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Sudden hives every time I go outside?

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Posted 7/30/2022 5:50 AM (GMT -8)
Hello,

I've had a cough for a few weeks, a week ago a doctor recommended I took antihistamines in case it was allergy related. I took one dose of Piriton I think it was. The next day I went outside for a walk at night time for 20 mins and I broke out in hives all over my arms and legs! I saw another doctor who recommended I took Piriton for it because that's what's supposed to help so I took a few more doses over the next 24 hours or so. A couple of days after that I broke out in hives when I went for a walk outside in the daytime. I haven't taken Piriton for a few days now, and last night I broke out in hives when I went for a walk for less than 10 mins at nighttime. And today I have literally just gone outside for a few seconds and hives has broken out on my legs...

Does anyone have any idea what could be going on here?? I also have stuff on the bottom of my legs which looks like loads of red dots, I'm wondering if these bites or could be some kind of rash also. Those ones never go away. They could potentially be bites although they're a lot of them. I'm on sulfasalazine and Stelara but I've been on both for years (Stelara at least over a year I think). Could anyone help explain what might be going on here and why I'm suddenly breaking out in hives for the first time ever as an adult? Could I suddenly have developed some kind of pollen allergy out of nowhere or could something else be going on?
Posted 7/30/2022 7:59 AM (GMT -8)
The hives could be an allergy from certain foods, medications, insect bites. You could try Benadryl, Allegra or Zrytec.
Posted 7/30/2022 11:58 AM (GMT -8)
Cw...wow, interesting dilemma re hives and how fast the reaction.
I also suggest another allergy med.

Have you added a new supplement, med or new body product recently?
Are there fires in your area....could be smoke and a body reaction.

I suggest you request an appt with an allergist for testing.

Hope you get an answer soon,
q
Posted 7/30/2022 12:58 PM (GMT -8)
Was there any sun at all when you went out at night? Some medications will give you an allergic reaction to sunlight. Had it once and it was horrible. Do they hives go away when you’re back inside?

Do you have a dermatologist?
Posted 7/30/2022 4:39 PM (GMT -8)
Thank you guys. The only new med I took recently is Piriton the antihistamine! The day after is when this started. Is it possible it could be my body doesn’t like Piriton, or is that unlikely? Why would it only happen when I’m outside? (As far as I can tell anyway.) It was nighttime and the sun wasn’t out at all a couple times and it still happened. I will try to see a doctor on Monday about this.
Posted 7/30/2022 5:50 PM (GMT -8)
I’m also concerned that I’ve been hearing crackling type sounds every time I breathe in and out for 2-3 days, I probably should’ve gone to a doctor for this already. They’re getting louder
Posted 7/30/2022 6:25 PM (GMT -8)
Okay, I am curious about the hives that only appear when you go outside, and not just in the sun. But the crackling sounds when you breathe could be quite serious, so yeah you are right, you should see a doctor about it as soon as you can.

Obviously, please mention both issues! I am intrigued to know if they could be related.
Posted 7/30/2022 7:22 PM (GMT -8)

Serenity Now said...
Okay, I am curious about the hives that only appear when you go outside, and not just in the sun. But the crackling sounds when you breathe could be quite serious, so yeah you are right, you should see a doctor about it as soon as you can.

Obviously, please mention both issues! I am intrigued to know if they could be related.

It’s early hours of the morning here during the weekend atm, do you think it’ll be alright for it to wait a couple days before I see the doctor? I’ve never had these sounds when I breathe before so I don’t know how serious they could be
Posted 7/30/2022 8:23 PM (GMT -8)
Is it uncomfortable to breathe, like does it feel like wheezing, is your chest tight? I wheeze from allergies if I don't take my medicine but it's very uncomfortable, but just the noise, and it's more of a high pitched noise so maybe not what you're talking about at all.

Is there an urgent care you can go to tomorrow?

Very strange. I personally wouldn't take anymore of that medicine.
Posted 7/30/2022 8:29 PM (GMT -8)
If you can go to an urgent care, like Sara suggested, then that might not be a bad idea. Otherwise, as long as you can breathe fine, I think you should be able to wait a couple of days if that's the soonest.
Posted 7/30/2022 8:29 PM (GMT -8)
Also loop your GI in bc sulfasalazine can cause sun sensitivity. And tell every doctor you see you're on sulfa and Stelara.
Posted 7/30/2022 8:47 PM (GMT -8)
Aw thank you you two smile I really appreciate it. I will leave it tonight unless it gets bad with struggling to breathe or something, tomorrow I will go to urgent care. I will make sure to let the GI know asap also bc they’re usually extremely helpful with all sorts of things and I haven’t ruled out that something weird could be happening with Stelara or sulfasalazine. I don’t actually think Stelara is really helping my colitis so I may see if I can come off it now anyway. It does all feel a bit weird to me atm, it could be the hives and cough are separate and just coincidence they’ve come up around similar times. I’m sure we will get to the bottom of this mystery soon…
Posted 7/30/2022 9:26 PM (GMT -8)
Just a quick thought...

I had something similar happen. It only occurred when I went out where it was warmer.... Then it got even worse everytime when I went out in the sun. It took 6 months to diagnose. (After summer was over) It got better when the weather cooled down.

It ended up being heat intolerance, an allergy to sunshine and then psoriasis. It still happens during the summer if I am not careful and when I am flaring.

The cough though---that almost sounds like an allergy and asthma. I get that around ragweed.

So I dunno. I do agree with the others. I'd get the cough checked out and I'd include the info on the others.

Please let us know how it goes.
Clo
Posted 7/30/2022 9:27 PM (GMT -8)
Keep us posted. Very strange things happened to me on Humira after increasing my dose.
Posted 7/30/2022 9:44 PM (GMT -8)

Sara14 said...
Keep us posted. Very strange things happened to me on Humira after increasing my dose.


I’m really hoping it’s the Stelara or Piriton bc I am hoping to come off Stelara anyway so after a few months max hopefully these weirdnesses would go away, and I last took Piriton on Wednesday morning I think. It is all a bit weird and it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s related to biologic bc I’ve no doubt weird stuff could happen on those but I’m gonna get checked out and I’ll keep you posted! What kind of weird things happened to you on Humira?
Posted 7/30/2022 9:57 PM (GMT -8)
Yeah, hopefully it's an easy fix like that. Humira gave me severe lightheadedness and a feeling like I was about to pass out over and over for much of the day. It was very scary and also pretty much unheard of, but it went away about 2 weeks after I stopped Humira. Had all kinds of tests and labwork done and everything said I was normal. It did nothing for my UC anyway. Maybe ask about seeing an allergist too.
Posted 7/30/2022 10:28 PM (GMT -8)
Hmm weird, hives just came up again, but didn’t go outside this time. My window’s been open, could that be it? I took sulfasalazine and had some nutella on toast…

So strange! Maybe it’s just random?
Posted 7/30/2022 11:15 PM (GMT -8)
Chicken Wings,

Do you have any allergic symptoms... Stuffy or runny nose? Headache? Is it just hives and feeling itchy? How may bumps are there? Are the bumps raised up or flat on the skin,?. How long do they last,?

Clo
Posted 7/31/2022 12:27 AM (GMT -8)
Doesn't sound good at all considering your lungs are also affected.
I agree to get to an urgent care asap...get checked for Covid as well.

Please let us know the outcome.

q
Posted 7/31/2022 1:31 AM (GMT -8)
It can be tricky to figure out what causes your hives.

It's *possible* you're allergic to the antihistamine, or to some ingredient that comes with it, but that's pretty rare.

Or you could have developed an allergy to a soap or detergent or something similar.

Or you could have a viral infection. It's a little uncommon but not at all unheard of to break out in hives during and for a while after an infection.

Or this could be a sign you're developing an allergy to the Stelara.

Or you could have something like cholinergic urticaria (breaking out in hives any time you get hot, like from exercise or being out in the sun on hot days).

The point is, it could be from a lot of things and will take some time and some experimenting to figure out what's going on.

The cough and crackling is a little concerning and should be checked out by a doctor. That could indicate an infection or lung inflammation.
Posted 7/31/2022 1:41 AM (GMT -8)
Further thoughts:

Seeing that you're on sulfasalazine, that too should be a suspect for allergic reaction.

Also, the red dots on your lower legs might be what's called 'petechiae,' which are like tiny spots of capillary bleeding, like tiny bruises almost. I've had that from allergic reactions to antibiotics. You can google "petechiae" for lots of info and pictures.

You should get your lungs checked out and get lots of blood tests done for starters.

You could also try a different antihistamine, such as benadryl (diphenhydramine) or zyrtec (cetirizine).
Posted 7/31/2022 8:59 AM (GMT -8)
Very strange. Let us know what urgent care says. I forgot to mention when you asked that Humira also gave me severe migraines.
Posted 8/1/2022 6:09 PM (GMT -8)
Did you go to the doctor yet? What did they say?
Posted 8/5/2022 8:04 AM (GMT -8)
This isn’t completely solved, but potentially gotten a lot closer! My main concern over the past few days has overwhelmingly been a loud crackling type sound every time I breathe in and out that gets worse when I cough. I saw another doctor and he said it is postnasal drip that seems to have caused a bit of bronchitis. A chest X ray of the lungs was normal. The problem seems to be in the airways. He has prescribed me a nasal spray and he said if I do it for a week I will be feeling much better. I’ve been on antibiotics for a few days and an inhaler that another doctor prescribed just in case. I’m taking antihistamines for the hives. The postnasal drip could potentially be caused by allergies. I have an allergy blood test booked next week. I’m wondering if I’ve suddenly developed some allergy to some pollen or something.

So glad I seem to have an explanation! I was very worried as I had no idea what it was and I knew there was some chance it could potentially be serious. So glad the doctor doesn’t think it is and I apparently have an answer. Presumably not caused by sulfasalazine or Stelara either then. I will see how it goes over the next week or two, hopefully it’ll clear up now!
Posted 8/5/2022 9:00 AM (GMT -8)
That is reassuring to hear! I'm glad you got it checked out and hopefully it does clear up.
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