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Hives at night: Alpha-gal syndrome?
For the past five nights, including tonight, I have been experiencing a reaction of some sort. I assume that they are hives. The weird thing is that it only happens, well 95% of the time, the breakout starts in the evening. I know it's not from a bite or something because they are in different spots each night... I have had an allergy test ..that was done a few years back and it came back negative. Not allergic to anything. I know that can change, but I just find it odd that this only happens at night. During the day, I am fine... just anxious know what's to come after sundown. Another thing I noticed is that they are usually in straight lines.. not always, sometimes they are blotchy but a lot of the time they are in lines. I have taken benadryl every night for the past few nights... didn't work. Tonight I got a little bit of relief but I can already feel my body getting itchy. Hydrocortisone creams do nothing. I think I just apply them for piece of mind. I called my primary's after hours answering service and spoke with my doc. I have an appt with her in the morning and she is going to do bloodwork and give me steroid shots, but I just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced anything like this before or know someone who has.
They usually last for the night. When I can finally get myself to sleep at night.. in the morning i am fine. They dont leave any markings or anything. They are just red and raised and extremely itchy.
Any input will help. Thanks in advance.
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I started my hives journey pretty abruptly in June 2020. I went from constant insanity to noticing a pattern of uncontrollable hives at night, gone or mostly gone by morning or mid morning. Sometimes welts, lashes, typically burning and a million mosquito sensation. No drug touched it. We started with calling it neutraphylic urticaria out of allergy. We tried dapsone which landed me in the hospital with severe liver response in ‘21. We did Xolair injections that worked about a year but slowly I noticed my hives severe intensity was directly after taking the monthly injection for a week or two but stayed on for another 3 years until I couldn’t handle the reaction now realizing what caused it and stopped 6 months ago. My hive inflammation morphed into loss of mobility from hands, feet, walking at times became difficult and painful which partnered me then with rheumatology, lots of pet scans, watched swollen lymph nodes that developed, steroids over 4 years later and eventually a diagnosis of stills disease. (Not testable but by name only by process of elimination because zero options revealed an answer in all our testing) the drug illaris for the stills disease also landed me in the ER with hives by the second dose that responded like severe burns. We switched to methotrexate and again had to get off due to liver enzyme counts.
Which lands me to my newest observation: I’ve been told our filtering organs cleanse out at night, like their dump and reset, which can result in toxin load on the skin. A sign it’s not clearing properly during the day. I took the time to take supplements that support my liver for 4 months now starting October 25: B12, beef liver supplements, fish oil, as well as gut health like probiotics and fungal/candida. In addition I did a parasite cleanse that was not fun but necessary for organ function if you have them, and saw things I wish I hadn’t…paracleanse for 6 weeks. My husband and I switched to a carnivore diet eating only meat, dairy and eggs this June 2025. It’s well documented to help with autoimmune and inflammation.
I’m happy to announce I’m on zero medications. Nothing. And most of my symptoms today are at the moment gone with only slight hives from time to time if they pop up it’s a couple dots here or there in a very diminished tolerable, live life normally response. I’m not cured but I’m hoping for continued improvement.
I hope this can help someone. It was therapeutic to read your stories. Chronic hives can be such a lonely, psychotic way to suffer.
I think you are amazing! Good for you! 🌈
Unlikely but ask doctor to rule out any liver issue along with any labs ordered. My itching and small bumps plus labs led to GI doctor & possible cirrhosis. I say possible because last week I had FibroScan of liver done (15 min, non-invasive, reliable) whose results left doctor PLEASED and questioning former GI’s findings. More to be looked at though.
Cholestyramine, whoever said earlier, supposed to calm itching. But ask doctor. 🍀