Hives...

[mpalmer118]

It has been a really up and down week for Rachel. We have been seeing an increase in attacks for about a week, but sort of wrote it off as hormones, and growth. I am really thinking the next visit to neuro we will have to discuss an increase in meds.

Tues night (really Wed. early am) she came down saying her hair and neck were hurting and itching, when I looked at her she had hives everywhere. Her neck/throat/upper chest actually looked like it was burned, bright red and swollen, everywhere had classic hives. So after debating about urgent care, I made a middle of the night trip to the store and bought some benadryl. In the morning the hives were more contained to her trunk, but as the day progressed they spread over her entire body...literally. The only places without hives is her palms and her the bottom of her feet. Her muted sense of feeling has actually been a benefit here as only the most severe areas are really bothering her.

The doctor doesn't seem concerned about trying to find a source, but I am. Isn't it true that if you have had one severe reaction to something the next time it could be worse (breathing difficulties)??? I have been trying to think about what it could be and the only two things that stand out are a new brand of candy corn with extra added honey that her grandma gave her Tuesday afternoon, or fleas. I don't know why but the fleas have been horrible this year in everyone's yards. So now I am torn between thinking it is a honey allergy or a flea allergy.

Any ideas?? Also any ideas for discomfort? The benadryl only seems to be marginally helping.

[Mother's Heart]

or,..ssssh....drug allergy. Did the dr actually see the hives? I know she has been on the dopamine awhile (thank goodness) but ahve there been any other new meds in the last two months?

I think the honey candy sounds like a likely culprit. how much of it did she have?

[grace]

did you put calamine on her? or baking soda paste? hives shouldn't really last that long and so completely covering her body...so, i'd find out a cause....allergies are really bad right now though. zech swells from grass though that isn't this season here. now it is ragweed where we live (north)... keep giving the benadryl...

sorry she's struggling. Is your dh managing decently?

hugs to all.

[mpalmer118]

CJ...bite your tongue ;) The thought actually crossed my mind b/c I know drug allergies are strange things. It would be devastating if it was the sinemet. I called the doctor today and he mentioned that if they don't resolve we will have to discontinue the meds to see if that is it, but I really am leaning more towards honey, call it denial :p b/c it is not allowed to be the meds!! She has never cared for honey, so hasn't had much exposure and she ate most of a small bag candy corn (maybe 1 cup) over the course of the afternoon.

She is allergic to calamine, well technically to zinc oxide which is in most topical creams. I did a baking soda for her last night, I would have to dip her whole body in something to be able to get all the spots. Her abdomen and legs are the worst right now. The entire area from her chest down to just past her belly button is one large welt. The doctor did say that severe hives can take 7-10 days to resolve. So I guess we will just wait it out.

Patrick is doing okay. Having a rough time with this round of chemo and already dreading the next, but knowing that it is working makes it all more bearable. thx for asking.

[Lauren88]

:( ((Rachel)) ((Mary)) ((Patrick)) that sounds miserable, I have no idea sorry but I am thinking of you and really hope you get a solution soon which DOESN'T involve discontinuing the sinemet! hugs x

[Mother's Heart]

any chance Grandma washed an outfit in her own laundry detergent? different from yours?

donovan's food allergies and drug allergies both made him look like he had been burned. One thanksgiving we were trying to figure out how he got past the stove sentry we'd posted whilst a tea kettle heated without anybody knowing it....we really thought he'd been badly scalded....from his chest all up the side of his neck and into his hair behind his ear. It was amazing. and a warm bath made it look really amazing! I think that one was a sulfa drug allergy, three weeks into the drug.

i'm also praying it's honey and for the sinemet to be protected...it's just too important for her.

[Ladybug]

Dermoplast antibacterial pain relieving spray is great for pain and itch as it lightly numbs the area and keeps infection away, but I only use it on local areas, not the whole body. The other one is Band-Aid anti-itch gel for problem areas again, not the whole body and it smells of menthol, so it is soothing. With whole body rashes, I just use aveeno cream. Can she tolerate an Aveeno bath? You have to be careful though with any of these as I don't know if she reacts to fragrance or oatmeal, etc in some of the ingredients. It would not likely be a flea reaction as the bites are usually only on the lower legs and local for reactions. It would not be contact rash if it is the entire body as her clothes would not cover everything. More likely would be something ingested like food or the med or even the combo of the two only in that instance. It could even be a chemical inhalation reaction, but that is usually just the upper body and respiratory involvement. If the rash is improving, it would be something she is no longer taking. If it is not improving, I would look at something she is continuing. With many of the meds, the reactions can actually happen 2 months after taking it (antibiotic for example), after discontinuing a drug, and even months after being on the same drug. With the allergic reactions, yes your body generally becomes more quickly and intensely reactive to the allergen with each exposure because your body recognizes it quicker as something foreign that it recognizes now. I would also want to identify the culprit and not just let it go. Benadryl is obviously the best for treatment, but you just have to make sure she is not still reacting to something and something worse develops.