Guest guest Posted December 9, 2000 Report Share Posted December 9, 2000 Thanks to Carol for directing me to this site from another site I joined, but which is apparently closed down. I can sympathize with every single one of you. I am 31 years old and have suffered from Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria from the age of 9. Can't believe I have made it this far. Looks like there is still no end in site for me. The only thing that seemed to reduce my hives was pregnancy, if you can believe it. It leads me to believe there might be a huge hormonal component to this disease, especially for women. Doesn't seem like many of the doctors out there understand this disease. My own doctor doesn't seem to understand the severity of this, especially since he has never really seen me covered in hives. The best medication I found was Hydroxine, but I was up to 300 mg/day. I am told that is too much! What can I do, when I itch, I take a pill. I am not going to suffer if a pill will take it away. My doctor for an unknown reason doesn't want to prescribe more than 100 mg/day! So, I switched to Doxepin, which is an antidepressant. It doesn't work as quickly as the Hydroxine, but it seems to be keeping things under control. Not many understand this disease and not many people know I have it. I was doing well, until after pregnancy and now the hives aren't as well controlled as they were before hand. I really don't know what gives. Anyone have any suggestions out there as far as different treatments? Glad there is a support group out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Thanks for the suggestions. I dont think I have tried atarax...I will ask about that this week. I have been trying Zyrtec/Accolate/Pepcid/ with some prednisone every other day and that hasnt worked. Only days with 20mg or more of prednisone are comfortable. Thought it would get better at the beach, but it was worse. Aggravating as heck. Every time I think I find a pattern, there is a new wrinkle, or a new apparent "cause". I still do not know if it is a food, a drug, something I touch..heat or cold. I have had all the usual skin prick tests,etc. I am beginning to think they all take turns ! Got my blood work back from last week and all tests are fine. No real help there. Do biopsies of the hives themselves ever show anything ? Best of luck to you with your little girl. Must be tough trying to help her- I have two boys, 8 and 11, and I know its harder on you when your kids are sick than when you, yourself, are sick. Don B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Hi, : No tummy problems at all. I think the current thought process is that the pepcic helps the traditional antihistamines, also if there is some kind of food connection. Chlortrimeton is just an over the counter antihistamine. I used the 12 hour release for about 6 months or so and it seemed to work along with the Pepcid (40mg) and the Singulair ( an asthma-type medicine) (I do not have asthma). Never been tested for the h-pylori that I am aware of- but I will ask this week. I have had some other people suggest atarax and some other meds...But I have tried a large number of the traditionals along the way.... thanks for the suggestions. Don B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Welcome to the group. My two year old has CU, I am curious have you tried atarax? Or zyrtec and zantac together? Or other combinations beside the one you are taking? Sometimes one combination stops being helpful and you have to try another. I hope you find some relief here. ~Alena's Mom Chronic urticaria > Have had chronic urticaria for 2 1/2 years now. 46 year old male with > no other health issues....Had it under control for a few months > taking Pepcid/Singulair/and Chlortrimeton every night. Now this isnt > working at all...just found this site and checking around. > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > If you do wish to unsubscribe then you can click on the following link: > <mailto:urticaria-unsubscribeegroups> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > This list is in the service of those who suffer from Chronic Urticaria (hives). We strive to support and lift each other as a worldwide cyber-family. > > We share whatever needs to be shared to help one another in our struggle with Chronic Urticria. > > Any posting that is off the main topic of Chronic Urticaria, we post with a prefix of NCU -. This is done out of respect for those who do not wish to read such postings. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Hi, and welcome the the group! I was wondering if you have tummy problems since you're taking pepcid? Have you been tested for H-pylori? I've not heard of Chlortrimeton before - what is this for? Best regards Scotland Chronic urticaria > Have had chronic urticaria for 2 1/2 years now. 46 year old male with > no other health issues....Had it under control for a few months > taking Pepcid/Singulair/and Chlortrimeton every night. Now this isnt > working at all...just found this site and checking around. > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > If you do wish to unsubscribe then you can click on the following link: > <mailto:urticaria-unsubscribeegroups> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > This list is in the service of those who suffer from Chronic Urticaria (hives). We strive to support and lift each other as a worldwide cyber-family. > > We share whatever needs to be shared to help one another in our struggle with Chronic Urticria. > > Any posting that is off the main topic of Chronic Urticaria, we post with a prefix of NCU -. This is done out of respect for those who do not wish to read such postings. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Don - You say that only on the days that you ake 20mg+ Prednisone are comfortable. I have a question ... when you do take 20 mg Pred., how slowly do you taper? For me, the only thing that has worked is an extremely slow taper, taking several months. Its only in about the last 4 weeks that I have NOT been taking Pred. every day. You might want to ask for a different combination of antihistamine and stomach meds. My doctor has me taking Allegra. He says that he and his colleagues prefer that way Allegra "breaks down" in the body. I also take 1200mg of Tagamet per day (spread out); it increases and enhances the way the Allegra works. Barbara <<< I have been trying Zyrtec/Accolate/Pepcid/ with some prednisone every other day and that hasn't worked. Only days with 20mg or more of prednisone are comfortable. >>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 Don - I think if it were not for the large doses of antihistamines (Allegra), tummy meds (Tagamet), and asthma-type meds (Proventil), the Prednisone would not work and I don't think I could be tapering off of it (the Pred.). << Chlortrimeton is just an over the counter antihistamine.>> **You really need a prescription antihistamine. << with the Pepcid (40mg) >> **Likewise with the "tummy pill." (Is pepcid presc.?) << the Singulair (an asthma-type medicine) (I do not have asthma). >> **Singulair helps with itching and breathing which often accompanies this and affects the bronchial tubes. I take Proventil --helps my breathing. I used to have horrible coughing and breathing attacks; it also helped immensely with the itching. Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 5, 2001 Report Share Posted April 5, 2001 , ChlorTrimeton is Chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine. You can buy it over the counter in 4mg, 8mg, or 12 mg. It also works good with me but in conjunction with Allegra 180mg in am and Zyrtec 10mg 10pm. When I am hiving real bad I take the 4mg every 4 hours around the clock and it helps me. , NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.