Re: more hives-my daughter

[Guest guest]

Oh my ---

My poor daughter.  We found she was allergic to the Penicillin's at the young age of 3.  She has been able to take other antibiotics when needed, though. She has been able to take Ceftin for many infections also.  Three days ago, she had a sinus/lung infection and began taking Ceftin. After one tablet, she began to cough. We thought she was clearing out her congestion.  After the third tablet, she had 1 large bulbous hive on her elbow and a few small ones. We gave her benadryl and 1 of my Proventil pills.  This morning she woke with 3 hives the size of dollar bills and more hives covering about 20% of her little 14 year-old body. We went to our allergist right away.  She was given an adrenalin shot, liquid Prednisone, and had a nebulizer treatment. We have a list of things to do and schedules for quite awhile.  In the midst of all of this she said, "Mom, now I know what you have been going through."  Poor sweetie. Now she is allergic to the penicillins and the cephalosporins.  

Oh, my. when our kids are ill, its so hard ...

Barbara

[Guest guest]

The battle goes on!!! I will push the issue again after the antibiotic theory is exhausted by the peditrician. Thanks~

Re: more hives-my daughter

- So, your dermatologist cannot refer her to the "doctor of pediatric infectious diseases" ?? I would think with the number of times you pediatrician has tried to help your daughter and he has never given her relief, that you or the dermatologist should go over his head on this one. ***point*** my mother had some bowel problems with minor bleeding. Her doctor referred her to someone and there was a 3 month waiting list. she was not comfortable with this and went right to the top. She insisted she could not wait ... got in sooner and was diagnosed with colon cancer. she would not have survived if she waited 3 months. Granted, this is not the same thing. But... there are ways around and through the system. Please try something if you can, Barbara <<< Her dermatologist recommended that we see a doctor of pediatric infectious diseases thinking that it is odd that she has no hives while on zithromax, however, her peditrician refuses to refer her. (GRRRRR) >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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.

[Guest guest]

Barbara,

May I please insert my viewpoint?

I am really really on a quest to get some people to understand and try what I have learned in the past 14 years! Because I have had this Urt for 14 years, I have done a lot of weird stuff, gave up, tried everything, cried, gave up, and researched, researched, and researched.

Now, first of all. If anyone has hives or Urticaria or Angioedema for over six months of true breakouts, it is considered chronic. If not six months of true breakouts, it is acute. When in the acute stage, there is a 50 % chance that you will actually find the problem and eliminate it quickly. Sometimes, it just goes away and that usually means it is an allergen that disrupted the system for whatever reason. This allergen may not ever bother you again or it may show up years later. This is usually when you hear about someone reacting to something as a child and then years later actually become a hiver or worse, a chronic URT. If the chronic type is you---the sad results show that as of the beginning of 2001, the chances was only 6 % result of your cause of URT. OUCH. That means that a lot of people will never know. Maybe you may feel or are told by friends and families that you just haven't found the right doctor. Trust me on this. There are people on this site that are from all over the world. The statement about the right doctor is really a nonentity because it doesn't matter who the right doctor is for me, it may not be the right doctor for you. I recently read an article from a doctor in Germany and he stated that it is now his belief that there is no "true idiopathic urticiaria". The article went on to include that he feels that it is just because they haven't found the cause of the URT. Therefore, if he is right, there is an answer, but just hasn't been found.

My doctor once told me some interesting things: One is that if antibiotics would make someone well, then I would be the healthiest person in the world!

And...that when a blood test is taken and all the reasons that a doctor basis his diagnosis on only that one time blood test is at fault, because it is like taking a picture of you right now. Not last week, and not last month, the month you were really broken out and couldn't even get into the doctor.

He also said that there is not one definitive test that can diagnose URT. A doctor must look at the whole picture. All of you. The emotional you. The sick you. The depressed you. The badly nourished you. Etc. Etc.

He also said that when he first considered quitting medical practice after over 30 years in the field, he did so because he felt so helpless. He said that he could help cure some diseases but he could not make people well. Most believe that if you can cure the disease, you would make people well.

But that is not the whole truth.

Fast forward to my reason to butt in on your time and life to say what I want to say and that is this: I am no longer going to wonder why I have URT. It is a symptom. It cannot exist in me unless there is something else wrong with me. So, I am going to try to make me better. By diet, by exercise, by mind comforting, by love, by natural and only natural medications whether prescribed or supplements, by elimination and by perseverance. So you may ask at this point....Well...who the hell cares why I (Patti from Texas) is doing this and who the hell am I that can make sense of all of this. I can because....gasp....I am succeeding!

In January this year, I was a walking zombie because for over 13 years I have had some form of URT. I didn't know it had a name until 1987. And I was

thrilled because it had a name, because if it had a name, it would have a diagnosis and it would have a cure if possible. I was so naive.

I had the energy to only sit up about one or two hours a day. I was taking so many drugs that I shouldn't have plus self medicating myself and taking psychotic drugs prescribed by different doctors and some even were the same but just different names, and no, my doctors never talked to each other, because they each knew what to do. Yes, I was psychotic but not because I have a mental illness, but because I had no hope for a future without this constant and horrible itching and swelling and etc. etc. of this horrible stuff called URTICARIA.

My mom and dad cried when we went to an antique fair this past month. They cried because for the first time in years (I am 46) they saw me smile, they saw me laugh, and they saw me alive. It was especially more meaningful for them because we lost my brother last September following years and years of illness (he was a policeman and injured). Our collective hearts broke that day and for my mom and dad, they were so afraid that they would lose me too.

They said that even though they saw me all the time, and saw me in pain, and saw me lose the ability to speak and talk and laugh, they hadn't noticed how bad I was because my brother was dying and he was more critical at the time.

If you have read any of my other long and lengthy letters, I state often that I love words. I do and more than that I can remember them and how to use them! And that's why I am now butting in and telling you what you should consider and if you want more proof I can give you bibliography information and doctors name that will support you when you ask your doctor. And if the doctor says he doesn't think this would help, then ask him how can he say that when he hasn't done the tests I am going to recommend.

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK IS THIS:

Doctor, as we all know, Urticaria is a symptom of something else wrong in my body, right? So, what tests have you done or plan to do to try to find out what else is wrong in my body that is causing this Urticaria?

The following techniques should be inserted into the patient to assist in diagnosis:

First and foremost consider each case to be due to an antigen and don't stop looking until the urticaria is gone.

1. Diet consider: Salicylates, all tartrazines, CANDIDA and other yeasts, preservatives, sulfites, futylate hydroxytoluene, seafoods, tyramine produced by foods that are altered by yeast or molds, regiments of elimination of various food products.

2. Scratch tests - prefer skin tests over RAST tests. Skin tests can be effectively done on any URT patient with the removal of anti-histimines for 3 days. (OH yeah, it is hard...but worth it)

3. Eliminate all possible sources of infection: teeth, sinusitis, gallbladder, tinea or onycholysis, intestinal infections, bladder, kidney, etc.

4. try therapeutic trials which would include safe medicines with all natural products that will help eliminate yeast overgrowth and supplements to assist. There are a lot of different medical trials.

5. Continue antihistimines on a mild basis. Some that are the safest and do not build up in the system are Allegra or Claritin and Benadryl. Some people cannot take Benadryl because of the sleepy effects, but it is still the most reliable.

6. Non-antihistiamines, usually the type to include H1 and H2 blockers.

7. Trials of inducing causes to physical urticaria

8. Reduce possible inhalents to the best of the ability of the patient.

9. Request and compile complete medical history with special regards to these following tests:

Candida Profile IgG

Candida Profile IgA

Candida Profile IgM

Yeast in the system is caused by misuse or overuse of antibiotics, which kill the normal bacteria in our system. This leads to the overgrowth of yeast in the colon. Yeast produces toxins, which lower the resistance of the immune system.

Thyroid, Free T4

TSH

Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibodies

Anti-Microsomal Antibodies

Basal Body Temperature

Blood type

Cholesterol (HDL and LDL)

Triglycerides

Hemoglobin

Hematocrit

Adrenal Serum Cortisol

Free Cortison

AND...if age appropriate

Determination of the effects of Menopause or Andropause (female/male) with interest to: Levels and clinical studies of all hormonal changes, such as Estrogen loss or Progesterone loss or Testosterone loss. NOTE: Most hormonal causes that have proved to cause the perseverance of Urt is Estrogen dominance. That doesn't mean you have too much estrogen (from supplements or regular body mechanics) but it is because you don't have enough progesterone and testosterone (all people-not just men or just women), to keep things in balance. We must have balance.

Bone Density of Hip and Lumbar Spine - and suggest natural preparations for treatment of joint pains.

Mammogram

THE MOST COMMONLY OVERLOOKED MEDICAL PROBLEM THAT CAUSES SOME OF THE MOST DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON THE HUMAN BODY IS:

Functional Hypothryoidism - The reason is because most use the routine thyroid bloods tests. This disease cannot be diagnosed by blood testing alone!

If you have hypothryoidism does that mean you have Urt? If you have Urt does that mena you have hypothryoidism? No. It just means it all works together to be a cause and effect.

If your daughter has started menses, she may have the urt because of new hormonal changes. Don't dismiss this as growing up stuff! And when you mention the stuff about the medicines and antibiotics, then it is very possible she may have a yeast sensitivity. This is usually a low-grade chronic candidiasis. It is because the normal bacterial flora of the mucus membrances is destroyed by some antibiotics. It's just the nature of the beast. Yeast produces toxins that are absorbed in the colon and then enter the bloodstream. This can cause an adverse effect upon the immune system making patients more sensitive to inhalant and food allergens and to chemicals. When the immune system is fatique, then that can result in nervous system disorders (This is why some people place so much emphasis on stress for URT). And when this happens, your body becomes less resistant to infections so you take more antibiotics and so on and so on.

I wish you the best in determination of this horrible and chronic effects of URT!

Hive no more...

Patti

[Guest guest]

Barbara,

May I please insert my viewpoint?

I am really really on a quest to get some people to understand and try what I have learned in the past 14 years! Because I have had this Urt for 14 years, I have done a lot of weird stuff, gave up, tried everything, cried, gave up, and researched, researched, and researched.

Now, first of all. If anyone has hives or Urticaria or Angioedema for over six months of true breakouts, it is considered chronic. If not six months of true breakouts, it is acute. When in the acute stage, there is a 50 % chance that you will actually find the problem and eliminate it quickly. Sometimes, it just goes away and that usually means it is an allergen that disrupted the system for whatever reason. This allergen may not ever bother you again or it may show up years later. This is usually when you hear about someone reacting to something as a child and then years later actually become a hiver or worse, a chronic URT. If the chronic type is you---the sad results show that as of the beginning of 2001, the chances was only 6 % result of your cause of URT. OUCH. That means that a lot of people will never know. Maybe you may feel or are told by friends and families that you just haven't found the right doctor. Trust me on this. There are people on this site that are from all over the world. The statement about the right doctor is really a nonentity because it doesn't matter who the right doctor is for me, it may not be the right doctor for you. I recently read an article from a doctor in Germany and he stated that it is now his belief that there is no "true idiopathic urticiaria". The article went on to include that he feels that it is just because they haven't found the cause of the URT. Therefore, if he is right, there is an answer, but just hasn't been found.

My doctor once told me some interesting things: One is that if antibiotics would make someone well, then I would be the healthiest person in the world!

And...that when a blood test is taken and all the reasons that a doctor basis his diagnosis on only that one time blood test is at fault, because it is like taking a picture of you right now. Not last week, and not last month, the month you were really broken out and couldn't even get into the doctor.

He also said that there is not one definitive test that can diagnose URT. A doctor must look at the whole picture. All of you. The emotional you. The sick you. The depressed you. The badly nourished you. Etc. Etc.

He also said that when he first considered quitting medical practice after over 30 years in the field, he did so because he felt so helpless. He said that he could help cure some diseases but he could not make people well. Most believe that if you can cure the disease, you would make people well.

But that is not the whole truth.

Fast forward to my reason to butt in on your time and life to say what I want to say and that is this: I am no longer going to wonder why I have URT. It is a symptom. It cannot exist in me unless there is something else wrong with me. So, I am going to try to make me better. By diet, by exercise, by mind comforting, by love, by natural and only natural medications whether prescribed or supplements, by elimination and by perseverance. So you may ask at this point....Well...who the hell cares why I (Patti from Texas) is doing this and who the hell am I that can make sense of all of this. I can because....gasp....I am succeeding!

In January this year, I was a walking zombie because for over 13 years I have had some form of URT. I didn't know it had a name until 1987. And I was

thrilled because it had a name, because if it had a name, it would have a diagnosis and it would have a cure if possible. I was so naive.

I had the energy to only sit up about one or two hours a day. I was taking so many drugs that I shouldn't have plus self medicating myself and taking psychotic drugs prescribed by different doctors and some even were the same but just different names, and no, my doctors never talked to each other, because they each knew what to do. Yes, I was psychotic but not because I have a mental illness, but because I had no hope for a future without this constant and horrible itching and swelling and etc. etc. of this horrible stuff called URTICARIA.

My mom and dad cried when we went to an antique fair this past month. They cried because for the first time in years (I am 46) they saw me smile, they saw me laugh, and they saw me alive. It was especially more meaningful for them because we lost my brother last September following years and years of illness (he was a policeman and injured). Our collective hearts broke that day and for my mom and dad, they were so afraid that they would lose me too.

They said that even though they saw me all the time, and saw me in pain, and saw me lose the ability to speak and talk and laugh, they hadn't noticed how bad I was because my brother was dying and he was more critical at the time.

If you have read any of my other long and lengthy letters, I state often that I love words. I do and more than that I can remember them and how to use them! And that's why I am now butting in and telling you what you should consider and if you want more proof I can give you bibliography information and doctors name that will support you when you ask your doctor. And if the doctor says he doesn't think this would help, then ask him how can he say that when he hasn't done the tests I am going to recommend.

THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK IS THIS:

Doctor, as we all know, Urticaria is a symptom of something else wrong in my body, right? So, what tests have you done or plan to do to try to find out what else is wrong in my body that is causing this Urticaria?

The following techniques should be inserted into the patient to assist in diagnosis:

First and foremost consider each case to be due to an antigen and don't stop looking until the urticaria is gone.

1. Diet consider: Salicylates, all tartrazines, CANDIDA and other yeasts, preservatives, sulfites, futylate hydroxytoluene, seafoods, tyramine produced by foods that are altered by yeast or molds, regiments of elimination of various food products.

2. Scratch tests - prefer skin tests over RAST tests. Skin tests can be effectively done on any URT patient with the removal of anti-histimines for 3 days. (OH yeah, it is hard...but worth it)

3. Eliminate all possible sources of infection: teeth, sinusitis, gallbladder, tinea or onycholysis, intestinal infections, bladder, kidney, etc.

4. try therapeutic trials which would include safe medicines with all natural products that will help eliminate yeast overgrowth and supplements to assist. There are a lot of different medical trials.

5. Continue antihistimines on a mild basis. Some that are the safest and do not build up in the system are Allegra or Claritin and Benadryl. Some people cannot take Benadryl because of the sleepy effects, but it is still the most reliable.

6. Non-antihistiamines, usually the type to include H1 and H2 blockers.

7. Trials of inducing causes to physical urticaria

8. Reduce possible inhalents to the best of the ability of the patient.

9. Request and compile complete medical history with special regards to these following tests:

Candida Profile IgG

Candida Profile IgA

Candida Profile IgM

Yeast in the system is caused by misuse or overuse of antibiotics, which kill the normal bacteria in our system. This leads to the overgrowth of yeast in the colon. Yeast produces toxins, which lower the resistance of the immune system.

Thyroid, Free T4

TSH

Anti-Thyroglobulin Antibodies

Anti-Microsomal Antibodies

Basal Body Temperature

Blood type

Cholesterol (HDL and LDL)

Triglycerides

Hemoglobin

Hematocrit

Adrenal Serum Cortisol

Free Cortison

AND...if age appropriate

Determination of the effects of Menopause or Andropause (female/male) with interest to: Levels and clinical studies of all hormonal changes, such as Estrogen loss or Progesterone loss or Testosterone loss. NOTE: Most hormonal causes that have proved to cause the perseverance of Urt is Estrogen dominance. That doesn't mean you have too much estrogen (from supplements or regular body mechanics) but it is because you don't have enough progesterone and testosterone (all people-not just men or just women), to keep things in balance. We must have balance.

Bone Density of Hip and Lumbar Spine - and suggest natural preparations for treatment of joint pains.

Mammogram

THE MOST COMMONLY OVERLOOKED MEDICAL PROBLEM THAT CAUSES SOME OF THE MOST DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON THE HUMAN BODY IS:

Functional Hypothryoidism - The reason is because most use the routine thyroid bloods tests. This disease cannot be diagnosed by blood testing alone!

If you have hypothryoidism does that mean you have Urt? If you have Urt does that mena you have hypothryoidism? No. It just means it all works together to be a cause and effect.

If your daughter has started menses, she may have the urt because of new hormonal changes. Don't dismiss this as growing up stuff! And when you mention the stuff about the medicines and antibiotics, then it is very possible she may have a yeast sensitivity. This is usually a low-grade chronic candidiasis. It is because the normal bacterial flora of the mucus membrances is destroyed by some antibiotics. It's just the nature of the beast. Yeast produces toxins that are absorbed in the colon and then enter the bloodstream. This can cause an adverse effect upon the immune system making patients more sensitive to inhalant and food allergens and to chemicals. When the immune system is fatique, then that can result in nervous system disorders (This is why some people place so much emphasis on stress for URT). And when this happens, your body becomes less resistant to infections so you take more antibiotics and so on and so on.

I wish you the best in determination of this horrible and chronic effects of URT!

Hive no more...

Patti

[Guest guest]

Patti -

I read your missive with get interest -- it sounds like you have a medical degree (which I wish I had right now!) (Of course, you would be "the good doctor") -- I would like to ask you two questions --

What is hypothyroidism? (you said that blood work wouldn't give a definitive answer & my daughter's doctor drew some blood & pronounced her thyroid fine) &

- next -

could you direct me to the literature on the "growing up stuff" & how hormones relate to this (the doctor thinks I'm crazy because I think my daughter's condition has gotten significantly worse in a matter of months -- she is premenstrual, but her body is definitely changing) --

Thanks for your insights.

Irene

[Guest guest]

Patti -

I read your missive with get interest -- it sounds like you have a medical degree (which I wish I had right now!) (Of course, you would be "the good doctor") -- I would like to ask you two questions --

What is hypothyroidism? (you said that blood work wouldn't give a definitive answer & my daughter's doctor drew some blood & pronounced her thyroid fine) &

- next -

could you direct me to the literature on the "growing up stuff" & how hormones relate to this (the doctor thinks I'm crazy because I think my daughter's condition has gotten significantly worse in a matter of months -- she is premenstrual, but her body is definitely changing) --

Thanks for your insights.

Irene

[Guest guest]

Is Alena still allergic to penicillin?

Regarding to her not getting hives on antibiotics...A long story....

...I realized once that when I had a very severe sickness such as a really really nasty case of mouth ulcers (okay, fungi) which I caught from my brother who was dying of liver failure from injuries as a policeman. He had a really bad case due to his system shutdown and all because of the liver and dialysis. I was with him a lot and one day kissed him on the cheek and in two days, I was so so so sick with those same ulcers. He went into a coma a few days later and never knew I had them, which is good, because he was also so fearful of someone getting something from him. He was always worried about the rest of us. I miss him....

But, my point is this, when I had that horrific mouth infection, I had no hives the entire time (about two weeks recovery time). Then I started looking at past notes and realized that when I had a really knock down type of illness, my hives were minimal. Sorta like, I'm sick...no hives. I'm well....hives are there. Immune systems are a mystery to us as well as all doctors. Interesting enough is that during the time I had absolutely no hives was when I had the mouth infection, fungi type. I was on major meds to knock out the fungi (also known as yeast). Then later I had a Candida profile run and guess what, yep...I had sky high results, and am now working on correcting that!

But...the problem with your baby...is that if she gets better, hive wise, on antibiotics, then she may be yeast affected, because of the misuse or overuse of the prior antibiotics she has taken since months of her birth, such as indicated by her reaction to the penicillin.

Can you ask your doctor to do a Candida profile on her? The basis for insurance coverage is there if the doctor can admit that some patients do respond to yeast imbalances following usage of some antibiotics. I can get you real test info if they are being a butt about it.

And I am wondering....could it be that your doctor maybe thinks that you are part of the problem? I'm not suggesting that is true, because I have been where you are worrying about these hives and all...but I do know that some doctors treated me like I was doing something wrong to even cause my hives and made me feel "unwelcome". A few times, I felt like they didn't believe me and that I was lying and making it worse than what it was. I usually went to the doctor by myself, but after about 12 years, my husband started going and he was a get in your face question type of guy and then he saw firsthand how some of the doctors acted like it couldn't be as bad as I said they were. In my vast experience of the myriad of physicians I have met, some really don't know what to do, but have a problem admitting that and secretly wish you would go away.

One thing more...if I may...when you are doing all this reading and you should

be doing all this reading...and then you go to the doctor and tell him about someone else on the URT web site that found out their hives was a result of vaccine, etc., then the doctor may be annoyed thinking that you are not listening to them. And the real truth is that you are listening to him but he isn't listening to you.

Ask him this very simple question: Does he believe that Urticaria or hives is a symptom of some other problem? If he says no, it's a specific disorder, then he is wrong. If he says yes, then ask him what is he doing to find that other disorder! The answer that sometimes they can't ever find out, is not acceptable. I agree that the statement is true, but only in an adult and not in a child. There is no way there is nothing else wrong with Alena. There is something.

I read about you and think about you and your little girl a lot. In fact, I talk about her like I know her and she is actually related to me. Sometimes my daughter says, how is Alena doing today? Or they will want to know about the little girl...and if I suggested to you to do this or do that... I think, every so often, that I may have to come up there and give your doctor a little bit of whoop butt, Texas style. I understand your total exhaustion and the fact that you are scared to death for your baby and you can't do anything else but concentrate on what else to do, and I would imagine that some other part of your life is suffering because of this. That's what Mommies do!

I know that sometimes my family would want to scream if I said "hive" one more time...and I know that most times my doctors would stare into an abyss and wish I would just go away....and most of those times, I did. Thank God they didn't care...because I did finally find out what to do to make me better!

I share your pain...

But...don't let them make you feel like you are nuts worrying about this.

Patti

[Guest guest]

Is Alena still allergic to penicillin?

Regarding to her not getting hives on antibiotics...A long story....

...I realized once that when I had a very severe sickness such as a really really nasty case of mouth ulcers (okay, fungi) which I caught from my brother who was dying of liver failure from injuries as a policeman. He had a really bad case due to his system shutdown and all because of the liver and dialysis. I was with him a lot and one day kissed him on the cheek and in two days, I was so so so sick with those same ulcers. He went into a coma a few days later and never knew I had them, which is good, because he was also so fearful of someone getting something from him. He was always worried about the rest of us. I miss him....

But, my point is this, when I had that horrific mouth infection, I had no hives the entire time (about two weeks recovery time). Then I started looking at past notes and realized that when I had a really knock down type of illness, my hives were minimal. Sorta like, I'm sick...no hives. I'm well....hives are there. Immune systems are a mystery to us as well as all doctors. Interesting enough is that during the time I had absolutely no hives was when I had the mouth infection, fungi type. I was on major meds to knock out the fungi (also known as yeast). Then later I had a Candida profile run and guess what, yep...I had sky high results, and am now working on correcting that!

But...the problem with your baby...is that if she gets better, hive wise, on antibiotics, then she may be yeast affected, because of the misuse or overuse of the prior antibiotics she has taken since months of her birth, such as indicated by her reaction to the penicillin.

Can you ask your doctor to do a Candida profile on her? The basis for insurance coverage is there if the doctor can admit that some patients do respond to yeast imbalances following usage of some antibiotics. I can get you real test info if they are being a butt about it.

And I am wondering....could it be that your doctor maybe thinks that you are part of the problem? I'm not suggesting that is true, because I have been where you are worrying about these hives and all...but I do know that some doctors treated me like I was doing something wrong to even cause my hives and made me feel "unwelcome". A few times, I felt like they didn't believe me and that I was lying and making it worse than what it was. I usually went to the doctor by myself, but after about 12 years, my husband started going and he was a get in your face question type of guy and then he saw firsthand how some of the doctors acted like it couldn't be as bad as I said they were. In my vast experience of the myriad of physicians I have met, some really don't know what to do, but have a problem admitting that and secretly wish you would go away.

One thing more...if I may...when you are doing all this reading and you should

be doing all this reading...and then you go to the doctor and tell him about someone else on the URT web site that found out their hives was a result of vaccine, etc., then the doctor may be annoyed thinking that you are not listening to them. And the real truth is that you are listening to him but he isn't listening to you.

Ask him this very simple question: Does he believe that Urticaria or hives is a symptom of some other problem? If he says no, it's a specific disorder, then he is wrong. If he says yes, then ask him what is he doing to find that other disorder! The answer that sometimes they can't ever find out, is not acceptable. I agree that the statement is true, but only in an adult and not in a child. There is no way there is nothing else wrong with Alena. There is something.

I read about you and think about you and your little girl a lot. In fact, I talk about her like I know her and she is actually related to me. Sometimes my daughter says, how is Alena doing today? Or they will want to know about the little girl...and if I suggested to you to do this or do that... I think, every so often, that I may have to come up there and give your doctor a little bit of whoop butt, Texas style. I understand your total exhaustion and the fact that you are scared to death for your baby and you can't do anything else but concentrate on what else to do, and I would imagine that some other part of your life is suffering because of this. That's what Mommies do!

I know that sometimes my family would want to scream if I said "hive" one more time...and I know that most times my doctors would stare into an abyss and wish I would just go away....and most of those times, I did. Thank God they didn't care...because I did finally find out what to do to make me better!

I share your pain...

But...don't let them make you feel like you are nuts worrying about this.

Patti

[Guest guest]

Dear Barbara

Sorry to hear about your daughter's allergic reaction. The only "good" thing is that these sort of reactions are usually over and done with in a few days. My own daughter who is 14 has had hives after viral illnesses for a few days at a time, very occasionally. She has said the same thing, about having more insight now into how I have been feeling for the last nine years or so, bless her little heart. In her case, she was able to manage with regular doses of liquid piriton, and lots of the Chinese cream I was using at the time for my own hives. Since then I have found that Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion with aloe vera and cucumber does the job just as well, with none of the possible side effects of the Chinese cream, which possibly contained steroids. Hope your daughter is all better very soon, best wishes, Carol

Re: more hives-my daughter

Oh my --- My poor daughter. We found she was allergic to the Penicillin's at the young age of 3. She has been able to take other antibiotics when needed, though. She has been able to take Ceftin for many infections also. Three days ago, she had a sinus/lung infection and began taking Ceftin. After one tablet, she began to cough. We thought she was clearing out her congestion. After the third tablet, she had 1 large bulbous hive on her elbow and a few small ones. We gave her benadryl and 1 of my Proventil pills. This morning she woke with 3 hives the size of dollar bills and more hives covering about 20% of her little 14 year-old body. We went to our allergist right away. She was given an adrenalin shot, liquid Prednisone, and had a nebulizer treatment. We have a list of things to do and schedules for quite awhile. In the midst of all of this she said, "Mom, now I know what you have been going through." Poor sweetie. Now she is allergic to the penicillins and the cephalosporins. Oh, my. when our kids are ill, its so hard ... Barbara ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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.

[Guest guest]

Dear Barbara

Sorry to hear about your daughter's allergic reaction. The only "good" thing is that these sort of reactions are usually over and done with in a few days. My own daughter who is 14 has had hives after viral illnesses for a few days at a time, very occasionally. She has said the same thing, about having more insight now into how I have been feeling for the last nine years or so, bless her little heart. In her case, she was able to manage with regular doses of liquid piriton, and lots of the Chinese cream I was using at the time for my own hives. Since then I have found that Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion with aloe vera and cucumber does the job just as well, with none of the possible side effects of the Chinese cream, which possibly contained steroids. Hope your daughter is all better very soon, best wishes, Carol

Re: more hives-my daughter

Oh my --- My poor daughter. We found she was allergic to the Penicillin's at the young age of 3. She has been able to take other antibiotics when needed, though. She has been able to take Ceftin for many infections also. Three days ago, she had a sinus/lung infection and began taking Ceftin. After one tablet, she began to cough. We thought she was clearing out her congestion. After the third tablet, she had 1 large bulbous hive on her elbow and a few small ones. We gave her benadryl and 1 of my Proventil pills. This morning she woke with 3 hives the size of dollar bills and more hives covering about 20% of her little 14 year-old body. We went to our allergist right away. She was given an adrenalin shot, liquid Prednisone, and had a nebulizer treatment. We have a list of things to do and schedules for quite awhile. In the midst of all of this she said, "Mom, now I know what you have been going through." Poor sweetie. Now she is allergic to the penicillins and the cephalosporins. Oh, my. when our kids are ill, its so hard ... Barbara ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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.