MY PERSONAL ORDEAL WITH “HIVES”
Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria
This blog is in no way suggesting that you don’t see a physician. Severe cases of hives
without proper medical care can be a life or death situation.
This is MY PERSONAL ordeal with HIVES.
HISTORY: Almost 19 years of HIVES (Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria)-which basically means
long time hives that they don’t know what I am allergic to.
 Onset began on my daughter’s birthday when she turned 1 year old (June 21 st,
1997)
o She will be 19 in one month
 Had all kinds of tests
o Blood work
o Allergy tests, etc.
 Positive results-allergic to grass
 Breakouts off and on for 19 years.
o ER a couple of times for major outbreaks.
o Hospitalized once for major outbreak (hives in mouth, throat and stomach).
 Found out I could NOT take steroid shots (Decadron) – major
stomach issues that landed me in the hospital.
 Just took Benadryl at night (liquid if I felt them in my mouth).
APRIL 2014 Major outbreak of hives. (This outbreak is still on-going after 13 months).
NOTES:
 When I first start to break out it feels like a sweat bee is stinging me.
 I notice I break out more at night than during the day starting around 4pm and
increasing through the night.
 I went to the doctor and they took blood tests and called me back and said that the
only test that came back positive was the test for INFLAMATION which was the
HIVES. Duh!!!!!! I already knew that.
 I traveled one weekend to Birmingham Alabama and thought maybe just maybe
that if the hives were due to my environment that I wouldn’t break out. Wrong.
Had severe outbreak.
 When I have severe outbreaks I get so sick sometimes putting me in the bed. (This
just what happened in Alabama). Could not function the hives over-whelmed me.
 When the hives get on the bottom of my feet, in the finger joints, elbow or knee
joints I can hardly walk or move. (I found out via the internet that this could
possibly be URTICARIAL VASCULITIS-when I get these they are not raised and
are under the skin most of the time, inflamed and hurt). Most of the time I have
these AND the welts too.
 Cold showers help the inflammation from the hives to calm down.
 Took Fexofenadine (generic for Allegra) because it is non-drowsy so I could
function at work but still had major out breaks.
 Took 2 Benedryl (only when I couldn’t sleep for days and days because I was in
misery) but still had major outbreaks with no sleep.
SUNDAY MAY 3rd 2015-Is there light at the end of this HIVE tunnel?
After many many many many major outbreaks and many many many sleepless
nights, a Nurse at church mentioned she takes SINGULAR from April – June for
her major allergies. She also mentioned that she took it the same time every day.
I read on the internet for a couple of days on many many on-line blogs and articles
regarding hives.
Some suggestions were a “cocktail” of meds that worked together for major
complicated Chronic hives.
MAY 5th, 2015
o I had already taken one generic Allegra in the morning
o Started the following 3 Med Regimen (COCKTAIL) at 7:34 pm (the nurse above said to
take Singular the same time every day). I set the alarm on my cell phone to remind me.
1. One each Montelukast-(generic for Singulair)
2. One each Fexofenadine Hcl-(generic for Allegra)
3. One each Rantidine-(generic for Zantac 75)-see printout why you would even take
a stomach medicine for hives.
MAY 6th 2015-1st day after starting 3 Med Regimen the
night before-Yay!….I can already tell the difference.
o I had about 30 hives this morning (hundreds the day before).
o I slept better than I had in a long long time. (Did not wake up with intense itching
and scratching).
o Took one Generic Allegra in the morning.
 Felt better this day than I had in a long long time. I give God all the praise.
o 7:34 PM-Generic Singular, Generic Allegra, Generic Zantac
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC!!!!!
MAY 7TH-2nd day after starting 3 Med Regimen
o I had about 10 hives this morning (30 the day before)
o I slept better AGAIN-Praise the Lord!
o I thought to NOT take the generic Allegra this morning (I don’t want to overmedicate).
o At lunch time between 12:45 and 1pm, while eating a salad and drinking water for
lunch, I started to feel a hive “sting”.
o Thought to write down all I had eaten today.
 BF Coffee
 2 Cinnamon & Raisin biscuits from Hardees
 LUNCH Water
 Grilled Chicken Salad-(Grilled chicken, Mixed lettuce, Boiled eggs,
Mozzarella Cheese, Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, crackers and Ranch
Dressing).
Watching to see if any welts raise up. No welts. All is well.
STILL CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC!!!!!
MAY 9TH, 2015
Only a few hives each day now where I had HUNDRED’S before. The HIVES are what I call
“at bay”. I have been sleeping better.
MAY 10TH, 2015
 I mentioned to a doctor friend of mine what meds I had been taking and where I had
hundreds of hives a few days ago, I only have a few now.
o He said it was the “cocktail” of meds mixed together that are working.
 I quit taking the one Fexofenadine (generic for Allegra) in the morning because I didn’t
want to over medicate myself.
o I noticed I would start breaking out a little more so I started taking it again in the
morning as well as the 3 meds at night.
Note: If you can get your doctor to prescribe Singular get it at the pharmacy and the other
two I got at Walmart.
MAY 12, 2015
 One week ago I started the “cocktail” – (3 meds)
o for HIVES that I have suffered with for almost 19 years.
 I can truly say that I have felt better this last week than I have in a long long while.
 I have slept better too!
Still CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.
The hives are “at bay”.
At least I can FUNCTION.
MAY 16TH 2015
 I definitely have to take the Allegra also in the morning. I accidently missed another day
and got about 20 hives.
 I am drinking more water.
 Still sleeping better at night and I am not waking up itching from the hives.
 I am planning on staying on this ‘cocktail’ for a few months and I pray that I can wean
off some of the meds in the future.
I do realize that everyone is not the same and what helps me may or may not help others. I pray
someone that may read this blog will see there are other alternatives and to not be discouraged.
I pray for them to get some relief from the misery of hives and can function better to live a
normal joyful life.
I give all the praise to Jesus for it is my personal belief that
He gives men the knowledge to make medicines to help
people.