Hello Online Doctors,

I have developed daily hives/welts. Perhaps it is coincidental, but it seemed to have started about six years ago when I was stung by wasps while mowing the lawn. My dermatologist diagnosed it as urticaria and prescribed fexofenadine 60 mg accordingly. Earlier, it would break out once a week, then a few time a week, until it became a daily affair. Otherwise I am a healthy individual whose only daily medicinal intake are calcium and Vitamin D pills, in addition to 1/2 tablet of fexofenadine in the morning and 1/2 tablet of Benadryl at night. More recently, because I ran out of fexofenadine (available as over-the-cpunter Allegra 60 mg), I took one tablet of loratadine 10 mg (24 hours) in its place to alleviate my itches which had spread quickly all over my body. Strangely, my itches did not come back for a few days (Knock on wood!) and I ended up not taking any pills for this period until this morning at which period I took another. Would any of you doctors be kind enough to tell me what is the cause of my hives, how and why they occur, and how I may proceed to take care of it? I would appreciate your effort in educating me.

Sincerely,
Keiko