i say, anyone for hives?
The author of a blog I keep up with from time-to-time recently found herself dreadfully plagued by head-to-toe hives. My heart reached out to this poor woman because I can somewhat relate to what she’s been going through, although not as nearly as awful as her. During my college and teaching days, a span of about 3-4 years, I was suddenly afflicted with a case of hives all over my body. After a few weeks of dealing with them and not seeing any signs of them going away I finally went to the doctor who promptly prescribed me Allegra, an anti-histamine, to take daily. It was a miracle because the hives disappeared within a couple of days. I had no idea what caused the hives, but the Allegra sure did the trick. One day I foolishly thought it’d be okay to stop my daily doses of anti-histamine medication and found myself with head-to-toes hives again. Back onto the medication I went. I took that stuff daily for about 3 to 4 years with periodic and unsuccessful cold turkey experiments, but I finally found I could stop taking the pills. I never really did find out for certain what caused the hives, but I’m pretty sure it was the laundry detergent I had been using. (Now I’m a Tide girl, through and through.) The reason I think this is because there have been a few instances where I did laundry at other people’s homes and used a non-Tide brand and later found myself itchy all over. This happened as recently as last April after visiting the Smiths (sorry for calling you out, Jenni) and was suffering itchy spells for a couple of days when I finally realized that I was wearing clothes that had been washed in Gain (I think) while at Jenni’s house. If I discover the mishap early enough and rewash those clothes, then I can usually avoid ever getting hives and cure the itchy spells.
Anyway, what is the point of this post, you ask? Evidently, I am being oppressed by hives. Again! After not having hives in over 8 years! I can’t help but wonder if these are sympathy hives for the unfortunate woman I mentioned earlier to remind me physically what she is going through. Why now? What did I eat, use, breathe in, absorb, or touch to cause these awful and itchy welts?!!!? After a few days they seem to only be getting worse. Ugh! Now what? I thought I’d snap a few pictures just to give you an idea of what I’m dealing with.
On my arms. Let me tell, it’s really quite difficult to snap close-ups of your own limbs.
On my stomach.
On my legs.
I have hives on my back, too, but tell me how in the world does someone takes a picture of their own back?
To brighten up this post, I’ll leave you with a recent pic of Mike with the girls.
February 11th, 201010:02 pm at
Oh you poor woman! And you mentioned nothing about hives in your recent phone call about clothing adjustment. Hives are one of those mystery ailments that in my experience (and very little experience it is) doctors can never give good solid diagnoses on what causes it. You know, I think this is a sign from the cosmos that maybe you SHOULD invest in a burka. (you know I’m kidding, right?)
I read that blog too.
Mike and girls are very cute! Boy, Vi sure looks STRAIGHT at the camera and right into my SOUL.
February 11th, 201010:25 pm at
There was no mention of it because I was fully clothed and not thinking about it. After dealing with it for so many years I learned how to not itch and obsess over it because I know that only makes it worse. Maybe the burka isn’t such a bad idea because not only is seeing me in a bathing suit punishment enough for anyone who lays eyes on me, but the hives, too, is enough to make most people hurl.
February 11th, 201010:27 pm at
The family looks lovely, what a cute bunch!
Sorry about the hives – I’ve been down that road before…not fun…finally found out my Irish heritage is to thank (I get Keratosis symptoms every winter on my legs – little red bumps – yuck! 40-60% of people with Irish decent are prone to it – it’s not really that itchy though so I think your hives may be worse
My Dermo Dr. has helped with simple over the counter all natural lotions and some herbal supplements. It is much better this winter, only a few bumps, very minimal compared to the last 6 winters. Funny thing it only appeared when we moved to Iceland and continued every winter after – I then found out that cold dry air can cause more extreme symptoms (humid warm air depresses symptoms), so apparently it’s something I have to just deal with here in NH. I am also plagued by allergies – and although I hate allergy meds – Claritin makes my life bearable. I seem to have passed it onto Nikki – who needs her Zyrtec regularly…. I’m feeling for you, take care, hope you feel better soon
February 11th, 201011:36 pm at
Ugh…sorry to hear it, could anything be more fun in the dead of winter? I am allergic to some unknown agent as well, which we also think is soap related. Most of my flare ups occur when switching detergents, or showering in someone else’s home. My hives are totally different though. Yours are tiny, and millions. Mine are as big as saucers and swollen thick. Once my lips even swelled shut, while I was at a church function, and I had to hurry off to the ER. But it only happens every couple years, and I don’t have to do the daily meds, so I feel for you there.
Oh, and whenever I tell the doctors that I use Tide they are baffled because it is apparently the most concentrated, soapiest detergent around, but it must be lacking whatever irritates my skin because it never causes me any trouble. Weird that you can use Tide too. We are a medical mystery.
February 12th, 20101:11 am at
sorry about the nasty hives. not fun. hope you can find a good med to kick them gone.
February 12th, 20102:14 am at
That stinks, I hope you can figure it out.
February 12th, 20101:55 pm at
I think that itchy hives should be used as a means of torture, because I know I’d go crazy FAST if I was itchy for too long. Sorry about the hives–hope they clear up fast. Isn’t it weird what our bodies can do sometimes?