So itchy: Today I'm so itchy. My throat... - Asthma Community ...

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So itchy

-Butterfly- profile image
29 Replies

Today I'm so itchy. My throat/mouth has been itchy for a couple of days and I've been sneezing so I though I was coming down with a cold or something, but that hasnt materialised but now my skin is super itchy and I've got a tight chest and been wheezy on and off all day.

It's odd 🤔

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-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly-
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29 Replies
EmmaF91 profile image
EmmaF91Community Ambassador

Are you having an allergic reaction to something?

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to EmmaF91

Possibly, but I havent been near/eaten/washed with anything new ... that I know of. 🤔

I havent got any antihistamines in the house to see if that helps

EmmaF91 profile image
EmmaF91Community Ambassador in reply to -Butterfly-

I suggest popping (or sending) someone to Sainsbury’s etc before they shut (or send them to a 24hr place... pretty sure petrol stations occasionally have antihistamines)

Allergies can change and be gained so may be a ‘new’ thing... but that definitely sounds like an allergy to me and if it’s affecting your asthma you want to get on top of it ASAP before it sends you into hospital...

(You can also be a ‘weirdo’ like me... I have chronic urticaria and idiopathic angiodema which can flare my asthma... basically I can randomly have an allergic reaction to nothing 😅... antihistamines still help tho)

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to EmmaF91

Thank you for your reply. I've sent the other half out to Tesco's 😉 its driving me mad, is there anything else that could ease it? I'm thinking a cool shower or something.

My body tends to react to things different to expected so I'd def describe myself as a 'wierdo' too 🤣

How frustrating that new allergies can appear. Hope its something I can manage 🤔

Any idea how long antihistamines take to kick in? Still wheezing despite ventolin 🙄

EmmaF91 profile image
EmmaF91Community Ambassador in reply to -Butterfly-

Calamine lotion on hives, baking soda bath etc (think chicken pox treatments 😉). Cold can help (tho I have to be careful and cold can also gives me hives 🙈). Suck an ice lolly. Try and identify what may have triggered it so you can avoid adding to the problem (as it started in throat/mouth it may be something you’ve been eating).

Also antihistamine cream can help if it is an allergic. Take AHs ASAP. Don’t lay down (plus all other things to do with asthma). Remember you can take 10 vent, tho if that’s not helped you probs need to head to a&e.

AHs can take about 30mins to kick in and 1-2hrs to reach full affect.

Best thing to do is keep an eye on it and if it gets worse either call 111 and try for OOH GP appt or head to hosp (I advise the latter as it’s affecting your breathing). If not you definitely need to see your GP tomorrow

🤞🏻🤞🏻 the AH kick in and calm it all down quickly

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to EmmaF91

Hes back with piriteze so I've knocked one back, fingers crossed it kicks in and helps soon.

Oh yes didnt think of calamine lotion, I'll have him dig in the cupboard to see if we still have any from chickenpox days. I had a quick cool shower but this isnt the weather for cold showers 🤣 and I've used some bite and sting relief cream on my arms and hands which are the worst to see if that helps too.

So, I'll see how the next few hours go. OH is panicking due to the wheezing as I rarely do that even when asthma is bad, so he wont let it get any worse, hes a worrier.

EmmaF91 profile image
EmmaF91Community Ambassador in reply to -Butterfly-

Good. Allergies aren’t to be ignored or sniffed at. If piriteze doesn’t help you go to hospital (cause you say possible allergy with resp symptoms to 111 and that’s where they’ll send you). If you get worse head straight there no dithering 😉

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to EmmaF91

Will do, thank you

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to EmmaF91

Thank you for your advice last night 😊

Wheezycat profile image
Wheezycat in reply to -Butterfly-

When our daughter was young and suffered chronic urticaria, we used something called Caladryl for itchy skin if you have that problem. It was a mixture of calamine and a histamine.

HungryHufflepuff profile image
HungryHufflepuff

Could it be a reaction to one of your inhalers? I was on Fostair for 6 months and had all kinds of awful side effects, then after several months I started feeling so itchy as if I was being bitten all over by insects. It was horrendous but this side effect didn’t manifest itself for several months. So maybe you’re having a reaction to something even though you haven’t changed anything recently?

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to HungryHufflepuff

I've been on this inhaler quite some time now, but as you said yours appeared after some time, and I havent done anything differently recently. I've reacted to medication before, itching my legs until the point they bled. Strangely, at the moment it's only everywhere above my waist that's itchy 🤷‍♀️

How did you discover it was your inhaler? Rather than something else?

HungryHufflepuff profile image
HungryHufflepuff in reply to -Butterfly-

I stopped taking the inhaler and although I couldn’t breathe the itching stopped immediately. Foolishly, I hadn’t read the leaflet, it was only after I stopped taking Fostair that I read the leaflet and before it lists the side effects it said if you experience itching tell your doctor immediately. Unfortunately I had actually mentioned it 3 times but was dismissed as making a fuss about nothing and it wasn’t a thing. Had I read the leaflet I’d have been able to show it to the doctor. It was so bad i would wake up feeling like I was being eaten alive by fleas, or I’d wake myself up by scratching at myself. So I can really sympathise. I hope the antihistamines help you a bit. 🤞

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to HungryHufflepuff

Oh no! Yes, it's a shame you didnt know at the time and could put the GP in their place about it. It sounds awful and I bet you barely got any sleep which wont have helped you deal with the itching!

Yes, hopefully itll kick in and help soon 🤞

MostlyWhiteRose profile image
MostlyWhiteRose in reply to -Butterfly-

How are you now -Butterfly- ? 🤞

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to MostlyWhiteRose

My reply is below for some reason

Welland profile image
Welland

I ha e experienced the same, constant wheezy feeling and coughing and my skin has been very itchy... I thought perhaps having central heating on was drying the air too much, .......

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly-

Fortunately the antihistamine took the edge off the itching and wheezing overnight and I managed some sleep. I've put more bite and sting cream on today as I can only have one dose per day of the antihistamine tablet so thought I'd wait until later to have that.

I'm cautious about what I eat as its looking now like it could be the cause, didnt have breakfast and had lunch about an hour ago and my throat is itching again and I'm wheezing a bit but I'm not sure if I'm just being sensitive.

I tried to get a GP appointment but could only get one for friday. I thought it's less of a rush knowing that the antihistamine helps 🤷‍♀️

in reply to -Butterfly-

Hope you’re feeling a bit better today! Just a thought, have you tried Benadryl Acrivastine tablets? I use them for my hay fever, and I find them so much better than any of the other over the counter antihistamines, as you can take them up to three times a day and they work quickly too, and they aren’t drowsy like Prition x

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to

Thank you. I havent heard of these, I'll have a look into them. Tbh my OH just grabbed what he could the other night 🤣. Non drowsy would be great!! And def a benefit if you can take them more often.

Do you get them on prescription? I seemed to think GPs are stopping prescribing antihistamines now, preferring people to buy themselves, but I could have misunderstood.

I'm wondering what my GP might be able to offer as a solution when I go tomorrow? My asthma is definately not happy now. The antihistamines were helping the wheeze but not so much now. I dont usually wheeze at all and now I'm sounding like a slow deflating balloon most of the time, it's quite embarrassing!

in reply to -Butterfly-

That’s not good at all! Stay safe, and hope they can get you sorted! Haha yeah, I hadn’t heard of them either until I started struggling with only 1 a day and a pharmacist suggested them... Yes, when I first got them my GP put them on prescription for me as they aren’t the cheapest, and then I got diagnosed with asthma on top so my GP can still prescribe them for me! I hope they can get you sorted, maybe a short course of oral steroids? I had them for a couple of weeks a couple of years ago when I started struggling (just before they diagnosed my asthma) or maybe they’ll suggest a stronger antihistamine? I guess it’s so difficult with allergies, especially if you can’t pinpoint exactly what has triggered it! X

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to

Found our boots had them, well benedryl allergy relief. So I'll try them today instead 🤞 only 4 days worth in a pack though 😬 hopefully the GP will suggest something as I have a pre payment cert. I bought eye drops too as they're so dry and sore... I'm guessing related?! 🙄

in reply to -Butterfly-

Ah that’s good! Oh yes, you don’t get much for your money with Acrivastine, I find they’re worth it though and hopefully it will help you too... Hmm could well be, have you ever suffered from hay fever? I know it seems early but mine always starts very early x

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to

I have had hayfever in the past, but never this early in the year and it's not made my skin itch or made me wheeze before 🤔 it did however make my ears itch 🤷‍♀️🤣 but I havent got that this time!

in reply to -Butterfly-

Very strange! Hopefully the Dr can help you tomorrow and you feel better soon x

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to

Thank you 😊

EmmaF91 profile image
EmmaF91Community Ambassador in reply to -Butterfly-

Fexofenadine 120 or 180 is a really good non sedative antihistamine but it’s not available over the counter. It may be worth asking your GP about it

-Butterfly- profile image
-Butterfly- in reply to EmmaF91

Ah super, I shall bare that in mind, thank you

MostlyWhiteRose profile image
MostlyWhiteRose

How did you get in at the GP -Butterfly- ? Hoping you're all sorted by now

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