10 years of "Pressure" Urticaria, gone!

Skin, nail and hair health
1

Short story: I stopped eating wheat, the hives went away! For a year and a half and counting!

Long story: I began to get hives on my hands, feet, legs, back, after I would perform any kind of activity. Sitting in a cushion chair was ok, but if I sat on a metal bleacher, I would get raised hives that would last 1-2 days. Play golf, my hands would swell to wear I could barely hold the club by the end of the round. If it was hot, it seemed worse.

Went to several doctors and allergists. Nothing conclusive and I was thoroughly tested. If something pressed upon me for any length of time, i would hive-up. 

So for ten years I avoided most physical activity, so as to avoid the hives. I put on a few pounds, got some bad numbers from my physical, decided to lose weight.

Based on advice from a friend, I stopped eating wheat. I began losing weight steadily. After about six weeks, it began to dawn on me: I haven't had hives in a while. I purposefully went and did things that would ALWAYS cause hives, and NOTHING HAPPENED! 

Sometimes will binge, have some beer and pizza and a brownie or two, and yep, I'll get some hives again. Go wheat free, and they are gone.

The important thing here is that my 'reaction' to wheat did NOT show up on my allergy tests. They poked my back with everything, and it was all fine.

So if you think you aren't allergic to wheat, try giving it up for a while and see if you improve. Good luck, hope it works for you. It's so nice to have them gone.

I don't have any other major health issues. Just hives.

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So glad you found your trigger! For me I've cut out cow, soya and wheat, plus for good measure sugar. I still get hives on my arms and chest with flushing on my face. Just goes to show we are all different.

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Wow you must be so glad after such a long period to find what causes your hives!

I tried cutting out gluten/wheat and dairy when I first started getting the hives but to no avail unfortunately sad

4

Bravo!! :-D Well done!!

 

5

I'm trying it now. I want cake so bad. I just found a gluten free bakery near me I'm going to try. I haven't really had sugar so I'm curious to see how I do. My hives have been manageable for the past few days I don't know if it's my medicine regimen or the gluten free, either way I'm happier. I would be happier if they went away all together. All of this medicine is ruining my stomach, I swaer I have a hiatal hernia! One thing I notice is my hives get worse at night.

I am thankful for this forum because hearing from others is a huge help!

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Hi Heather

what is your medicine regimen?  What are you taking? I am on 200mg of cyclosporine and just had to add 20 mg taper of prednisone......still getting hives....really concerning. Xolair did not work for me. Hives get worse for me at night as well.  Wake up to them...so uncomfortable.  Looking into a more holistic homeopathic way to try to heal this chronic urticaria instead of all these drugs that is suppressing the problem.  We all need a cure or better way to treat this disease.

i look forward to hearing from you.

wendy

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The fact that a disease called CIU even exists makes me angry! Yet they make a drug like Xolair to treat it! I am scared of the side effects especially if it doesn't help but after the two weeks I've had (this round of hives started in July) I would take just about anything. BUT because of this blog I am learning to be patient. I was inflamed for more than 2 weeks 24/7. I couldn't sleep more than an hour or two. I was waking up with a stabbing pain in my stomach and back. I thought it was my gallbladder but it wasnt. I wanted to die, but not really die. So when the ladies on here suggested a diet change it figured why not. Ithe makes sense. So it took me a couple of days but I cut out gluten. I eat rice, corn grits (which can be made several ways), very small amounts of turkey or chicken. Plain tuna (which I can't eat anymore-aggregates whatever my stomach issue is), eggs &some salad, some fruit (apples, pears, grapes) and vegetables. I do have one cup of coffee a day with a splash of skim milk. I am a pretty big coffee drinker but I don't miss is. I make hot water with lemon juice and raw honey- I love it and my son does too. I haven't switched to an alternative milk yet.

So for my meds. Its a lot but it's working for now & if I'm late in taking it I start to break out.

7am generic Claritin

8am 2 benadryl, then I take 2 benadryl every 4 hours all day.

At bedtime I take 1 generic Zyrec and two benadryl.

I'm not going to lie, I am tired from the med some days but I do nap sometimes. I try not to, though. I am eventually going to try 1 benadryl every 4 hours in the middle of the day to see if that works....but not yet.

One of the ladies wrote out her daily plan of drinking lemon water and water with baking soda so I would like to try that too.

I have to go to the doc about my stomach. I don't think it's what's causing my hives but when I have the pain it makes me break out,I guess because it's causing stress.

After dinner if my stomach hurts I take 1 or 2 generic Zantac.

It's is a ton of medicine but before I gave up gluten no medicine regimen worked. I have slept through the night the past 5 nights. I do wake up with hives but not the real hard intense ones. Once I start my daily regimen I'm better.

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Hi Heather

thank you for sharing.  Does your doctor know how much Benadryl you are taking?  Maybe all the meds are causing your stomach pain.....and yes, stress can cause that too.  I just wish we could heal this naturally instead of taking all these nasty drugs.  My hair is falling out I think from the Xolair you should google Xolair and hair loss.  I'm really upset...could be the cyclosporine as well.  Yes I have been through those horrible nights when you can't sleep as it feels like we have a sun burn with Hundreds of bee stings and they ITCH!  Where do you live?  I am in the US.

i hope your stomach feels better.  Let us know what the doctors says.

have a good day Heather.

Wendy

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Did your doctor tell you to take all the meds you are taking?

wendy

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In my case, I also developed serious gall bladder issues at the same time.  I'm pretty certain it was all related to wheat/gluten. Wish I had tried cutting back before having my GB removed. But this was 8 or 9 years ago and people weren't thinking about gluten all that much.

The good thing about going gluten-free is you tend to greatly reduce your sugar intake also. Anything made of wheat tends to have lots of sugar to go along with it. Yes, it's hugely difficult to give up Pillsbury Orange Rolls etc., but it's got to be done. I ended up losing 22 pounds in a year without any exercising, just reduced my wheat and sugar intake.

None of the H1 and H2 receptor meds did a thing for me. (Zyrtec, Claraitn, any of them.) I never tried other meds except an occasional prednizone shot which had uncertain results. 

My best wishes to you in your case. Peace and blessings upon you.