Thermal urticaria!

[Ladyscar]

I have just been diagnosed with thermal urticaria, apparently sudden temperature changes causes this for people with Raynaud's. Has anyone ever had this?

[SandraMarie]

Basically it's just an allergic reaction to the extremes of temperature. Antihistamines do the trick,presumably you've been prescribed some? I take them everyday for other reasons too and it prevents thermal uticaria as well.

[Tulip73]

Hi Ladyscar, I was diagnosed with Raynaud's about 7 years ago by my doctor. Then I had a reaction a months ago when eating ice cream my throat, lips and gums swelled up. I had also noticed any bit of skin exposed to any form of would swell go red and itchy which is very uncomfortable, which had been happening for a few years now. I went to see my Doctor (a new doctor) last week who thinks I now have cold urticaria. She has prescribed me antihistamines and asked me to take photos of the breakout and go back to see her in a month as she is going to do some research into the condition. She has even suggested that I may never have had Raynauds that I may have had cold urticaria and been mis-diagnosed.

[PreciousShove]

I don't have Raynaud's but I do have thermal urticaria. I've had it for over ten years now and up until now it was treated by taking antihistamines every day. Gradually though, my dosage has increased and I noticed over the summer that I was occasionally getting itchy hives popping up like I'd forgotten to take my tablets even though I had. Last week however, the hives came back with a vengeance despite taking my tablets which are now the highest dosage available. The doctor suggested I try a different kind of anti-histamine, but that's not worked. I've tried to figure out why it's just flared up now as although the temperature has dropped, it's not been that significant and sudden. In fact the weather is quite mild for this time of year really.

I am out of work, so I am quite stressed at the moment, as the job centre are putting pressure on me to get work and I'm shocked that the recruitment agencies can't seem to give me anything despite having over 15years of office experience.

I also have an injury in my arm which has meant that I've had to stop playing my favourite sport whilst it heals, so I started taking diclofenac tablets to reduce the inflammation. After reading up about urticaria I found out that NSAIDs can bring it on, so I wondered whether that was the trigger. I've stopped taking them however and the hives haven't shifted, so I'm stumped now. I've just booked another appointment with the doctor as a result, as the constant itching and burning of hives is driving me mad. It's even on the palms of my hands now, so apart from staying in bed or the shower all day, or wearing loads of layers of warm clothes including gloves, I don't know what else to do. I am thinking that distracting myself helps take my mind off it however. I suppose like anything, the more you dwell on it, the worse you feel about it.

Anyone else got any suggestions on how to deal with it?

[Jeaniebeanie63]

Yes my daughter has had it since she was 9 months old. She is 20 now and it is very debilitating for her.