Cholinergic Urticaria (heat Hives)

I dont have dry skin at all. My face does need to be moisturized after its washed only because I use prescription acne cream, otherwise there would be no need. I personally think CU has something to do with hormones. Teens break out in acne because there hormones are not balanced properly. Since CU usually begins in the late teens/early 20s, thats when the hormones begin to change again, i.e. slow down and the balance is changed again. Having taken accutane may not necessarily be the cause, because those who took it may have developed CU anyways if they had not taken accutane...Those with severe acne have some trouble balancing their hormones so they would have taken accutane anyways....but I don't know accutane could have been a cause as well. Accutane may also have affected one's hormones. CU is just the cause of histamines being released in the body. Histamines, as well as some other cells, are stored in the Mast Cells within the body. The mast cells in those who have CU are very porous, meaning that they have larger holes in them (think of a whoofle ball compared to a golf ball) So when people with normal mast cells get hot the mast cells are not able to release those nasty histamines. Those with CU get their blood flooded with histamines because the mast cells have bigger holes in them. I just think the hormone level in ones body causes the mast cells to become more porous. I read somewhere too much adrenalin causes the mast cells to become more porous...and adrenalin is a hormone. Hope this helps

I agree that too much adrenaline causes mast cells to become more porous but the fact that in four days i found four people that have taken accutane and now have CU is no couinsadence. cholinergic urticaria is not all that common. especially a chronic form that all of us have. accutane causes stress on liver and adrenal glands. i had also taken tetracyline and didnt think much of it until frizzers mentioned that he also had taken it as well as accutane. i belive that the dirrect cause and possible cure or treatment for CU lies in the effects of these drugs. i wish there could be more tests preformed on this idea.

....I just made a beautiful post and I was timed out and automatically logged off before I could submit it.

on the bright side, no itching from this stress. I will re-type it out tomorrow

I haven't been diagnosed with specifically "heat related hives", but have suffered with hives all my life. This may sound strange, but for the past 2-3 years I have begun sleeping with a large hard-freezing ice-pack next to my pillow. (Hard-freezing because it stays frozen through the night) I know my hives are bad when the ice packs are thawing faster than I can freeze them. The husband loves this of course---so, learn to keep it on your side of the bed:}}}} Somewhere along the line, a doctor mentioned that your brain cannot register both the itching and the cold at the same time. Although I still deal with the hives, the endless cycle of itching, broken skin, staff infections, etc. has been greatly limited and I can manage to live pretty comfortably. I know when I am in pain earlier in the evening that my night will be bad with hives.

I've also had a wonderful doctor. She has me on Allegra every morning and Atarax at night. I have the option to take between 1-3 pills of Atarax each night depending on how "prickly" I'm feeling. I've timed it so that the Atarax is taken around 8:00pm. (It takes approx 1.5 hours to kick in and suddenly your out) Generally I sleep well through the night unless I'm having a very bad night. If the Atarax is taken too late in the evening, I have a groggy morning. If my skin has a lot of breakouts, staff infections are soon to come, so you can fill the bathtub with 1/8 cup bleach included to help kill the surface staff bacteria - followed of course with lots of moisturizer. It works. I have a really bad night every month or two, but haven't had to go onto Prednezone for the past year or so. Previously I had to go on it at least every 4-6 months.

I know how miserable this has been over the years and hope this helps.

First, let me be the first to apologize for this inconvenience. What a pain to lose a post that you've composed!!! Second, I want to explain what's happening and how we're taking actions to fix it.

When you're logged into EHEALTH, the system notes the length of your session by minutes. Then, for security reasons, the system automatically logs you out after 15 minutes (I believe) if the screen has not changed. This is to prevent someone in your home, office, or the public library from accessing your account should you walk away from the computer. But the auto time out also means that when you're composing a long message that might take 20-30 minutes, you find yourself out of luck b/c you've lost the content.

Well... there are 2 resolutions for this problem.

1. We're going to increase the time out session requirements for all text boxes so that you don't experience a "time out". In practical terms, you should be able to spend a good amount of time writing a reply or creating a new post without worry about the auto log-out. How long do you typically need to write a new post?

2. You can manually go "back" to your post if you find that you're logged out. Then, right click to the ehealthforum home page, open this page in a new window, and log in again. Your message should be preserved and you should be able to send it as soon as you're logged in.


Please let me know if I can help you further. We're on the case, although it might take a few days to perfect. We're glad that you're online with us and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best,
Lee @ Admin[/quote]

Thanks for the reply. That does seem logical to auto log off in case your're in a public area. My post might have taken more than 15 mins to type out, but I think from start to finish it took like an hour because I got distracted and had to do something else.

I'm suprised no one has posted saying they've tried marijuana and they're better now. I haven't had it in about a month and the itching has come back. I've read some posts saying teens who have acne are more likely to get CU. And yea, I'm a teen and have alot of acne. I don't know what else to say besides try marijuana, even if you're against drugs, you might like it. Even if you smoked an amount the size of a marble with a pipe, you'll probably be itch free for about 3 weeks. In that time you can sweat all you want.

hey guys i'm new here...
I hope that i'm not late:)
my CU is kind of active all day long and it give me the itch especially in the scalp area... i think it's might be because i'm really stressed lately.
I've had it from about 8th grade and never gave it much thought; it only bothered me when i was excercising, even if i was sweating it didn't really help.. it just went away eventually.

did anyone of you experience hair loss because of this situation?(on the itchy areas)

hi i am 23 years old and i have CU 6 years.I take zyrtec and atarax medicines but it s
not works.i have serious problem with CU and i dont know the cure.
please if anybody knows the cure tell me , i am so sad!!!
what medicines it s good to take?

my english is bad because i am from europe

thanks....

Hello everyone.
I am from Russia, so it could be hard to understand me.
I'm 18 years old, and i have this damned CU. First time i felt it when i was 14. This happened in the school, when I was playing basketball. When i finished the school and joined the university, this thing srarted again. First it was just a little itching without some visible marks. But it started to change. The new symptoms appeared, such as emotional stress, difficult breathing and red spots with "flaming" skin. Most of the time it happens in a transport - in the full bus, or in the subway. One more reason - unexpected phis. exercises. Two times it was really bad - the CU started in subway, very far from my station. It was very painfull and it forced me to go outside. When i tryed to get back to the subway, it have started again! So it was the only way for me - to go home on foot! It takes me about 5 hours (it was a winter, about -10c degrees). My mother didn't belive me, she didn't accept that i'm ill. After that incident i stoped to visit the institute, because i was scared it repeats. My allergy doctor doesn't recognized the illness, she sayd that it has a vegetation nature. There is kind of the truth was in here words, but how she couldn't know this type of urticaria?! Little late i get to the hospital. I was there for 2 weeks, but it doesn't help - the gived me klaritin, suprastin and some relaxing tablets - nothing works. The accupun... you know, when the doctor put the spines to yuo ... so it doesn't gived some visible results. When i left the hospital, i understood, that is two ways for me - to accept that i am handicaped, or change all my life. I chosed the second. And nowadays i found a way to avoid the assaults of CU - to call it at the morning. I wake up early and do phis. exercises. When i feel the first itching, i go to the hot shower. U can think that is smells like masochism, but it is really the only way to me to avoid the assault for the rest of the day. Ofcourse, there is some minuses in this method - every time i should do more and more hardly exercises, because the CU is adapting to phisical ex. But i think that is better than drugs. Here i give you the list of drugs, which i was tryed and they didn't work well:

Claritin
Tavegil
Telfast
Zirtek
Suprastin


this h1/h2 blocators doesn't help from CU (to me, ofcourse)

for nervous system:

persen forte
bellataminal
belaspon
(the eng. names can be different)

this things doesn't help me.

What is really help:

Morning exercises
A lot of water (more than 2 litres per day)
Avoid spicy food and sweet.
Eat more food, that contains carbohydrates (such as bread, macaronees, etc)
! Every morning and evening get a shower (the hot at morning and the cold at evening)
Wash your feet often.
Phisical activity.
Be more communicable, insolent ... it help to avoid stress CU.
Believe in cure.
Try to say yourself: "F*ck this ill, f*ck all the people, who see you when this happens, it's became a habit, a part of me"

I hope we can cure ourselve's.
BB and sorry for my english )

just checkin' in. I am starting to get prepared to have to deal with the worse of my CU in the coming months. Summer wasn't too bad for me, I rarely got bad outbreaks and sometimes on long car trips if it was really hot out (80s) I would keep my windows up and get into the hot car (probably about 90-100) and just hangout. I would start sweating almost immediately and there would be NO HIVES OR ITHCHING!! YAY! I would sit in the car for quite a while just watching the sweat drip off me without seeing the hives, what an awesome sight!

Anyways, I finished an hour skateboard ride and came back to see that my body is covered with CU . I am almost certain it is because it is only like 45-50degrees out right now.

Also, I think at least for me that CU is caused by rapid increase in the RATE of my skin heating up, not just my skin heating up. This explains why in the summer I could go out in 80-90 degrees and not break out because the rate that my skin gained heat wasnt very fast, but when it is only 45-50 outside, my skin heats up almost exponentially faster, causing the CU.

One last thing. I find it funny that almost every website that talks about CU says how it is "relatively common" and even my immunologist says that on a typical day he would see 3 cases of CU yet there are tons of posts on here about CLUELESS doctors and dermatologists and allergists. Also, wouldn't you think if it was as common as everyone seems to say it is, there would be some kind of cure by now?

Hi, let me tell you people, there is hope... at least that's what I thought.

I had CU when I was 21 years old. This was about 2.5 years ago. The CU lasted for about 1.5 years. It slowly went away, and I was so glad. It was amazing, being able to sweat, even though I tend to sweat alot and I tend to get all sticky. I really didn't take any medications or anything like that. I mean, I tried Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, Benadryl, Cimetidine, but none of those worked for me so I just stopped since they were expensive. I also tried Chinese herbal medicine but that didn't help much. But somehow I was cured, at least I thought.

Recently, its been coming back. And let me tell you, I WANT TO KILL MYSELF. The pain is so unbearable. The red spots are starting to appear too. It makes me so stressed out and depressed. I'm in the healthcare profession so I've been reading some medical articles on CU...

I have no idea what I am going to do. I'm thinking about going to a doctor and at least talk to him about it. But here's my plan. Maybe it'll work for me, I'll let you know but I'm not hopeful, rather doubtful.

I have dry skin, I'm thinking it may have to do something with the sweat glands physically being blocked. So, I'm going to shower with 2% salicylic acid in order to exfoliate dead skin and then use a lotion with 5% lactate and 5% urea in order to moisture and help exfoliate even further. So far, its been 2 days on this stuff, not working... I got sunburned, I should have worn sunblock.

I'm also thinking it has something to do with cold, obviously it's getting cold outside. The past week, I've been sleeping freezing cold. Literally shaking cold. I think this messed up my body somehow. I'm not sure because, but the first time I had CU, it started during fall/winter. I've started to turn the heat on and have an extra portable heater in my room. It sucks cause I always wake up itching like crazy and in pain and have to go downstairs in order to cool. But the way I think the first time I was "cured" was because I would constantly use the portable heater at night, during the winter, and during the spring. I hope this is it.

So far that's it. I'm going to try to change my diet as well, try to get more veges and less fat and fast food. But I don't think that's a problem because my diet has been pretty much consistent throughout the times I had CU and the year I didn't have it. And plus, I pretty much watch what I eat.


About the accutane stuff, I took it too. I really hope this is not a long term effect of this drug. Can anyone say class action lawsuit?

Hello!

I'm an eighteen years old male. I was probably fifteen or sixteen years old when I developed cholinergic urticaria.

My cholinergic urticaria occurs primarily over my torso, neck, face, and arms. The condition appears as small blotches of red skin. I could describe the pain as a combination of burning and itching, similar to a sunburn but more intense. I develop cholinergic urticaria from any situation that makes me sweat. Physical exercise, being in a stressful situation, or merely sitting in the Sun all trigger my CU.

I have seen dermatologists and allergy doctors who have all diagnosed my problem as cholinergic urticaria. However, none have been able to help me overcome this problem. The prescription medicines have not helped.

I have found only one medicine to be fairly effective: diphenhydramine (Benadryl). I must consume 50-100 mg for a few hours of relief. However, long term use of Benadryl raises several problems:
1. Benadryl makes users very tired. As a high school student and an insomniac who must be out the door by 6:30AM, I am already exhausted.
2. I build a tolerance to Benadryl, and must continually increase dosage for the drug to remain effective.
3. Benadryl gives me very dry mouth and sinus problems with long term use.
Regardless I am currently using 100-150 mg Benadryl daily to combat my CU, as the benefits outweigh the negatives.

I have tried "sweating out" the condition to no avail. Running ten miles daily for months on end yielded no result and was extremely painful for the first half of each run. Running did provide temporary relief when I was done, as I believe my body depleted my histamine supplies in the exercise.

Diet changes also failed to produce results.

This condition has severely impaired my life. I do not partake in most activities that the majority of people take for granted. I cannot enjoy a day at the beach, a game of golf, or even simply being outside on a warm day. Physical education class was not only physically painful but embarassing, as my face would cover with the flaming red blotches.

Since developing this condition, I have had to find all my entertainment indoors. I have spent literally hundreds of days playing computer games. My skin is pale from lack of exposure to the Sun, and I am not a very healthy person altogether.

This lifestyle is very depressing. I have been intensely suicidal at times, and the thought never leaves my mind. After living with this condition for so many years I doubt I will ever recover. This is only one problem on top of many others. Knowing this makes me feel crippled and worthless as an individual. Who would ever want to spend time with a person suffering from this disease?

I went to Las Vegas with my family last summer. If you have been to the American southwest, you know the heat is brutal. One day I attempted to go to the pool without taking Benadryl, as we forgot to pack the medicine. Within minutes I had to leave, returning to the hotel to douse myself in a cold shower, scratching my torso until blood dripped. I spent the rest of the trip in the room.

My entire life is full of such disappointing events and I can't help but wonder if it is even worth it.

I'm 22 years old and i have recently found out that i'm suffering from CU a month ago. I'm from Malaysia but currently in UK to pursue my studies. I was not suffered from CU until I'm in the UK. I was wondering why I was suffered from it in UK where the place is much colder than Malaysia. Is there anything I can do to cure it without taking medicine? It's really killing me. I used to be able to play basketball under hot sun back in Malaysia. But now, a little bit of heat would trigger the hives. Please help me. Thank you.

i had CU 7 years ago or so, it lasted about a year (of pure hell) then went away. i almost forgot about that horrible time in my life when it came back again last winter. so all last winter was bad, then summer came around. i live in texas, work outside, labor intensive... anyway all the sweating stopped all symptoms of CU. it didnt cure it, i know because after a long weekend of doing nothing the first day back at work i would get some tingles here and there, not a full breakout, just a reminder of whats waiting for me this winter. so for the past year i have been racking my brain tring to think of what i did, ate, took, or whatever that brought my CU back. i have many ideas, most of which i have discounted, but here is one...

last summer before my CU came back i got stung by an ant. i had a bed reaction: skin turned red, face swelled up, itchy everywhere. i was also was allergic to ants about 7 years ago but not this bad. between the two times i had CU i really didnt get any ant bites. anyway thats one coincidence with the return of my CU.

im not saying i totally believe this is the cause, but SOMETHING brought it back. i dont think its stress, i have been pretty stess free. i just wonder if the ant venom, or reaction to the venom, caused something to happen or change in my body?

how many of you are allergic to insect stings?

Tried to excercise this morning and broke out terribly even though I took Allergra and when I felt the rash coming, I took an instant Benadryl. Nothing worked. Came home completely itching and miserable. Decided to research this condition that I have had for almost 50 years. It began on my back when I was about 10 years of age. No one had any idea what I had. Yes, many thought it was in my head. My parents were given all kinds of useless advice. I am still having problems convincing people of this crazy condition. They can see the rash and I have had the angeiodema also. I am joining this forum out of desperation and needing any info. I may try the Acupuncture first, the homeopathic next. It is good to know that there may a solution... I appreciate all the info....

Hello fellow CU sufferers,

Just read your posts, and can commiserate, though not to the extent of some of you who seem to have it really bad. My own experiences began a year or two ago, specific to jogging-- I had no idea why I had these "itchy legs", it was so intense that I had to stop for the pain of it. Soon even walking briskly became a problem, and I thought it was the rhythmic impact on my foot on the ground that was causing the problems. I also began to have nausea and bronchospasm after exercising, as well as a more generalized rash over my chest, upper arms, legs and buttocks, so at this point I consulted with my GP, who diagnosed CU, and prescribed Aerius (Desloratadine) to take 1hr before exercise, which worked quite well-- it is a non-sedating, long-acting (24-hr), selective histamine H receptor antagonist, though not covered by insurance. I also take a bronchodilator before exercise, which helps with the exercise-induced asthma.

I consulted with an allergist when it became clear on a brisk walk on a hot day (hives galore, I was moaning with the intensity of the itch!) that I cannot always anticipate when an attack would occur (it always happened before a gym workout, but also at times during day-to-day activities). After asking to see the characteristic rash (which involved me doing jumping jacks and running up and down a flight of stairs for a few mins), and verifying there weren't any food triggers with allegen testing, he prescribed daily doses of Reactine (Cetirizine); basically I take 1/2 of a 20mg prescription dose tablet daily, so at least insurance covers it! Efficacy of Reactine however is much less than Aerius, so am considering just biting the bullet and dishing out for the more effective anti-histamine.

For those of you for which many antihistamines haven't worked, perhaps you should try Aeruis? It is relatively new, as of 2002, and according to the product monograph, "it is also indicated for the rapid relief of symptoms associated with chronic idiopathic urticaria, such as pruritus and hives."

Best of luck, and hang in there, there is lots more research being done on this condition and more effective medicines will surely be the result!

Oh, one more thing: I do not have a problem with sweating, in fact if anything I sweat more freely than ever before, so I don't see the correlation of the CU with sweat output, at least in my case.

Okay, so apparently the moisturizer with the AHA's had something that I was allergic to. My skin had rash all over, different rash, this was just pure itch. I would rather prefer this type of rash over CU ANY day. Anyways, so I stopped my sal acid body wash and moisturizer for a while. I'm planning to go back on the sal acid body wash since I don't think thats the cause of the rash on my body. I guess I should be a sensitive skin, hypoallergenic lotion. May be difficult to find something with AHA. I don't know if I want to use AHA because I got sunburned being outside for 5 mins.

I wish I could at least exercise like you guys. My itch and pain are SO intense that I cannot bear it. But, I really took it for granted during the time i was "cured." Sigh.

So, I was reading some medical articles that were published. Seems like dry skin has a big part to do with it. How many of you guys have extremely dry skin? I really think this has a huge part to do with CU. The articles I were reading were saying that plugs form in your sweat glands. And they recommended using keratolytics and moisturizers, baths to help skin come off. Seems like for most people, antihistamines dont work. Everyone has tried all different types of antihistamines.

I implore you guys to try using a very good moisturizer, preferably with AHA that will help further exfoliate skin. Try it and see if it helps. I'm gonna try too. I really hope this works. I'm putting all my hope on this because if this doesn't work, I give up. I cannot live with this condition anymore.