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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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Allergies |
Chronic hives and relationship to hormones04/03/2001 |
Question 1: Have you ever heard of chronic urticaria related with hormones? I have had hives off and on for 20 years. I am 45. I have been to several doctors, and had many tests with no evidence of a cause. I have been treated with various combinations of medications, antihistamines, cimetidine, atarax, periactin etc. Sometimes after finding the right combination, my hives will diminish and eventually go away. They are gone anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, then they reappear. Sometimes mildly and disappear on their own, and sometimes they are intense and require several months and combinations of meds to make them disappear. The last several times I have had them (4-5 years) I notice that they are get worse a few days before I start my menstrual cycle, and then they diminish a little after my cycle starts. I have mentioned this to doctors, but they haven`t had any answers for me. The thing that confuses me, is that once they are gone, they can stay away for many months, and I am still having my regualr menstrual cycle. Any ideas? Also, I noticed some info on this site and another website about hives and hyperthyroidism. What tests should be performed to see if this may be a possible cause? I noticed hyperthyroidism mentioned loss of weight, I am overweight.
Hives have been demonstrated to be induced by hormones. Our laboratory has demonstrated (and published) that progesterone sensitivity can be responsible for urticaria in a subpopulation of women. Chronic urticaria has now been shown to be induced by autoantibodies directed towards IgE receptors on mast cells and basophils. You require a thorough history and directed evaluation to make sure there are no other potential causes for your hives. If, in fact, the hives are progesterone induced, then Lupron injections which suppress progesterone production have been helpful for treatment. You should see an internal medicine trained, board-certified allergist experienced in the evaluation and treatment of urticaria.
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Jonathan Bernstein, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Division of Immunology and Allergy Department of Internal Medicine College of Medicine University of Cincinnati |
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