Cholinergic Urticaria (heat Hives)

Just wanted to post here again to say I am still break out free ever since I have done the list of things that I posted here a while back. If you have not tried it... I highly recommend it. I know many people seem to want something that their dr prescribes or some drug to cure it... But.. Getting rid of drugs and taking natural supplements can get rid of this for you guys.

Hey jimmi,

great news that your still breakout free!

I think I am, but occasionaly I do get a little itchy do you have this or are you completely cured?

I totaly agree that natural remedies seem to help most people. I would however defintaly recommend the antihistimine xyzal as it seems to have cleared my cu up.

Have not really even gotten itchy.. I have those moments where in the past I would think oh no its coming! But... Now it doesnt...

Im convinced that a drug used for this area will lead to another area causing problems later on down the road..

Just to let you guys that I have made good progress in fighting cu.

I saw a vega practitioner in wales, who found that my body had something that was stopping my immune system from repairing itself.

He found, using a vegatest ii machine, that it was parasites in my large intestine that appeared to be hindering my immune system.

By using an led torch with a red filter (any red transparent film will do), I can stimulate my accupuncture points in the same way as an accupunture needle.

I now stimulate two accupuncture points on my body which correspond to the large intestine. I do this 3x per week and I am feeling much better, attacks are less frequent and less painful.

I am also having uvb treatment at a hospital 3x per week which is appearing to help also by desensitising the skin.

I recommend that you find a vega practitioner in your area - they may be able to help a lot!

Regards

Hello everyone,

the postings on this site seem very similar to the problem I experienced during the past year. I am now making every effort to share my story with the hope that I can help others. Here it goes:

i lost the ability to sweat during the summer of 2005.  it all started after I had a sinus infection. I was given a z-pack and zyrtec-d, which got rid of the sinus infection. However, my feet began to itch shortly thereafter. I visited several doctors,  all of whom prescribed different antihistamines (allegra, hydroxizine, and zyrtec) to treat the itching.

After a while, the itching spread, and I eventually stopped sweating. Instead of sweating, my entire body was covered with a painful “prickly” sensation, as if my skin were being pierced with thousands of pins.  the pain was most intense whenever I tried to exercise, and I frequently broke out in hives. 

giving up all hope, I stopped taking all antihistamines in october of 2005, but the pain continued for several months thereafter.  at one point, I was investigating the use of steroids to improve my condition.  after considering my options, I decided to wait it out.  I am very pleased to report the wait has paid off.  with every passing month, my body has slowly been healing itself.  I can now exercise and sweat profusely with only the slightest “prickly” sensation, which quickly disappears after my workout begins.  I am confident that this, too, will disappear in time.  I am even more confident that an allergic reaction to zyrtec was the cause of my problem.  I am now taking steps to share this information with the fda.

I have done some research and discovered that in october 2005, a medical journal published an article called "adverse cutaneous reactions of systemic antihistamines" (current medicinal chemistry - anti-inflammatory & anti-allergy agents, volume 4, number 5, october 2005, pp. 521-529(9).  I would love to read this article. It seems the medical community is just beginning to realize that their prized antihistamines may be causing much of the trouble they are supposed to be curing.

During the course of my affliction I consulted with three allergists, and they all refused to consider that I was having an allergic reaction to a drug they so frequently prescribe (even when I suggested the possibility). I only wish one of them had advised me to stop taking everything, rather than prescribing the alternative antihistamines which worsened my condition. It is my hope that my experience will assist those who have similar symptoms.

For further discussions, you may want to visit www.Anhidrosisweb.Com.

I wish everyone a healthy recovery!

-- b

I just moved to virginia and started a new job as a cook. Ever since I started the job I have had horribly itchy hives all over my legs, feet, and shoulders. This has been going on for about a week, it is only getting worse, the pain is getting a little more bearable, but I get more hives everyday and they are not going away. I was wearing shorts and tank tops and flip flops here until I started this job, now I have to wear long pants, shoes, and long shirts, hence the hives in such places. I am on a medication that reduces my bodies abilty to control its temperature, my guess that this is my reaction to my body over -heating. It is very hot and very humid here right now and it only gets worse inside a kitchen. I have not been able to get any relief at all. This has never happened to me before, I can't even go outside, I cannot run, I breakout if I move around too much. This is ridiculous.

I have a post on this already but thought I would share this here.

Starting out about 2 years ago I noticed a red blotchy area on my chest which itched , slowly it seemed to move up my body into my shoulders and neck and down my arms but itching like crazy making it more inflamed and more itchy. This was something that would keep me up all night some nights feeling exhausted in the morning and still itchy. Playing sports when I sweat it is so intense, like itching after playing hockey or even during hockey. I now work as an electrician and because of the physical work I sweat alot more and yes I itch alot more too. I have been to 2 family dr's who did not know so they sent me to a dermatologist who in turn sent me to a allergist which turned up no allergies. The symptoms have been on and off for the last year but have moved into my face and leaves it red around my eyes and seems to get really bad when I sweat. I have also tried alternative medicines and they did come up with that is could be a emotional state thing controlling my symptoms. It also itches in my limbs now which are warm (behind my knees for example). I am doing more research in to this because it seems like so many dr's do not know about it or overlook it as I have been to 5 of them.

Hi folks,

i've had cu for 16 years now, since I was 20.

I used to be able to fight it by keeping really fit and exercising early in the morning in such as way as to burn it out of my system for the rest of the day.

But as I got older I was unable to keep this up, so I took to using antihistamine, which I have found keep it a bay. But I know that internally the problem is far worse and were I note to take an antihistamine I would suffer a crippling attack.

It is a direct reaction to heat of any kind, be it exercise, stress, one layer too many. And I would always get the first attack a half hour or so after breakfast.

I've treid every conceivable conventional and alternative remedy: steroids, antuhistamine, anti-depressants, chinese herbs, acupuncture, hoomeopathy, scanar. Nothing works. Experts have said there is nothing that can be done and one usually grows out of it. It also affects more men than women.

I wonder if it is slightly contagious as, over the years, to girlfriends came down with it or something similar temporarily.

It is worse after booze, particularly red wine. It gets a lot better if I am in tropical climates. It used to disappear altogether.

It came on during a stressful period in my life. I had jardia and god knows what other tummy bugs during a trip to egypt; a month later I went to live in italy and got mugged and badly beaten up; due to various other reasons I hit a bit of a low.

But I think it might have been caused by taking the antibiotics - oxytetracycline and erythromyacin, which I was given loads of as a teenager to get rid of acne.

Have any other sufferers taken oxytetracyline or erithrmyacin?

I might edit this later as I dont have much time right now, but people get cu for no reason, I realize this is difficult to digest because something must be wrong with you right? Wrong its not contagious nor is it hereditary!!
Wishing you the best of luck!
Regards

I have been dealing with hives on a weekly basis for almost 2 years. I was ready to try anything. I read jimmi's plan and I gave it a go. It's been only 5 days but I have no irritation whatsoever. I also have been supplementing it with quercetin and turmeric. I have changed my diet due to the candistroy. So it may be the change in diet along with the candistroy and liver cleanse with the turmeric and quercitin. I will let you know.

Rledone I sent you a private message, pretty sure it says just about the same as most of my other posts I have made here.

I did say to rledone- try to stay away from monosodium glutamate msg. When I did have cu... I did notice an increase in outbreaks when I ate alot of ramen noodles, which are loaded with msg. Most chips, cookies, crackers, snacks, ect. Have msg.

I am glad you are trying what has helped me.

What I think I mentioned before and I didnt mention in my private message to you, stay away from drugs of any kind!

I think everyone will find if they take these clenses, and take vitamin supplements, they will not, for the most part, need pain relievers and allergy medicines.

If you get headaches because of allergies, these cleansers along with the vitamins will rid you of most of your headaches.

If you get headaches and the only thing that helps is drugs or food, then if you take the coral calcium, vitamins (especially vitamin e), and drink plenty of water on a regular basis, those headaches will be rid of for the most part.

Anyway... I probably will not check back here too often.. As I have found my cure and have shown it all to you.. Private message me if you want to ask a question.

I've posted this reply in another thread on this site. I would really like you to read it if you're suffering with c.U. So I am reposting here as well.

Here is my story. There is a happy ending if you care to read through to the end.

I was diagnosed with cholinergic urticaria many years ago. I've had it since I was a teenager. That was an unpleasant time because I had no idea what to do about it. I eventually found that I could keep it completely under control by getting regular exercise (twice a week was enough), as long as I worked up a good sweat. I mainly used an exercise bike, but over the years, I have found that a treadmill is just as good if not better.

That worked well for almost 20 years. The only time I had symptoms was when I couldn't, or chose not to, workout for a couple of weeks or so. It was as though my body was building up reserves of histamine while I wasn't working out. The answer was, as always, to start exercising again.

About two years ago, for no apparent reason, the problem got much much worse very quickly. I started increasing my workout frequencies to try to keep it under control, but I was exercising for 45 minutes to an hour every morning. Eventually, the itching would subside during my workout, but it would take at least 20 minutes to happen, and until then it was like torture. And, less than an hour later, the itching would resume after even a short walk to work. It was as though I had not exercised at all. Very frustrating. I was really worried about my ability to continue working. If you've had bad attacks, you probably know the feeling. I was tired of the neverending itching, and becoming very resentful of the ineffective exercise. My usual remedy wasn't working anymore.

When I was younger, I had seen a few dermatologists, and none of them was very helpful. I had tried several prescription drugs and the only thing they accomplished was making me extremely drowsy. They did not help my condition one iota.

I was given the name of an immunologist who, I understand, was highly recommended. Due to my previous expereinces with specialists, I was doubtful. He told me right off the bat that antihistamines tend to not work very well for c.U. Which I already knew but was glad to hear from a professional. I was pleased that he had another suggestion. The drug is called cyclomen (also called danazol).

I started taking it right away, and within two weeks (it takes a while to have an effect) I could feel a significant improvement. After about one month, the symptoms were so much better, I felt like I was completely back to normal. No itching at all. I even took a break from the regular exercising.

My immunologist told me that the worsening of symptoms had essentially been a flare up, and that it would go away eventually. Over time, I was expected to try to reduce the dosage until I could stop taking it completely. After several months, I tried to reduce the dosage, but felt the problem was returning, so I went back to the original dosage. A few months after that, I tried again, and was able, gradually, to successfully reduce the dosage down to zero.

Now, I still exercise regularly to keep the problem in check, and I am back to normal. For me that means no itching as long as I exercise once or twice a week.

I remember how bad it was, and I feel for anyone still struggling with this problem.

Please get a consultation to see an immunologist and ask him/her about the use of cyclomen (danazol) to treat your c.U. Fortunately, it was covered by my drug plan. Hopefully it would be covered by yours as well.

The capsules I was taking are 200mg each. I can't recall the original dosage, but I think it was one capsule, three times a day. I didn't experience any side effects.

Prior to seeing the immunologist, I did try a naturopathic approach, and while I was hopeful, it did nothing for me. If you are like me, you will need to see for yourself if the naturopathic approach works. For me it did not. If it doesn't work for you either, don't give up! Get a referral to an experienced immunologist.

If you want more information about my situation, please ask. I'm glad to help if I can. I'll bookmark this page and check back occasionally. Good luck to you.

Roger

Hey frizzers,

i'm 19 now but from 16-18 I used eryhtromycin and although not many agree with me, I am positive that it was/is the cause of my cu.

Absoloutly insane that somebody can come on here and tell somebody to go against doctors advise and stay off drugs (such as antihistimines), people who post things like that should have there posts deleted.

Well, I totally forgot about this forum since I was cured but I got a private message which reminded me that I used to post on here...

Anyways, its been 5 months since my cholinergic urticaria went away... Ive had it for about a year and a half and it was hell as you all know... Sorry, I couldnt tell you guys what exactly I did to make it go away... I just remembered that it slowly disappeared, it wasnt an overnight thing... Actually, I was only able to sweat from my forehead at first... Then slowly the rest of my body adjusted to it... I got rid of all lotions and deodorants and cologne, only used all free, drank alot of milk... Hmm... Those are the only things I have changed since... Well, during the time of my "recovery", I took a claritin daily just in case, it didnt really help the itchiness but I still took one... You can find them cheap at costco, thats where I bought mine... 300 tablets were 12 bucks, sooo cheap...

I hope everyone else becomes cured!

To those who use the steam room...Does anyone find it incredibly unbearable to sit through it for a long time?

I have had cholinergic urticaria ever since I was 13. I am now eighteen and am desperately trying to find a cure. I have been using claritin daily but it only takes away the hives and the pain the hives cause. Instead I will get red dots all over my skin and it is still just as embaressing and itchy. Going through gym class all through highschool and now being in a health class in college has been hell. Living in texas doesn't help either. I have no idea what precipitated my very first break out but I get it every time my body raises in temperature, like taking a hott shower, working out, going outside in the summer, and getting embaresses, or having some type of emotional stress. I do not however have a problem with sweating because I have always sweated normally. But after an outbreak I will have a bad headache, and feel very lethargic. Basically it really sucks and keeps me from doing a lot of things that I wish I could do without having to worry about getting all red and itchy(with claritin). If I dont take my claritin my hives are really bad and I have actually blacked out with was my most severe outbreak after working out. It makes me feel alot better knowing that there are other people out there with this too because I have never heard of anyone else having this and feel that kno one understood until I came across this website. I will be going to the doctor this summer break and hopefully I will find something to cure me or at least make living with this condition more bearable.

Doesn't/didn't it seem that it hurt a lot more when you didn't know what was going on?

Hi ..I've read all your posts..I have cu for 5 months now.In my case..Like many of you,i get red spots on arms,legs,chest,back..A little on neck..That happens when my temperature rises..Especially when I exercise.
I mention that i'm almost 19..I I don't take anything..I used to take telfast..And xyzal.. New generation of antihistamines but...I think that make my cu worse..Because I had the attacks more often.
The interesting part..Is that when I drink alcohol...It doesn't itch so bad ..And my cu appears delayed..
I want to try something to get rid of this caca..Maybe acupuncture..But here in romania we don't have chinese people..To be experts in acupuncture or chinese medicine
any advice is welcomed