Check out page one severe hives post. I am using all vitamins listed except the progesterone cream. I've been tested and diagnosed with Autoimmune Progesterone Dermititis. This has given me relief!
I am glad to see I am not alone in thinking there is a connection between hives and hormones. Unlike many others here, I developed hives for the first time in my life in my late thirties when I WAS pregnant. It was triggered by coldness. Cold urticaria. However, recently I started getting hives even when I a not cold and it wd start every night. The big change is I got OFF birth control pills. I suspect hormonal changes. And the late night must be due to hormone and cortisol levels dropping at night??
I stopped all vitamins, milk, etc...any potential triggers and am slowly working my way back through each item. But I suspect it isn't any of those things. I think, as I said, it is hormones. But all doctors say they never heard of that.
What worries me more than the hives, which are bad enough, are the drugs (antihistamine, etc) that we have to take regularly to control the hives. I thank the person who gave detailed advise about fish oil, etc. I was taking fish oil regularly when this latest outbreak occurred, so I am not sure what to think of that. But just wanted to thank those who shared what worked for them.
I too have been suffering from chronic hives for the last 6 years. Its not an every day occurance and is usually brought on by exercise. I have seen an allergist who has me on zurtec and zantac plus I carry an epi pen because I have had at least 2 cases where I have been sent to hospital from trouble breathing. I have been having symptoms of meonpause ( I am now 41) even though the doctors seem to argue that fact. It absolutely drives me crazy that I don't know when or where I will be when I break out, benedryll does help but I did go to the hospital just last night because it felt like my throat was swelling. I have delt with aneixty over this and feel like I just get put off by my doctors. I am greatful to know that I am not the only one that suffers from this and maybe it is a "normal' part of aging and being a women...the sucky part!
I have been dealing with this for the past year - getting hives a few days before my period and then it would last for a few days or few weeks. It usually only happened at night but recently has been happening during the day also. It seems that heat and pressure induces them, but I've gotten them during other times also. Anyway I went to my OB/GYN and she thought it might have to do with Yeast - not a yeast allergy, but a chronic yeast infection (Candida Albicans). When she told me about this it made a lot of sense - the reason it happens before our period is because our progesterone levels increase which lowers our immune system, allowing the yeast to release more toxins which induces hives, but it happens at other times as well when our immune systems aren't as strong. She prescribed me two medications to take the next time I get my period that should flush out the yeast from my system. I'm crossing my fingers that it will work, but I think it will, everything she told me made a lot of sense!
Hope this helps you guys out! I know how incredibly unbearable chronic hives can be, it's the worst! Good luck :)
Hi, I have been looking every where to help resolve my problem. The first time I experienced hives was the beginning of this year. I break out in hives from my face to my feet. I began re-occuring two weeks prior to my cycle and start to subside the second day of my cycle. I have been taking benedryl and rubbing cortisone on the hives. My skin is now all bruised from me scratching the annoying hives ( I know I should scratch but its like a living nightmare). I plan on trying the fish oil as someone previously recommended and see what happens.
Thank you for your detailed response and research! I Googled 'why do I get my hives before my period' and I found this page. Now I don't feel crazy. I will try some of your suggestions. I do feel dairy has an effect on the intensity of the breakout.
I am so glad to have found this site and to know I am not alone! I am 27 and have had chronic hives for the past 2 years. I also was tested for all allergies, changed detergents etc. Each and every doctor I have seen has had no answer for why I have hives. I agree that this is unacceptable. I noticed my hives started after a VERY stressful time in my life. Last year, I went to the ER twice for severe swelling of my eyes and throat. At the time, I was taking birth control...I discontinued and my hives seemed to get better, but still having them everyday all over. Recently, I have noticed that the hives are the worst before and after my period, which leaves me a week to feel somewhat normal with few hives. The past 5 months I have tried following Ayurveda Diet(you can find out yours by taking a test to find out the right dosha for you), sounds complicated but it's not. Anyways, I have been trying to stay away from processed foods, drinking lots of water, and tons of veggies/fruits. I am also going to try a raw fruit and veggie juice detox for 8-10 days to try to "jump start" my immune system, which I think this all stems from. For me stress/anxiety are two things I struggle with, so I have now started doing lots of yoga, journaling, and meditation. Since changing my diet and stress level, I have been able to discontinue taking any antihistamines. I still have hives, but only flare up now during period or stressful situations. For me this has helped...I will try the detox and let you know. A great video about our ridiculous hives is " fat, sick, and nearly dead" by Joe Cross!!!!!! Please watch, it has given me hope. Best of luck to all of you girls!
Have you talked with your DR about checking your thyroid levels or anti thyroid antibodies could help narrow it down
This problem started for me in my early 40s. I tried everything...every doctor, hypnosis....
Within 8 days of using a progesterone cream (the kind made from yams) I have been hive free for over 2 years. My hives were debilitating and eventually led to face and tongue swelling, loss of voice...fortunately about the time they became more severe, I discovered the cause and the progesterone cream. Good Luck!
Within 8 days of using a progesterone cream (the kind made from yams) I have been hive free for over 2 years. My hives were debilitating and eventually led to face and tongue swelling, loss of voice...fortunately about the time they became more severe, I discovered the cause and the progesterone cream. Good Luck!
i forgot to mention that my hives only happened within days of my period also.
I am a 51 years old woman who suffered with urticaria related to mainly my periods from the age of about 19 till about 43 when my husband had a vastectomy and I went off the pill. I had previously gone off the pill, with no difference to the urticari, stopped using tampons and used sanitary pads ( in case it was the chemicals theriin). I tried everything. I sometimes got if from the sun, so never went in the sun as knew that i would suffer for days on end if i did, sometimes chocolate or dairy products agrivated it. I discover there were things that agrivated it but didnt cause it. Also tigher clother and shoes, sometimes I would have bankds of urticaria around my waste, wrists, ankels etc. also if i knocked myself I would develope the allergy. Sometimes i would be so swollen that I couldnt pick up a cup of te or cut my supper. When it was on my head, you would think I had lice the way I scratched. when I had really bad attacks, I couldnt sit or ly down as my whole body was so swollen with the urticaria. sometimes i had burst blood vessels from being so swollen. Eventually a dermatologist said I could be allergic to my hormones and put me on a mini contraseptive ( cant remember the name) which certainly did help but dodnt wipe it out completely. when i turned 40 i nagged my husband to have a vastectomy cuase i wasnt happy to still be on the pill. i then went off the pill and havent had another period or allergy since then. what a relief! I suffered for so many years it was awful. I can still remember how desperate I sometime became as it was so sore, so hot, so itchy. I used to rub my hands on my husbands beard or a hairbrush! My sympathies to everyone who suffers from this>
Hi, I'm 26, and i broke out in hives a few days ago, and I could'nt figure it out!! I was going crazy, I've never been allergic to anything, and I noticed my Behavior dramatically change, I went from my nice, normal self, to being very snappy, and becoming sensitive to bright light and sound. I thought it might have been something I ate, or my laundry detergent. so i ate what i had that night and testesd the detergent on my skin to no reaction. now I really believe it was hormone related because of the mood swings and that it was 3 days before my period. This is the first time i've ever had hives , and hopefully it is not chronic like your ladies's conditions, i am so sorry you have to live that way, and I hope you the best.
Hi, Im 17 and i have been going through the same sort of thing . A few days before my period i brake out in hives, but each month it gets worse . It started with just a few hives here and there and now almost a year and a half later my hole face swells up . I have been to alergist and stuff and they have no idea . So i was wondering if you had found anything out .
to begin with, prednisone is NOT the most suitable treatment. you have to use antihistamines (i.e. loratadina twice a day) as requiered. if the hives appear regardeless of the menses, they could be caused by food allergy otherwise, treatment with antihistamines previous to the menses is safe, adecuate y can be used as long as you need.
I have now had this for over a year last October. I have seen every doctor possible. No cure but the best way for me not to experience the hives has been a combination of Methotrexate with Spironolactone. Have tried everything and this is all that has worked other than massive doses of Prednisone which you can't stay on. My docs say to pray for spontaneous remission. 50% cure within one year, 70% within 2 and 90% within 3 - the other 10% don't heal. Praying I am not in the last 10%.