New here & in need of advice

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2004
New here & in need of advice
5
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 3:40pm
Hello All,

I am glad to have found this group because I need a little advice on

what my next step should be. I will try to give you a brief summery

of what has been going on with me but it is hard to explain in a

short paragraph. Around the end of March, out of the blue, I broke

out w/ severe hives. SOmthing I have never gotten before. I do have

allergies and have had them most of my life but have never gotten

broken out or the Hives ever. They did subsided that evening but I

continued with these break-outs everday since. I went to the Pcp and

since he didnt know exactly to do gave me Zyrtec and a steriod, cant

remember the name...when that didnt work after a couple of days he

then said to stay on the Zyrtec and prescribed Prednisone. Also,

took away some foods etc. After 2 wks when that didnt

work...advised to see either a Derm or Allergist. The quickest appt

was w/ the Derm. He said didnt know but to keep on the Zyrtec for a

month and then call if still got them. Well I was getting them but

annoyed and tired of not knowing so I just didnt go back, no one

seemed to be helping me. For about 1 wk or so I didnt get them so I

let everything ride. On June 20th I forgot my Zyrtec on vacation and

had a severe hive reaction that even OTC benedryl could not help and

I went to the ER. Again, with the Prednisone and a big shot of

Benedryl. Took that while on vacation, still getting hives but mild

case. Got home, made appt w/ Allergist per the ER dr. The night

before the DR appt I was researching clarinex, zyrtec, allegra, hives

etc. Well I read that hives is linked to thyroid disorders, it could

be a sign, Ok. Printed out the Thyroid checklist and realized that

most of the symptoms I have are thyroid symptoms. I go to the

Allergist...explained everything and the POSSIBILITY of thyroid.

Well she did blow me off but I insisted the labs be done. Finally

after 2 wks. I look they call and say labs are good. Not Thyroid.

I asked please fax over...reluctantly they did. Well I cant read the

left side so called back. THe nurse reads me the TSH (2.1)which is

normal cuz the range is up to 5...I say the guidelines on the high

end are now 3 not 5. T4 is 6.7 and TPO is 15(which I am not even sure

that is) and they didnt want to explain anything. I asked what about

the other tests like T3 and the FREE ones, sorry if not too

knowlegable, I really dont understand any of it. She was like we

dont do that "do you really think you have these symptoms of thyroid

and if so we cant treat that. We are just treating the hives and I

was like well what you are doing so far hasnt worked...I am now on 2

additional drugs with the same outcome. Ok fine. SO I am here not

knowing where to turn. What is my next step??? DO I see a endo now to

have the right blood work done? I just feel horrible all the time . I would

appreciate all your comments.

THanks,

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Sat, 07-24-2004 - 5:59pm
Hi and welcome - Your tsh level is normal - actually it's .1 over what a person with no thyroid problem has. So that shouldn't be a concern right now, really. Your free T4 is high and might possibly indicate a hyperthyroid condition but you would most likely have a lower TSH level if that was the case. But your body is, for some reason, producing more thyroid homrone than normal and tahn it can use. The TPO test stands for thyroid peroxidase and that is the process that synthesizes your thyroid hormones, the T3 and T4 hormones. I'm going to assume that number is normal because I can't find any ranges but what I do find, in people who have a problem, is that their TPO levels are very, very high, in the 100's.

Do you have symptoms of hypo or hyper thyroid conditions? Check our the links at the top o htis board for symptoms and compare what you feel with that list. Have you checked out any disorders that cause hives? Do you smoke cigarettes? Are you allergic to the sun? When I smoked cigarettes and before I became hypo, I had major attacks of hives and they seemed to be linked to the smoking and sun. (I've stopped smoking for the past 6 years now.)I also had a very strange, uncommon skin condition that was related to my menstrual cycle. Do you notice that these hives come in any sort of pattern? Just trying to look at some other options for you. I"ll do some research on hives for you, too and let you know what I find. Let me know the answers to my questions and also check out that symptom list and post back, ok? Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2004
Sun, 07-25-2004 - 8:51pm
Hi Cathy,

Thanks for your reply. I have looked over the syptoms and feel as though I am Hypo. I went over the check list. No I do not and have never smoked. I have been to a dermatologist, cant explain and PCP who cant explain and just had these tests done by the allergist. As I said I am on 3 things, allergy related, and still get the break outs everyday. the pattern is usually right when I wake up in the am for usually around 1-2 hrs and then any time after 5 or 6pm, how long just depends. That way they are not predictable.

Because I have had them since the endo of march with out anyone really being able to figure it out I think that and ENDO might just be the next step. If I miss a dose of any of the 3 pills I break out badly. I have had severe restless leg syn for the last week and it is really terrible. I dont sleep that well anyway and that really doesnt help any.

SOrry to cut this short but I have some things to do before I go to bed, Thanks for your time and I will check back tomorrow. Michele


iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Mon, 07-26-2004 - 8:24am
Hi again - that' an interesting pattern of when you're breaking out. I used to have hives from the sun but also when I smoked and the two seemed to be related. I also had a strange condition that occurred right when I ovulated - I was allergic to my own progesterone and as it rose during my cycle, the hives and swelling became awful. Since I've been treated for the hypothyroidism, the hives have disappeared. But I've also gotten older and my levels of progesterone might have decreased to he point where it no longer bothers me. But I raise that just to show you how delicate the whole thing might be!!

Do you eat alot of fish? Perhaps you are getting a build up of mercury and pcb's in your system and that is what's causing the hives. I found a pretty comprehensive site for you,

http://www.medicinenet.com/Hives/article.htm, perhaps this will help.

You know you can't stay on the prednisone (sp?) for a long time since it's a steroid and can cause other complications. I dont mean to freak you out over that - it's just that some doctors don't mention it and you don't want yours relying solely on that for treatment.

The endo will be a good next step if you feel that you are hypo and perhaps the hives are related to that so the sooner you are tested, the better for you!! I hope you can get to the bottom of this - I know how debilitating hives can be. Let me know if you have any other questions and if you find something out, I hope you'll remember to come back and let us know how you're doing! Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-11-2003
Tue, 07-27-2004 - 9:13am
Have you been to an allergist? I have been on allergy shots for approximately 6 years and they have helped. If it is an allergy the only true way to find out is to have allergy testing done. The first time I went I was tested for about 30 different things and with those results they came up with my syrum. I initially went once a week for about a year, then every other week for another year, then every 3 wks and now I am at once a month. I suggest this to you because it could be a specific allergen/pollen/grass that is produced around this time and will eventually subside. For me it was late July/early Aug I would just itch uncontrollably but with no marks/hives, etc. For 3 years in a row this happened and predinosone always helped but like Cathy said you can't take that for long. So I finally went to the allergist and I can say I still have some itching during this time period but it is nothing like it was. I hope this helps even though it has nothing do with thyroid.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 07-27-2004 - 10:22am
hello there. i went thru breaking out in hives at one point in my life. i was in a very stressful position at work, and i think stress triggered them. are you under stress right now? do you have any anxiety symptoms? just an idea?

Erika