![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Geegee on October 3, 2008, at 1:01:06
For the last several nights, I've been getting hives and really itchy skin in the late evening, about two hours or so after eating dinner. I haven't had the same foods for dinner any of the last several nights, so I'm wondering if there's something I'm taking in my last round of meds/supplements that might be causing it. With dinner, usually around 8 or 8:30, I take: 1 tablet (15mg) Nardil, 1 tablet (250mg) magnesium oxide, and 1 fish oil capsule (I forget the dose, but it's whatever seems to be standard at the grocery store). Occasionally I also have my multi-vitamin left to take then, but not usually. I also take Nardil two other times during the day and fish oil in the morning with breakfast without any subsequent itching, so that leaves the magnesium if it's being caused by one of my pills. Nothing's changed in this routine in months, but the itching is new.
This is really irritating since I'm usually still itching and trying not to scratch when I go to bed. If I don't take an anti-histamine and apply some kind of anti-itch stuff, usually Caladryl gel, I have a hard time getting to sleep. The "hives" or weals or whatever appear variously on my shoulders and arms, torso, buttocks, and/or legs. I can actually see little bumps within the reddened areas that itch.
Any ideas, anyone?
Thanks in advance.
gg
Posted by seldomseen on October 3, 2008, at 6:42:45
In reply to What's causing hives after evening med dose?, posted by Geegee on October 3, 2008, at 1:01:06
As I'm sure you know, hives are a serious symptom that shouldn't be ignored. The next step could be anaphylaxis and that, to be entirely glib, can spoil anyone's evening.
My best advice would be to get a doctor involved sooner rather than later.
While anything is possible, the fact that not much has changed in your med regimen seems to indicate to me that it is not the culprit. But, then again, the meds could be reacting in novel ways. I would leave off the magnesium and see if things improve.
There could be an environmental cause such as a new cleaning product, novel exposure to a new allergen or even a change is laundry detergent can set things off.
However, I would definately contact a physician as hives can indicate a profound allergic response.
Seldom.
Posted by Phillipa on October 3, 2008, at 11:01:20
In reply to Re: What's causing hives after evening med dose?, posted by seldomseen on October 3, 2008, at 6:42:45
I would also how strange, annoying, and wierd. I hope it's not your meds. Love Phillipa
Posted by azalea on October 3, 2008, at 13:52:28
In reply to What's causing hives after evening med dose?, posted by Geegee on October 3, 2008, at 1:01:06
Perhaps experiment with not taking the magnesium oxide tablet for a few nights and see how you do.
> For the last several nights, I've been getting hives and really itchy skin in the late evening, about two hours or so after eating dinner. I haven't had the same foods for dinner any of the last several nights, so I'm wondering if there's something I'm taking in my last round of meds/supplements that might be causing it. With dinner, usually around 8 or 8:30, I take: 1 tablet (15mg) Nardil, 1 tablet (250mg) magnesium oxide, and 1 fish oil capsule (I forget the dose, but it's whatever seems to be standard at the grocery store). Occasionally I also have my multi-vitamin left to take then, but not usually. I also take Nardil two other times during the day and fish oil in the morning with breakfast without any subsequent itching, so that leaves the magnesium if it's being caused by one of my pills. Nothing's changed in this routine in months, but the itching is new.
>
> This is really irritating since I'm usually still itching and trying not to scratch when I go to bed. If I don't take an anti-histamine and apply some kind of anti-itch stuff, usually Caladryl gel, I have a hard time getting to sleep. The "hives" or weals or whatever appear variously on my shoulders and arms, torso, buttocks, and/or legs. I can actually see little bumps within the reddened areas that itch.
>
> Any ideas, anyone?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> gg
Posted by bleauberry on October 3, 2008, at 21:41:50
In reply to What's causing hives after evening med dose?, posted by Geegee on October 3, 2008, at 1:01:06
You are allergic to something. Actually, to get hives means you are very allergic to something. Whatever it is, you are exposed to it in the evening. Possibly a filler in the magnesium supplement. You could try skipping that and see. Other than that, you just gotta kinda be a detective and look around your environment to try to figure out what is different in the evening than during the day.
While you're at it, check the bottle of fish oil to see if it states it is free of heavy metals and PCPs. If not, ditch it and get one that does. Kind of off topic, but could be related, in any case it is a wise move. The last thing anyone with an allergic response needs is exposure to any kind of toxin, even in tiny amounts. Mercury and other toxins even in minute quantities can seriously aggravate a susceptible immune system, with allergies and autoimmune reactions resulting. So while a contaminated fish oil won't itself cause the hives, it could set you up to be allergic to other things. Hopefully you got a good brand that says it is free of heavy metals and this paragraph is wasted. That would be cool.
Posted by Geegee on October 4, 2008, at 17:35:14
In reply to Re: What's causing hives after evening med dose?, posted by bleauberry on October 3, 2008, at 21:41:50
Er, yeah. The other thing I do after dinner most nights is play with the dog, either on the floor or she comes up on the love seat with us while we watch TV. Now as long as we've had her, she's NEVER had fleas. She's almost never around other dogs, and she's an inside dog. Plus, we use Frontline every month, mainly for the protection against ticks.
Ahem. When we were in Alaska recently, she was boarded at the vet's for about two weeks. I have to wonder if they actually gave her the regular dose of the flea/tick stuff as requested, because she seems to have fleas now. There are bites on her rump and tail, and yesterday I found one crawling on her, dagnabbit!
Since my itchy stuff was sort of all over, fleas didn't occur to me. The only other time I was exposed to them, I had bites all over my feet and ankles, mainly. But the dog was on my lap and chest the night I had the worst "case" of hives, which I realize now were actually bites. And man do flea bites itch!
So anyway...thanks for the suggestions and brainstorming y'all offered. I feel kind of silly, but also relieved. Fleas I can do something about, but my body reacting differently to something routine felt a bit more worrisome.
Reaching for the Caladryl...
gg
Posted by elanor roosevelt on October 7, 2008, at 21:15:17
In reply to Ahem, well it's not meds..., posted by Geegee on October 4, 2008, at 17:35:14
well
that's good news reallyyou will appreciate it more after you stop itching
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.