I had angioedema with the Urticaria. I was given Prednisone for non-Emergency swelling, but I discovered taking 15 mg daily every day held the worst at bay. One doctor wanted me off of it, but she was the one that made me so afraid of the angioedema. I found another doctor, he didn't think it was a problem, it was a low dose. Nearly 2 years later, my afib started, I was hospitalized, they took me off the Acebutolol I was taking, started me on Metoprolol. They weren't initially giving me the prednisone, but I talked to someone and it was added. But I stopped manifesting Urticaria while in the hospital. It was either a coincidence, or related to discontinuing the Acebutolol. Acebutolol has ISA properties, intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, (I couldn't spell the 2nd word, it's copy and pasted, but I can say it, LOL), I'm wondering if that wasn't triggering it the Urticaria. A big reduction came in my Urticaria when I was put on Singulair.

I missed taking the Singulair once the other day, just had a few red dots. I take 1 1/2 Xyzal per day in divided doses, tried dropping to one, but my eyebrows were burning, a sign from before that I was going to break out.

I took pictures of my breakouts over the duration of my problems, everything from covered in huge red splotches, to conventional hives as raised areas. A researcher would be welcome to them.

The part that saddens me, I read a study conducted by analysis of abundant data, not a study specific for the cause, but patients that take 7.5 mg or more of Prednisone daily long term have a statistically significant likelihood to devolop afib, which I did. Ugh. I hoped I'd spontaneously convert when off, and I've been off for months, but no luck.

I'm saving your post to study more, I think I'm borderline Urticaric, if that's a word, especially with the high pollen count of spring. I appreciate your post, and advice, and am interested in reducing the number of meds I'm on, but only with demonstrated efficacy and the Doctor's advice.