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.

[Guest2121]

I have the same symtoms. Same answer from doctors that everyone else got. Which means no answers really.  I came across this. Hope this helps. http://www.thedoctorstv.com/videos/disorder-causes-random-swelling

[Will_Find_A_Solution]

Hello I have the same problems as you. I do have a few questions for you. You said that the symptoms ie.. swallow tongue got worse or happened more frequently when you were on birth control and during your period. What I want to know is if it also gets worse during your period if you are not taking or were off birth control.

[maunda]

Hi Swellguy; Im looking for answers too....this has been happening to me for about 2 years now and seems to be getting worse. Im a 54 year old woman and figured it was brought on by menopause. Im getting pretty desperate so if you find any answers let me now. Im thinking of ging to see an ayurvedic practitioner or similar.

[1swellguy]

Well, it looks like another person (me) suffers from this unknown and random swelling condition. I have been suffering from this for many years now. I also have been tested for allergies. Checked my blood, watched my diet, and tried to control my stress levels. None of which have contributed to adding to or curing our condition.

The last post in here was more than 7 years ago, so I'm checking in to see where everyone got the cure from.

I haven't tried changing deodorant,  but will be giving it a shot. So far that's one I haven't heard of, and if you suffer from this you will know I am willing to try anything.

My swelling happens in random places at random times. I have seen it from pressure (ex. swelling on shoulder after carrying a backpack, but not every time) Most recently, yesterday it was only on my left hand, middle finger. Today, it was only on my right hand, but again middle finger. I assume maybe because they are the furthest part on my hands. I haven't even been driving in traffic to be using my middle finger too much.

My symptoms start with a slight itch to the skin. then within a few hours, the area becomes inflamed. Then it swells and becomes very tight. with the skin stretched to its max, it then feels like a sunburn. It takes anywhere from 24-72hours to subside.

during the times it moves into my mouth, I can feel it in the lower part of my lip, then it moves to the top of my lip. many times it lumps up like I bit my lip, but then it will move around my mouth never occupying more than 30-40% of my lips at the same time. Eventually it will disappear.

The allergist looked at a spot on my arm and quickly called it hives, has prescribed anti-histamines but I cant find that they work. since there are many years of posts, with hundreds of posts about this and no one offering a cure, we may need to band together and compare symptoms and such (the reason behind this lofty post)

The only thing my blood work determined is I have a deficiency in Vitam D, so I take D3 and try to enjoy my tie in the sun.

If you have any recommendations, or would like to share in ideas please post back. Maybe we can all figure this out since doctors aren't trying

~Regards

[Swellgirl]

Hello swellguy and all the others! I randomly swell during past six month, eye lid, eye orbite, nose thrill, lower lip, upper lip, left side of lips, localized on arms sometimes, middle finger,a part of left palm somwtimes, a lower part of one butt cheek. Had someone find an answer so far? I've been tested and tested, billion blood and urine analysis, ... They didn't find anything, except some higer IgM antibody in blood serum, but haematological malignancies are excluded...for now. I have completely changed my life style, I eat healthy, exercise, yoga, diet, but now result, the swelling still occure, at least once a week, for 3 to 5 days, changing location. I am desperate, I am taking xyzal for months, but nothing. Btw, I am 41, female. Help, someone! Thank you.

[MarizaB]

I've had regular strong allergies and I'm on my monthly period, for the last few days I've had swelling in my hands, fingers, feet, and stomach area. I usually drink a lot of water, but haven't in the last week. I have no redness or skin issues. I'm guessing maybe its the combination of my period and the allergies, and maybe some water retention. I have been drinking more Sprite soda, more than usual. Perhaps this too is the cause. I took some pictures of myself recently and I noticed it, and my rings I like to wear on my middle finger have been a bit tight. I did take some very strong prescription allergy medication I had gotten in Europe. It did affect me and I felt like I w as really drunk, it made me crave a lot of sprite soda to ease my stomach. Hope it goes away soon.

[Babs03]

This is so frustrating!  For the most part, I am awakened in the middle of the night with mine.  I have had a couple during the day, but mine start with a burning sensation everywhere I grow hair:  armpits, the va ja ja, you know the drill...  I immediately know what is about to happen....  I get up and immediately grab my round hair brush.  I scratch my hands like I am trying to literally take the skin off.  RELENTLESS!  The pain is unbearable.  I remember how the chicken pox felt when I was a child because I was one of the few who had it twice.  That is what my hands and feet feel like. Huge whelps (some the size of a silver dollar or larger) and the red flushing of the skin begins to take over.  And now, my tongue and airways are starting to swell.  Now, that's getting pretty darn scary.  What am I to do?  I have told several doctors.  I'm a simple gal.  Nothing really changes with my diet and medications.  I had several episodes this past year prior to Christmas, but before that, it had been probably two years since I had had one.  And then...., there was another last night.  3:30AM.

Reading this thread really doesn't give me hope.  I can tell you that as I age, the episodes seem to get worse.  I have told my family that because now that my tongue and my airways seem to be affected, be prepared to take me to the ER with the next one.  And that's just it.....  When will I have another?  If there is anyone in the medical field that can help us, please do.  Apparently this is a rare condition (maybe not quite so rare).  We need a doctor that can diagnose this.  

Thanks guys!

[AimeeKay1]

OMG!! Thank god for the internet and for the person who started this thread years ago!!!

Since my twenties I've had sensitive skin. I would break out in horrible "rashes". Patches of uber-dry skin that just burned and itched all the time. My doctor at the time finally said it was an allergic reaction due to the ingredients in the hand sanitizers at my work. I stayed away from them and found a moisterizer that helped keep the patches at bay. I was fine for almost 6 years. Then in 2008, after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure I started getting a rash on my arms.I changed meds and it seemed to go away and now it's back. On top of that I get these 'hives' that come outta nowhere. If I don't scratch them they go away after a few hours. My doctor at the time said it was from stress and could possibly be related to my fibromyalgia. Within the past few months suddenly the hives have started to center on my hands and lower arms, sometimes on my feet or ankles. If I scratch them the area where they are swells horribly and is sooo painful! (and I'm on percocets for damage to my back and it still hurts) The only thing I've found that helps is if I take Benadryl tablets. No other creams or pills help. And I have to take 2 which knocks me out. I also have trouble swallowing and breathing sometimes when this happens. Sometimes I have trouble swallowing and breathing without the 'hives', etc.
I've tried cutting out meds, I've tried watching what I eat, where I sleep, anything that touches me. I can't find anything that is the cause of it. It's so stressful. Especially when I have the breathing and swallowing issues because I know that allergic reactions can be deadly.
What I hate the most though is the scars left from the rashes and the rashes themselves on my arms and hands. Even my boyfriend has gotten to the point of saying it looks like I'm a druggie. He even jokes that it's a reaction to the pain meds I'm on. I'm so sick of it. All of it. I read every entry here hoping that at some point someone would say they had finally found a cause or something other than allergy meds that would just make it stop.

Yet still how many years since the original post no one has a definite answer.

I know I sound really depressing and negative right now. But seeing this thread and all the other people who are going through the same things I am ....it helps. Maybe no one will actually care enough to find out what is actually causing this. But at least I'm not alone in being frustrated, embarrassed and scared.

I'm going to look up some of the conditions others have mentioned here and bring them to my doctors on the next visit. And I plan to keep following this thread in case someone out there figures something out.

But I just wanted to say thank you. Thank all of you for sharing. Even if you don't have any idea of anything that will help. Thank you.

It helps to know you're not alone.

[Micribs]

I went through the same experience as most of these people did. I took Prednisone first and the symptoms  went away only to come back a few days later. Went to an allergist and he recommended Allegra. For me with in two hours of taking it all my symptons of the hives and random swelling went away. I took it for two weeks and stopped. About a week later started getting the swelling in my face again. So back on Allegra and within two hours it went away. For now I am on a daily regiment of Allegra until I can figure out the issue. After some blood test I did find out my body is making antibodies against itself so going to look further into that. I hope this helps some people because it is kind of scary when you don't know whats happening.  

[carlpat16]

My doctor told me that anyone with allergies anything can happen, I don't buy this and I'm looking for an answer. I went to my primary doctor. He was concerned that any time from the neck up that swells there is a possibility that my airways could close, I was given a steroid shot and a prescription of steroids for a week, the last time this happened. It was worse than today
thank you Carl

[gcanada]

Hi, i was reading your response

i have had 8years of swelling/puffiness, on my cheeks basically.
It goes on and off throughout the day, i havent found out a root cause for it
my swelling is not exactly painful or swelling type, its alotof puffiness, like my cheeks suddenly look really fat

i was just wondering why you decided to take Roll Aids (or you rolaids?) as it in an anti-acid.

recently ive been feeling that this puffiness issue is connected to my stomach.
so any help in this matter would really steer me in the right direction.

look forward to hearing from you  

Thanks, all your help is truly appreciated

[AllergyMother]

Try the allergy doctors in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, who developed a successful sublingual immunotherapy in which you place a drop of liquid under your tongue three times a day. It is specially formatted based on your specific allergies, like allergy shots. ENT docs especially are picking up on this. It worked for me, although my food allergies caused mucous, not swelling. Traditional allergists think it doesn't work, but I know several people helped by this.

[colbrett]

I had similar symptoms, but mine was caused from my thyroid.  My doc thought my thyroid was okay until he did a full panel blood test and a sonogram of my thyroid.....I was diagnosed with Thyroid Autoimmune (Hashimotos).  Once I started taking the correct synthroid dosage to help the thyroid gland, I no longer have these issues.  I would get hives even around my waist, hives around my ears, fatigue, anxiety, and etc.  Ask and demand your doctor for a full panel thyroid blood test (i.e., T3, T4, and antibodies) blood test for the thyroid.....  I hope this helps all of you, and good luck!!!!

[dr3patel]

What I figured out after analyzing many many different things I got in contact with and all sorts of food and medicine I had in past 6 months. I found out that food, dust and spring has nothing to do with my allergic reaction but my assumption is that there is this "ADVIL" (ibuprofen) drug that is causing me this issue. This is a common OTC drug that people usually take. when I take advil once a week, that has no affect on my body but when I take advil one per day for two days or more, then it start to trouble me with lots of random swelling in my foot, hands and scalp. I will be visiting rhumetologist to detect any issues with my blood or joints.

[dr3patel]

Same issue: Random swelling on my fingers, thumbs, toes, eye lids, scalp, back side of ears, underarms, wrists. The swelling is random it stays at one spot for like a day and goes away and comes back again after 3-4 days. This keeps happening for like 4 week. Doctors have no suggestion for treatment yet after my 6th visit. Please help if any one tried anything and worked!

[TylerJohn]

well to start im 27 year male. very fit. swelling started about 4 months ago with in minutes on the heel of my left foot. the next day it moved to my toes and by the end of that same day moved to my other foot. went to the doctor but no clear answers. but went away after 48 hours. then yesterday afternoon my right foot, right hand and left side of my tongue swelled. after recalling everything before it has happened, one thing stuck out. it happens right after a cold starts to go away.

[AWWrecovered]

I have all the same symptoms, random violet swells, occasional racing pulse, hives.  I saw 3 different allergist, a neurologist, a rumotologist, catriologist and had buckets of bloodwork that was all normal.  I reacted to nothing on the allergist skin tests (including the control histamine)  I could swell 4" in minutes.

I went to a naturopath and found out that food intolerances do not show on allergy tests.  I was told to eat nothing but unseasoned baked chicken and plain white rice for 3 weeks then add one pure unprocessed food at a time.  With this I discovered a severe soy intolerance.  Soy goes by 20 different names and is highly difficult to avoid without cooking everything at home from scratch.  It is in most vegetable oils used for baked goods, almost all boxed and frozen foods, and most preservatives including those for prescription medications.  It even hides under the name "natural flavors" sometimes.

While you may have never been allergic to foods before, food are not the same plant anymore with the GMO, pesticides, and alternations.

Try the elimination diet and see what happens.  I am swell free unless I fall off the strict control of what I eat to exclude it.

[aurana13]

I have been dealing with the same issues listed for over 2 months now. It started with an itch in my palm, then my hands started to swell. Next, I was getting hives down my arms, around my waist and on my feet, my tongue would swell and I would have to force myself to swallow. I've seen many doctors, with no answers. I was sent to an allergy specialist and while in his office, we watched the hives spread over my hands, feet and up my calves. He tried to do a standard allergy test, but stopped after 8 pricks, stating that my body was so clogged up that the tests would not be accurate. I have been completely left in the dark and as all of you know, it can be quite scary when you wake up to your hands being balloons and your throat tight and itchy. Do you go to the ER, or do you wait it out? My symptoms always seem to be the worst when I wake up, of course that is because the body is warmer.
The first thing I had my landlord check was my oil furnace. I asked her to get a maintenance person in to check the filters and the pipes for a leak because I had been noticing a strong oil smell. My hives and swelling completely went away for almost two weeks after the furnace was checked! I was awed.... until they came back. The first time I noticed the reoccurrence was after a sushi meal. I vomited profusely for almost 3 days, experienced swelling in multiple body limbs and hives all over, but thought nothing of the fish I had just consumed. Two nights ago I joined a party for a 4 course meal, my app was a crab bisque(Only a tiny bit of shell fish in the soup), that night I couldn't seem to keep the soup down and the next morning, my hands were more swollen than I have ever seen them before. I could hardly bend my fingers, they were completely red with hard white patches, or hives as I call them. I played it off to the fact that it could have been the alcohol, so the following night, I had one drink of vodka and one  beer to test. I woke up with no symptoms.
Today, a maintenance man at my work pulled out a dirty oil filter to show my boss from one of his apartments, and it happened so fast I could not get away. Even with Benadryl in my system I cannot keep the hives off of my hands. So I am left with only the two things as my indicators, shell fish and Oil heating fumes.
The allergy specialist gave me a few good tid bits of info. He told me to only take Benadryl for emergencies and to take my allergy pills (Reactin is what he prescribed 20mg tables 1 or 2 a day) with an ant-acid (like zantac) he said he has been doing research on allergies since he was an intern and is now a retired doctor only specializing in allergies. He said the ant-acid actually enhances the effects of the antihistamines taken.
I know allergies vary for everyone, but these two tings are the only things I've come across after over 2 months of no-stop issues.
So I ask you all to consider what form of heat your home is using, how long it has been since that heating system has been cleaned or checked. If you're like me, your heat is used mostly in the evening (after work) and at night, when my symptoms seem to be the worst.

[edavoudi]

Anyone out there that has the secret remedy???

I am 35 and had my first episode about 8 months ago. I woke up with itchy hands. With in 10 min of waking my forearms were covered in a rash (dots). The rash spread to my chest and neck, my throat started feeling like I had something stuck in it, my chest was tight, swollen lips and face.... had to go to ER. The gave me steroids, eppi pen, zantak and Benadryl. Everything was ok till two days later, same thing...back to the ER. They said it was an allergic reaction to a blood pressure med I had been taking for over a year. So I stopped taking it.

Took Benadryl and prednisone as instructed by ER and with in a few days I was fine. No trace of rash etc...

Three weeks ago I wake up, hands start to itch, bumps start on my forearms, with in 10 min it was all over my chest, neck, face, upper stomach and my lips/eyes/face were swollen. Way worse than my last episode..

So back to the ER for me. They seemed baffled. Gave me the same treatment. To put it in a nutshell, I had to run to ER with symptoms that seemed to just be getting worse 6 times in the last three weeks. Woke up this morning with swollen eyes, lips and both jaws. Hives start on my chest, spread to my stomach then groin area. My chest is tight, and it feels like I have something in my throat and a horrible headache.

Here's the kicker.....  I only have these symptoms when I wake up, sit up, then start moving around. If I lay down they get better. I have no symptoms in the night and it always gets better toward the night.

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NeeNee59]

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So am not special, I have swelling currently around my right eye, of course the good one, I've taken everything over the counter plus injections, it always related to an unknown allergy, I am so tired of looking like elephant lady, one day my eye another day hives on my legs or arms, the hives or swelling moves all over my body, the allergist indicates with the use of testing that I am allergic to pretty much everything, please help. Oh! thanks for listening.

[kjellt]

Hi guys! Great to read all the testemonials. I have for the last 35 years been wondering what in the world was causing my swellings. First time it happened when I was about 19 years old. I was with a couple of friends in a pub and we were having some beers. Suddenly after 2-3 beers I felt a strange sensation in my upper lip. Then in just a few minutes my whole upper lip swelled up. I got very frustrated, very angry and embarresed. I left the place quickly and made sure I was alone for the next days, until the swelling was gone. It had moved around my whole face!!!
After ca 1 year and 4-5 more incidents (with swellings anywhere on the body!!), I could clearly see that this was related to the alcohol. I could have a few drinks or wine/beer and nothing would happen, but if I was drinking something with alcohol 2-3 days in a row, the swellings came back, maybe 1-2 days after I hade some wine or beer. Later in life I also got swellings if I had a strong cold or a flu.... Now I had swellings for a few days after a visit to the dentist, pulling a tooth and root canal in another....
So my definition is that when my immune system gets stressed or overloaded, the swellings is "around the corner". So I now look at the positive side; Don't drink more than a few times a month and only a few glasses of wine/beer (I love good food and wines...) and stay as healthy as possible. Exersize is also good for me, but I don't over-do it. That can also stress the immune system. I use only supplements from Herbalife to boost my immune system, and it has a great effect - also on my energy level. Now I work full time as a Herbalife distributor to help other people to feel better. Feel free to contact me. Stay health out there. Good luck everybody!
Kjell

[BartA]

are you still on prednisone?  is it working?  my whole body is swollen slightly and they prescribed prednisone.  I just took my second dose of it today and it does not seem to be doing much?  any other suggestions?

[84nick]

Hello...I am 28 years old and have also been having this "random" swelling from last five years.  I have been to the doctor many times and at first was treated for an allergic reaction.  I then found a doctor that called it chronic urticaria & angioadema....which cause random swelling.  I am taking anti allergic medicine not a steroid. I am taking this medicine every day. this swelling comes on the surface affecting my finger tips, hands, elbows, knees, ankles, bottom of feet, heal, throat, tongue, face, eyes, lips randomly. My all test are normal.
          but as per this website (http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/allergy-symptoms-types) this can be from a vitamin in milk called Casein Allergy this random swelling happens. From last ten days I have stopped drinking milk, vinegar, much oily foods and any other foods having this vitamin or made from milk. I feeling better now. None of the fruits and vegetables so you can eat them.
          I suggest everybody who are suffering from this can try this stop drinking milk, vinegar, much oily foods and any other foods having this vitamin or made from milk and take medicine while trying this i hope it will help you.

God Bless U all.

[moetunes]

had 10 teath pulled,,,,never had problems before,,, random swelling all the time now

[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