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New Dermatographia: What is helping you?
If you don't know what dermatographia is, please feel free to read and participate, but this discussion is aimed at people who currently suffer from this illness. I have questions that I don't think anyone without the condition can answer. The onset of my symptoms began about a week after receiving the Moderna covid booster shot. (My 3rd covid shot) Which may or may not be a factor. My symptoms began with full body itching, where any scratching would lead to very easy skin reddening. I went into an urgent care soon after and was prescribed steroids (prednisone) and antihistamines. While these work to lessen the itch GREATLY, my skin still reacts to even slight scratches or pressure with easy redness. My condition is largely self-diagnosed, but my primary care physician agrees with it.
There is so little relative information about dealing with this illness that I feel like I need to reach out here to ask. If you have/had this condition:
1. Did you (like I am) develop a tightness in your esophagus? or any bowel issues?
2. Does your face get flushed, fully red and feel warm?
3. Do you know of any support groups that I can reach out to for information and solidarity?
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OMG! Happy to have found this post! I got the first two Pfizers with no issues, got Pfizer booster (3rd vaccine) and 1.5 weeks later started to itch dermatographia. I don't know how long it will last but it is irritating.
Good evening @leen36. I chose the same Pfizer path as you did. So far, so good. I also have Neuropathic itch and atopic dermatitis. So itch is my greatest irritation. There is a new product available that helps me and it is called Dermeleve. You can order it online at dermeleve.com. My dermatologist brought it back from a conference she attended. It is my go-to for immediate response. Once applied, it takes about 15 minutes to work and lasts about 6 hours. So it is not the be-all, end-all, and yet it takes care of the "itch" for enough time for you to recover.
Would you please tell me what your outlook is for dermatographia at this point?
May you be safe, free and protected from inner and outer harm.
Chris
Hi all, I had the same thing where I got the Moderna Booster Late January and had hives outbreak and continuing dermatographia until now. My Dermatologist has me on Xyxal, Allegra and Claritin once in the morning and Allegra x2 and pepcid in the evening. Right now it is significantly better - but not gone and gets worse at various times. Have any of you successfully gotten rid of the dermatographia and if so what medications did you take, dosages, etc.
Hello, @mimi7. Sorry to hear you also are going through hives and dermatographia from the Moderna booster. I received my booster October 25, 2021. This is month 5 for me with dermatographia. I do not find relief with over the counter antihistamines. In February 2022 I began Xolair, a biologic injection. The first dose relieved the intense itch of my scalp. The second dose provided more relief. I am schedule for a third dose the end of April. My dermatographia is not gone, but it takes a lot more pressure or a deeper scratch to cause my skin to inflame. I hope you can find a combination that works for you.
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2 ReactionsHi - I would like to add that for me personally taking Claritin 1x daily did the trick to eliminate itching and subsequent dermatographism. I weaned myself to once every other and then once every two days. I did this over a month period and finally got off it completely. It took about 7-9 days for any itching to reappear and 10 days for the severe itching and subsequent dermatographism to reappear. I have been dealing with this since the new year after getting the booster end of December ‘21.
Oh and I did go to a dermatologist who reported they have seen a significant increase in reports of this exact thing in relation to boosters. They said it’s a common immune reaction to new antibodies and reminded me that it has been over 25 years (for me) that we have introduced our bodies to three sets of shots within a year. So our bodies will react! I just don’t know for how long 🙁
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1 ReactionSimilar sx started about ten days after my covid booster and I’ve been dealing with urticaria for four months now. I had covid in December of 2020, vaccinated with moderna february 2021, then boosted December of 2021. The first two weeks were the worst and I had facial swelling, lower extremity swelling, and my chest felt tight. At first I thought the chest tightness feeling was asthma but it was more in my esophagus. Pepcid BID helps but I still also have to take Allegra 3x/day. My allergist said likely triggered from the booster. I’ve never reacted like this to anything
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1 ReactionI have been experiencing the same thing! I have had hives that move all over my body for a month now. They started one week after receiving the Moderna COVID booster shot. I went to an allergy doctor who let me know it is called dermatographia. He informed me that is not that we are allergic to the booster but that we likely had the gene or whatever for dermatographia already and it was the booster that caused it to appear. He said they currently understand what is happening at the cellular level but do not understand why it is happening from the booster. He told me to just keep taking the over the counter antihistamines (like Claritin or Xyzal) because those have been helping me.
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1 Reaction@tristinh16 Thank you for the good explanation! Will you stay with Mayo Connect in case we need your explanation again?!
I am dealing with the same spontaneous urticaria. I received my Moderna Booster late Decemebr and 3 days afterwards I traveled to Canada. I started getting itchy over there and at first thougt it was something environmental at my mother's home. I changed soap and laundry soap, but nothing worked and pharmacist told me to take benadryl. Of course, this help but as soon as it wore off I was itchy again. I figured when I get back home in Florida I will be fine. Well, it continued. My primary doctor suggested it may be emotional since my dad had passed in November and she rescribed a steroid for 7 days.I was hesitant about taking that and continued with Zyrtec instead. I then tested positive for ANA test, followed up with a bunch of blood test by rhumatologist ...everthing comes back negative. For the longest time I thought it was some auto immune issue, but the only thing that changed is getting the booster. It satrted 3 days afterwards. I haven't started a new medication. We are now mid April and still dealing with this. I am worried about taking Zyrtec long term. My next step is seeing an allergist. I hope this goes away with time. Good luck to all.