I have a mild urticaria, nothing as bad as some fellow forumites have had to put up with, but irritating none the less. It all started when I got an infected insect bite on my leg two years ago, then it spread all over my lower right leg. My GP gave me Fucibet cream and recently, an antihistammine called Ucerax (hdroxyzine). Both the cream and anti-histanine help and after a while it clears up, I take the hydroxyzine every day as I have other allergies too, but if after it clears up I stop the fucibet the urticaria starts again. I've read that fucibet can be bad for your skin long term as it contains a hydrocortisone as well as an anti-bacterial. Maybe what I have isn't urticaria? I don't know.
Please try taking 1 antihistamine (like Zyrtec) AND 1 antacid daily. I had severe hives for two years following my hysterectomy. Sometimes my feet would swell so much that I had no arch and my skin would split. My hives were caused by pressure, stress, heat, you name it. Once I started taking both the antihistamine and the antacid together every morning, I stopped having hives after a couple of weeks.
From what I understand, those individuals with chronic urticaria need to block both the h1 histamines and the h2 histamines. H1 histamines are blocked by the allergy type of antihistamine and h2 histamines are blocked by antacids.
I took that combination for 9 years with great success. Zero issues with hives. Now, I don't have to take either.
Hi there.. Thansk for replying to my post. Since then my urticaria has really improved. The took me off the hydroxyzine as it caused heart irregularities in me (prolongued QT interval) but gave me another one called fexfenadine, which works really well with no side effects.. I also have acid reflux and take omeprazole in the morning with breakfast and an antacid in the evening so maybe you have hit the nail on the head as my skin is so much better.
I have lots of other problems too like asthma, hayvever tyope allergies which last all year, bipolar, anxiety, anaemiea etc, so I'm on a right combination of meds, still, I'm feeling really well today so praise God.
Fuciber is a mixture of an antibiotic and a potent steroid and you should not need it long term. The antibiotic (fusidic acid) is good at controlling the bug that causes antibiotics but resistance is very common. The steroid in the cream is many times more potent than hydrocortisone and should be used in minimum possible quantities. The treated skin will become thinner and bruise more easily. You may be a careful person, using very little cream and if so will come to no harm.
i assume simple moisturisers don't work? If that is so, I think the time has come for a dermatology consultant to have a look.
Hi Norman My dr. warned me about the side effects of fucibet and I only use it sparingly, but I have notivced that any brusing left after an outbreak is more prolongued where I have used it, so yes, I am being careful. I don't find simple moisturisers very much use I'm afraid, but right now I;m not doing too badly. Just got over a virus which gave me a bad chest etc, but feeling good for Christmas.