New Dermatographia: What is helping you?

I have the SAME thing as everyone here. I am so sorry!!!! I got my Moderna booster on 12/3 and 11 days later developed an itchy scalp, neck, ears, and they were very hot. I had also gotten another ear piercing on December 7 and thought it was maybe a reaction to that. I took out the piercing in case it was a nickel allergy. Unfortunately, it seems like I am having a reaction to the booster just like everybody else. It’s now been three weeks of itching and dermographia. Unfortunately, I cannot take Allegra and Zyrtec as I am allergic to them and can only take Claritin which I take every morning. I’ve tried Benadryl, I’ve tried Zantac and I put hydrocortisone cream on whatever areas itch. I feel like some days it is getting better though at night, it seems to get worse. The tightness in my chest has dissipated which is good and I keep telling myself that the itching is less each day but I think I’m just being optimistic!! I saw an allergist in January 2021 after I developed COVID arm from my first Moderna vaccine. She said that I am probably allergic to PEG but that I should be fine going forward with vaccine #2. So I got it and was fine outside the normal reaction of fever, aches, headache, chills. Now this after the booster!!

I am having the same exact skin problems following the Moderna booster but no other issues. (First 2 shots were also Moderna in January and February 2021) I received the booster on December 16 with the same slight reaction that I get with most vaccines. On December 31 though, I woke up with full blown Dermatographia with no history of skin problems aside from a shellfish allergy. Anytime I scratch/itch/rub my skin, anywhere, it breaks out in hives and swelling. I am 100% for vaccines and did not even suspect the vaccine as a cause. I was trying to look up whether the virus itself could cause this and found this thread. I am glad I found this to help understand what's happening to me. I think it saved me many trips to the doctors and specialists over the course of months just to have them stumped and have a hole in my wallet. I have been taking Benadryl at night before bed because that's when it seems to get worst and rolling around in bed makes me break out. Can't tell if it is actually helping though. I have seen other threads where others said it is still going on after several weeks. I am an extremely active and healthy 35 year old and was wondering if a booster was even necessary since I could still be protected from the first 2 doses. Perhaps the booster put my system into overdrive? Perhaps some kind of titers could have been done to determine if it was necessary? Maybe I should intentionally get covid to give my body something else to attack. (Don't worry, I'm not going to do that.) This condition or any long term condition weren't listed on the potential side effects. If I had been informed, I could have weighed the risks vs benefits. I really hope they start informing people of these potential long term reactions. I'm definitely not getting any more boosters. Good luck to all of you!

I am so happy that I found this board! I received the Moderna booster on 12/1 and on 12/13, I broke out in full body hives. Intense itching everywhere, but especially the palms of my hands and feet. My PCP prescribed prednisone, which did nothing. The allergist said there were 400+ anecdotal cases of this and prescribed Zyzal and Pepcid. I’ve been taking one Zyzal every 48 hours, but the hives come back at almost exactly the 48 hour mark every time. I also have dermatographia! Per other comments, I have Hashimoto’s and at least when younger, was allergic to formaldehyde (basically, the chemicals that used to be in nail polish). My face would swell, ears red and hot and someone else mentioned. That was the only allergic reaction I ever had until now. I’m so curious if there is a connection!

Hi everyone, I feel so lucky to have found this thread. I'm sorry to everyone going through this! The itchiness started in my scalp on Dec 3rd, 11 days after I received the Moderna booster. Followed by hives on my eyes, red/hot ears and dermatographia. I went to urgent care and got steroids and Hydroxyzine. That day a pink circle formed around my eye and my entire chest, it was scary. I started feeling intense chest pain (unlike many of you, my throat wasn't closing) that would wake me up. One night it was so bad I went to the ER and was told I likely had acid reflux. I was later told by my primary care doctor that it's possible this is an immune reaction to the booster shot, he said the chest pain could potentially be lung spasms, so he gave me an Albuterol inhaler. He started me on a Zyrtec/Allegra/Pepcid combo. The chest pain became much less severe and went away after a week and a half. I ended up getting Covid and only having cold-like symptoms with no new allergic reactions. The itchiness and dermatographia continues... the itchiness is the hardest part. Looking forward to keeping up with everyone here.

Also, the Facebook group mentioned in the Curious article comment section (can't post links yet) has a TON of members with the same issue

I received my vaccine on. Dec 15 and 11 days later I had hives and now dermatographia. Been in antihistamines prescribed. In Ontario Canada. So glad i found this page. I have no other conditions. Thank you for all your comments

Identical symptoms minus the esophagus and bowel issues just about two weeks after my moderna booster

Identical symptoms with my skin about two weeks after my Moderna booster

11 days after the Moderna booster my hands started itching and hives spread almost all over my body. My palms got so bad I went to the ER. Antihistamines and steroids took care of the swelling and decreased the itching but any pressure or scratch of the skin results in a very precise reaction. No changes in diet, products, external stress, or medications have been identified.

This was so helpful to read. I have been experiencing all of this (most recently throat tightening feeling). It’s very anxiety inducing but it’s so helpful to read other’s experiences.