Post covid itch and hives

I too experienced this. It was very painful for months. I found relief after a suggestion from another long hauler to try Sarna, an external analgesic which was not available in Canada by that name but was available on Amazon. Instant relief. Long term results after a different post that there must be nervous system involvement for this and to ask your family doctor for a prescription for an antidepressant that calms the nervous system. A couple of weeks later and i am free of the symptoms.

So my nursing instructor actually suggested the Zyrtec and Pepcid combo to me after I was experiencing an itching attack that lasted days. I could not sleep, I could not do anything but scratch and my skin was literally torn up. I had covid in 2021. After recovering I started itching on my feet and legs. Ever since it comes and goes, some days are better than others but even after taking the Zyrtec and Pepcid combo everyday I still itch. It’s mostly at night but some days it’s all throughout the day. I can not imagine living this way for the rest of my life. I’ve seen multiple doctors and dermatologists, no body knows what to tell me. I honestly feel like they just think I’m crazy. I’ve had a doctor prescribe me Vistaril but all it did was knock me out. Sometimes I’ll take a Benadryl at night just to sleep without laying awake itching for hours. If I don’t scratch it it turns to like a burning pain like someone is shocking my skin where it itches. I’m glad I found this thread and at least I don’t feel alone or crazy.

Do you mind saying which antidepressant?

Started with 25 m amitriptyline but was pretty wonky on it so after a week I cut them in half, that works for me.

So, do you think it was the external cream, oral med or a combination of both?

I’ve been having this issue ever since I had Covid a few years ago. Doctors tell me to take Zyrtec and Flonase. It hasn’t helped (I mean Flonase gets rid of my stuffiness but does nothing for the itching) I suggested it maybe mcas but doc said he doesn’t think that’s what it is. When I had Covid I had a boil on my index finger never had a boil before then. And Covid also caused a spike in my heart rate and pneumonia. When I went to the ER the doc told me they were getting a lot of young people with high heart rates but couldn’t pin point the reason why. Anyway, every day is an itch I can’t eat food like I use to. Sometimes my throat gets tight, my eyes get itchy and I get hives and a rapid heart rate. I cut out soy, dairy, sesame, eggs, all the major food allergens and I already have celiac disease so I’m gluten free too. I noticed my heart rate doesn’t go up like it use to and I don’t feel flushed after I stopped eating those things. Allergist confirmed tree nut allergies so I do have an epi pen. The thing is, it’s not all the time I get hives. But every night I get this itch on my legs and back and there’s nothing there it’s like a tingly crawling feeling and I can’t sleep. I have to take multiple showers just to get thorough the night. It seems to subside during the day. I no longer have health insurance, so I’m at a lost. I’ve been popping Benadryl like candy where ever I get a tight itchy throat and it helps. But my skin has been so badly scratched it looks horrible from my head to my toes just terrible skin. People think it’s all in my head that I can eat these foods and that the itch is just anxiety but the way I felt when I ate dairy, soy etc. my face would feel like it was on fire and my heart would beat so fast. Haven’t had that happen in a year since I stopped eating those items. I’m glad I came across these forums, as I’m tired of people thinking I’m attention seeking. If I could eat like I did before Covid I would if I could stop itching I would. This isn’t fun.

I’ve been having this issue ever since I had Covid a few years ago. Doctors tell me to take Zyrtec and Flonase. It hasn’t helped (I mean Flonase gets rid of my stuffiness but does nothing for the itching) I suggested it maybe mcas but doc said he doesn’t think that’s what it is. When I had Covid I had a boil on my index finger never had a boil before then. And Covid also caused a spike in my heart rate and pneumonia. When I went to the ER the doc told me they were getting a lot of young people with high heart rates but couldn’t pin point the reason why. Anyway, every day is an itch I can’t eat food like I use to. Sometimes my throat gets tight, my eyes get itchy and I get hives and a rapid heart rate. I cut out soy, dairy, sesame, eggs, all the major food allergens and I already have celiac disease so I’m gluten free too. I noticed my heart rate doesn’t go up like it use to and I don’t feel flushed after I stopped eating those things. Allergist confirmed tree nut allergies so I do have an epi pen. The thing is, it’s not all the time I get hives. But every night I get this itch on my legs and back and there’s nothing there it’s like a tingly crawling feeling and I can’t sleep. I have to take multiple showers just to get thorough the night. It seems to subside during the day. I no longer have health insurance, so I’m at a lost. I’ve been popping Benadryl like candy where ever I get a tight itchy throat and it helps. But my skin has been so badly scratched it looks horrible from my head to my toes just terrible skin. People think it’s all in my head that I can eat these foods and that the itch is just anxiety but the way I felt when I ate dairy, soy etc. my face would feel like it was on fire and my heart would beat so fast. Haven’t had that happen in a year since I stopped eating those items. I’m glad I came across these forums, as I’m tired of people thinking I’m attention seeking. If I could eat like I did before Covid I would if I could stop itching I would. This isn’t fun.

I started to get that itching on my mid upper back and arms and almost 9 months ago now. I thought it was eczema. I went to one dermatologist and she ened up a freezing a few spots. She said it had to do with my nerves? It was a medically complicated explanation. So I went to another dermatologist for a second opinion (always do that and research it for yourself!).
At the end of the day, it ended up being contact hives, more specifically, see below.
Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is the persistent, often daily appearance of hives (urticaria) that last for six or more weeks for no known reason. These hives are often itchy welts or bumps that appear when a trigger in the body causes mast cells to release histamine, serotonin, or other chemicals under the skin (which they are finding out is related to long Covid).
I had already been on Dupixent, which both dermatologist said that if I hadn't, that the hives would have been worse. The second dermatologist put me on the Xolair, but before the third injection, I ended up itching worse than before and stopped using it. Right now, I just continue my Dupixent injections (2x a month), use my over the counter FexofenadineHydochloride (allergy relief-two times a day), and my Triamcinolone Acetonide cream (as needed). I traded out my body wash for some Aveeno body wash that is fragrance free and try to keep my skin moisturized. If you have animals, keep your bed sheets clean as often as you can too.
This has at least kept my itching managable. I hope this helps someone out there. I'm actually going to see a third Dermatologist this week, I don't give up that easily to try and figure things out. I've been doing a lot of research on my own and hoping to figure something out. Keep you all posted.