Hypothyroidism & hives

Posted by mmarusco97 @mmarusco97, Oct 7, 2022

Does anyone with Hypothyroidism also have chronic hives? I’ve been dealing with this for multiple years now. It’s started when I was 17 I’m now 25. The Hives started first and it wasn’t until after about two years of trying to figure out the cause of them with multiple doctors, that my low TSH levels started to show in test results. I’ve been on so many different medications including prednisone, hydroxychloroquine, different anti-histamines and Xolair injections. I am also on Synthroid. I was going on two years without any hive breakouts and now they’re back with a vengeance. I would love to hear feed back from anyone if they have gone or are currently going through this and what has helped them.

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Hi
I started with hives in 8th grade. In college i got my first bout of severe hives from head to toe. Couldnt fit glasses on the bridge of my nose or put contacts in due to severe swelling. It was awful.
Dr tried everything. Finally tried ativan at a low dose. ThT was the fix.
The hives continued intill at sbout 40 i was diagnosed with hashimotos thyroiditis. That took forever too since my dr did not seem to understand that a tsh of 10 was not good. I was reLly sick. When tsh got to 235 he listened.
Once i started synthroud i never or almost never had hives again except rarely snd very mild.
There is some connection to hives snd thyroid.
In my case extreme stress was usually a big trigger.
At 70 i have many. Utoimmune isdues but not hives!
Good luck with that.

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Hello @mmarusco97, I would like to add my welcome to Connect along with @siosal and others. I don't have any experience with hypothyroidism but found this article that includes some suggestions that might help.

"Thyroid disease can sometimes cause repeated bouts of an itchy skin reaction known as hives. In fact, up to 30% of people with chronic hives (also known as chronic urticaria) have underlying autoimmune thyroid disease."
-- Thyroid Disease and Chronic Hives (Urticaria):
https://www.verywellhealth.com/thyroid-disease-and-chronic-hives-urticaria-3232750

It sounds like you've seen multiple doctors and haven't been able to find something that helps. Have you thought about seeking help at a major teaching hospital or health facility?

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I wonder if the hives are a reaction to the Synthroid. Sometimes, possibly could be a reaction to the dyes used on/in the Synthroid? Or the hives an allergic reaction to Synthroid, and maybe 'Real thyroid' could help instead? Real thyroid is sometimes, my understanding from what heard/ read, made of pig thyroid or possibly some other animal. And whatever is used to 'dye or color' the pill/ medicine be it Synthroid or Real of thyroid replacement hormone medicine could possibly lead to a reaction of hives; but more likely hives can be reaction to allergic to Synthroid. Or possibly something else could be causing the hives, since the person who I think started this thread said they had hives prior to taking Synthroid. Autoimmune issues or other things could possibly be leading to hives, possibly an autoimmune issue called Lichen Planus. A good dermatologist can do a scraping of the hives and look to see what may be the issue, if it is Lichen Planus or possibly see if something else? Benadryl over the counter cream type sometimes can help with hives or itchiness; check with your doctor/s and or pharmacist and or only try a small dot of Benadryl and hope that it too not cause problems or make whatever going on worse. Hope things improve and get well soon!

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My mother told me when I was a baby that I would break out in hives often. She thought that it was a reaction to my asthma and some honey I was given. I was born with it and it is not clear if I still have it or not.
I do know that I was diagnosed this year with hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency and hypotension. I had hives, sporadically, as a grown up before but nothinng like my mother told me.
I am going through difficult times right now but the doctor hasn't prescribed my Synthroid. Don't know why.
Anyway, I have started itching. Is a very different itching that comes and goes. It is very uncontrollable itching. I haven't checked to see if I am turning red or not. Who cares is just another weird symptom that pops up. One day is my eyes, another day is the burning of my skin, then it could be my foot, or my joints, A migraine, pain in my kidneys. More than half the time, they have nk answers for me. One day I see blurry and the other day I don't. I see it as another symptom I must endured.
After reading your comments I don't know if is the extreme stress or the hypothyroidism causing it.
I don't do health research like I did before. I have wasted so much time thinking that I was going to get better. Please forgive me, even reading is tiresome for me. I am not looking forward deteriorating as time passes by or going through the cycle.
The cycle is from time to time, my symptoms slows down enough to make me feel that I am better. And then unpredictably, I am back sick, bed riddden and so many symptom. This cycle of looking ok for a few months confuses people. The can be cruel to you.
I hope that I made the point that I think is the hypothyroidism causing the hives and not the medication. Now if I could get the doc to order the synthroid.
That's another story.

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Hello, Hypothyroidism diagnosed at 9. My mother took me to the doctor to ask why I was fat. The doctor checked my throat ( big lump, when swallowing it felt like I had something stuck) he ran some blood work and they did a MRI of my throat. My left side of my thyroid was non-functioning. So my right side worked harder to make up for it and over worked itself to becoming swollen. So.. synthroid helps a lot! When I didn’t have insurance I would go to Mexico and the levothyroxine medicine they had their would work just as well. I have struggled with hives thru my youth and now. I use benedrly. I was once picked up by an ambulance and they gave me a drip of Benedryl and it all went away. I feel it’s your body telling you something is off. I get small red hives around my collar bone and ears. I don’t even notice them but my husband does. So I started a routine of lotions for hydration ( dry skin is also a cause of hypothyroidism) and vitamins and oils for nutrition of skin care. B12- omegas, fish oil (for eyes I am already starting to experience the bulge due to my thyroid). Being pregnant caused it to go all crazy so for any women out there take care of yourself. I have only experienced hypothyroidism in my female body. But I’m sure the symptoms are similar

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@507

My mother told me when I was a baby that I would break out in hives often. She thought that it was a reaction to my asthma and some honey I was given. I was born with it and it is not clear if I still have it or not.
I do know that I was diagnosed this year with hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency and hypotension. I had hives, sporadically, as a grown up before but nothinng like my mother told me.
I am going through difficult times right now but the doctor hasn't prescribed my Synthroid. Don't know why.
Anyway, I have started itching. Is a very different itching that comes and goes. It is very uncontrollable itching. I haven't checked to see if I am turning red or not. Who cares is just another weird symptom that pops up. One day is my eyes, another day is the burning of my skin, then it could be my foot, or my joints, A migraine, pain in my kidneys. More than half the time, they have nk answers for me. One day I see blurry and the other day I don't. I see it as another symptom I must endured.
After reading your comments I don't know if is the extreme stress or the hypothyroidism causing it.
I don't do health research like I did before. I have wasted so much time thinking that I was going to get better. Please forgive me, even reading is tiresome for me. I am not looking forward deteriorating as time passes by or going through the cycle.
The cycle is from time to time, my symptoms slows down enough to make me feel that I am better. And then unpredictably, I am back sick, bed riddden and so many symptom. This cycle of looking ok for a few months confuses people. The can be cruel to you.
I hope that I made the point that I think is the hypothyroidism causing the hives and not the medication. Now if I could get the doc to order the synthroid.
That's another story.

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@507 I am Hashimotos and also adrenal insufficiency. Your dr may be waiting to diagnose the synthesis til your adrenal dosages are leveled. The reason I say this is because I received thyroid hormone before knowing that I had adrenal insufficiency and it “threw me over the edge” so to speak. The thyroid-pituitary-adrenal system is sensitive and each organ affects the other, so need to start treat adrenal treatment, measure, adjust, repeat. Then can add thyroid treatment following same process.

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