Why am I itching???????

[ny biker]

Well happily my regular doctor's office was open this morning and they were able to see me. I got an Rx for prednisone, and she also told me to take Zantac in addition to the Claritin. I also talked to my sister, who is both a nurse and has way more personal experience with allergies than anyone should ever have. She agreed with the drug regimen and mentioned a few other possible causes.

I'm adding to my "possible" list: granola with dried strawberries, blackberries and kiwis plus soy milk, which I had for dinner on Thursday night for the first time in a long time.

First thing Monday, I will call an allergist and hope to get an appointment in the not too distant future.

BTW I asked the doctor if there was any reason I would not be able to ride my bike tomorrow. She said no, except I'd be more comfortable if I stayed sedentary in the A/C. (She also looked at me like I was kinda crazy. ) But if the rash clears up enough by then I will be out there doing 40 miles of hills and testing my new saddle tomorrow morning. I can always cut the ride short if the itching gets bad.

[bmccasland]

Considering that your body is stressed, I wouldn't recommend riding your bike 40 miles tomorrow. On the other hand, once the Prednisone kicks in, you'll probably need to do something to deal with the jitters.

If it was the crabs, it could be when you're tested for the food allergy, that you won't test positive (allergic). Sometimes it isn't what you ate, but what the food ate - ie, what seabed your food came from. You may never know. Or that's what the ER Doc told me when I had full blown anaphalytic shock after eating squid or octapus at a restaurant. On testing, I wasn't positive for that antigen, but I won't eat those creatures ever again either.

I'm glad you're going to an allergist.

[ny biker]

Considering that your body is stressed, I wouldn't recommend riding your bike 40 miles tomorrow. On the other hand, once the Prednisone kicks in, you'll probably need to do something to deal with the jitters.

If it was the crabs, it could be when you're tested for the food allergy, that you won't test positive (allergic). Sometimes it isn't what you ate, but what the food ate - ie, what seabed your food came from. You may never know. Or that's what the ER Doc told me when I had full blown anaphalytic shock after eating squid or octapus at a restaurant. On testing, I wasn't positive for that antigen, but I won't eat those creatures ever again either.

I'm glad you're going to an allergist.

I'm already prepared for the "we have no idea what you're allergic to" conversation. Hoping for the best but prepared for otherwise.

Looks like riding tomorrow may not be an option -- I took a nap earlier and when I woke up, I had red itchy lines and spots where my t-shirt and pajama shorts were wrinkled and pressed against my skin by the mattress. Sigh. So it may take another dose or two of the prednisone to really clear this up. Especially since my bike clothes are not what you'd call loose-fitting.

I really needed to do a hill ride tomorrow for Livestrong challenge training. I guess I could do a shorter ride in the late afternoon if things clear up more by then, but it will be hotter and traffic will be worse. Oh well.

[ny biker]

Aieeeee!!! The rash came back around midnight and is worse than ever now!! It's now mostly on my arms, legs and a little on my face, plus the back of my head itches. The itching is worse than it's been since the symptoms first showed up. Still no problems breathing.

I don't know if I should go back to the doctor or if this is normal and I just need to wait for the prednisone to kick in more. I took one dose so far, about to take the second with breakfast.

THIS SUCKS.

Does anyone know if it's okay to take benadryl in addition to the prednisone, claritin and zantac?

[bmccasland]

Call your pharmacist and ask him/her - they're the best ones to know what drugs will interact in combination with others.

Considering this has been continuing, are you certain it isn't something you've ingested and continue to ingest, or is it a new bottle of laundry soap?

Hope you get in to see the allergist on monday.

[ny biker]

I called the pharmacy but they don't open until noon (it's in a grocery store). I will call them then. I checked drugs.com and they don't list any interactions with the drugs I'm already taking, but I'll check with the pharmacist anyway.

I don't think this is contact dermatitis -- I could be wrong but I've had that so much in the past that my gut tells me this is different. I do realize it's possible that the problem is something I'm still eating, but I just don't know.

Since the latest outbreak is almost exclusively on my arms, hands, legs and feet, and it started on my torso, I'm thinking (hoping) the reaction is just working its way through my body. My experience with other allergic reactions is that they take several days to a week to subside, although I had been hoping the prednisone would have kicked in sooner. Maybe the second dose will turn the tide.

Fortunately, the Urgent Care clinic is now open 24/7 -- it used to be open only during the day -- so I can head there at any time if I feel like things are getting worse.

Thanks for the support.

[Owlie]

Does anyone know if it's okay to take benadryl in addition to the prednisone, claritin and zantac?

I wouldn't. While benadryl doesn't do much to me, Claratin makes me foggy (even though it's supposed to be "non-drowsy"). If you're one of those people who gets sleepy with benadryl, it's probably a bad idea.

Cold shower? That's what we told a friend to do until she could get to the doctor and home to re-wash all her clothes. She said she still spent the weekend in the shower.

(Turned out she was allergic to her boyfriend's laundry detergent.)

Hopefully it clears up soon. I had a bad case of hives all over a few years ago (viral), and I was miserable, so I kind of understand how that feels.

[NbyNW]

Maybe you could try pHisoderm or Aveeno in the shower? Might give you a small amount of relief until this either clears up or you figure out what's going on.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

After using it for years, I suddenly developed an allergic reaction to chemical-based sunscreen a while back. Had put some on back of my neck, and broke out in awful itchy rash and HIVES all over my neck, back, and chest. It lasted for about 5 days! I switched to the titanium/zinc sunblocks instead....no more problems. I noticed you mentioned that you did use a couple of different lotions that morning. Sounds like an allergic reaction to some ingredient in them to me.

[marni]

did you possibly get into some chiggers outdoors who hitched a ride in and migrated to underwear and or bedding? You might try washing all of your undies, any clothing you were wearing, and you bedding in extremely hot water and bleach if there is any possibility of it. Ditto for bed bugs which can cause all sorts of problems.

chigggers are so common here in the hot humid south that it has become a fact of life for us in the summer. If it isn't use riding past them, through them on the trails, they come in on the animals fur. I used to think it was fleas in spite of the anti flea stuff but now I know better.

Just my two cents worth.

marni

[Selkie]

NY, how are you doing? I hope the rash is gone and they find out what caused that reaction.

[Catrin]

NY, how are you doing? I hope the rash is gone and they find out what caused that reaction.

Yes, I have been wondering about this. I occasionally have bouts with extremely bad welts and hives so I know what you are going through. I hope you have found relief and at least an indication of the problem by now!

[ny biker]

Well either the prednisone finally kicked in or the histamines finally ran their course. Sunday night was much better than Saturday - still had some rash on my legs and feet but was pretty much clear otherwise. Last night I had a little itching here and there but just kept taking all the antihistamines and this morning I only had one small red spot when I woke up. I managed to wear underwear most of the day yesterday with no rash around the tight elastic parts. I worked from home yesterday but am dressed and at work today. Although I am still high from the most recent dose of benedryl...

If it wasn't so uncomfortable, I'd say this was very interesting to see the pattern of the rash, what with it starting on my torso and ending on the extremities. You could see the reaction working its way through my body.

I have an appointment with an allergist/immunologist next Tuesday. Should be interesting. Dianyla's post was informative but kinds of depressing.

Thanks for all your help and concern!

[Dianyla]

I have an appointment with an allergist/immunologist next Tuesday. Should be interesting. Dianyla's post was informative but kinds of depressing.

Don't be depressed. If you had a genetic problem with being able to metabolize histamine, you would have had this as a lifelong condition. That you've been fine in the past and this is sneaking up on you may point more towards a slowly worsening nutrient deficiency that is easily solved.

I rarely get hives anymore, as long as I avoid consuming too many foods high in histamine/additives/colorings and take enough vitamin B6. When I'm feeling sick or stressed, I try to take a little more care with what I eat, just can't go hog wild on beer and pizza. It's a lot better than a true allergy to something like peanuts or shellfish.

[Norse]

I feel your itching pain as I am now in WEEK 4 of itching madness! After one week, I went to urgent care and was given topical steroid cream and prednisone. The dr. said it was atopic dermatitis, aka eczema, caused by who knows what. I have had hives before, allergic reactions to the adhesive in band aids, seasonal allergies... but never this. The itching is awful! I took the prednisone, and it cleared up, for a few days, and then came back. I had a big 4-day bike event upcoming and an awful last training ride, that I attributed to the drugs and heat here so I swore off any more drugs until after the ride. During the actual riding part, hours in the saddle, I was fine. Not until in the evening after I was cleaned up would the itching return each night.

It started in my ankles (I thought it was gnat bites at first), moved up my legs, and is now on legs, arms and, of all places, outer part of ears. Nothing on my torso or face. I was allergy tested several years ago - negative to everything. I have an appointment with a new dermatologist next week. Meanwhile, I get some relief by a daily baking soda/sea salt bath (soap only on my underarms), followed by applications of jojoba oil and then aloe vera gel; sometimes an aveeno soak before bed (but that does not seem to work as well as baking soda/salt), a dab now and then of the steroid cream (I am trying to avoid it) and a bedtime benadryl. The urgent care doc said it was not food caused as it would not last that long (had it a week when I saw him). This is maddening and depressing to know that, the older I get, the more things I am allergic to.