Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Hive Mentality

I went to my first physical therapy appointment last night.  It wasn’t actually much on therapy as it was getting a grip on my balky shoulder.  My therapist, Tami, put me through a number of poses, to measure how far I could move in various directions.  She also took measurements from my other shoulder, for comparison purposes.

It’s funny when you know that the entire basis of measurement stems from your own subjective judgment on when it hurts too much to move any further.  I’m sitting there wondering, “Am I being too much of a wuss?  A real man would bend his arm until it breaks off, before telling a cute little physical therapist that he has an owie.”

Sometimes you really wonder ‘how much is too much?  Then other times she moves you and every muscle in your body contracts from the jolt of pain.

Oops…  I hope I didn’t stain the bed here…”

Through her systematic torture motion-range measurements, she was able to confirm what the doctor (and the MRI) had indicated.  She also better explained the course of action they wanted to take.  While it’s true that PT won’t heal the labrum or rotator cuff tears, there can be a build-up of scar tissue, which can reduce the likelihood of further tearing.  In the meantime, directed exercises can build up the surrounding muscles to better stabilize everything.

Hey, anything that can be done to avoid the surgery is OK with me.  So we’ll see.  I’ll have 3 appointments a week for 4 weeks, and then I’ll reconvene with my doctor to see where we stand.

The best part of the evening was at the end, where they gave me this electrical treatment.  First, they put 4 adhesive patches around my shoulder and hooked in the electrodes.  (If you’ve ever had and EKG, it was like that, only the adhesive pads were larger.)  Then they put this kind of ‘cuff’ over my shoulder.  This would fill up with cold water and compress like a blood pressure cuff.  I was to get 15 minutes of this treatment.

It was kind of cool when the electrodes fired up… It was this tingly, buzzy sensation; it felt like a vibrator being held to my shoulder.  It also made me think, if they could ever do the same thing only with warm water and make the cuff schlong-sized, they’d sell a million of these contraptions.

After having seen the finale of the Amazing Race on Sunday, where two very hairy dudes were required to submit to 15 minutes of Brazilian waxing on their chests, I was a bit concerned about having the adhesive removed, but Tami was an expert and they came off smoothly, leaving all shoulder-hair intact.  

The only problem I had at all didn’t crop up until this morning.  I woke up with sore, swollen spots on my shoulder, where Tami was poking around.  This is because of this other medical problem I have, “Delayed Pressure Urticaria.”

Basically, that means I get hives that come the day after pressure on my body from any hard surface.  Weird, right?  I mean, where do they come up with stuff like this?

Right around the time I turned 40, I started getting these pains in my hands… I had no idea why.  But I’d wake up at night and it would be like my hands were on fire.  I’d get these angry red welts on my hands… it wasn’t a surface thing, it was deeper under the skin.  They’d itch like crazy and if I scratched them, it would hurt like a bitch.  It took me months to figure out what was causing them.  They look like this:
This shot is from a couple months ago.

I’d wake up in the morning and have to put my hand on an ice bag while I read my morning paper.  At night, I’d ice my hands while watching TV, hoping that they’d stay numb until I could fall asleep.

Then one day at work, I put my hand in its usual place at my keyboard and noticed that one of the sores lined up right with the corner of the metal tray that held the wrist pad.  That’s when I figured out that it was extended contact with hard surfaces that caused the welts. 

I basically went about padding my entire living space, but still, the welts are unavoidable.  Later, I started getting them on other parts of my body.  But they weren’t quite the same… I’d get big swollen lumps rather than the deep red welts.  They'd look like the Coyote's head after a bag of Acme hammers landed on it.

Wooden armrests put welts on my forearms.  Hard wooden chairs or barstools put welts on the backs of my thighs or directly under my lower pelvis… Ass-welts, as I call them.  Feels like I’m sitting on a couple of beanbags.  If I lean up against the corner of a wall, I get lumps on my shoulder.  If I hang my feet up on the rungs of my chair support, or even if I just stand in one place too long, I get welts on my feet the same way I get them on my hands.  They itch like crazy, and just walking is an adventure, especially if my heel is affected.   The way I end up walking makes me look like my ass is made of cake and I'm afraid to crack the icing.

There’s almost an endless list of things that put the welts on my hands: cutting food with a knife, scraping frost off the car, grasping anything like a fishing rod, racquet or paintbrush for too long, catching a non-Nerf football, accepting too vigorous a high-five at a Steelers game, or God-forbid, clapping… the list goes on.
This one was probably from cutting food.  The end of my steak knife would go right were that welt is.

So after suffering from this ailment for several months (and generally acting like a bear with a thorn in his paw), my friends and family finally insisted that I see a doctor.  He could tell me it was a case of hives, but couldn’t really nail it down.  He suggested I see an allergist or dermatologist for further review.  In the meantime, he prescribed an antihistamine for me, Zyrtec. 

The Zyrtec didn’t prevent the hives from happening, but it made them hurt an awful lot less.  Finally, I was able to sleep through the night again.  I’d still ice my hands or feet once in a while if I developed a particularly bad one, but for the most part, it made the condition livable.

First, I saw an allergist, and she was able to put a name on my condition.  To me, that was huge; just knowing that I wasn’t the only one in the world with this goofy-ass condition.  Enough other people were afflicted with it that it had a name.  But she couldn’t tell me what was causing it.  She said even with a battery of tests, they still might not be able to narrow it down.  I asked if knowing the cause would affect the treatment and she said that it wouldn’t.  So I decided to bag the battery of tests and just roll with it.

But it turned out that she couldn’t really find anything that would prevent the hives from occurring.  We tried a number of other antihistamines, even combining them with other drugs, but ultimately nothing worked any better than the Zyrtec.

Lastly, I went to a dermatologist, to see if they could offer some insight.  They couldn’t.  But they would continue to write me prescriptions for the Zyrtec.  Each year, I’d go in and ask if there were any developments in hive treatments, but there never were.  I stopped going once Zyrtec went to Over the Counter status.

And on the bright side, I haven’t had allergy symptoms in 10 years. 

I suppose I was destined to have something like this… my sister gets hives from stress.  My brother used to get them from scratches, but his symptoms just stopped after 10 years.  I’m hoping mine will go away as well.  This fall, it will be 10 years since I noticed the problem.

It’s funny… I spent my first 40 years being relatively indestructible.  No major illnesses, no broken bones, no sprains.  Rattled my shoulder a few times, but shook it off without doctor visits.  Hadn’t seen a doctor for an injury since 3rd grade.  (I fell, learning how to ride a bike, and my knee landed squarely on a pebble, on the sidewalk.  That one hurt like a sonofabitch, but I was too young to describe it as such.  I couldn’t even walk for the rest of the day.)

Now it’s like “Happy 40th birthday” and BANG, it’s one ailment after another.  And I have to pad my surroundings like I’m the fucking Bubble Boy.  I’m not used to being fragile.

Oh yeah, and there was this other problem that first doctor found when I went to see him about my hands… atrial fibrillation. 

“Dude, you need to see a cardiologist…”

“Yeah, sure.  But what about my hands?”

***

Update: March 2015
When I wrote this post, almost 5 years ago, I had no idea it would be the most frequently visited page I’d ever do.  I had no idea there were so many people looking for information on helping them find a cure for the pain in their hands, feet and whatnot.  Oddly, it made me feel better, knowing that I wasn’t the only one with this weird affliction.

The reason I’m posting this update is to try to provide some closure and a bit of hope for anyone so afflicted.  You won’t have this problem forever... it gets better.

I began noticing that the frequency of getting the welts was decreasing throughout 2013.  They only seemed to pop up during the hottest summer months, and even then, they weren’t as bad.  By the end of 2014, I was basically over them, unless I did something particularly egregious, like kneeling on linoleum, or turning a stubborn screw with a screwdriver.

And now?  Gone.

Last month, I had to do that very thing… turn a stuck screw, with the end of the screwdriver jammed into the base of my palm.  In the past, that would be the recipe for a wicked welt that would hang around for days.  This time?  Practically nothing.  I noticed a small twinge overnight, but by morning, no problem.

All in all, my DPU lasted about 12-13 years before it ran its course, which was about 3-4 years longer than the average case. 

I know that’s not much comfort to you if you’ve just started dealing with these hives, but at least you know there IS an end.

In the meantime, here’s how I survived:

Zyrtec
Steroid creams
Dr. Scholls shoe inserts
Pad everything… wrist rests in front of your keyboard and mouse, hard arm rests, memory-foam mattress topper
Weightlifters or bicycle gloves
Limit elastic in cuffs, waistband


Good luck!

73 comments:

bluzdude said...

Director's DVD Commentary:
I've been meaning to write about the hives thing for ages. And I didn't know I was going to do it today until it just popped out at the end of my PT post.

I'll write about my heart surgeries soon; if not next then not too far from now. And I promise, they'll be a lot more entertaining. Who knew heart surgery would be hilarious? I tell you, weird shit is always happening to me...

Oilfield Trash said...

Welcome to the other side of that proverbial hill.

bluzdude said...

Trash,
The grass is definitely NOT greener over here...

Justin said...

I don't envy you on this one man! But hey, I just turned 28 and I have plenty of health issues to come. Not looking forward to it at all. It sounds like on the bright side that the physical therapist was cute, that's always a plus haha!:)

red pen mama said...

You had heart surgery?! Dude.

That stim treatment you got at PT is something I have had when I've visited the chiro, usually on my (super tensed up) neck muscles. It's like magic.

And now I want to visit the chiro again...

Jessica R. said...

Now that pressure thing is just weird. Maybe they should just put you in a bubble and be done with it! ;)

Mrs. Bachelor Girl said...

Dude, the hive thing SUCKS. But what the hell is atrial fibrillation?!

Cristy said...

It sounds they used a tens unit on you - does that sound right? I use one for my back sometimes. Feels weird to be electrocuted on purpose, yeah? :)

I know what you mean about the "am I being a wimp?" feeling. When they were putting shots into my lower back, I'd flinch and feel like a baby, but the doc always apologized for the pain afterward, so maybe it wasn't just me?

I can't imagine dealing with those welts. Wow. I don't think anybody could call you a wimp, Bluz!

Cristy said...

It sounds like they used... *sigh*

bluzdude said...

Virgil,
Oh, to be 28 and bulletproof again…

And yes, if I have to choose between some stocky, hairy dude, or a cute little girl, I’ll take the cutie every time.

Also, a bit of medical advice for Future Virgil… when you get into your 40’s and need to start getting physical checkups? Get yourself a female doctor… smaller fingers. Trust me on that…

Red Pen Mama,
Twice! But not to worry… it’s wasn’t like they laid me open, it was one of those ones where they run a wire from your femoral artery up to your heart. I’ll post the story soon.

Jessica,
I KNOW, right? What kind of weird shit is that? I need to invest in a giant roll of bubble wrap. In fact, if they someone could invent a kind of bubble wrap that doesn’t make you sweat when it’s next to your skin, they’d make a fortune from we hive-ridden people out here. I’d cover my whole apartment in the stuff.

It’s either that or cover all of the hard surfaces in the place with that foam stuff they put on bed toppers. Then I’d really be living in a “rubber room.”

Mrs. Bachelor Girl,
A-fib is an irregular heartbeat. The heart’s atria are supposed to squeeze blood into the ventricle, which then sends it out to the body or lungs. One of my atria doesn’t give a good squeeze, it just kind of flutters. I’ll have more on it later.

?Cristy,
I think that is exactly what it is. It’s pretty cool.

Yeah, the welts really suck, especially the ones on the hands. Really saps the fun out of life.

ettible said...

You should have put a warning at the beginning of this post! "DO NOT READ IF YOU'VE BEEN AVOIDING THE DOCTOR FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS." I'm being forced to go on Monday lest my boyfriend stop buying me dinner, and I'm super-scared that he's going to come up with all sorts of things that are secretly wrong with me. Obviously Delayed Pressure Urticaria is now worry #1.

bluzdude said...

PD,
Believe me, you'd know if you had it. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Being that I'm much better at giving advice than following it, I say go to the doctor! Get your cholesterol checked, to help prevent any surprises later. (Like when you're MY age...)

DG said...

Bluz, I must say I learn something new everytime I visit here. Sometimes, more than I wanted to know.....

bluzdude said...

Sorry about that, DG. Someday soon, I'm just going to have to do a post with nothing but dick jokes.

Sandra said...

So do the tips of your fingers get all hivey when you're tap-tapping away at your keyboard? See, that would be a medical emergency if you couldn't write!

Cher Duncombe said...

I just love Zyrtec, Bluz! We rescues a Beagle two years ago and I was sick for three months. Finally the doc sent me to an allergist and it turns out I am allergic to the Beagle! We have to keep her. I just can't be near her unless she is outside. But the Zyrtec helped enormously and I sleep like a baby.

Now, your orders are: Find out about that atrial fibrillation and don't duck this issue. We hereby demand that you be around long after I am gone, so git 'er done!

bluzdude said...

Sandra,
Apparently, the tapping in the keyboards isn’t sufficient to cause a welt, or else I’d have been on disability for the last 10 years. But I do have to be careful about where I rest my hands and wrists. I have wrist pads for both keyboard and mouse, so that helps.

Now if I’m doing something with extended finger pressure, like waxing my car, my fingertips will get all swollen, which is NOT fun. The welts always hurt more on the hands, (and feet) because of how many more nerve endings are there. The forearm… not so much.

Cher,
I’ve been recommending Zyrtec to anyone that has allergy symptoms. I’ve barely had an allergy sniffle in 10 years. The stuff is the best I’ve ever taken. I just wish it existed back in my childhood. And teenhood. And young adulthood.

I’ll have more on the a-fib with the next post. Believe me; I deal with it.

PS: Yay! Blogger's back!

Cassie said...

Watch out about posting photos of your hands. There are people out there that have hand fetishes apparently...as I found out on my own.

Weird.

bluzdude said...

I don't think a picture of my hand is going to drive searches, unless it's pressed up against yours.

Jessica R. said...

Weird, I commented on this, but it never showed up.

Suffice it to say that what you have is really strange. Maybe you should go ahead and invest in that bubble! ;)

Anonymous said...

Damn, Bluz, that's a pertty hand you got there.

Just kidding. But damn! I thought I was falling apart. Are we going to have to put you into a bubble like John Travolta in that "bubble boy" movie?

bluzdude said...

Carpetbagger,
No kidding… I totally need my own cushiony bubble. It’s freakin’ ridiculous. And just wait until you get to the next story…

(I’ve often been told I’ve got real nice hands… It’s the byproduct of not making my living using long-handled implements all day long.)

One of the Guys said...

You seem pretty in tune with your body. That's a good thing. We all need to be more observant as we get older. And really, the doctors don't know any more than we do about our own bodies, especially when it comes to quirky things like your hives/hands.

I have plenty of my own. F'n annoying that's for sure.

bluzdude said...

Guy,
I tell you, one thing that helped me tremendously was when I finally looked up DPU online and found all these other people with the same problems. I guess it just helped me realize that I wasn't crazy or a hypochondriac.

Kmathewsphoto said...

Thank you SO MUCH for posting about youra delayed pressure issues!! I happened to stumble upon this blog from googling delayed pressure urticaria images...only to see on the first 2 pages mostly body images,then I thankfully find your hand pic!! My hubby is less than a month shy of being 32 & for years has been breaking out in hives. Last year he did so much research that he found out about delayed pressure & diagnosed himself. Granted, he did confirm this with our dr, but nothing really helps & the antihistamines make him super sleepy. His main problem areas are the hands and feet. So that's why I clicked on your hand pic ;) Yesterday he tried helping me in my flower beds (just being a sweet husband helping me with the hard stuff) and boy did he ever mess up when he decided to use the shovel! He has been laid up in the bed ever since! The itching came first, then swelling /huge whelp hive. Just not good! I'll be reading this blog to him soon once he wakes up. The meds really knock him out, along with the excruciating pain that comes along with it... we will be following your blog so hopefully we'll find out more!!! Thanks :)

bluzdude said...

I’m so glad I was able to help.

I can’t even conceive of doing yard work with this conditions… it’s certainly a contributing factor to why I still live in an apartment… no snow shoveling, raking or mowing, all of which would tear up my hands.

I know you mentioned antihistamines, but have you tried the Zyrtec? (or the generic equivalent.) That’s what really worked for me and I don’t get drowsy at all. But remember that it doesn’t prevent the hives, but it does take out a lot of the sting.

I use two kinds of ointment, depending on the condition. If the hives are on my body or legs, I use a cortisone cream, which dims the sting pretty much on contact. That at least gives me the chance to go to sleep without scratching. For deeper welts, like on my hand and feet, I used a prescription ointment, Diflorasone Diacetate, which is supposed to break up the welts quicker. I’m not too sure about its effectiveness, but I feel like I need to put something on them. Sometimes I’ll tag-team them, putting the prescription stuff on first, and then the cortisone cream right before bed.

But other than that, all he can really do is pad his environment and try to avoid contact with hard surfaces. Wear comfy shoes at all times. And get some bicycle or weight-lifter’s gloves, for when hand activity is unavoidable. I use them when I have to go grocery shopping and push a grocery cart and carry in the bags. Same goes for painting, fishing, long car trips (when driving) or using any kind of tool.

Thank you for visiting and for your kind words. I’d certainly like to have you come back, but in the spirit of full disclosure, it’s not like I write about my condition all the time. This post is from a year ago (from this comment). Every once in a while, I’ll briefly mention it, if it’s relevant to a post. (like yesterday’s post “Award Dance Pt 5). So look around and if you like what you see, come’on back!

Anonymous said...

Hiya bluz, I can certainly confirm that you are not alone. I'm 37 and it would appear that I too have this DPU thing and can confirm it completely blows.

I have been blessed with Cholinergic urticaria for about 10 years, which allows me to get hives from doing simple things like playing some basketball with the kids, mowing the grass or even getting mildly stressed out at work (anything that could raise the body temp). As such, I've also been on 20 mg Cetirizine (Reactine) daily for 10 years - luckily it doesn't make me sleepy at all, or I've just become immune to the sleepiness.

Recently, I was doing to gardening and later that night part of my palm by the thumb became itchy and inflamed. I just thought I got pricked with a pine needle or something and by the next day, it pretty much went away (still has some tenderness and redness, but not too bad).

Then a few weeks later, I was sitting on my hardwood floor brushing my dog and later that night, my feet felt like I had a golf ball inserted into the side of the foot (the part that was resting on the hardwood). I thought it was weird, but just walked it off (in a matter of speaking as it hurt quite a bit to walk).

Shortly after, I was out at the lake doing some shore fishing and later that night, I had several bumps on my hands, parts of the feet and my a$$. This time I took it more serious as it was starting to piss me off. These lasted quite a bit longer.

By this point, I though my Reactine's were expired or something and just not working anymore. I went to see a doctor and got some new stuff and also got some Hydroxyzine to help out with the sleeping (this stuff made me drowsy). I also started taking some Rantidine (Zantac) as it is supposed to help with hives as well.

Well, soon after my new regime of popping all of these pills, nothing was working - these damn welts kept appearing and more frequently.

After doing some goggling, we pretty much narrowed it down to DPU. We ended up going to a carnival to put it to a test and sure enough, by the end of the night, I could barely walk and I had huge welts on my shoulders from carrying a backpack for the better part of the day.

By the next day, my body looked like I had the shit kicked out of me - I had welts everywhere and you could pretty much feel the heat radiating off of them. It was quite painful, so I decided to go to bed early. I woke up a few hours later to check in with the family and sure enough, I looked even worse so we decided to hospital.

Needless to say, I looked so bad that nurses even looked scared to go near me. After waiting forever, they finally took me in and gave me an IV of Benedryl, Pepcid and Prednisone. It seemed like the only thing that brought these down fairly quickly was the Prednisone. A few hours later the swelling was down, but I could see the outline (almost looked like bruising) of every welt I had.

I am currently seeing a Allergist/Immunologist, but it's still early on.

Now, I am taking Prednisone (for DPU) as well as continuing the Reactine (for the other Urticaria) - I stopped the Zantac as it did nothing.

I started off at 50mg Pred and after about 4 weeks, I am down to 15mg. I tried 10mg, but the welts still appeared, but they were much smaller and not as painful. 15mg seems to allow me to do somewhat strenuous activities without feeling much affects of the DPU (not perfect, but about 95% better).

The plan of course is to come off of the Prednisone sooner rather than later, but it sounds like it's going to be an uphill battle for sure.

Hey, maybe if all DPU suffers got together, we could find the root cause of this thing, as it doesn't sound like doctor's have or will invest much time into it (in their defense, there much bigger health issues out there... but this thing is very, very annoying/debilitating).

bluzdude said...

When they first tried out the various medications on me, they tried the Zantac as well. Did nothing for me either.

Prednisone looks like serious stuff, but I fear that it’s only a temporary fix. Doesn’t seem like a maintenance drug, (as a steroid) so I’m wondering what will happen when you come off it. I suspect, unfortunately, that the symptoms will return. I’ve never seen anywhere that someone has been able to get “cured” via medication. In most cases, it just needs to run its course. But boy, would I ever like to be wrong about that…

I’m sorry you have to go through this pain-n-the-ass (and hands, feet, arms, etc) condition. I don’t envy you that carnival experience. I always get them the worse during hot weather. And the ones on the feet just kill… can’t walk, can’t sleep, can’t stop scratching.

DPU is one of those things to which only another DPU sufferer can really relate.

My suspicion is that the cure is so cheap; it’s not worth researching because the drug companies won’t make enough money off it. How’s that for cynical?

Best of luck to you and thanks for writing.

Anonymous said...

I would agree that the Prednisone is just a temporary fix, but while taking it, life certainly seem more normal - no or minimal welts with very little or no itching whatsoever... but it comes with a cost of potentially very dangerous side affects.

And so far, I've only had them during this crazy hot summer. I am hopeful that they won't be as bad when we start getting some cooler temps.

Here are a few things I have read that may "cure" this thing:

- a gluten free diet
- fasting for a day or 2
- detox to get rid stored toxins in the body
- drinking more fluids to flush out the garbage in the body
- stop eating processed foods
- antibiotics if it bacterial

I'm sure you've heard these all before and probably even tried some (I haven't yet). I was wondering if you've heard of any more possibilities.

I'm also very curious if there is a common factor amongst us all such as smoking, being over-weight, prone to eczema (or just sensitive skin), too much aspartame, high blood pressure, etc. There must be something we all have in common.

I certainly appreciated your response as folks that aren't in this position don't quite get it.

bluzdude said...

I guess I’ll get to see what happens coming off the steroids first hand. I was prescribed a similar steroid last week, for bronchitis. It’s called prednisolone and I’m taking a small and sequentially decreasing dosage. But since I started them… not one welt or hive. I took my last pill today, so we’ll see what happens.

I’ve heard a number of those other “causes” you mention. I know I’ve varied a number of things I’ve eaten in the past 10 years, but nothing has affected the hives. I think it’s just something in my genetic soup. Both my brother and sister have had hive issues before, although not like mine…

Anonymous said...

Let me know how it goes coming off this stuff.

I've heard some folks have had a lot of pain trying to come off, but that's usually over a longer period of being on the meds.

bluzdude said...

By the end of the day that I took my last steroid pill, (yesterday) I had welts on my feet. No effects other than that. I took the pills for a total of 6 days, decreasing from 24 mg a day, to 4mg by the end.

Anonymous said...

boy i started with this again real minor so far, hands and feet. I found that picture of hand and thought how did my picture of my hand get there. that is what i was dealing with for a while and figure allergy from a supplement i was taking, i think it was cause of shellfish which i am allergy too. but not really sure. it cleared when i stopped taking the supplement. now taking a B-12 supplement two days ago and seem on third day trouble starting with palms and feet heals. it always seems to deal with pressure related with hands or feet standing, using hands screwdriver etc. anything. Very very itchy painfull. I used gold bond pain relieving foot cream. seem to help

bluzdude said...

Sounds like you better stop the B-12. Perhaps you react badly to it.

Hope that does the trick. But yeah, if you've got it, using tools, screwdrivers, opening bottles, all that can trigger the welts. Makes it hard to get anything done.

Anonymous said...

I had these hives for four years. I felt tortured every single day. I had hives everywhere on my body. I couldnt hold my child without getting hives on my sides and forearms. I couldnt do anything that put any kind of pressure on my skin. I woke up everyday with huge wheel hives on my head face back legs feet hands you name it. All from tossing and turning in my sleep. Doctors all told me I was fine and gave me zyrtec, benedryl, allegra, pretty much every one you can think of. The only thing that helped was prednisone. I had read so much bad stuff about it that I avoided it until I couldnt stand the hives any more. I literally wanted to chop my hands and feet off it was so bad. I went to a dermatologist she gave me more antihistamines- did not work. Then one day I had broken out so bad it looked like I had been attacked by hornets or something I had no prednisone and was searching for relief when I found a bottle of GOLD BOND ULTIMATE- I cant remember if it had shea butter or not but I put it on one arm that had really painfull wheels on it. Miraculously in 20 minutes I kid you not every hive that I had put it on was now only slightly pink and not painful at all. I was amazed as it worked faster than prednisone. I put GOLD BOND ULTIMATE on my whole body for a couple days and I havent had a hive since. FRIGGING MIRACLE I SWEAR. That was the last time I had hives and It was almost 2 years ago. Thats after being tortured to the point of wanting to die for almost 4 years straight. I would not wish this suffering on my worst enemy. I feel so bad for anybody with this. If GOLD BOND ULTIMATE cured me it may also cure you. Really cheap and worth a try. NOTE no other lotion gave me relief as I had tried liquid vitamin E, Green tea, Calamine, I even tried colloidal silver, gold, platinum, about everything you could imagine and nothing worked except GOLD BOND ULTIMATE. I am cured from something that docs said there was no cure for. I called dermatologist told her and she did not even sound interested. I hope this works for all who suffer with this. I also tried changing my diet- fasting- all fruits and veggies- juicing- nothing worked.

Anonymous said...

This is also what I experienced while on prednisone- About the last few days on the taper down dosage I would start to feel hives returning-

Anonymous said...

Oh Yeah I was 28 when I first got the dpu and I will be 34 tomorrow. 2yrs without hives is a blessing after suffering for four years straight. I definitly do not take anything for granted now and will never forget how bad things can really be.

bluzdude said...

Sounds like a viable alternative to taking the steroids, and much less destructive. I'm glad it worked for you.

Anonymous said...

hey, don't know if you still have it or not, but you guys should do some tests to check for toxocara canis (dog - cat parasite) or some other parasites, they cause hives too, when i had toxocara I had hive in my hands (and other parts of my body also) like your pictures, yeah hurt really bad when it's in the hands, but when I'm cured it's gone, so hope this'll help someone.

sandeep Dhiman said...

i m suffering of thes e hives from one year. it comes nd go. if i take steroid its goes fast. but comes again in few days. only comes on feet nd hands. is there any permanent medication for this condition?

Thanks a lot.

bluzdude said...

I've never encountered anything that would prevent the hives from occurring at all, let alone on a permanent basis. Best I could do was try to limit contact with hard surfaces, and take Zyrtec (Cetirizine Hydrochloride) to dull the pain.

sandeep Dhiman said...

hi, thanks.
So now are you still getting or it stop?
For me, i am taking continious cetizirine HCL dihily (5mg) morning and evening. but i am still getting hives. always occur on my hand and feet only. when it becomes big and unbearable, i take prednisolone 40 mg tab, which gives immediate relief and removes hives. but after few days new comes. so terrible experience

bluzdude said...

The good news is that it went away on its own. The bad news is that it took 13 years to do so.

I agree that it was a miserable experience. Aside from the cetirizine, my strategy was to limit contact with hard materials. For example, I wouldn't use a paint brush, fishing pole or shovel without gloves on... Usually padded, like bicycle gloves. Also, I tried to wear comfortable shoes and not stand in one place for too long.

Anonymous said...

You have no idea how relieved I am to find this post! I've had this for eight years and all this time have been searching for answers. I gave up seeing doctors for it, since the ones I saw could never figure out what it was, and have just learned to deal with it, but I would still do research every now and then when they'd get bad to see if I could find anything relative. I finally came across your post today and this definitely sounds like what I have! I get the hives mostly on my palms and soles, but in the past year they started appearing elsewhere, especially on my ankles and tops of feet after I wear tight shoes that press against my skin, and on my belly/waist from pants. Those hives are much different than the ones on my palms and soles, just like you said. They're almost more like giant, lumpy mosquito bites.

I've noticed a definite decrease in the number of hives and severity since I first started getting them (when they would often have me almost in tears from the painful, burning, itchiness), and they mostly only come once the weather starts getting warm and are worst in the summer. It's rare that I get them in the winter, though the hives on my ankles/tops of feet/and belly I did get through this winter.

It's such a relief to FINALLY find someone who deals with, or used to deal with, the same thing! I've never even been able to find photos that resemble what I have until I found your post. So, thank you! Even though I haven't found anything that helps the hives other than icing them, it's still comforting to know I'm not the only one. Thanks so much for sharing!

bluzdude said...

Yes, my friend, you're not alone. And I know how happy that knowledge can make you because I felt the exact same way.

Hope your case doesn't last as long as mine did; just know that it does get better. Meanwhile, try the Zyrtec (Cetirizine). It really helps take the sting out.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, will do. I took some Claritin yesterday but it didn't help very much. I'll buy some Zyrtec today. The hives I have now on my palms are the worst they've been in a while, so I'll take any relief I can get!

bluzdude said...

FYI, the generic version worked just fine for me. No need to go full Name Brand.

KatieR said...

Thanks for posting this!! I'm in the middle of my first flare up right now (pressure urticaria is what the allergist thought). Just woke up last Friday and my whole body was breaking out in hives. The steroids/antihistamines worked somewhat for a few days until I ran out of the steroids. The last two days have been unbearable, my hands are soooo swollen but are now going back down with another round of steroids. They look pretty much exactly like yours in the photo.

Going on a week now with this. Running a battery of tests, we'll see I guess. It's impossible to go to work with this though.

I turn 30 in 4 days and all I can do is laugh that this is how I'll remember it.

bluzdude said...

The steroids help, (usually prednisolone), but are not good for long-term use. Try taking 10 or 20 mg of Zyrtec (or generic cetirizine). It won't prevent the hives from coming, but it will dull the pain and make them manageable.

Otherwise, try to minimize prolonged contact with hard surfaces and edges... Welcome to life in The Bubble. Sorry you have to go through this. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

TNT said...

I just started getting them this summer and feel guilty complaining about two months of them. I didn't identify them as pressure related, but first day were red raised welts where my pants fit around my hips but only in the front. They have since moved to nearly every part of my body including recently my hands and feet. My problem is I am supposed to have reconstructive surgery in a week and my surgeon won't do it if the hives are in the vicinity--unfortunately there are always two or three hives in the vincinity. Anyone deal with surgery with hives present?

bluzdude said...

I've had surgery during my time with DPU, but I didn't have any hives in the area where they were working. They didn't seem very concerned about it in general though.

My only problem was that they had to pull out an "extender" from the operating table, to accommodate my height. It was unpadded, and it was an 8-hour operation, so my heels were wrecked for 3 days afterwards, from sitting on the hard surface.

I'd advise to keep the area you're having worked on clear of restriction, to try to prevent any hives from popping up, as you approach your surgery day. It's hard for me to say, without knowing the area in question.

Anyone else ever have an issue with surgery, as it relates to hives?

Unknown said...

Around a month ago i developed Urticaria, I did not pay attention to it since I've always had bad skin and thought it was just a reaction. But then the hives started showing on my hands, last night one showed on my arm and it really hurt...I can't believe this is happening to me, I constantly think its cancer or something worse, but my symptoms align with pressure urticaria.

This are my hands right now:
http://imgur.com/a/nuDAs

bluzdude said...

Wow, just seeing that picture made my hands hurt again. Looks just like the ones I used to get. I'm sorry you drew this rotten luck.

Unknown said...

Yeah, on my case, I also have other types of urcticaria it seems. When I eat chocolate I get a rash.

The weird thing is those did not hurt, some do others don't. Yesterday was the worst day, pain on my left arm and both hands.

Unknown said...

The weird thing is some of them don't hurt, some itch a bit. Does this also happened to you?

bluzdude said...

I only ever had these ones, the delayed pressure urticaria. And they hurt like a bitch, especially on the hands and feet.

Anonymous said...

I have the exact same condition, only on my hands and feet (so far) antihistamines won't work by themselves. I am able to completely supress my symptoms by taking once daily a combination of these meds
Zyrtec (cetirizine)
Zantac (ranitidine)
Montelukast

These are all histamine/leukotriene receptor antagonist that together block nearly all of the formation of hives on a cellular level

If you're struggling with this condition like me and is severly affecting your lifestyle please try this x

Unknown said...

Intresting. I'm taking Zyrtec, and was also taking Montelukast but for a sinusitis I recently developed, from which I noticed that I haven't gotten painful hives in 1 week. I wonder if it's the montelukast I added to the mix.}

Thanks for the info

bluzdude said...

Maybe you and the previous commenter have hit on something. That's a combination I never tried. Could work for more people.

sandeep Dhiman said...

i get sames always on my hands and feet. and if itching start and I itch, its just look like itching take revenge. all get more red.my hives start with a red dot and then in circle on outwards. they are terrible making my life miserable. now I feel they are not only due to pressure but due to problem in guts. its my feeling

sandeep Dhiman said...

hi thats looks nice. can you please share dose, timing. you take after food or before. please share complete details. thanks a lot.

bluzdude said...

During the peak, I used to take 1 10-mg pill in the morning, (I don't really eat breakfast other than a breakfast bar) and one more before bed. If I didn't have any active problems, I'd just take the one in the morning.

But remember: all it really did was make it hurt less. The Zyrtec won't prevent the hives from occurring.

sandeep Dhiman said...

hi thats looks nice. can you please share dose, timing. you take after food or before. please share complete details. thanks a lot.

Request to Anonymous

Sarah said...

I can’t tell you how many dermatologists I’ve seen over the years who had no idea what my rash was. The last one told me it was fascinating and that his colleagues at Harvard would love to take a look and he gave me a word to google (forget what it was but it was wrong). Just the other day I realized it was DPU. I was doing push ups the other day and now my hands are a mess. Thanks for your post!

bluzdude said...

Glad to help. I know it helped me when I could finally put a name to what was happening to me, so I didn't feel like such a freak.

I hope you can find an effective treatment. For suggestions, see the comments directly above.

M Long said...

Hi I think this might be what I have. I have searched off and on for years with no answers. Mine just appear on my hands and they are under the skin like yours. I thought I had a blood problem. Mine only hurt if I press on them and they typically hurt a bit in a warm shower or if I am touching hot water. They are tolerable. I've had them maybe 15 years at least and they seem to show up at random times. THANK YOU for your post!

Anonymous said...

Hey! My brother is also having same problem from past 1 month. I treated it considering hives but it is coming when ever he holds some heavy stuff. He got rashes on his palms then soles and then to hold body and it was itchy.. please do let me know how to get rid of this.

bluzdude said...

I already wrote everything I know about it in the post. Just read it.

Unknown said...

Finally i found proper explanation whats happening to me i have that problem for last year,doctors couldn't even tell me whats wrong and how to get rid of those rashes from my palms soles and back looks like i have to live with it im definitely going to try zyrtec now as all other antihistamines done nothing, i was so worried about it and my mental health changed, but after reading your post i have so much relief, only yesterday i was trying to change bulb in my car and screw was damaged so i was pushing screwdriver so hard with my palm and crazy itching during night and all my palm purple in the morning and very painful exactly same like your pictures so now im sure that i have DPU.Thanks for sharing your story i think it helped a lot of people. Sorry for mistakes English is not my first language 😅

bluzdude said...

You did fine. I'm glad I could help.

I know one of the worst parts of having this was that no one knew what the hell it was, or had even heard of it. Made me feel like I was the only one...like a freak. I was happy just to know that it was a thing and it had a name.

Just remember, it will eventually run its course. Just use the Zyrtec, and mostly, try not to cause the hives in the first place. (Those screwdrivers are murder.) Pad everything you can, wear bikers gloves if you have to.

Anonymous said...

Just adding to the chorus of grateful perps who found this after scanning pictures of palm and hands. This is it.... I just started having same at 52. Hopefully a short ride, fingers crossed. Will add that the welts on the hands are distinct and thats what led me here. But now that I am here, I can add this also seems to come with generic rashes in all sorts of places. Even a rough use of towel after shoer or hard rubbing or scratching seems to produce hives. Some very short duration, some days long. I may also have a mild strep throat/cold.... perhaps there is a bacterial angle. Trying to wait it out and see. Ice packs only so far.

bluzdude said...

I hope your run with it is short. It's a bear just waiting around for it to go away. Best of luck to you.

Anonymous said...

This is what I have! Thank you, old blog post and old blog poster! I had hives around my waist for days after I wore a sari petticoat too tight in 2013, and I had a bad outbreak in 2019, and now when I drive long distances my hands get swollen up (like right now - when I was googling for this!) I really hope there is an end to it in sight