I’m the fool with the gauge problem) LOL
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:33 am
I actually have the same problem! I had my first oubreak mid Feb last year. Tonight is the first night I’m actually feeling the itching sensation. I HOPE it doesn’t come back but who knows.
February 16th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Hello Wendy! I found your site very randomly but became immediately addicted to looking at all your beautiful projects! I live in the States but wanted to tell you that your work is wonderful and I will definitely keep reading. I’ve already bookmarked you. If you’d like to find me on facebook, my name is Kaylee Labor. Looking forward to it! Take care..
Kaylee
February 27th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
hi wendy i just had the same thing happen to me last night. I woke up to go snowclearing, and my arn was itchy so i turned on the lights and it was covered in hives. I looked closer and it was on my neck, and all around my mid torso. I went snowclearing and when i got home 6 hours later the rash seemed to die down signifigantly. I went to bed, woke up and now the rash is 10 times worse. I have no idea what this is. I have never been alergic to anything this is like completely random. The one thing that you and i seem to have in common is that i also was in the middle of a terrible cold. Im was gonna go to the doctor but im gonna have to wait for 2 hours before i can book and appointment. Anyways the only suggestion i would have is if you feel up to it, maybe take a walk or light jog outside. I found that when i went snowclearing it went almost compleltely away within an hour or 2. I think this could potentialy be to the cold air or smth. Anyways its just a suggestiion.
April 14th, 2008 at 12:48 am
hi there. i was just looking through your blog for the first time (i did a search on quince and there you were!)
just as a fellow blogger, seeing your last post when you were feeling unwell, and then no more posts - well, frankly i’m a little worried! are you ok?
i would email you but i don’t see any section providing that info on your blog.
i hope all is well-
April 20th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
3 years ago, in the summer, I had the ‘mystery’ illness. HIVES, fatigue, low-grade fever. I was tested for everything in the book. Sent to specialists. No clue what it was.
It took months to go away, and still occasionally have hives outbreaks, although not as bad as it was. Let me know if you ever figure it out!!!
Woolies