Postpartum HIVES? Anyone? Help!

[ladysarcasma]

The only thing anyone can figure caused the hives was a combination of herbs in a tincture of which I took 3 doses on Saturday. It was Mother Love More Milk Special Blend. I had already been taking 3 of the 5 ingredients, so I can rule out all but 2. After the third dose, I broke out in crazy hives all over the place that rapidly got worse. I've never been allergic to anything besides poison ivy so this is a big shock to me. I've never heard of anyone ever having this reaction to this tincture, so I really don't think it's true. Nettle was the ingredient the NP at the hospital decided was the culprit. But would that really remain in my system for THIS long?

I went to the ER and they gave me 3 days worth of Prednisone, Pepcid, and Benadryl. I took one combo of all three in the ER and it cleared it all up. By the next afternoon, the hives came back. I took my doses again. From then on, I took Benadryl every 6 hours and Prednisone/Pepcid first thing in the morning as instructed.

Everything was fine during the day after that morning dose. But by 9 PM, I would have a few spots, and by the time I woke up in the morning, I would be covered with hives. Yesterday, I went to my normal doc who told me I didn't have hives right then so obviously the Prednisone was working. He sent me out with nothing besides a lecture about taking herbs. He said if it didn't work after the next dose, he would put me on MORE prednisone. NO THANK YOU!

The same thing happened again last night, though this morning's outbreak was better than yesterday's. But now, I'm out of medication. So if it doesn't go away tonight, which I'm assuming it won't, then I don't know what to do!

Please help!

 

[Jendra]

OMG thank you!

I got this too. It was awful. It spread to my face and my lips looked they'd been stung by bees. Terrible itching nonsense. Benadryl made it go away, but I had to keep taking it and taking it.

Here's the good news: It wasn't an allergic reaction. I stopped the tincture I was drinking and it still came back. Stopped various meds I was on, still came back.

One day they weren't there, but I was relaying the story of my traumatic birth and boom, there they were again. It was a stress/hormonal thing.

Keep on with the Benadryl, make sure you have plenty of help around the house so you can sleep, and wait it out. A foot rub to relax would help, seriously.

I was so worried it would stick around forever, but it lasted about... four days I think.

 

[ladysarcasma]

I'm so glad you posted this (though I'm sorry you had to go through it)! I was suspecting that it was a stress thing. I'm so glad it wasn't the tincture, because that was working SO WELL!!

I'm also glad you said 4 days, since I'm on day 3 right now I haven't kept the Benadryl in my system consistently, but I've been making an effort to do so today. The Prednisone ran out this morning. So I'm just taking Benadryl.

Did you take the max dose? I was prescribed the minimum with the steroid. But I'd like to take the maximum.

Also, did you BF with Benadryl?

 

[Jendra]

I took one Benadryl and then took another as soon as I saw it was needed, which for a time was often. Blegh! It's terrible, isn't it? So I didn't exceed the daily max doses, but I can't remember how close I got. Just take what you need to when you need to.

As for breastfeeding, it's safe. However, my experience came after a c section, which delayed my milk (Probably also the exhaustion from a 48 hour induction) and then I got a uterine infection, separating me from my baby for two days. My supply absolutely tanked. I do not believe the Benadryl had anything to do with it, though. The illness and not breastfeeding for two days definitely were the culprit. And there was no way I could not take it in any case. I was a pile of suffering from those damn hives, and since they were stress-induced and they were causing me stress, Benadryl was a necessity.

I wish you good luck and lots of rest. Sleep really made a difference.

 

[patooti]

I didnt get hives specifically but my allergy like symptoms went crazy PP everything flared up. Eczema, hay fever, food allergies and skin rashes. Then one day it just went away. I suspect it has to do with hormone shift plus stress your body goes through. Hopefully it will pass.

 

[twobecome3]

effing hormones. sometimes when I get out of the shower my back and upper arms are covered in red blotches. I randomly get itchy welts on my back in the night. I don't take anything for it tho, it just comes and goes.

 

[ladysarcasma]

It's really good to know I'm not the only one. I really wish I was brave enough to try the tincture again because it had already started working day 1!!

 

[Jendra]

How have you been doing? I was thinking about you the other day. Did the hives stop?

 

[ladysarcasma]

Yes thank goodness, they were gone in a couple days. Thank you for asking

 

[Jendra]

Glad to hear it! And again, very grateful to know someone else this has happened to