Does the cold give any of you hives?

[Mermaid02]

Just came in from shoveling the deck off- I'm covered in hives! I started getting them when I was about 8 years old. I've met a couple other folks who get them- I was wondering if any of you do!

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Yep, especially if I'm wearing jeans.

 

[Magic Mom]

My step mom gets hives even when the AC is on high. She gets hives everythime she goes to the grocery store.

 

[design_mom]

Yep, especially if I'm wearing jeans.

Me, too.

 

[HelenePA]

Maybe this is what is going on with my 2 yr old.. he is cover in hives too. I had him at the ER on Sunday because of it.. He went to bed for a nap and woke up and WHOOOAH! His face was swollen so much it looked like I smacked him HARD! They gave him bendaryl and told me to do it every 6hrs as needed until they went away thinking it was something he ate or drank.. well he still has them. I have only been giving him benadryl at night now and just putting lots of lotion on him I can't drug him all day... ugh back to the dr's soon i guess

ETA please no flames about the ER.. we were the ONLY people there.. I mean only. It was dead (pun intended)

 

[design_mom]

Maybe this is what is going on with my 2 yr old.. he is cover in hives too.

My cold-induced hives clear up pretty quickly once I'm inside and get warm (hours, not days), so I think his might be something else. I'm sorry your little one is feeling bad though. My DS was prone to hives when he was younger and the doctor said they're incredibly hard to diagnose... but they can be a symptom of so many things, including strep throat. (DS tested positive once as a toddler when he did not have any other symptoms besides hives. The pediatrician tested him on a whim since strep was "going around" and she'd heard about hives being a symptom in some kids.)

 

[NotUrsula]

Not hives, exactly, but I do have a strange skin reaction. It looks like eczema, but it isn't; it's actually a type of mole called a telangiectatic nevus. When the temperature is above about 60F you cannot see or feel it, but when I get cold it turns into really nasty raised red plaques over about 40% of my body, and it takes at least about a week for it to calm back down once I get back to a warm place. It hurts like mad, and I've had to give up wearing skirts in wintertime, because I can no longer wear tights or hose at all.

Winter is my own personal version of hell.

 

[HelenePA]

they did a strep test and it came back negative.. he wants me to keep a food diary but there is NOTHING new in his diet at all..

 

[Mermaid02]

Yep, especially if I'm wearing jeans.

Yep- and then sitting on the cold car seat......

 

[Mermaid02]

they did a strep test and it came back negative.. he wants me to keep a food diary but there is NOTHING new in his diet at all..

I hope he feels better soon.

Mine go away slowly once I warm up too....

 

[Ceila]

they did a strep test and it came back negative.. he wants me to keep a food diary but there is NOTHING new in his diet at all..

It wouldn't have to be something new. I developed an allergy to chocolate when I was seven, despite having it many, many times before that. The diary will track not what is new, but what he eats when and if he gets hives again.

 

[Abbie]

My step mom gets hives even when the AC is on high. She gets hives everythime she goes to the grocery store.

Me too. They keep grocery stores so dang cold! It usually starts on my hands and by the time I leave I have welts and itchy hands, drives me nuts. And being outside in winter, especially if it's windy, I will get them all over my throat and face, ugh. Nothing but benedryl works.

For me, this started during my second pregnancy 21 years ago. Never had it before!

 

[HelenePA]

It wouldn't have to be something new. I developed an allergy to chocolate when I was seven, despite having it many, many times before that. The diary will track not what is new, but what he eats when and if he gets hives again.

they haven't really gone away the face part did (thank god!) but his legs look worse. The only thing I can think of that is "semi" new is the tyep of diapers I'm using.. I usually get baby dry pampers dh got crusiers this time. I've used them before though.. and its with out that dry max stuff.. I'm at a loss.. how do I figure out what it can be if its not the diapers.. I had some huggies in the car I'm using til I go to walmart and get baby dry tomorrow.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

My daughtercame down with hives on Sat., and we were out in the cold Friday night. Maybe this is the reason?
She still has them, although they disappear and come back in other spots during the day. I am giving her an antihistamine at night , but do any of you use claritan during the day? Does it work for you?

 

[Ceila]

they haven't really gone away the face part did (thank god!) but his legs look worse. The only thing I can think of that is "semi" new is the tyep of diapers I'm using.. I usually get baby dry pampers dh got crusiers this time. I've used them before though.. and its with out that dry max stuff.. I'm at a loss.. how do I figure out what it can be if its not the diapers.. I had some huggies in the car I'm using til I go to walmart and get baby dry tomorrow.

I'm so sorry your little guy is going through this. Since you're having such a hard time figuring out what's causing the hives, I would keep up the journal even though they haven't gone away yet. And I'd add in everything you use - diapers, soap, lotion, laundry detergent, cleaning products, etc. If the hives go away and then resurface, you might be able to use the journal to narrow it down. And like I said, sometimes allergies can develop to something that was always fine before, so keeping record of everything can be important in the long run, although it might take some time.

As a side note, when DD had hives (penicillin allergy) they put her on a steroid to clear them up. She was around 2, so maybe that's what your ped will do for your son. Definitely take him in tomorrow.

 

[hulagirl87]

gasp! I thought this was just me! Just this morning I was out shovelling, I came in and my legs were all itchy, I took off my jeans and my legs were all covered in hives! They went away in about an hour, but so weird!

 

[Mermaid02]

gasp! I thought this was just me! Just this morning I was out shovelling, I came in and my legs were all itchy, I took off my jeans and my legs were all covered in hives! They went away in about an hour, but so weird!

My allergist has given me an epi pen for mine- she says they can be very serious so make sure your Doctor is aware!

 

[indimom]

To the PP whose son is having issues:
I had a major issue with hives a few years back. The doctor explained that my histamines were in overdrive because of "something" I was in contact with. Once your histamines are worked up, anything can set your skin off - cold, heat (like getting warm while sleeping), perfumes you have used previously without incident, brushing up against something, rough fabric, anything.

The way the doctor "proved" her case was to lift my shirt in the back and "write" an X on by back. Within a minute or two I started to itch all over my back, and the little red lines she had drawn were two inch wide, inflamed red marks. Because my histamines were in overdrive, it made it pretty hard to discover what the allergy was because I would react to everything, even products I had used for years.
On her advice, I eliminated ALL perfumes and dyes in everything I used around the house or on by body. Wore gloves to clean. Watched and charted my diet. Charted my breakouts.

It took a LONG time, but I finally came to the conclusion that it was my Nair that I used in place of shaving. I had used Nair for years so I don't know if the company changed an ingredient or a perfume or what, but I haven't had hives since. Well, I also have stuck with the perfume and dye free detergent and use the dryer balls rather than fabric sheets. And still wear gloves to clean with harsh chemicals. (I'm still a little nervous it will come back, so I take precautions. Hives are miserable.)

For the OP, I feel for you. I have heard of an allergy to cold (or maybe it was just sudden temp changes, not the cold itself? I believe someone said that getting chilled swimming sets their off.). Is that what causes yours, do you think?? Do you get them at any other time or just with the cold? That would be miserable around here. I think I'd have to move. Hated, hated, hated the hives.

 

[shannonh]

I am so glad I'm not the only one! I've had this happen since I was little, also. I told my doc about it once and he looked at me like I was crazy.
Any type of cold does it, if pool water is too cold, if I hold something cold on my skin (like a drink), the weather, etc. Once I'm warm they go away, but it' so weird!

 

[Mermaid02]

Sometimes the shower will do it! I also get exercise hives but they are different.... they are small red pin prick type things, very itchy but not the big welt you think of as a hive.

Yes a swimming pool will give me hives too.

When I was small the docs thought it was weird- but since then the docs seem more familiar with it. According to my allergist, it can lead to anaphylaxis so take it seriously!