Too early to call the doctor

[dolphinrescuegirl]

I wore a new dress for a couple of hours last night and I seem to have broken out. DH put some cortizone on me about a hour ago to relieve itching. Now I'm itching again and have gained a lot more welts. I would like to know if I go to the ER, will they just put cortizone on me and send me home? I don't want to spend the $$ if they will just do what we are already doing here at home. It's 3am so that's why I'm asking. I would hate to wake DH if there is no need. My back is on fire!

 

[spacemermaid]

I'm not a medical professional, but I also get rashes/allergic reactions from detergents (and lotions, and cosmetics, and dish soap, and...well, you get the picture, I'm sure!). I wouldn't go to the ER unless you're having trouble breathing due to the allergic reaction; I know how awful it is to be itchy in the middle of the night, but probably they won't do anything at the ER that you can't do at home. My standard procedure for when I get the "itchies" is to take a cool bath to get as much of the irritant off my skin as possible, then dry off with a clean towel that's been washed in a detergent I'm used to. Then I apply the cortizone cream to the area, and keep applying it as directed on the packaging til the itching goes away. I found that OTC Benadril pills will do wonders when having an allergic reaction like that. If it doesn't go away or at least lessen in intensity after a day or so, the I'd go to the doctor. Hope you feel better soon! The "itchies" are awful!!!

 

[Imzadi]

Ugh! Sorry you are going though this. Sounds awful.

Depending on where you bought the dress from, if it was stored in some warehouse or backroom, they might have accidentally sprayed it with a pesticide or rat poison as they were spraying for pests. That could be what's causing your reaction.

I really don't know if going to an E.R. would help or if you would just be sitting there for hours in pain. If you can hold out to the am, some drugstore like CVS & Walgreens have wellness clinics that are a lot less money than the E.R. and also don't make you wait. Most take insurance.

See this thread for more details:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2192471

 

[RNMOM]

Do you have any benadryl? Generic is dyphenhydramine. Take 50 mg. now and shower to get any of the irritant off you.

The most important thing to know is that if your tongue, throat or lips start to swell, call 911. If you suddenly start having trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911. Don't fool around if either happen because it can be sudden if it is going to happen.

Take the shower and benadryl and sit calmly for a bit. Drink some cool liquids and try to relax. If the hives and itching just keep getting worse, you should go ahead in to the ER. Your doctor probably isn't open tomorrow, right? That's where they would send you anyway. They would probably give you oral steroids and possibly some topical medications to help. You may never be able to figure out what set this off unfortunatly.

By the way, did you eat out last night? Anything new like shellfish? Do you have any allergies?

Be careful and I hope this eases up soon.

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

Thanks for all the advice. This really baffled me as I don't have any allergies and I didn't eat dinner last night. Just some snacky food that I eat all the time. I was talking to DH earlier and made the remark that maybe it was dropped in pesticide not knowing that I could be right! I think it probably was sprayed with something in a back room as I have NEVER had any reaction to any type of clothing or detergents. The dress is actually a style I wear and materials that I am used to. I think I will wash heavily the other dress I got at the same time.

I took a shower and a hot bath, put cortizone on and it wasn't helping. Then I took some bendrayl and another pain reliever and the itches are going away!! The welts are even going away. Wished I knew this info about 4 1/2 hours ago when it started! Thanks for all the advice and ideas! I am on my way back to normal!

 

[Imzadi]

Yay! Whew!

 

[Christine]

Glad to hear the Bendryl helped. It is probably some contact allergy to whatever was on the dress. I definitely wouldn't go to the ER over it.

I just wanted to add that the welts may come and go for a week or more. I used a new fact lotion/cream on my face and neck last weekend. After the second day of it, I got hives on my neck. A week later, I still have them, though they are improving. They flare up every now and again. So don't be surprised if they come back.

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

So the rash and itches are back full force! I continued with the benadryl and cortizone but they have quit working. I want to go to the ER so that might be able to give me something stronger for the itches. They get so severe that my whole body shudders. I would go now but DH is asleep. I don't want to make him get up for this. Plus I don't have any idea where the hospital is. Any more advice?

 

[agnes!]

A warm bath with colloidal oatmeal (You can get Aveeno or just whir some oatmeal up in a coffeegrinder to a fine "grit" and pour it into a warm bath and then soak for a while.

I had an allergic reaction to, of all things, Oxyclean. Couldn't figure out why I was breaking out and I also had the most AWFUL itchy skin. Oh, and it was in almost ALL my clothes.

It could be a lot of things...contact dermatitis,etc. My Dr prescribed some Rx-strength hydrocortisone and it kind of helped a little, plus I was on Prednisone for a week or two. The thing that helped me the most were these make-up remover 'cloths' for sensitive/dry-skin from "comodynes". I get mine at Trader Joe's and they were a lifesaver, also when I figured out I could make my own (much cheaper!) colloidal oatmeal.

It's no fun. I *know*. Hope everything gets better.

agnes!

 

[Christine]

I know you're itchy and miserable but, really, this isn't quite something I'd go to for the ER unless you are having trouble breathing or feeling like your throat is closing and swelling.

You can go to the drugstore and by Zyrtec (not Zyrtec-D). Until a few months ago, it was a prescription and is probably the best med for most people for hives. If you go to the ER, they will probably give you a shot form of Benadryl which will work but knock you out all day and maybe some steroids. I think I'd try the Zyrtec today and maybe go to my regular doctor on Monday if you are still miserable. Also, I would go to an Urgent Care clinic before the hospital ER.

Hives are the worst. As I said, I still have mine on my neck after 8 days now. They are much less than they were last week, but still there and still itchy. They take awhile to go away.

 

[bballmom56]

When my DS was about 9, he got hives as an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. Once they started, they kept on comin'! They grew so big, they grew together in a matter of a few hours. Nothing we tried gave him any relief. So about 1 am, I took him to the ER, not knowing what was happening at that point. They administered liquid prednisone which he lost as we returned to the car. So we went back in and they gave him an injection of prednisone. He also had a prescription for predisone pills for 2 weeks. He continued to break out in hives for about 3 weeks and then they finally subsided. Don't want to go through that again! He knows he has to tell doctors he is allergic to that class of antbiotics.

You might want to check with a medical professional to see if you can take a stronger dose of antihistamine, since it worked when you first tried it.

 

[Christine]

When my DS was about 9, he got hives as an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. Once they started, they kept on comin'! They grew so big, they grew together in a matter of a few hours. Nothing we tried gave him any relief. So about 1 am, I took him to the ER, not knowing what was happening at that point. They administered liquid prednisone which he lost as we returned to the car. So we went back in and they gave him an injection of prednisone. He also had a prescription for predisone pills for 2 weeks. He continued to break out in hives for about 3 weeks and then they finally subsided. Don't want to go through that again! He knows he has to tell doctors he is allergic to that class of antbiotics.

You might want to check with a medical professional to see if you can take a stronger dose of antihistamine, since it worked when you first tried it.

My daughter had this reaction to Augmentin. The hives came and went for 3 weeks. I remember one time, she cried, and then she got red streaks and hives on her face. So weird.

Allergic reactions just stink and I keep trying to tell myself that the hives on my neck are going to be with me for 3 weeks.

I have only done the bare minimum for them in terms of meds because I have to go to work and function. As my doctor told me in the case of my daughter: "I can give you this medication and the hives will disappear in about 2 weeks but if you don't take the medication you're going to have deal with them for a full 14 days!!"

 

[torinsmom]

When I had an allergic reaction with hives years ago, I was given a steroid shot at the ER. It worked really quickly. That may just give you oral steroids, which work a lot slower, but do work. Maybe ask if they can give you the shot.

If you're looking for something topical to help, Goldbond anti itch cream is my savior when I get poision ivy. I get it BAD! Maybe try that cream--it will last for about an hour and then you need to re-apply. I find if I use steroid cream and then the anti-itch cream on top, I stay relatively comfortable. You can also take Benadryl on top of that, especially at night(it will make you drowsy)

Marsha

 

[disneybound2010]

I had a similar situation a few years back. I was using a certain shampoo and after getting out of the shower I started to welt very badly. Anywhere the shampoo touched(which was pretty much my whole body after being rinsed off my head!) I started breaking out. I literally watched myself swell up. I tried everything and ended up going to urgent care. I threw on my baggy jeans and by the time I got there, I had to PEEL the jeans off. It was really bad.

I ended up with a 3 day supply of steroids, was told to bath every 4 hours in aveeno bath and given some kind of painkiller because the itching and welting(which turned to bruises) were unbearable.