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Suggest Treatment For Severe Welts All Over Body
Question: Hi, My name is XXXXXXX almost two months (August 20)before, I was doing house cleaning , and while doing that I was accompanying my maid who was removing spider webs, those were behind refrigerator empty carton. All of a sudden, we both started having severe burning on our body and very big size blisters like projections started coming out of body especially around neck area. Maid was having same symptoms on full body and were experiencing same blisters like skin issue. We both had cetrizine and in three four hours symptoms got relieved.
From that day, I have been experiencing these burning reaction and blisters almost daily. I never had such reaction in life before. My maid did not have any such episode again although she was one , who was cleaning, I was standing at a distance, so may be spider may not be the reason? Now all of a sudden a burning like effects starts which is very severe and as it is scratched, that portion of body is get covered in these blisters like things, like in hives. I have consulted two doctors in this regard, Both said these are due to allergy, and said it is hives and prescribed "allegra " for fifteen days. I have finished fifteen days course also and during that period I did not had those allergy episodes, but right four days after completing allegra course, all of a sudden again one very strong attack of allergy happened. This time blisters were on full body, earlier those were localized and were on specific area but this time it was very strong reaction. I am very worried now and have some doubts , I am also attaching some pictures of those blisters.
1. What could be the reasons for that, means could it be due to spider bite or something like that, or may be after marriage, due to allergy?
2. If it is hives how long it will take to cure permanently , means how long one should depend on allegra.
3. Why severity of these episodes is increasing this time.
Please give reply for all queries separately.
From that day, I have been experiencing these burning reaction and blisters almost daily. I never had such reaction in life before. My maid did not have any such episode again although she was one , who was cleaning, I was standing at a distance, so may be spider may not be the reason? Now all of a sudden a burning like effects starts which is very severe and as it is scratched, that portion of body is get covered in these blisters like things, like in hives. I have consulted two doctors in this regard, Both said these are due to allergy, and said it is hives and prescribed "allegra " for fifteen days. I have finished fifteen days course also and during that period I did not had those allergy episodes, but right four days after completing allegra course, all of a sudden again one very strong attack of allergy happened. This time blisters were on full body, earlier those were localized and were on specific area but this time it was very strong reaction. I am very worried now and have some doubts , I am also attaching some pictures of those blisters.
1. What could be the reasons for that, means could it be due to spider bite or something like that, or may be after marriage, due to allergy?
2. If it is hives how long it will take to cure permanently , means how long one should depend on allegra.
3. Why severity of these episodes is increasing this time.
Please give reply for all queries separately.
Brief Answer:
Hives; Continue antiallergic for a longer duration of 6 weeks.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX Thank you for writing to us
I have gone through your query and I have noted down your concern.
Hives Or urticaria, present as itchy, welts at various body sites. An episode of urticaria may last for only a few hours.
I don't think that your hives are due to a spider bite. Spider bites usually cause localised skin reaction rather than hives, all over body.
The cause of Hives may be an allergy to a food item, food preservatives, drugs (e.g painkillers, antibiotics, multivitamins etc), hypersensitivity reaction to viral infections e.g common cold/ flu etc.
A lot of times (in approximately 50-60% of cases) it is not possible to idenitfy the cause.
Treatment is symptomatic i.e an antiallergic tablet for example cetrizine, Or levocetrizine Or loratadine or fexofenadine (Allegra) etc, once or twice daily. If hives return after an initial 2 week course of antiallergic, then it is normal practice to extend the course of antiallergic for a slightly longer duration i.e 6 weeks and then try to stop it.
Topically you may use a soothing lotion e.g calamine lotion to calm down the rashes.
Was allegra able to control the recurrent episodes? If yes, I don't think that the severity has worsened if the recurrent episode of hives responded the same way as before to a single tablet of allergra. Only if you would have said that they are not controlled by a single tablet of allegra or you now require higher doses of allergra as compared to previously, would that mean that the severity has worsened.
Regards
Hives; Continue antiallergic for a longer duration of 6 weeks.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX Thank you for writing to us
I have gone through your query and I have noted down your concern.
Hives Or urticaria, present as itchy, welts at various body sites. An episode of urticaria may last for only a few hours.
I don't think that your hives are due to a spider bite. Spider bites usually cause localised skin reaction rather than hives, all over body.
The cause of Hives may be an allergy to a food item, food preservatives, drugs (e.g painkillers, antibiotics, multivitamins etc), hypersensitivity reaction to viral infections e.g common cold/ flu etc.
A lot of times (in approximately 50-60% of cases) it is not possible to idenitfy the cause.
Treatment is symptomatic i.e an antiallergic tablet for example cetrizine, Or levocetrizine Or loratadine or fexofenadine (Allegra) etc, once or twice daily. If hives return after an initial 2 week course of antiallergic, then it is normal practice to extend the course of antiallergic for a slightly longer duration i.e 6 weeks and then try to stop it.
Topically you may use a soothing lotion e.g calamine lotion to calm down the rashes.
Was allegra able to control the recurrent episodes? If yes, I don't think that the severity has worsened if the recurrent episode of hives responded the same way as before to a single tablet of allergra. Only if you would have said that they are not controlled by a single tablet of allegra or you now require higher doses of allergra as compared to previously, would that mean that the severity has worsened.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi, doctor , thanks for your detailed reply. I would like to know few more details about hives.
1. I attributed hives to spider bites because before that cleaning day, it never happened to me, and from that day , it started , so I got little apprehensive.
2. Actually when I was on allegra, hives were completely under control, but it again came back in more intense form, and covered more body area. Thankfully this time also allegra worked without doubt and all things got relieved. I actually meant severity because this time welts came all over body, but allegra worked. This recurrent episode responded same way as earlier.
3. As I have taken three four days gap in allegra in two weeks course, Shall I take again 6 weeks course afresh or left over 4 week course. Please suggest?
4. Do I need to apply calamine only in case of welts appearing or should apply daily to stop welts from appearing . This time I took same 120 mg tablet and it was able to control hives.
5. Does hives are associated with any other side effects or any harm on body, or all those reasons which may be causing hives can affects body in bad ways.
6. Does taking these meds for longer duration is bad?
1. I attributed hives to spider bites because before that cleaning day, it never happened to me, and from that day , it started , so I got little apprehensive.
2. Actually when I was on allegra, hives were completely under control, but it again came back in more intense form, and covered more body area. Thankfully this time also allegra worked without doubt and all things got relieved. I actually meant severity because this time welts came all over body, but allegra worked. This recurrent episode responded same way as earlier.
3. As I have taken three four days gap in allegra in two weeks course, Shall I take again 6 weeks course afresh or left over 4 week course. Please suggest?
4. Do I need to apply calamine only in case of welts appearing or should apply daily to stop welts from appearing . This time I took same 120 mg tablet and it was able to control hives.
5. Does hives are associated with any other side effects or any harm on body, or all those reasons which may be causing hives can affects body in bad ways.
6. Does taking these meds for longer duration is bad?
Brief Answer:
Reply to specific queries
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
1. No, i don't think that they are due to spider bites. Spider bites are not a known cause for urticaria that has lasted for days after the event.
2. You may take allegra for at least another 4 weeks and then try to stop.
3. Use calamine only when welts appear.
4. I suggest a few blood tests e.g test for thyroid function, complete blood count, stool test for ova/cysts etc. Hives may rarely be associated with hypothyroid Or hyperthyroidsim, parasites that may infect gastointestinal tract.
5. Taking antiallergic for a longer duration is not harmful or bad.
Regards
Reply to specific queries
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
1. No, i don't think that they are due to spider bites. Spider bites are not a known cause for urticaria that has lasted for days after the event.
2. You may take allegra for at least another 4 weeks and then try to stop.
3. Use calamine only when welts appear.
4. I suggest a few blood tests e.g test for thyroid function, complete blood count, stool test for ova/cysts etc. Hives may rarely be associated with hypothyroid Or hyperthyroidsim, parasites that may infect gastointestinal tract.
5. Taking antiallergic for a longer duration is not harmful or bad.
Regards
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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