Hives Linked to Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

This is how I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s!!! After battling facial and neck hives for over a year, an allergist found the cause-high levels of thyroid peroxidase antibodies. I do not have these now that meds are regulated, but I have other issues!

Mary
How did they regulate the hives? I have had hives for 8 years due to thyroid antibodies, but nobody can get rid of them? I am now pregnant and have only been able to use chlortrimeton and zyrtec 3x per week. Any suggestions

I am battling hives for about 5 weeks now. I had them once before about 10 to 11 years ago. I am also gaining alot of weight I dont know if it is the benadryl the hives or my thyroid . My mom was diagnosed with Thyroid problems around my age.I am 38 years. I have also been having strong periods and I had a very bad Migrain headache about 4 weeks ago which I never get. Could I have thyroid problems. Im desperate to get rid of the hives

I have Hashimoto Thyroid with hives (autoimmune). My allergist sent me to South Carolina to Dr. Kaplan (who is now retired). When I have a breakout of hives I take the following drugs: Atarax, Zyrtec, Zantac and Prednisone. Usually after a day or two the hives are gone.

My hives have nearly dramitcally lessened since I was switched to 2 50M (white) tablets of levoxl instead of the 100 m which was yellow. I also started taking Quercitin once a day around the same time.
When I do get hives I put a baking soda paste on them and the itch goes away.

How much of the atarax, zytec, zantac and prednisone do you take? I have been having hives because of the thyroid autoimmune and I am taking zyrtec, claradin, and pepcid and they are not going away. They can get so bad that my throat swells as well. Zyrtec used to work great all by itself and now I feel like nothing works.

I have Hasimoto’s and recently broke out in hives for about a month. I was also having lots of other hypo symptoms, but because they came on gradually, I was ignoring it. Now I’m taking my temperature 3x a day, upping my dose of Armour, and taking supplements. Something that really helped was colloidal silver – 1 tsp 3x a day under the tongue. Plus if you rub it directly on the hives as soon as they crop up, it will settle them right down. Vitamin C, probiotics, and fish oil too. Pay attention to your symptoms, & take your temp!

My sister has been battling disfiguring hives for 14 years now, and although she has seen many doctors who tell her it is a thyroid problem, no one seems to be able to do anything. She has been on corticosteroids and every antihistamine in creation. Any advice?

Hi, i have had hives for over 25 yrs. Currently am 32 yrs. old. I have been to over 11 specialist who have all thrown their arms in the air with no theory. My personal theory is hormonal. Although, I have no proof, my sister has thyroid disorder and I have never tested outside the normal range. I have learned to live with the disease but, with a career and sometimes looking disfigured it is difficult. Ironically, when pregnant twice, i I didn’t have hives. I live off of steriod shots and packs. Try spraying spray starch on itiching hives, this seems to work for me. I pray my children (3 & 1) do not inherit this disease. I have learned to live and hold a career and fortuntaly, do not have hives in my adulthood but once every year or so. I currently work in a cancer hospital and realize this disease is nothing conpared to what I could have. …….smile!

I agree with Cam. Hormones. My hives started after my daugher was born and only from ovulation until the first day of my period. I would have them for several hours each day really bad. Even with photos of my breakouts the doctors looked at me like I was crazy. Four years later I was pregnant again. No hives for 9 months plus the time I spent nursing. Then Bingo, they returned when I stopped nursing. 10 years later I was diagnosed with thyroid disease and by that time had hives 24/7 unless I took antihistamines (thank God they work for me). I do have to say that now that I am nearing menopause I feel the hives are less intense. In my case it just doesn’t make sense that hormones wouldn’t be involved.
Good luck to all of you who suffer with chronic hives.

I have had several episodes of chronic hives in my life, which last for several months. I believe that they are triggered when I get some sort of viral infection (a cold, for example). But, not all viral infections trigger the hives. For the most part the hives are manageable with Zyrtec. Several years ago, a doctor finally figured out I have very high levels of a thyroid autoantibody. My TSH levels were normal. He treated me with a very low dose of Synthroid (thyroid replacement). He had to increase the dosage a few times over several months, until the hives were finally stopped. Then, I could stop taking the Synthroid, and the hives did not return. I had no problems with hives until 6 weeks ago, when I got another cold that triggered the return of hives. Now, I’m back on the Synthroid. A lot of doctors aren’t familiar with this treatment, and may not be comfortable prescribing Synthroid if your TSH is normal, but it works, and there are scientific papers proving it.

Wow! I have so many symptoms similar to many of yours. I’m on my second bout of chronic hives. The first last about 14 months and I determined that it was Zyrtec that was causing the problem. Now about 2 years later, they’re back. I have Graves Disease, I have a complete hysterectomy about 5 years ago (so that put me in automatic menopause at age 33). I’m on Synthroid. Now, just about everything that I take gives me hives, Claritin, Clarinex, Lipitor, Crestor. I’m getting frustrated, and thought that maybe the hormonal imbalance may be causing the problem or maybe even my thyroid. My endocronlogist just tells me that my immune system is changing…what does that mean!?!??!

Erica,
I’m so glad i found this page! I’ve had hives for almost two years. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when i was 3 and had my thyroid removed. I have been on synthroid all my life. Two years ago i started getting hives. After months of testing, a MRI found a tumor on my adrenal gland, which was removed last summer. the hives went away for a few monts, then came back. My endo doctor then recommended an ultrasound of my neck and abdomen, and found enlarged lymph nodes on the right side of my neck ( which i had removed htis past summer)…..
NOW THEY’RE BACK AGAIN! Has anyone on here had cysts or tumors as well?

I spoke to someone recently who told me that it is hormonal…an alternative doctor. He said that the hormones in your body are out of balance….thyroid, female hormones, and possibly adrenals.. You need to have all of your hormones checked and look at the labs yourself. Doctors can and will tell you that your labs are normal when they are borderline…too high or too low… In that case if you have symptoms, you should really be treated… Usually Alternatives, DOs, or Naturopaths will treat even when in “normal” range.

To all,

Please be very careful when taking Prednisone for your hives. My daughter was given the drug for an extreme case of hives and have a terrible reaction to it. Prednisone is documented to cause some people to display Cushing’s Syndrome symptoms. My daughter has just been through this. She gained 40lbs in a month and started retaining incredible amounts of water and has been to the ER at least twice in the past month. PLEASE be careful.

I am so happy to have found this site. I started getting hives 6 months ago, ironically within weeks after starting a new birth control pill (which I had been off of for years). Maybe that is what threw my hormones out of balance. I only took them for one month due to the hives (and facial swelling) but the hives have not gone away. A recent blood test showed more than double the normal amount of thyroid antibodies. I am making an appt with an endocrinologist. We’ll see!

I’m so sorry that you’ve all endured this, but so glad to find you all here. I’ve been dealing with hives now going on 4 weeks, I have no health insurance so I’ve been to the ER 4 times, the last time because my face and throat swelled so bad that I couldn’t breath. But because of the no insurance, the treat me, send me on my way and tell me to watch what I eat. So I’ve been tryig to figure all this out on my own. I’ve had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis for over 16 years and reading all of your comments makes me feel like I’m not going crazy. I have been afraid to eat because no matter what, I end up with hives. I currently take 250mg of levithroxin, but my levels haven’t been checked in about a year. Now at least I have hope that I’m not just allergic to everything. Thank you so much for sharing.

Hi All- anyone have cold hives? Ive had them on and off for the last 7 years and nothing seems to be helping. Ive taken Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec,etc… nothing is working. The strangest thing is that Ill have the hives on and off during the day and then they go away at night. Once I get up in the morning I am hive free and then slowly, but surely they return. It is so frustrating!!! Anyone ever take Periactin and had it work?

I started experiencing extreme angioedema and hives about three years ago. I could find no trigger and several specialists were perplexed. Finally I was diagnosed with high autoimmune thyroid antibodies. After Prednisone and kenalog did not work, I was started on levoxyl. My exact cocktail consists of 1200 mg of Zyflo (the only drug of its kind – look it up, it works) twice daily, 10 mg Zyrtec once dly, and .25 mg of Levoxyl once daily. No hives or swellings since I started this combination. I have noticed that if I am on my period AND get a sinus or viral infection the combination makes me susceptable to hives. I stopped birth control because of this sensitivity. Sometimes around my period I might get slight swelling of my left ankle. I have since found that salsa, chinese food, and alcohol can also be triggers, so I stay away from them. I give Zyflo a lot of credit, so please look into it. Don’t take steroids if you can avoid it.

This is so comforting. I just discovered that I have anti-thyroid antibodies (TPO-Ab level of 149 and TSH between 4.39 and 5.06) and was put on 50 mcg of synthroid (generic). I have also been suffering from hives for probably 16 years–started on my neck and now they are usually on my face–I get them several times a week, sometimes multiple times in one day, sometimes they’ll go away for a while and return. I’ve tried to figure out what causes them but there’s no definite pattern, except that I get them almost consistently around the time of my period and sometimes mid-cycle. They were really bad both times I got pregnant, but then subsided. Unfortunately both pregnancies ended in miscarriage, which is why I was tested for thyroid problems. Anyway, I have been using oral and cream antihistamines for the hives. It doesn’t keep them from happening but it relieves the intense itching. I would be soooo thrilled if this thyroid treatment meant no more hives!!! I had a suspicion as well that it might be hormone or autoimmune related.

I was diagnosed about 17 years ago with Hashimotos thyroiditis, and have been on synthroid since then for treatment of hypothyroidism. For the past couple of years I have had periodic episodes of severe hives, usually on my thighs and forearms, occasionally on my trunk and face. I have been treated with steroids and antihistamines for the severe outbreaks, and don’t want to go back to steroids. Non-drowsy Claritin works sometimes, but I find Zyrtec makes me extremely tired and unable to function during the. My hives occur during the night and usually accompanied by my body feeling feverish. They disappear during the day. Has anyone found a specialist that can help with this? Any vitamin supplement regimens that work?

Betty, I have very similar symptoms.

Hives come on in the morning. I take Benedryl all day. By evening they are better and then, between 8-11pm they start up again, sometimes very bad.

Worst locations, hands, forearms, legs.

I just got thyroid test results showing high antibodies, high TSH, but normal Free t4.

I don’t know what to do, but your problem is so similar to mine.

I, too had horrible hives. I had to have a lab work that was for a specific antibody, not my regular thyroid workup. There is only one lab in this section of the my state that tests for this. I tested positive. My doctor then raised my dosage of syntroid. This seems to work for me. If I do itch, I take Zyrtec. BTW, before I was diagnosed, I was taking prednisone and atarax for the hives. It was determined that I was having an allergic reaation to ATARAX!

Anyone ever hear of Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis? After having hives for over a year and thinking it was hormonal, I found this “disease” on the internet. Google it – it is a real diagnosis. My doc is treating me with a low dose of estrogen and the hives have disappeared! I am estatic. I wonder how this is tied into the thyroid–mine is enlarged but my TSH is “normal” 4.12. I’m waiting for the results of a thyroid ultrasound. I’m just glad I researched my symptoms, had a doc that would listen to me AND prescribe something. Good luck everyone. Hives SUCK.

I have had hives now for 10 months, every day. Mine are dermagraphic and pressure sensitive. I was diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis. I’m on 100 mcg of synthroid every day, Allegra in the AM so I can function, 150 mg of Tagamet, I take Zyrtec at night. I have gained 20 lbs in 4 months. I am so tired all the time. Stress either emotional or physical makes the hives worse. I’ve been on increasing doses of synthroid for 5 months, no improvement in the hives. How long will it take for the hives to go away!

im 21 and i have been having hives for about 3 weeks now and its got so bad at time that im braking the skin. i have been taking benedrill but because i have stomach problems all the time the benedrill is starting to hurt my stomach. im not alageric to anything and my mother did have her thyroid taken out. can anyone tell me if my thyroid is the problem??

Miranda, it sounds like you might have thyroid issues- it runs in the family. I’m so glad I found this site, i thought I was going crazy. I’m 27 and have been experiencing hives on my neck and face for the past 6 weeks. At first i thought i was allergic to food and couldn’t figure it out. When the hives got worse I lost my appetite and became extremely frustrated. My hives started on my chest then cleared up with benedryl, they came back more severe but on my neck, then continued to break out on my face. After doing some research and finding that I’m not alone I’m finally going to a doctor since my mom was treated for thyroid issues about 15 years ago. Good Luck to you all! right now i use aveeno creams or vaseline to get rid of the itch and keep the moisture. I’ve noticed that my hives become more irritated during the day and start to clear up when I sleep. Heat and stress make it worse. If I find something that keeps the hives away I’ll let you all know. Thank you to all for your advice and support.

*If you take birth control pills and have hives read this:About 5 years ago I started having hives and eyelid swelling everyday. When they first started I began taking Claritin to try to make the hives go away. Eventually I realized the claritin made them worse as did zyrtec and benadryl and other antihistamines. Prednisone helped but it can be harmful with prolonged use. Lab tests revealed I had subclinical hypothyroidism (high TSH, normal t4). I also had an enlarged thyroid gland and positive test for TPO-ab (thyroid antibodies) which my doctor said means I had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. I was started on Synthroid and the hives improved but I would still get them occassionally especially if I took any kind of medication (tylenol, vitamins, sinus medications, etc). After several years of this I stopped taking birth control pills that I had been on for over 10 years. My doctor checked my TPO-ab again and the levels had returned to normal after stopping birth control pills. I still take synthroid and I will sometimes still get hives but not nearly as often. I have read about a link between estrogen levels and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. So if you have chronic hives and can’t figure out why I would try taking as little over the counter medications as possible and see if that helps. If you are on birth control pills I would talk to your doctor to see if you could go off them for awhile and use non-hormone birth control for awhile. I don’t know if it will help but if I had been told that years ago I could have saved myself a lot of frustration. Best wishes!

I have been treated fro Hashimoto’s for about 6 years- slowly increasing Levoxyl as blood tests indicate the need. About 2 months ago I started coughing, sometimes to extreme. My doctor isn’t sure if it is postnasal drip from allergies or if it is a flare-up of GERD. Anyway she gave me an inhaler for the coughing spasms. I think the abuterol inhaler triggered hives and now I have them even though I am not using the inhaler. This forum is the first that I have heard that Hashimoto’s and hives are connected. Makes sense to me as I was told once a person has an auto-immune disease they are likely to get more of them. aggghhh!

I have hashimoto’s and hives. I’ve been working with a naturopath on treatment. You have to treat the root of the problem which is something you’ve eaten your whole life is intolerable to the body and now your immune system just can’t cope anymore. I was tested for food sensitivities and dairy and citrus are the main culprits. I am off of both as well as wheat, peanuts and almonds. That has helped. I take Thyroid Plus and selenium. The hives come when I have anything with citric acid in it – the preservative, which is a derivative of a mold called niger aspergilas, is in most preserved foods. Read labels.

Also, you have to work on hormone imbalance so I take Progestomend from Douglas Labs and adrenal support. I’m just starting to understand the relationship to adrenals of this disease. You have to treat all these areas as they are interrelated and contribute to re-balancing your system.

For the hives I take Multi-B vitamin (Thorne) and AllerC along with a tincture of milk thistle and the hives subside. I have to watch what I eat like a hawk and ask questions in restaurants. The worst is airplane food. They wash their vegetables with a citric acid wash. It takes days for me to recover and sends my whole system out of balance again.

All the supplements I listed are to support the body to create its own balance again. I won’t take chemicals like anti-histamines and synthroid etc. because they just mask symptoms not help my body to correct the imbalance. I highly recommend using a naturopath for Hashimoto’s since they work in a much different way than traditional doctors. My blood work proves it. TSH went from 27 to 6 and Anti tpo from 570 to 120 and continuing to go down.

best of luck to you all.