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Hives
Jul 26, 2014 16:13:05 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2014 16:13:05 GMT
I must be pretty lucky, because I never had a case of hives until last night... and today... and until when? I have no idea what set it off, so I don't know if I should avoid anything that I ate yesterday. (And since I am having leftovers tonight, I imagine that I will find out if it was anything contained in that dish.) I started scratching during the night, here, and there, and there, too. In the morning, I saw that I had huge red patches just about everywhere -- arms, legs, thighs, chest... often with bulging inflammation. At least it is not on my head or buttocks. Yes, I look like a pink pineapple. Naturally, I waited to see if it would miraculously disappear, but for some reason it didn't. After my visit to the nursing home, I went to a pharmacy, which gave me some pills (one a day) and also some lotion. I have to admit that the result is miraculous in terms of removing the discomfort so far, but visually it is still pretty horrible. Since I have no experience with this, I am wondering if anybody else here is an expert on the subject.
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Hives
Jul 26, 2014 16:42:47 GMT
Post by bjd on Jul 26, 2014 16:42:47 GMT
You must have eaten a lot of whatever set off the allergic reaction. I only had hives once (from Allen's apple juice in Canada), but just a bit on my neck. I can imagine how itchy it must have been.
I guess you just have to wait until it goes away. If it gets worse after supper, you'll know it was something in that dish. I hope it wasn't too complicated a meal.
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Hives
Jul 26, 2014 18:00:17 GMT
via mobile
Post by htmb on Jul 26, 2014 18:00:17 GMT
Personally, I wouldn't eat the same food again until the hives had cleared. You should also make sure your breathing is not compromised in any way. Highly unlikely, but would require some treatment
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Hives
Jul 26, 2014 18:11:10 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2014 18:11:10 GMT
Well, I have had my delicious dinner of leftovers and am waiting to die. Actually, it should be mentioned that the meal contained absolutely nothing that I have not already eaten countless times in the past.
Of course, even the pharmacist told me to rush to the emergency room if anything weird happens.
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Hives
Jul 27, 2014 1:04:16 GMT
Post by htmb on Jul 27, 2014 1:04:16 GMT
Hopefully you will survive the night.
I would imagine you must have been fairly uncomfortable to have sought out advice from the pharmacist.
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Hives
Jul 27, 2014 16:36:16 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2014 16:36:16 GMT
Obviously I was uncomfortable, but after decades of never going to the doctor or the pharmacy because I didn't need to, I have nevertheless learned that pharmacies here have miracle solutions for just about everything "minor." It is the principal reason that there is so much opposition to any change of the law here that would allow over-the-counter drugs to be sold in supermarkets or in any serve-yourself situation. It is felt that you should at least talk to a pharmacist about your problem before being given any sort of medication since so many people have no idea what their real problem is.
I am somewhat divided on the subject since I grew up in a place where you could pick up aspirin or Nyquil or Bengay off any shelf because for simple things like that, so it seems useless to have to talk to somebody to get it. At the same time, I have learned to understand that one is often clueless about the symptoms, and that is the whole reason that the pharmacy personnel are there to help you. They ask additional questions and help to steer you away from things that might make your condition even worse. Obviously, they also encourage you to see a doctor in most cases.
In any case, the cream that I was sold is absolutely fantastic whenever I get an outbreak of extreme itching. I am still covered with big red blotches, although it is not as bad as yesterday. I don't know if the pills are doing any good, but I continue to take them -- in any case, the box only contains 7 of them and the dosage is one a day.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 0:42:17 GMT
Post by htmb on Jul 28, 2014 0:42:17 GMT
I once broke out in head-to-toe hives after riding my bicycle all around the city during my college days. I itched like crazy and went to the college infirmary for a consultation. I was given some benedryl (or another kind of antihistamine) which helped calm the rash and control the itching. It went away within a day or so. Whoever I saw at the infirmary guessed I might have been exposed to something environmental that caused the reaction. The only other time I've had a reaction like that was when I suddenly developed a penicillin allergy. The rash and swelling began on my stomach and then gradually spread to my extremities. This does happen to people all the time. You can become allergic to a food, medication, or something in the environment that never seemed to cause problems in the past. I haven't been able to take penicillin for at least 25 years now because of the danger that another dose could compromise my breathing.
It would be nice to know what caused your rash, Kerouac, but it might also be one of those things you never figure out.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 1:45:39 GMT
Post by mich64 on Jul 28, 2014 1:45:39 GMT
Kerouac is it possible to have some allergy testing done?
My niece just underwent allergy testing due to hives recently. The result is that she is allergic to cats and this is new. She was not allergic to them growing up. Her mother has developed more allergies the older she gets. My husband had to jab her with her epipen a few years ago, she was terrified to do it, and when she was brought to the hospital they had to give her another.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 2:28:13 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 2:28:13 GMT
I will probably think about allergy testing if I get another outbreak. First I have to get over this one!
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 6:47:00 GMT
Post by patricklondon on Jul 28, 2014 6:47:00 GMT
"big red blotches" certainly sounds like some sort of reaction. The usual first question here is, have you changed your soap or washing powder lately? I was plagued with itching around my ankles a couple of years ago, and lots of fairly small pin-prick blotches - I really thought I might have picked up some sort of infestation. For once, I did go to the doctor's, and she simply diagnosed over-dry skin, irritated by where the clothing rubs against it. Hydrocortisone ointment for the itching, and standard cold cream whenever it starts to feel unduly dry and taut. Old age creeps on. My blog | My photos | My video clips"too literate to be spam"
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 8:35:49 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 8:35:49 GMT
Actually, last night I used a traditional treatment that I had read about, and the result was spectacular: a bath with vinegar. I already knew about vinegar as a treatment for sunburn, so it is totally logical that it would work on hives as well.
Not cured yet, but the itching is gone!
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 10:31:56 GMT
Post by htmb on Jul 28, 2014 10:31:56 GMT
Very good that the vinegar bath helped. Another option would be adding baking soda to bath water (though I'm wondering if baking soda, such as we use in the US, is sold in France).
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 13:59:06 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 13:59:06 GMT
Mace = Hives?
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 14:01:13 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 14:01:13 GMT
I was never anywhere near the mace, and the hives had already started.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 14:11:55 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 14:11:55 GMT
Aha. Just trying to suss cause/effect.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 16:33:36 GMT
Post by lagatta on Jul 28, 2014 16:33:36 GMT
Baking soda is called bicarbonate in France. www.topsante.com/medecine/medecines-douces/remedes-de-grand-mere/10-bonnes-raisons-d-utiliser-le-bicarbonate-9695Le bicarbonate adoucit et calme Il adoucit la peau. Anticalcaire, il adoucit l'eau et laisse la peau lisse et souple. Idéal pour calmer le feu du rasoir de ces messieurs ou apaiser les peaux sensibles (une cuillère à soupe dans l'équivalent d'une tasse d'eau). Après une journée éreintante ou une séance de sport, versezen une à deux tasses (100 à 200 g) dans l'eau de votre bain : il favorise l'élimination des toxines et la récupération. Effet relaxant garanti ! Il calme les irritations. Appliqué en compresse, le bicarbonate, au pouvoir adoucissant, apaise les irritations : piqûres d'insectes, démangeaisons, brûlures superficielles et coups de soleil. Confectionnez une pâte avec 3 mesures de bicarbonate pour une d'eau (ou de l'eau d'hamamélis, désinfectante). Appliquez ensuite sur la peau. Laissez poser 15 à 20 minutes et renouvelez si nécessaire.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 16:37:14 GMT
via mobile
Post by htmb on Jul 28, 2014 16:37:14 GMT
Thanks, Lagatta. I use bicarbonate/baking soda as a toothpaste because I'm allergic to all the commercial products I've tried. Is bicarbonate only available from a pharmacy in France?
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 18:21:49 GMT
Post by bjd on Jul 28, 2014 18:21:49 GMT
No, you can buy it at the supermarket. It's also used in baking (instead of or with baking powder), as well as for lots of other things, like getting scale off shower heads.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 18:30:43 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 18:30:43 GMT
I think I still have a box (tube?) of baking soda that my parents left when they moved back to the United States in 1981. I doubt that it would be extremely effective now.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 18:38:39 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2014 18:38:39 GMT
You can pour a little vinegar into a spoonful of it. If it bubbles and foams, it's still good.
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 19:14:34 GMT
Post by bjd on Jul 28, 2014 19:14:34 GMT
I think I still have a box (tube?) of banking soda that my parents left when they moved back to the United States in 1981. I doubt that it would be extremely effective now. Jeez - speak of hoarding!
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 19:33:37 GMT
via mobile
Post by htmb on Jul 28, 2014 19:33:37 GMT
It the bicarbonate is still good you could build a small, erupting volcano. ;-)
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Hives
Jul 28, 2014 23:23:47 GMT
Post by lagatta on Jul 28, 2014 23:23:47 GMT
bicarbonate and vinegar are great for cleaning drains. No, not removing a horrid clog, but keeping them flowing if they are sluggish. (Sorry about the anal imagery).
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Hives
Oct 18, 2014 15:38:15 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2014 15:38:15 GMT
I finally saw my doctor again and told him about the last three months. When I said that I had been given a stronger and more efficient antibiotic than he had given me for my lung problem, but that the hives had started a week after that, he immediately said that that was the most likely cause -- an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. He said that it takes a week for the body to react to something like that.
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Hives
Oct 18, 2014 16:27:02 GMT
Post by htmb on Oct 18, 2014 16:27:02 GMT
Did he happen to mention that you might not be able to take that particular antibiotic again since you might have an even more serious reaction? If he didn't, I'd sure ask next time you see him.
I became allergic to penicillin in my late thirties after a course of meds was prescribed for a sinus infection. The reaction was a rash that started on my abdomen and gradually spread to my extremeties over about a day and a half causing me to itch like crazy and my hands to swell. It started towards the end of the prescription. I never had any lab tests run, but was told my breathing might be compromised if I took penicillin again.
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Hives
Oct 18, 2014 16:44:47 GMT
Post by Deleted on Oct 18, 2014 16:44:47 GMT
Yes, he said that if that was the source of the reaction, it would be even worse the next time.
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Hives
Nov 10, 2014 14:04:21 GMT
Post by tod2 on Nov 10, 2014 14:04:21 GMT
I've been reading all your comments about HIVES and can relate to it very well because this past year Mr.Tod broke out in those raised red itchy blotches on the abdomen, legs, and upper arms. To this day we have absolutely no idea what the cause was. Thought maybe coca-cola, washing powder, insects or something he ate. The only thing which seemed to let it subside quickly was a non-drowsy anti-histamine tablet. He also rubbed on the usual calamine lotion. Glad to say it went as quickly as it came. I also worry about the throat swelling and air passages closed off - he is highly allergic to penicillin also. Stranger still is that he gets a itchy red skin when a dog has licked his hand/arm/leg or even if he pats and ruffles their coat too much. He can eat shellfish of all descriptions luckily. Maybe it was just part of the heat we had in the beginning of this year.
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Hives
Nov 10, 2014 14:18:44 GMT
Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2014 14:18:44 GMT
It could have been just a heat rash. I get that on my legs sometimes in hot weather, but lotion brings it under control immediately.
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