As I sit here this morning reading through this forum, I can't believe how many other people have the same or close to the same experience as myself. My first episode happened back in 2007. My throat started to swell closed. Went to the ER - spent 4 hours there and all they did for me was give me Benedryl. Went to Now Care the next day (because I walked out of the ER) and they said it was an allergic reaction to something. Told me to continue taking Benedryl and gave me a prescription for Prednison and also a presciption for Epi-Pens. Over the next year, I'd get random swellings - might be my throat again, or either my upper lip, lower lip - full or particle swelling of either. (never had and wrist or foot swelling). Went to ER another time with my throat swelling and that doctor said I was allergic to Iubprofen. Quit taking it altogether - well guess what, I would still got random swellings. Went to see allergist and he ran all the known types of allergy tests, all came back negative. He told me that the allergic reaction could be from a preservative or coloring in the food and the only way to pin point was to keep a food journal - which I had been. When I had a swelling episode, I would write down everything I put in my mouth 24 hours prior to the episode. When the swelling settle down and I was "normal" for a few days, I would repeat my food journal to a tee. No reaction. So, I don't know what causes these reactions - I've learned to live with them. I know when they are coming on and start taking Benedryl right away. When this happens to my throat, my throat tends to be itchy, start taking Benedryl, when it happens to my lip, it starts with a small bump, I start taking Benedryl. All of my episodes last any where from 9 - 36 hours. this morning as I sit here, I couldn't go to work because yesterday, the center of my upper lip started to swell, 4 hours later, my whole upper lip and both cheeks were fully swollen. I look like one of the Whos from Whoville. I alternate taking Benedryl capsules and liquid Benedryl (liquid will get into your system faster). Unfortunately, I don't have any advise to give anyone but do keep a food journal when your episodes occur and repeat them when you are better to see if something tiggers it. So far, I haven't had any luck with doing this myself but I still do it.
This same thing happens to me, did you find any remedy for it?
Hello Everybody-
I have studied this forum over and over myself. A little quick history on myself (I won't bore you with the details). I am a 32 year old male who has never been allergic to anything and one day, my lip swelled. Then, the back of my neck swelled. Then my eyes, hands, arms, fingers, bottoms of feet, tongue, you name it. Fast forward 3 years and the problem still presses on. My life has turned into 6 antihistamines per day (none of which help it) and, of course, Prednisone, Prednisone, Prednisone. I've learned to live with the random swellings throughout the body, however, the ones on the face are hard to live with. It's kind of hard to go to work with a fat lip. I am on my second allergist now and I have past every piece of blood work and allergy test that can be dreamed of. Anyways, I'm sure this is nothing shocking to you because reading some of your stories I can see that you suffer the same as me.
ANYWAYS, There was a reason for me posting here. I feel that it is important that if any of us find something that seems to work that we communicate it and thats what I am doing. So, one day, this guy I work with brought me a book for the Nutribullet blender. JUST WAIT A MINUTE! I know what you're thinking. I am not a salesman. Just hear me out. Inside, the book was separated by chapters that were dedicated to various ailments that people face such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and low and behold, inflammation and swelling. So, I looked at some of the recipes of foods that they recommend people use to combat these problems and I found that they would fill their blenders with 50% spinach (yuck!) and top it with berries of various types and sometimes other stuff too and of course top it with water. I owned a regular cheap blender and decided to give it a shot. First of all, the blend tasted like berries, not spinach so that's a plus. AND SECONDLY, I SAW A MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT IN MY SWELLINGS! I'm serious. It blew me away. So I started drinking these things once or twice a day and I am happy to report that the severity of my attacks has reduced incredibly. I still get nailed sometimes. But I definitely have more good days than bad. I've been doing this for about 3 months now. This is the part where I can tell you that I broke down and bought a Nutribullet, but I'm not going to go into that on this post. This post is not a sales pitch. I just want to share my success with everyone. So, anyways, I am adding a full serving of oatmeal to my blends which is known to reduce inflammation (seriously, read about it online) and flaxseed (another great superfood), apples, frozen strawberries, whatever is sold cheap at Aldi, LOL.
So, there it is. Give it a shot or don't. I just want everyone to know that this seems to be helping me a lot. I hope that this will help you. Don't go buy an expensive blender. Just use the one you have (I did it for 3 months before getting a different one).
If this post helps even one person that is sitting around tonight alternating an ice pack and hot compress to their swollen eye wondering "how am I going to go to work tomorrow" then the time it took me to type it was worth it. Good luck and God Bless!
"Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food" -Hypocrites
i have had the same experience.i used to take loratadine it helps to control but not at all.hope some body will give the answer soon.
I just experienced swelling hands, burning and itching like crazy followed by a swollen lip for the first time in my life today. So got online and can't believe there are so many people with similar issues. My hands are so swollen it's hard for me to type. And I do look like I've had a collagen injection in my lower lip. It was extremely cold and snowing today contrasted to yesterday which was warm and sunny. I have also had chest congestion so put Vick's vapo rub on my chest. So I'm not sure if I had an allergic reaction to Vick's or if it was a reaction to the cold temps. Hot water seemed to help the itching and burning then I put some hydrocortisone cream on my hands. It relieved the itching & burning but swelling still there. I have no idea - its a strange problem that seems to be affecting a lot of people!
I’m a 31 year old male and I’ve had random swelling or hives like swelling my lips, my eyelids, fingers, hands, arms, waist, and feet. The swelling area can be as small as a dime or big enough to put both my lips out past my nose and tear the skin – lips look almost like a tomato. I’ve never had the swelling anywhere internal like the tongue. It has appeared only on surface skin areas. It will start with a small itching feeling and at that point I know I have to get some Prednisone (steroid) to stop the swelling from getting out of hand. Otherwise my lips can swell and would be fairly large for up to 3 days. Hands and feet are about the same. Benadryl is of no help to the situation unless I want to sleep through that process. Other antihistamines don’t work either (Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec, etc) in prevention or causing the swelling to subside. Taking the prednisone slows the swelling and if I have swelling will get it to subside in about 12-16 hours with 15-20 mg dose. Otherwise the swelling would get significantly bigger and last for 3-4 days before returning to normal.
I’ve had allergy tests done. I’m allergic to dairy (proteins – casein, whey) and that predominantly affects my ear-nose-throat (ENT) areas. But I’ve known this for years and usually it results in sinus or ear infections. I’ve never had the dairy linked with the itchy to edema reactions. The acute edema has only begin in the past 7 years (since age 24). I am not allergic to the nuts or legumes family which are often associated with hives. The only other allergy I’ve had is to Augmentin. It’s an ENT drug. I turned yellow (Jaundice) and pretty much passed out. Liver related. I do not think that is related to this. Just trying to help fill in possible short comings in function of other organs.
I’ve tried to figure out if it’s laundry detergent. I can’t find any discernible pattern. I use Tide. I do drink alcohol, predominantly beer. I haven’t found anything consistent to be a cause there. I’ll be off it for 3 weeks and still get swelling. I’ll have it for a few weeks and no swelling.
I rarely wear cologne and it doesn’t seem to have a correlation. I’ve thrown out all my bedding and got new pillows, new sheets, etc. I bleached my mattress and vacuumed it. I don’t think it’s bed mites or the like as it will happen in all hours of the day and some 10+ hours since I’ve been in bed.
I drink coffee regularly. I eat onions, peppers, and tomatoes quite often as well. I can’t say they are related to the swelling though as I’ll go 2-3 months without any swelling but having coffee 5+ days a week and eating onions, peppers, and tomatoes 3+ days per week. Allergy tests did not reveal allergies to any nightshade family vegetables.
I went to a homeopathic doctor and he said I had high levels of mercury in my body. I was just eating more fish (tuna, salmon, cod) than normal – but I hadn’t had much fish for any such periods of time in the previous 5 years.
So I took some green algae tablets, 3 tables 3 times a day. I didn’t have any swelling for nearly 3 months. I took the tablets for about a month. I can’t say for sure if the tablets were responsible for prohibiting the swelling or not. It’s about $35 a bottle. I’m not sure it’s the cure though.
It could be stress related but more likely as an ancillary factor versus a primary factor.
I feel this is something systemic more so than a direct diet/consummation reaction. I feel it’s my (our) blood perhaps being weakened or changed shape or something and then as it tries to pass through arteries or different surface areas of skin where the arteries are smaller it gets ‘stuck’ and swells the area. I don’t know if anyone has seen a blood doctor or how readily available that would even be. So my guess is some sort of ‘function’ to the liver, kidneys, or heart is the primary factor. Then stress, a little change in diet, perhaps water/fluid ratio, and voila – swelling!
I've had the same problems too. I work in the health industry, so I've tried barley grass chorella, etc, and yes these product do help to cleanse.... But it my swelling is sudden, I've had a swollen, throat, touge, and the base of my feet all at different times. Always itchy at first, really itchy then you can almost see the swelling happen before your eyes, thats how quick it is.......I have been given an epi pen just in case.
I also have so stomach problems so hope to explore them... I think maybe this is where it's all coming from.. All my test seem to come back clear, and I know there is something going on.
I have the exact same feeling of the little knot heating up..especially in the lips. I started getting these swellings 3 weeks ago. started with one area of my finger. I was driving and felt something like an insect sting or splinter and was kind of annoyed but didn't pay any attention to it. That evening i noticed that the pad of the finger in that area was swollen, red and hot. I went to bed and when i got up, the whole hand and all fingers had swollen. The sweliing goes away usually within 24 hours but it moves to another area immediately. i've had both hands,arms, lips, ear, eyes, shoulder and now it's even on my feet and torso. It seems to be getting more aggressive as it was initially only affected one area at a time. Now i've got both hands, both feet and my sides. I'm seeing an allergist on tue so can't take any histamines for the itching. it's driving me crazy. I've looked like a freak for 3 solid weeks and am having to miss work and other scheduled activities.
Good day,
I am 25 and a similar thing has been happening to me for the last 12 years. Swollen feet, hands, throat, finger tips, behind the knees, lips, ears and eyebrows. It starts out with a small red blotch (sometimes with a light yellow inflammatory part) which is really itchy, with the subsequent scratching causing it to swell even more.
As far as I am aware I am not allergic to anything, as I have kept a list on food groups and eating habits
What I have realized is that after strenuous sport or drinking a large quantity of beer, a day later it seems to start itching. I am starting to link it to dehydration (because I sweat a lot) or the lack of salts in the body. Added to this a fast metabolism and excited adrenal gland, I think it is caused by excess salt:water ratio in the body. If this is the case, I am looking to find a method to hydrate myself, with the right quantity of salts and water.
Any solutions would be greatly appreciated. My body swelling up I can deal with, it is just my throat swelling, which is a little bit scary.
Cont...
I have also realized that my urine goes yellow and the white of my eyes goes light yellow as well, but just for the period that it itches.
Don't know if anyone has a similar reaction.
Today, February 25, 2013, the NY Times reports that an asthma drug, omalizumab known as Xolair, has been shown in clinical trials to relieve those suffering from chronic idiopathic urticaria. This disease causes hives, itchiness and often the swelling of lips, tongue and other soft tissues. The drug is thought to deactivate Immunoglobulin E (IgE), a type of antibody that plays a crucial role in the allergic response. Xolair binds to the IgE, diminishing its ability to force the immune cells into action.
ive been getting exactly this swell problem for years had all the tests i now know that the problem is common in older people mainly middle age and up the swelling is when the blood vessels leak water it can happen anywhere out the blue or if you agrivate a certain area that can bring it on it getts on my nerves but now i controll it by taking 1 fexofenadine per day that usually keeps it away but if i fell one coming on i always take 5 prednisolone tabs 5mgs at once and it always without fail stops it getting to bad hope this helps someone
You might get on the internet and look up "HAE" and see if it sounds like what you are experiencing. stands for Hereditary Angio Edema. It can be life threatening if it starts toinvolve you liips, tonge or mouth.
I've had these exact symptoms. Two years ago I went on a very strict Paleo diet and the weird swelling / hives stopped. Recently I've been eating poorly and the swelling / hives are back. I believe wheat and processed carbs are the issue. Anyway, I'm starting another strict regimen so perhaps I will be able to further prove that wheat is perhaps the cause.