10th November 2004
I first had DPU when I was 20 for 6 months, then it went away for some reason. It returned when I was about 24-25 and lasted about 10 months. I just turned 28 and a month ago I started having these hives again. They are terrible.
This is the first time I have ever heard of delayed pressure urticaria, but it is definitely what I have. I get hives from my bra, my shoes, my panties, from pruning, walking...I went to a specialist here in Cincinnati, and this is what he told me. DPU hives are NOT from an allergic reaction, which would be caused by histamines in the body. This is why antihistimines do not work! What he did give me was Zantac, accolate, and he told me to keep taking Zyrtec, which I was already on. It almost completely emliminates the hives.
But keep in mind that DPU is a symptom of something wrong in your body, and that is why they appeared in the first place. The cause is different for everyone. I already have thyroid problems, so the doctor zeroed in on this. He tested my thyroid, and even though my TSH levels were normal (due to my current thyroid meds) he said I have high thyroid auto-antibodies, which means this:
My immune system is attacking and destroying my thyroid. Because of that my whole immune system is going haywire and I am not getting enough function out of my thyroid. I had gained weight with this, too. So 2 days ago he increased my thryoid meds from 88mcg to 125 mcg. He says it isn't uncommon for people's thyroid problems to manifest into hives. Once treatment is optimized the hives should go away. It takes a few weeks for the meds to fully take effect, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the cause of the hives.
I know the cause is different for everyone, but maybe the thyroid (thyroid antibodies specifically, since TSH can be normal even when anti-bodies are present) is worth looking at for some of you. Good luck, and I will keep you posted!
This is the first time I have ever heard of delayed pressure urticaria, but it is definitely what I have. I get hives from my bra, my shoes, my panties, from pruning, walking...I went to a specialist here in Cincinnati, and this is what he told me. DPU hives are NOT from an allergic reaction, which would be caused by histamines in the body. This is why antihistimines do not work! What he did give me was Zantac, accolate, and he told me to keep taking Zyrtec, which I was already on. It almost completely emliminates the hives.
But keep in mind that DPU is a symptom of something wrong in your body, and that is why they appeared in the first place. The cause is different for everyone. I already have thyroid problems, so the doctor zeroed in on this. He tested my thyroid, and even though my TSH levels were normal (due to my current thyroid meds) he said I have high thyroid auto-antibodies, which means this:
My immune system is attacking and destroying my thyroid. Because of that my whole immune system is going haywire and I am not getting enough function out of my thyroid. I had gained weight with this, too. So 2 days ago he increased my thryoid meds from 88mcg to 125 mcg. He says it isn't uncommon for people's thyroid problems to manifest into hives. Once treatment is optimized the hives should go away. It takes a few weeks for the meds to fully take effect, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the cause of the hives.
I know the cause is different for everyone, but maybe the thyroid (thyroid antibodies specifically, since TSH can be normal even when anti-bodies are present) is worth looking at for some of you. Good luck, and I will keep you posted!