hives before monthly periods

Hi, was put on low dose birth control in 2005 to help control irregular bleeding. Approx. two weeks after starting estrostep FE I broke out w/severe hives and had to be taken to the emergency room. Was given several mini epi's and 10 day supply of steroids. They switched birthcontrol to nuvaring thinking i may be allergic to sulfa in the estrostep. There was no improvement. I continued to have severe hives as soon as the steroids ran out. Would have to go back to emergency room right away as entire body would swell from hairline to toes and was covered in red irregular ameba looking shapes or large hives. I quit taking the birth control all together but the hives have never stopped. They occur a few days prior to my period and usually exactly 7 days after the last day of my period. I became pregnant w/my first child in 2008 and like many others the hives were gone until about a week after her birth. They then resumed as stated above even before my period returned. Am now pregnant w/my second child unfortunately the hives are occurring more frequently instead of going away...wonder if this one is a boy?! Anyway, when not pregnant I take xyzal for the 2-3 days before my period and I will take children's liquid benadryl or fast melts as soon as I feel any sort of itching or warmth in more than one area of my body. This has not prevented all the hives but it seems to limit most outbreaks to less than an hour and I can still have a normal life. All the doctor's I've seen are sceptical or say they've never heard of chronic hives from birth control...........maybe they should scan a few blogs on the internet because there are hundreds/thousands of women saying that's how their hives started.

Reading all of these posts is crazy! I'm 24 years old and have been dealing with chronic hives for 3 years now. They started shortly after my 21st birthday when I had a cold. I took Nyquil liquid gel caps and had a very bad reaction. I first thought it was a new brand of makeup I had just spent over $100 on and had to give away because of this sudden allergy. A few days later the hives went away and I seemed fine. A few weeks later when I got sick again the hives came back. Who is to say whether they sprang from the Nyquil or the fever, but I'm not taking the risk to find out.
Since then I have had a string of symptoms that seem connected. My beautifully thick hair thinned, I've gained about 100 pounds in the past 3-4 years, the hives continue to flare up when I am expecting my period (who needs to track it on a calander when you can look at your skin to see), and a severe skin irritation and pain during sexual intercourse. I have been in a committed relationship for 5 years and tested for all STDs, so I know it is not that. No one seems to have mentioned that problem on here so far, but I don't see how all of these things could have started within a 4-6 month period and not be related.
I started with an allergist, who tested me for every allergy known to man and came up empty handed. He denied me an epi-pen, saying that my outbreaks are not life-threatening. However, I've been in the hospital several times with lumps in my throat and a swollen tongue but hey, he has the MD next to his name, not me. We tried Zantac, cortisone creams, and Benedryl, none of which worked.
I then visited my family doctor, who got me in to see a dermatologist immediately. Without even sitting with me 10 minutes he was convinced I have dermographism, or writing on the skin, since my outbreaks can be triggered by applied pressure. He said cortisone every 3 months should help. After doing some of my own research I realized very quickly that what I have is NOT dermographism, but the cortisone shots were subsiding the hives a little. Certainly not eliminating them, but keeping them calm. Throughout this whole process I also always made sure I had prednisone on me incase of a very bad outbreak, since that was the only thing that 100% got rid of the hives. Depending on the degree of the outbreak I would take anywhere from 20mg - 30mg a day as needed.
I eventually decided to visit an Endocrinologist after I realized the pattern of the hives popping up around my monthly menstrual cycle. Because of the amount of prednisone I had been taking, he said he couldn't perform ANY tests because all of them would be thrown off. He said the prednisone had been wreaking havok on my body and I should stop IMMEDIATELY. Easier said than done since that's the only thing that helps!
I recently saw a dermatologist at Thomas Jefferson in Philly, and they are supposed to be the best. They biopsied a hive, which came back normal, and mentioned a possible allergy to progesterone, but basically said they're stumped. They prescribed Zyrtek twice daily and a stronger antihistamine at night. After a week of practically falling asleep at my desk at work and still having to call out sick, I called the office and got clearance to stop the Zyrtek.
I have an appointment in about 2 weeks with an Endocrinologist at Jefferson and I'm hoping they can help. I understand this isn't a fatal condition, but my quality of life is in the toilet. I can't have sex with my boyfriend, I can't drink a drop of alcohol, as it spreads the hives like wildfire (not that I'm a heavy drinker, but a beer on a Saturday night with some friends would be nice), I can't take hot showers, no one can be too rough with me for fear of breaking out, I fear getting sick because a fever will more than likely put me in the hospital, and no one can be too rough with me because that will land me in bed the next day with a painful outbreak. Now that I have been forbidden from taking prednisone under any circumstances, I've had to call out of work twice in the past two weeks. I'm afraid at this point that my livelihood is at risk here. I'm sorry that so many people are experiencing the same thing that I am because it is an awful experience and is preventing from living my life, but I am relieved to see that others have the same problem and I'm not crazy! Hopefully the medical field can figure this out!

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This website might help explain our condition. I just realized today that my hives are coming each month about a week before my period. They were really terrible in December and lasted for 4-5 days, the same things happened again in January, and now again this month. It's very uncomfortable, but I treat it with benadryl spray that seems to may them not itch as much. They are usually worse in the morning and in the evening and almost gone throughout the day. I've always gotten hives here and there, but not like this. Like a lot of you said, I'm glad to find that I'm not crazy. I also changed my laundry detergent and my diet trying to solve this before I realized that they come every month before my period.

This has been so helpful. Thank you everyone! My daughter is 20 and started suffering with hives a couple of days before her period about 6 months ago. It seems to be getting worse every month. We will try some of the things you all have suggested. How nice it is to know that she isn't the only one. Much relieved. Thank you again. :-D

I'm a 47 year old female and have been dealing with hives for 3 years. I've had tons of allergy and other testing with no results, and was told that 60 percent of the time the cause is unknown and they just go away.

I tried hypnosis and that was when I realized that the hives are worse around the time of my monthly period. The hypnosis didn't help, but figuring out it was hormone related has helped.

The greatest help was one of the first posts on this thread by "severe hives."

This may be a little premature, but if you are suffering from hives, I know you will look to any solution. I believe my hives are a peri-menopausal hormonal imbalance issue.

I started using Progesta-care cream about 3 weeks ago. I'm currently on my period and I have no welts, no facial swelling, etc. I am delighted that I may have found the solution to my issue. This cream seems to have eased other pre-menopausal issues as well including anxiety, foggy thinking, etc.

For those who are younger, I know that a lot of my friends who are going thru menopause have been seeing nurses who specialize in vitamin therapies for menopause relief, and perhaps they have something to regulate hormones in younger women too.

Doctors don't seem to acknowledge this problem which can be a real handicap as you are trying to live your life when you look like the elephant woman with swollen lips, eyes, and welts all over your body.

So if you think you might be pre-menospausal, try Progesta-Care ($20) from Swanson Vitamins. Otherwise, seek out hormone regulating therapies.

My gratitude to "severe hives" for her post. I have purchased Dr. Lee's books and am in the process of implementing his other vitamin regimens.

I will post again next month and I hope it is also positive.

Hello i am a 15 year old girl i started my period when i was 11 and it stopped unexpectedly around the age of 13 I got my period once and it lasted for two weeks but that was july 2010 and now its may 2011 it kind of scares me the doc doesn't know why but when i turn 16 they want to do a whole bunch  of tests on me and i hear from other people that when i am older i might not have kids.....anybody have any advice for me?

I used to get hives just before time of the month and found Pantothenic Acid from the health shops works wonders. In fact I take 500mg every day and up it to 100mg for the few days before the time of the month. If I miss two days they come back! Now all i have to deal with are the scars on my neck and jaw. Hope that helps

Wow again, I was feeling like I was the only one. My doctors are looking into Lupus as the cause of my hives. My thyroid function tests were fine but my ANA was high. It's amazing how mine have settled after four months to being very obviously related to my periods/hormones. I can't live with them when they are at their worst and find cortisone works well to suppress them but can't do that forever. I also take antihistamines everyday and find a bath helps when I can't sleep at night - quite a few nights I've got a bit of sleep in the bath. :)

I'm also taking fish oil, antioxidents, and trying DHEA to see what difference that makes. My hives started after I went off the combined contraceptive pill for a little while - so I also might try going back onto that.

I am so thankful that I found this thread!  I really appreciate all of the advice posted by the other participants here.  I started getting tiny itchy hives all over my face and jawline right before my period every month immediately after I stopped taking birth control pills.  Like so many others on here, I really thought I was a little crazy and have just been really embarrassed by their monthly recurrence.  I have not tried fish oil and the progesterone creams suggested but I am definitely going to buy some tomorrow! 

Hi!  This is joyclaire, I posted on 3/21/2011.  I remain hive free.  Not one welt or one incident of facial swelling.

I am a 47 year old female.  I have regular periods but am obviously perimenopausal.

I had a persistent hive problem for about 3 years and it was beginning to scare me with increased facial swelling symptoms spreading to my tongue, eustacian tubes, and voice box.

I purchased Progestacare from Swanson's Vitamins online.  It's about $20 for sixty days worth.  I apply daily.

I have not had a hive incident, no red welts, no facial swelling, since about 8 days after I started on Progestacare Cream. 

My brother, who is a physician, was amazed and had never heard of this before.

The cream has also helped with easing PMS related symptoms.  I have never had a hard time with my period, but was beginning to experience some anxiety, and irritability.  These symptoms were nothing I would run to the doctor about, but I had purchased Midol for the first time in my life.  These symptoms have also gone away.

So for all of those gals out there with idiopathic hives (unknown cause...doctors say they usually go away on their own)...look for a hormonal solution whether it is progesterone/hormone creams or birth control pills...

Life is much easier without waking up covered in welts, or having my face swell up like the elephant woman in the middle of an important business meeting.

Good luck to all of you and I hope you have the same success that I found.

 

I am also 36 years old, I have had hives on and off now for 2 months. They seem to go away when I have my period and come right back when it is over. They itch like crazy and can get to be a few inches in length, and in width as well.  I haven't even gone to the doctor yet, but I can't really find anything OTC that will keep them at bay. Benadryl sort of works but makes me sleepy and I am a correctional officer. 

Hello



By now you would have gone to the Endocrinologist at Jefferson in Phila. I'm from the area and am interested in what you found out. But just from my own experiences, I have been experiencing hives on and off for the last few years. Sometimes I'll get them consistently for months a few days before my period and then it will stop for a few months and I think its gone and they come back. It's very frustrating but I've noticed that I can feel them coming now before they actually appear and I take Benadryl immediately. That usually helps, usually. But I also went to a dermatologist and he pretty much told me that its hormonal and there is not much I can do about it. Not every Dr. knows everything. Mine is in the most inconvenient area on my buttocks where my legs and butt meet! They are in the same spots every month and sometimes they are bigger then other times. It's so annoying and unattractive! My 8 yr old son saw them on me when we went to the pool and he said "Mom you better put medicine on your butt you have mosquito bites!" I was super embarrassed. But its trivial compared to other issues like yours for instance. I definitely think its hormonal but I believe that its aggravated by stress. And reading your post I can see that the hives themselves are stressing you out. This could also be making it worst, just worrying about the hives themselves. I'm not a doctor but I have been a hairstylist for 22yrs now and after talking to women over the years I have found that stress is a catalyst for so many different issues related to women. Maybe you could go on an anti-depressant while your trying to get rid of the hives. You never know and it can't hurt to try. The other idea I had as far as the hives is that maybe the hormonal balance only occurs right before our period and it triggers the hives that can last for varied amounts of time. So if your doctor isn't checking your hormone levels at the precise time they may not be able to pinpoint the problem. My thoughts on the issue aside, anti-histamines, histamine blockers, and hydrocortisone cream 2% if you can get it, have all helped in my case. Hope this helps!

I'M SO GLAD IM NOT ALONE ON THIS.I AM 37 YEARS OLD AND STARTED HAVING HIVES AFTER MY IST BABY.MY HIVES STRIKES EVERYWHERE AND ANYTIME.I WENT TO THE DERMATOLOGIST AND TESTED. CANT FIND ANYTHING.PRECSCRIBED ME WITH XYZAL AND PEPCID.I WAS ON DEPO SHOT SO I DIDNT HAVE PERIOD FOR 6 YEARS. SINCE MY PERIOD IS BACK I NOTICED THAT I GET HIVES BEFORE AND AFTER MY PERIOD.I USUALLY TAKE SINGULAIR FOR THE HIVES BUT SOMETIMES I FORGET. SO MY HIVES WILL START FROM MY SCALP , HANDS AND FEET THEN ALL OVER.USUALLY BENADRYL 25 MG HELPS BUT NOW IM UP TO 75 MG....AS I READ ALL YOUR POSTS , NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT IM NOT ALONE. THANKS 

 

 

 

 

Hi All:

 Wanted to let you know that I never had hives before.  In October of 2011, I was at work and I noticed that I had a breakout while at work.  Once I got home, I noticed that the hives were all over.  I took a Benedryl and they have gone away.  I have noticed since October when I get my mesntrual cycle, on the 3 and 4th day I get a breakout of hives on my thighs and sometimes on my elbow.  As my menstrual cycle ends, the hives go away.  How Bizarre.

 

Missy

Hi Ladies,