Random Swelling

[ashlynapple]

In October 2007, I broke out in hives from my neck to my thighs, and my entire face swelled.  I went to the doctor and got a shot, nothing has happend until January 2008.  Randomly my lip will swell, my eyelid, sections of my ankle or elbow.  One nostril has swollen as well.  They don't all of these at the same time, just at random times.  It has even happend when I haven't eaten or drank anything.  Any suggestions/ reasons why this his happening are welcome.

[Answersneeded101]

I am baffled by all the comments, for I to suffer with all the above symptoms. I had a hysterectomy a few months ago and woke up from anesthesia with a swollen lip. The nurse said I must have bitten my lip during surgery which made no sense since I was completely under. Two days later my entire right side was swollen and the doctor told me it was a hematoma from the surgery. But since my surgery, I have had random swelling from my lips, to ears, legs,feet hands eyes back of knees, etc. the flare ups are more often and very painful. I am wondering if the majority of you have had some type of surgery or procedure prior to the outbreaks. Please comment

[freedombuzz]

I am randomly swelling as all of you.  What scares me the most is when my throat or voice box swells and I cant swallow.  So far my throat hasn't closed off totaly, but in time all things are possible!
I am as all the rest of you.  I have tried everything as far as tests and doctors go.  So I am now going to a naturepath, who is testing for reasons this is happeing and what I may need to do.  I don't think that a regular doctor has a clue what it is or what to do.  Do n't waste your time.
This is just plain scary.  If anyone gets an answer please pass it on.

[holystacy]

Hereditary angioedema. its a genetic condition. haea.org

[singulair]

I have had the same conditions as discribed in the many blogs. I have been taking Singulair and Zertec for several years without a re-occurrence until this weekend.

I came down with a cold and took some asprin, bingo.....both feet and tongue swelled.

I noticed someone said asprin can cause a flair up.  could be coincidence.

Elderly doctor told me years ago, the cause of Angio Adema in unknown and it will go away oddly as it came.

Good luck to all

[katie167]

Hi, I just came across this board and thought I'd share my experience.  For the past two months almost, I've been dealing with a face rash and occasional swelling of my lips and eye area.  It started with what seemed like chapped/dry lips, then spread to a rash around my lips within a day.  A week or so later, a rash appeared under one eye and on the bridge of my nose.  The lip problem would start to go away and then get worse.  Then, maybe two weeks into this, I broke out in itchy welts/hives on my face and one eye started swelling underneath when the A/C at work wasn't working and it was hot in the office.  It proceeded for another two weeks to alternate between itchy hives/ swelling of one or both eyes, then that would go down, then the lips would swell and itch and then dry up and crack and peel... really uncomfortable, and the itching drove me nuts when that was going on.  I've been to my doctor, and she ran blood tests.  Everything was "normal" except slightly low white blood cell count.  She referred me to an allergist and a dermatologist.  Each has a different take on it-- derm thinks it was a fungal yeast infection in the corners of my mouth that triggered allergic rash, but the allergist thinks I'm allergic to something I touched on my face.  They tested a bunch of my body care products on me and I had an allergic reaction to jojoba oil and another oil... I've used jojoba oil for 5 years on my face every day!  They seem to think that's what caused it, but I haven't used it for a month now, pretty much (realized it was also in my shampoo, so stopped that), and today I woke up to itching/tingling swelling of my lips again!  They're a red, swollen mess again.  

So, what I've done is gone to see a holistic MD, paid out of pocket.  He spent the time to hear my whole, detailed medical history, all my symptoms, things I think could be related (other health issues like migraines I've had for ages.)  He thinks I may have low thyroid (which wouldn't show up on the regular blood test my doc did) and low adrenal function that has left me with a low immunity to things like this, and maybe hypersensitive.  He's having me do a body temperature-taking test every day to chart my body temp as a clue about whether it might be one of those hormone glands... and has suggested I go off all inflammatory foods, like dairy, caffeine, chocolate, sugar, breads/wheat, alcohol, and eat lots of fresh vegetables, especially green leafy ones (collard greens, kale, etc.) raw or lightly steamed (I also sautee them lightly in olive oil and fresh chopped garlic and salt/pepper), and add in healthy protein (I eat a little chicken, beans, stuff like quinoa, buckwheat groats).  I stopped even decaf coffee, no sugar (I read all labels of all food and ask at restaurants to make sure there's no hidden sugar.)  I also eat some fresh fruit and some raw nuts (not peanuts, just walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds...)  I drink only water and herbal tea.  He also suggested I do a gentle cleanse of toxins/heavy metals in the body by drinking bentonite clay in water once a day (just a teaspoon of powder or gel in a glass of water)... I take it with psyllium husks because I was getting constipated... and warm baths with the clay mixed in (it clumps, so you have to soak the powder in water til it turns to gel, and then break up clumps).  I also do some face masks or wet compresses with the bentonite.  He had other suggestions, too... I'm trying it all, including acupuncture (never did it before, but I'm doing it now!)  Some cities have "community acupuncture" clinics where it's low cost, so google it, and you might find it helps with time (I'm hoping all this helps.)  I'd recommend trying some suggestions about checking out your adrenal gland functions:  http://www.drrind.com/  and doing the temperature taking chart... this isn't my doctor, but my holistic doc is using this doctor's methods.  I'm finding my body temperature (average, taken 3 times a day) is low and fluctuates from day to day quite a bit... which sounds like it indicates slightly low thyroid and low-functioning adrenal glands... and my holistic dr. is then going to work with me on some natural ways to boost those if he finds they are low (I'm about to send him my temp results for the last couple weeks.)  His take on it, is that they are probably not functioning well-- can result from stressful periods either physically or emotionally/mentally, when you never quite recover, and your glands are left trying to catch up, and they control so many functions in your body that it can cause all kinds of symptoms.  Of course, I've done the allergy testing partly already, to figure out any triggers there, but otherwise, I want to find out WHY this started happening out of the blue!  So, I'm improving my health slowly (I was already fairly healthy, but stressed a lot, and have had a surgery this past year and several sports injuries that left me unable to exercise much...)  and hoping that will nip this in the bud with time.  I recommend finding a holistic MD or naturopathic dr. either in person or online to talk to by phone/email... in addition to a regular doc.

[phxpirate]

I stoked that there is board about this because i was freaked out i had something wrong with me, has any found out what is going on them?

I am 29 and about 6 weeks ago before bed my foot started to go numb, but turns out it was just swelling up, by the next day by foot had swollen, i took some allergy medicine that a co-worker had and went home and iced my foot and took Advil and an antihistamine, it was better the next day but not totally, also my stomach was hurting, wasn't nausea just upset, foot and stomach last couple days and made appointment, by time symptoms went away did blood work but after they took blood called back that results were inconclusive because of low white blood cells. was fine for two weeks and then broke out very badly, foot, hip, hand, leg, hip, got in see dr and did blood work, (nothing but low white blood cells and high histamine but all looked healthy) and xray on chest thought it was valley fever, (nothing) prescribed steroid which helped, no symptoms  for the 5 days then a couple days later stomach and  swelling foot, hip, bottom. again steroid again no more and did an ultra sound all good, the day after i finished  the steroid I started swelling, foot, shoulder, lower back, shoulder, hip,

i have another appointment with a new dr, any id's about test they can run? they have said that after this next steps is allergiest.  any other things it might be? or who i might see>?i am thought it might be some blood infection because even when i go out of town i have the same symptoms. i dont want to treat the symptoms I have started a total body cleanse today but has been taking natural antihistamine (nettle) and a tbs bentonite clay before dinner past couple days but no positive results, hopefully will see positive changes,  any other ideas about herbal remedies? i have also given up alcohol and tobacco, i read to give up allot of stuff like caffeine but am working there, any other ideas about diet changes?