Hashimoto and Chronic Urticaria (hives)

[kdcdcd2]

In 1994 I was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroidits...then I was told that the Hashimotos turned into Hypothyroid...now for the last 9 months I have been diagnosed with Chronic Urticaria or hives. I will wake up with hives head to toe and am miserable but then by midafternoon the hives go away and come back around 8pm. I have seen a Dermatologist who says I need to accept the fact that I will not know what is causing the hives and to treat the hives (allegra and zantac) I have seen the Allergist who wants to check for an autoimmune disease which I don't understand because Hashimotos is an autoimmune disease or problem I thought. My thyroid doctor says there is no link between the thyroid and the hives and has taken a leave of abscence from his practice. I am now very frustrated and feel like I have to settle with no answers. Does anyone else have these issues?? or does anyone have any thoughts about this??

[itchinginLA]

hi, I too, suffer from daily hives(8years) and was diagnosed with hashimotos disease 3 years ago. I had a partial thyroidectomy but since my surgery my bloodtest show my thyroid levels within normal range, therefore my physicians will not prescribe synthroid. I am extremely tired and can fall asleep at most anytime during the day. I am very involved in my community and  chair numerous special events. I work in marketing/pr which requires a great deal of energy,  but the daily hives and extreme tiredness are beginning to wear me out. IF anyone has any suggestions, I will  greatly appreciative. I take daily H1  and H2 antihistamines. Its good to know that I am not crazy. I just wish we could all find the answers to our health conditions. Best of luck to everyone

[stargazer1]

Hives are truly horrible. I have them to various degrees. Somedays I feel normal, other days eyes and lips are swollen, feet feel like Im walking on knots. Im so tired, even I get tired of being tired. I take antihistimines and they make me so dry (eyes and mouth) and yet the hives are still there. I was wondering about those of you with Hashimotos are you getting the hives form the disease itself or from the meds to treat the disease?
Well, my allergist just put me on METHOTREXATE and folic acid. Im scared to take because its used for chemo patients, and has a lot of potential side effects. But, on the other hand living daily with hives has its side effects too. Let me know if anyone out there has had any success with this.

[tiredofbeingtired67]

Speaking of Tired of being Tired.... I was diagnosed with Hashimoto about '87, took Synthroid for years, tired all the time, depressed, hair loss, eyesight got worse - all the regular symptoms. At some point a dr. changed me to Levothyroid, seemed about the same but more tired, no periods, no libido, no fun :(. Then was switched to Levothyroxine... now this is when I think the Eczema as it's called for me started. I itched like crazy mostly on the shins however, it would move around, disappear and reappear. Over the last 7 years the Eczema is worse, and other symptoms seem to be getting worse. After reading each post on here I realized my Thyroid is probably out of wack and I need a good Endo. I live in Colorado - let me know if you have a recommendation.
For the Eczema:
Tried clobestral (spelling?) and Eucerin - Wasted a year on that!!!
Tried Fluocinonide .05% ointment & wet socks & Steriod shots in the shins every 3 months-worked some-wasted another year on that!!!
Currently am using Desoximetasone .25% cream & Steroid shots in the shins every 3 months-Eczema is calmed so far (but I just had my Steriod shots in my shins before Christmas so I'm sure this won't last)
Steroid shots work wonders but steroids are not a cure all.
I also take a med (like benadryl) at nite, which helps me sleep and I'm suppose to take the Zyrtec each day.
With the current treatment - so far so good.  
Thanks for all your info and look forward to any feedback or further help.
God Bless~

[Brenda458]

I was kind of hoping to find a study on how to treat HIVES related to either levothyroxine, in all it's forms, and/or related to Hasimoto's.  It seems most of us have Hashimoto's, and hives, simultaneously.  Most of us are told we just have to live with it.  We are told there is nothing that can be done about it.  Why is that?  Is all the research completed then?  Are all the studies conclusive?  Because I cannot find anything related to the different brands of thyroid medicine, in comparison.  And I have been told that levothyroxine drugs do NOT cause hives...yet I get the exact same reaction on every single one they try me on, whether it has additives, and my hives lessen considerably after one day off of the meds.  I would like to see comparisons between no drugs, levothyroxine brands, and natural thyroid brands.  Then maybe I wouldn't feel like I'm going nuts, here!  Are all the medical students/fellows researching something else?  This is a serious, sometimes debilitating disorder we have.  Any doctor who has actually experienced long bouts of urticaria should certainly understand.  I guess most of them have not.  I, for one, am really ticked off at being brushed aside, like a child who is complaining too much about a tummy ache. When my lips swell, and I am coated in red bumps, I am unable to live my life.  OF COURSE we feel depressed and angry over this.  Isn't there someone out there doing real research on how to stop this horrible reaction?  Every time I start a new levothyroxine, on the third day, my hives reoccur.  Fourth...swelling in my lip starts.  Fifth, I have a fat lip and I feel miserable.  I have asked to try Armour or Naturethroid, but my doc doesn't support that change.  It makes you want to give up.  It takes over your life.  Who knows if natural thyroid would be better or not, anyway, I guess.  No wonder they say folks with Thyroid disorder are often depressed or emotionally unstable.  I'd like to see them deal with Hives every day, sometimes, twice a day.  I feel sorry for everyone who has this...especially those who have it worse than me.  I hate worrying about swelling up and not being able to breathe, one day.  We deserve better than to be told we just have to live with it.  By now, there should have been more definitive studies done on urticaria, whatever it is or is not related to.  I don't know what we can do to make the Endo community realize that this is as destructive to the total person as the autoimmunity is to the rest of our bodies.  ARGH.

[Smilerdeb]

PREDNISOLONE.

A course of that ...weaned off slowly will stop the Hives.
I found my FT3 had plummetted and once the T4 med was increased, the hives went but I am still slowly weaning off the Predisolone.
I have had no antihistamines for over 2 weeks now.
Take a look at my pics.

[JKenton]

I've had hives once in my life more than 20 years ago, and I don't think it was auto-immune. Now eczema, I've had repeatedly and I do think it's auto-immune. On rare occasionI do get this rash where I'm like bleeding under the skin on the underside of my chin and bottom of the lobes of my ears. No idea what that's from.

Some people get hives due to temperature changes, or something in the air.