So I have nearly reached my 4-month mark of no hives (after 7 months of having them!). The hives have been absent all winter (except for the couple that I got on the day I had my skin scratch test for tree nuts). No antihistamines either at all.
Although I am eager to have the "green" return to the landscape, I also have real worries that the pollens will mean that the hives will come back.
As for the red flushing/blotching issue, I am now thinking my birth control pill may be a contributor to that. I have just recently noticed that when I am between birth control packs and taking the 'placebo' pills, I don't have those issue on those days. Then when I start the hormone pills back, within 1-2 days, it starts up again. I am seeing my gynecologist next week to discuss changing the pill type, to see if that affects it at all.
We shall see!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Monday, March 4, 2013
New dermatologist says the redness is mild rosacea
Ya know, I just don't know what to believe any more! Early last week, I saw a different dermatologist, to show that my Keratosis Pilaris hasn't been improving with the previously prescribed cream (called Urea cream). I took the visit opportunity to re-inquire about my flushing and light pink blotches on lower cheeks and neck that are now there all the time. He said that I am likely, as I am aging, prone to a mild form of rosacea. He does NOT think it is cholinergic urticaria, because I don't get hives or bumps when I flush. So working under the assumption of rosacia, he prescribed a cream for me to try for that, which I will start doing this week. He said that people with rosacea tend to "flush" more easily. (He also prescribed me a different cream try to on my KP.) But I don't think it's rosacea... it's not like pimples, it's more under the skin. Sigh.
I have remained hives free... until today, I think. Maybe, just maybe, I see a few small red hives on the top of my left hand. No idea why or if they are even hives. When they are small like that, smaller than the size of a corn kernel in this case, it can be hard to tell. I am also a bit "redder" than usual around the sides of my neck. So I am trying not to make too much of it.
I know that many who have gone the path of working with natural practitioners / naturopaths will advise me to take out of my diet foods that cause "inflammation" -- but if they refer back to my blog posts from August-October of last year, they will see that I tried that -- even gluten free for four months -- and it didn't help.
Interestingly, my bloodwork for nut allergies all came back as NEGATIVE, but the allergist wants me to continue to avoid them completely since I had the mild reaction to the skin scratch test and because my mouth is itchy when I eat walnuts. So although I have been toting these EpiPens around with me, I hopefully will never have to use them.
I am expecting bloodwork update results back any day now, as my PCP is re-checking my thyroid levels, metabolic panel, and hemoglobin. (My thyroid became highly suppressed in November after a one-month trial of Synthroid / 50 mcg day to see if that would knock-out the hives.) Will be curious to see how those look. Not that there was any pattern to be found there and with the hives I had last summer and fall.
It is still cold, snowy and winter -- so no "spring pollens" have started here yet.
I was sympathizing a few weeks ago with a fellow Hashimoto's diagnosee who is struggline with a much nastier-sounding case of chronic hives than what I dealt with. I gave her the advice to avoid heat, spicy foods, sweating, etc. for as long as possible, while taking antihistamines, to try to reduce them. I wish her well and hope that she finds some relief soon.
Fingers crossed that these aren't hives coming back...
I have remained hives free... until today, I think. Maybe, just maybe, I see a few small red hives on the top of my left hand. No idea why or if they are even hives. When they are small like that, smaller than the size of a corn kernel in this case, it can be hard to tell. I am also a bit "redder" than usual around the sides of my neck. So I am trying not to make too much of it.
I know that many who have gone the path of working with natural practitioners / naturopaths will advise me to take out of my diet foods that cause "inflammation" -- but if they refer back to my blog posts from August-October of last year, they will see that I tried that -- even gluten free for four months -- and it didn't help.
Interestingly, my bloodwork for nut allergies all came back as NEGATIVE, but the allergist wants me to continue to avoid them completely since I had the mild reaction to the skin scratch test and because my mouth is itchy when I eat walnuts. So although I have been toting these EpiPens around with me, I hopefully will never have to use them.
I am expecting bloodwork update results back any day now, as my PCP is re-checking my thyroid levels, metabolic panel, and hemoglobin. (My thyroid became highly suppressed in November after a one-month trial of Synthroid / 50 mcg day to see if that would knock-out the hives.) Will be curious to see how those look. Not that there was any pattern to be found there and with the hives I had last summer and fall.
It is still cold, snowy and winter -- so no "spring pollens" have started here yet.
I was sympathizing a few weeks ago with a fellow Hashimoto's diagnosee who is struggline with a much nastier-sounding case of chronic hives than what I dealt with. I gave her the advice to avoid heat, spicy foods, sweating, etc. for as long as possible, while taking antihistamines, to try to reduce them. I wish her well and hope that she finds some relief soon.
Fingers crossed that these aren't hives coming back...
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