Hives? Possible food allergies?

[jenny8791 11]

Has anyone else had issues breaking out in hives in the first few months following surgery? The first time it happened was about 3 weeks after surgery. It's very random, but probably 10 times or so in the last four months. I've never had any sort of allergies before (skin, seasonal or food). Nothing has changed in my skin care or laundry. I'm creature of habit so all the same soaps, etc.

My primary care doc says its likely a new food allergy or something I'm eating, but I cant find any sort of a pattern.

Thoughts anyone?

[NovaLuna 710]

Not the first few months, but I'm almost 20 months out and currently going through that. I have to take benadryl 50mg 3x a day because if I don't I get hives on my arms, legs, back, neck, etc. We don't really know exactly what's causing it, but I developed two allergies that we know of after surgery. 1. Wheat allergy 2. NSAID allergy. I got a gluten free pizza a week and a half ago and they weren't careful when they made it so I got hives and other issues from the wheat contaminated pizza so maybe that's part of the reason I'm currently having issues with the hives. A month ago I tried the third and LAST NSAID that made my doctor put me down for an NSAID allergy because I ended up getting a giant hives rash on my back that is STILL there, but is mostly healed. So my doctor thinks the hives are in part my allergies, but also part stress (which, yep, I agree with).

So your allergies may be a new food or medication allergy OR it could be stress. Or a combo of both. Maybe narrow down when they started and if you started eating or taking anything new around that time.

[Arabesque 6,486]

The stress (emotional, reduced calories & weight loss) plus all the extra hormones flushing your body as they’re released from your fat does do strange things to your body too.

Twice, a blister thing appeared on my collar bone. Thought it was a the beginning of psoriasis or eczema. Turned out to be a herald spot for pityriasis rosea a virus I’d had twice many, many years ago. Fortunately, just a single spot each time this time no others. Obviously the stress, etc. caused the latent virus just to flair a little. Just a thought.

[STLoser 1,085]

I did not have them (knock on wood) and since my surgery, but in 2017 I started having them and at one point I had them for 8 months straight. It was a miserable. They would be in one spot then another and they didn't let up. I went to an allergist and was on very high doses of antihistamines.
I was diagnosed with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria.
It is actually not an allergic reaction, although it's kind of like your body is allergic to itself. NOTHING helped and it was very distressing.
I eventually took Xolair injections, and I don't know if they helped but the hives finally went away in late 2019.
It sounds like you may have the same condition I have, and it's probably worth seeing an allergist to see if they can figure it out.
Mine started suddenly out of the blue.
My mom also gets chronic hives and has had several bouts with them over the years.
It's one of the worst things I've ever had, so I really sympathize with you and hope you find out what's causing them and also get relief!

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[FutureSylph 377]

Could also be a reaction to an ingredient in new vitamins/supplements. Make sure to include that, too, if you see an allergist.

[jenny8791 11]

It happened three times this weekend. I think I'm going to call my primary care doctor and see why I can't go through allergy testing to see what's going on.

I did stop all Vitamins for a bit when it first started happening because I thoughts that's what it was but after 4+ days of being without them and coming down with hives again I eliminated the vitamins.

And i'm really only taking a heartburn pill so I don't think it's that. I was taking about 12 prescriptions a day but I reversed all my health conditions with the weight loss.

I guess I need to stop complaining. Getting rid of the diabetes is worth having hives for.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

[Rhondall 3]

I broke out in hives around 4months post op. I read that elevated B12 levels can cause it. I had been taking B12 supplements, then switched to the injection. I believe it was too soon to get an injection since I had been recently taking the pill form. My surgeon checked my levels and sure enough, my B12 levels were extremely high. My doctor advised me to stop the injection until we do more labs in a few months. It worked and my levels came down to a normal level - no more hives!!

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[Charotera303 20]

I had the gastronomic sleeve done on 11/8 and developed hives on my hands 4 days later. Hydrocortisone cream helps with the itch but it didn’t resolved it. I had a virtual visit with my provider and we talked about possible causes such as new medications, blocked bile duct and Vitamin deficiency. I didn’t have any symptoms to consider blocked bile duct and I was advised that it’s too soon to have vitamin deficiency. So, she took me off the protonix and aspirin. I hope it works cos this itchiness is getting crazy.

[joeyangel99 2]

I turned out to be allergic to omeprazole and had to be put on lanzoprazole instead. Hope that helps.

[huskymama 149]

I just got hives on my side today I ate eggs for the first time since the sleeve. I had an issue with them all my life and milk but never hives so I assume it’s the eggs