FAS has upgraded our forum security. Some members may need to log in again. If you are unable to remember your login information, please email food.allergy.supt@flash.net and we will help you get back in. Thanks for your patience!

Author Topic: Mystery hives in the a.m.  (Read 31140 times)

Description: and once in the p.m.

Offline MommyOfTwo+1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 513
Mystery hives in the a.m.
« on: April 23, 2012, 12:04:23 PM »
DS1 has never had a problem with specific allergies. He was diagnosed with NON-allergic rhinitis but we have the symptoms managed with twice daily saline nose spray, pseudoephedrine in the morning and benadryl at night. He has has spt's done twice and shown positive to nothing.

Starting Saturday morning he has started waking up with hives. Mostly over his arms, his legs, his lower trunk area.  They hurt him, they say it feels like metal stabbing him and itches really bad.  I put cortisone on them and they go away within 30 minutes or so.  But he also got them really bad Saturday evening around 4pm after having gone to the mall and library.

I'm rewashing his bedding this morning, we always use a free and clear detergent and haven't made any changes. I put all his stuffed animals and whatever couldn't be washed in the dryer on high for 2 hours. 

I checked his bed to make sure there were no buggy critters there and the pest control is coming over today as well. 

I would think it was something in his bed or something but then he had them really bad Saturday early evening....I should have taken a photo this morning but I will tomorrow for sure if it happens again.

The only commonality I can think of is chocolate maybe? He has been eating chocolate for dessert at night and when at the mall I let him share my decaf iced mocha.  But even then would chocolate for dessert give hives in the morning? I'm baffled! Anyone have any other ideas?

Offline YouKnowWho

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 12,200
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2012, 12:16:14 PM »
Any chance the pollen count is up - not in general necessarily, but to something specific?

I have been dealing with hives off and on for the last few weeks.  My allergy cup is just full.  Grass is rising and while I have never tested for it, I suspect it's an issue for me especially since much happened after DH cut the lawn and I bathed the kids who had been out "helping".  I made the cardinal mistake of switching shampoos to one that never bothered me before - had even used the same container of it.  Add in cutting a banana for my daughter without precautions (usually I glove up or let DS1 do it).  And the result was hives all over my hands but the worst were those on my face and down the back of my neck. 
DS1 - Wheat, rye, barley and egg
DS2 - peanuts
DD -  tree nuts, soy and sunflower
Me - bananas, eggplant, many drugs
Southeast USA

Offline momma2boys

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 4,811
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2012, 01:40:55 PM »
Has he been getting over heated at night, waking up sweaty?  Does he take a bath or shower before bed?  Have his bedroom windows been open at all?
peanut, treenut, sesame
Northeast, US

Offline MommyOfTwo+1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 513
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2012, 02:17:46 PM »
I know the pollen count around here is high because I can see it all over my car! lol

I was thinking heat too and I asked if he has been getting hot at night but he says no.  He just has one blanket on his bed.  I've been dressing him a little lighter in just light pants and t-shirt even though the lows around here are in the low 40's and I keep the heat down.  He does take showers at night but doesn't have his windows open.

He just got home from school and said he had more before lunch and after lunch...sigh...I will be calling the dr!

Offline AllergyMum

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3,033
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2012, 02:33:04 PM »
Could they be caused by a virus by any chance.  Has be been sick or seems to be getting sick
DS - Dairy, Egg, PN, TN, Drug allergies
Canada

Offline MommyOfTwo+1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 513
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2012, 02:39:21 PM »
Not sick at all or the beginnings of and I say unfortunately just because at least that would be a reason to explain the hives  :-/

Offline Mookie86

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6,374
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2012, 04:27:49 PM »
When I had my viral hives, I had no other symptoms of illness for several days.  Five days into it, I got a sore throat, swollen glands, and fever.  A friend told me that her son had viral hives years ago and never had any symptoms besides the hives.  Did you see my thread with the photo of my hives?  My friend said her son's viral hives looked identical, so it would be telling if your son's hives look the same.

Offline MommyOfTwo+1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 513
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2012, 04:55:41 PM »
I don't recall seeing those photos, are they here in Main or in Off Topic? I'm totally kicking myself for not taking pics this morning.  I'm going to have my camera next to my bed in the morning so I can take one first thing.  He has some that are giant with just the red rings and others that are smaller that are completely filled in with red.

Did your hives itch? He said his feel like metal stabbing into him and some itch really bad and others don't. 

I made him an appt for tomorrow afternoon.

Offline MommyOfTwo+1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 513
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #8 on: April 23, 2012, 07:14:42 PM »
I found your post Mookie.  DS1's hives are actually much bigger and more spacing in between.  But I did start reading up more on viral hives and I'm thinking that could very well be what it is.  Though most of what I'm reading from Dr. Google says is best to get control of the hives or they can just become worse and worse.  Which might also be why his hives were so bad this morning and he is now getting them more and more frequently.  His back had some pretty big welts on it tonight.  I'll try to get pics uploaded tomorrow.  Hopefully the dr will be able to get us going in a good direction to get them under control.

Offline Mookie86

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6,374
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2012, 07:55:52 PM »
I was about to find the thread and post a link to it, so I'm glad you posted that you already found it.

When does he go to the doctor?  I hope you get it under control soon and that he's comfortable.

Offline GoingNuts

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 9,715
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2012, 08:14:08 PM »
My niece and my elder DS used to get viral hives.  Hers were textbook - they lasted about 10 days - 2 weeks and were gone.  I'll spare you the details of DS's.  Suffice it to say his we're a little unusual.  ~)
"Speak out against the madness" - David Crosby
N.E. US

Offline rebekahc

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 3,429
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2012, 10:48:06 PM »
Sorry to hear about the hives!  I wonder - if not viral, maybe something he is allergic to environmentally that just wasn't prevalent where you used to live, but is in your new locale?  They say it usually takes a couple of seasons of exposure to develop local allergies, that's why I thought it could be something there's just a lot more of than before.
TX - USA
DS - peanut, tree nut, milk, eggs, corn, soy, several meds, many environmentals. Finally back on Xolair!
DD - mystery anaphylaxis, shellfish.
DH - banana/avocado, aspirin.  Asthma.
Me - peanut, tree nut, shellfish, banana/avocado/latex,  some meds.

Offline MommyOfTwo+1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 513
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #12 on: April 24, 2012, 07:27:02 AM »
Yeah it is just so hard to say! I want to say viral and I asked him again this morning if ANYTHING was hurting or feeling funny or if he felt sick at all (does it hurt when he pees, is his throat scratchy, does his face hurt...) and he said no to all.  I guess we will go over options today at the appt.

Here are his hives on his arm and on his back.



twinturbo

  • Guest
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #13 on: April 24, 2012, 07:37:19 AM »
Make sure to check if it's erythma multiforme a virus that causes a type of hive dissimilar to allergic hives. Those discolored outer rings initially make me think viral. DS1 has had EM before and it took 3 doctors to figure out it wasn't caused by allergic reaction. The treatment was Benadryl around the clock for a few days. But... the raises flat areas (if that's what I'm seeing on my tiny phone screen) make me think not EM.

Offline MommyOfTwo+1

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 513
Re: Mystery hives in the a.m.
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2012, 07:42:30 AM »
Yeah he has areas where they are totally flat and the irregular rings then he has tiny mosquito bite looking ones, then he has ones that are totally filled in with red that are raised and bumpy that are anywhere from the size of a dime to the size of a softball.  His arms actually weren't as bad as they were yesterday.  His legs were worse this morning but to take a photo that would have required him to drop his pants and he didn't want me taking of photo! I understood  ;)