SCI Nurses: Help! I have hives

NWC4 · 01-09-2006, 05:05 PM

I have been getting hives for a couple weeks now, mostly in the morning, but also throughout the day. They appear on my face, neck, back, stomach and legs, some as lumps others as red splotches.

My doctor suggested that I take Benedryl, which helps, but the hives keep coming back. I called the doctor today and he prescribed Prednisone.

I have had nothing out of usual in my diet. I stopped taking my vitamins and I'm not on any other medication. I switched back to my original laundry detergent and don't use fabric softener and washed everything and rinsed twice, but they keep coming back. Could I be becoming allergic to latex?

Any suggestions?

Are there any latex free Foley catheters other than the stiff 100% silicone ones?

Thanks!

SCI-Nurse · 01-09-2006, 08:28 PM

Hi,

The frustrating thing about allergies is that often you cannot exactly pinpoint what you are allergic to.

As you described, if Benadryl does not cause the rash/hives to stop, a steroid such as prednisone in a dose pack is often prescribed to jump-start the clearing of the allergy. I hope it helps in your case.

You have thought about the most likely possible allergens first such as new meds, cremes, detergents, foods, etc. But over the course of several weeks, it is hard to recall everything new you may have contacted.

Yes, it is possible that you could be becoming allergic to latex. The most obvious way is that if you are using latex urinary products, you develop a
swelling around the area of the catheters or if wearing latex gloves you develop a rash in the glove area of your hands.

Yours does not sounds so straightforward. Here is a link that describes further latex allergies:
http://www.cchs.net/health/health-in...asp?index=8623

However, if you think it may be latex allergy, I would recommend seeing a dermatologist who specializes in latex allergies as it can be costly to switch to all non-latex brands if not necessary as well as dangerous if present and not treated. Taht said, some people just routinely make the switch to non-latex and monitor what happens to the rash.

AAD

NWC4 · 01-09-2006, 08:39 PM

Thanks AAD!

I have suprapubic catheter and I would think that area would always have hives if it were a latex allergy which it doesn't.

Thanks again for the info.

01-09-2006, 05:05 PM	#1
NWC4 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Washington Posts: 304	SCI Nurses: Help! I have hives I have been getting hives for a couple weeks now, mostly in the morning, but also throughout the day. They appear on my face, neck, back, stomach and legs, some as lumps others as red splotches. My doctor suggested that I take Benedryl, which helps, but the hives keep coming back. I called the doctor today and he prescribed Prednisone. I have had nothing out of usual in my diet. I stopped taking my vitamins and I'm not on any other medication. I switched back to my original laundry detergent and don't use fabric softener and washed everything and rinsed twice, but they keep coming back. Could I be becoming allergic to latex? Any suggestions? Are there any latex free Foley catheters other than the stiff 100% silicone ones? Thanks! Last edited by NWC4; 01-09-2006 at 05:08 PM.

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01-09-2006, 08:28 PM	#2
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,344	Hi, The frustrating thing about allergies is that often you cannot exactly pinpoint what you are allergic to. As you described, if Benadryl does not cause the rash/hives to stop, a steroid such as prednisone in a dose pack is often prescribed to jump-start the clearing of the allergy. I hope it helps in your case. You have thought about the most likely possible allergens first such as new meds, cremes, detergents, foods, etc. But over the course of several weeks, it is hard to recall everything new you may have contacted. Yes, it is possible that you could be becoming allergic to latex. The most obvious way is that if you are using latex urinary products, you develop a swelling around the area of the catheters or if wearing latex gloves you develop a rash in the glove area of your hands. Yours does not sounds so straightforward. Here is a link that describes further latex allergies: http://www.cchs.net/health/health-in...asp?index=8623 However, if you think it may be latex allergy, I would recommend seeing a dermatologist who specializes in latex allergies as it can be costly to switch to all non-latex brands if not necessary as well as dangerous if present and not treated. Taht said, some people just routinely make the switch to non-latex and monitor what happens to the rash. AAD

01-09-2006, 08:39 PM	#3
NWC4 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Washington Posts: 304	Thanks AAD! I have suprapubic catheter and I would think that area would always have hives if it were a latex allergy which it doesn't. Thanks again for the info.