Chronic Autoimmune Urticaria- feedback requested

[Guest guest]

Hi Colleagues,

I am having autoimmune urticaria myself currently x 2 months. It is horrible. I

am controlling symptoms with high dose, oral supplementation of colostrum (35%

IgG), which I've been on for about 1.5 weeks. However, I don't feel that this

will reverse the autoimmunity over the long-term, but it has definitely been a

godsend for short term symptom management... Especially, in comparison to OTC

antihistamines which just exacerbated my itching, Benedryl was the worst,

Loratidine worked the best in this regards, but only for a few hours, it worked

better than Zyrtec. Quercitin didn't help whatsoever. Now, I am considering

autologous whole blood injections, which appear like to be a safe and effective

way in the research to get this under control... But I would appreciate any

advice you or anyone else has in reversing the autoimmune process here. There is

much unknown about the etiology of AI Urticaria. One etiology is considered

antibodies to FcEsliponRI and FcEpsilonRalpha, basophil receptors for IgE that

have IgG autoantibody crosslinking which leads to histimine release and the

urticaria symptoms. I plan to start homeopathic histamine, high doses of

probiotics, am considering drainage tx, will do a veggie juice cleanse in short

order, and am considering Chinese formulas. However, I would appreciate any

other feedback on reversing the autoimmune process as gently as possible. I am

not too excited at all about the majority of conventional treatments.

In regards to testing I do not currently have and have never had a thyroid

imbalance or any thyroid auto-antibodies, I've had all the anti-bodies tested.

My white blood cell count was elevated 13.4, but this is not uncommon in this

condition and also I had just finished tapering off prednisone when I was tested

(which obviously was suppressive and only provided relief at 30mg x 1 wk, but

the hives came back as soon as I started to taper wk 2). My ANA was positive,

homogenious pattern 1:80. ESR and CRP were negative. All other aspects of CBC

and chem screen were normal. Celiac panel (TTG and IGA) has tested negative in

the past, although I haven't had all of the tests done here, because I already

know I am gluten sensitive (I get occasional mucous in stool, pencil thin

stools, tendency towards constipation, abdominal bloat, and dermatitis

herpatiformis around the hair line when I consume gluten regularly) so do

maintain a gluten-free diet for the most part and have x years. I took a break

from this for a week prior to and two weeks after the hive symptoms aggravating.

Gluten could possibly aggravate the hives (I noticed they were worse after one

glutinous meal), however, I've never had this type of reaction to gluten

previously, and I do take periodic 1-4 week breaks from the gf-free diet, so I

doubt that this is the direct etiology of the hives. I am now back on my GF diet

and will stay on it more strictly, now that I know the hives are likely

autoimmune.

My insights as to the etiology here is chronic and high levels of life stress

and/or an autoimmune process that was triggered by my garden- irritant

dermatitis reaction from the prickles on the cucumbers and zucchini... Which

would be a major bummer, considering that I love to garden. I have a history of

skin reactions and dermatitis to poison ivy, but have never reacted to other

plants in this way. Of course, this year was the first time I had so much

physical exposure to these types of plants. The irony if this was triggered from

my garden is beyond- natural medicine doc gets autoimmune skin disease from

plants... So I'm really hoping that this is not the case. Additionally there is

a family history of Bechet's Dz, for which I have been tested previously to

have a hereditary predisposition to (HLAB51).

Next testing steps include antibody testing to rule out Lupus and H. Pylori. I

also plan to have the in-vitro donor basophil histamine release assay (aka

Chronic Urticaria Index Test), the gold standard for the FcEplison antibodies,

and the Autologous Serum Skin Test. However, with chronic autoimmune urticaria

the research indicates that excessive testing, including skin prick testing, is

typically futile, in terms of uncovering a deeper underlying cause and/or

infectious process.

Prior to this happening I'd been feeling the healthiest I've felt in my life.

Lost a few pounds that I had gained while a student at NCNM, joined a rowing

team, am enjoying practice and life... Thought I was managing my life stress

okay.... But it seems like my body may be telling me otherwise... I am literally

not comfortable in my own skin at the moment physically, but emotionally I'm

feeling self-assured, more than I have at any other point in my life.

Again, any insights are appreciated, especially in regards to reversing this

likely autoimmune process.

With appreciation,

Giardenelli, ND, MSOM, LAc

Rochester and Clifton Springs, NY