Hives at night: Alpha-gal syndrome?

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. 🍀

Experiencing the exact same things. Mine started just a few days before Christmas, 2025. I also had a really bad flu during that time. I’ve experimented for a month now to find out the exact factor. I’ve tested keeping my window open and sleeping in cold throughout the night for 3 nights straight and I still got the mysteriously-disappearing-by-the-day hives all those nights so I can rule out temperature.

I tried to eat only eggs and water for a week straight to rule out food allergies and alpha-gal but I still got the hives regardless so it’s not the diet.

The hives even appear during my night shifts not just when I’m in my room and I’ve cleaned/washed and sanitized everything in my room multiple times so I rule out dirty laundry or dust mites.

The doctor said it can be related to stress which is very possible. I have been extremely stressed since last year November with a family situation and maybe my body is surfacing these symptoms to alert me of being too stressed lol. But the hives haven’t stopped even after me trying multiple things to keep myself happy and occupied so I’m honestly at a loss now about the cause of these mysterious hives.

However, after experimenting with some remedies and medications, I’ve found that REACTINE works like a charm but it does make me sleepy which is a hell of its own. Benadryl doesn’t work at all and Allegra didn’t show much improvement for me either.

I hope this helps someone. Life has been miserable because of these stupid hives. Please continue sharing your progresses and studying your hives.

@trailwalker
I have the same thing and it's horrible. I also have Crohns, am 67, and on Infliximab over a year now. I've never had a rash in my life either, I have a counter full of prescription creams and none of them work. I am looking for answers as Doctors are not much help.
Did yours go away?

I am a renter and years ago I had this happen. I would wake up with itchy hives too. Turns out my neighbor who moved out had bedbugs. It turns out that some people are allergic to bed bugs waste. So I cleaned well, put a protective bag over my mattress so they couldn’t nest in my mattress. I put double sided tape on the legs of my bed. No one would see it with the blanket. I put a thin layer of salt in the parameters of my apartment (smalller size) and it eventually went away. They were looking for a new meal at night. But I made the buffet closed.

I have this same condition! Mine started approximately 40 hours after steroid injection for lower back. I’m 78 and Never Had hives before? I feel it’s from shot but doctor doesn’t seem to agree. I have slight allergy to wheat. I have not eaten anything new. No new cosmetics, lotions, soaps, etc. Have not travelled.
Mine just comes on at nite. Goes away after getting up. Taking prednisone dose pack for 6 days. So far, day 4, has done nothing. Tried otc allergy meds and creams. Some of mine looks like tiger scratches. Some looks like all shapes of ringworm with the red borders. It really is weird and starting to affect my mental wellbeing. Thanks.

@nopenoway So glad you found relief. We own and I have cleaned room and all of bed etc. I don’t think that’s my issue but it’s good info. Thanks.