random swellings

[Major_Tom]

Dr Steve,

About 3 months ago, my wife gave me an all-natural cold medicine. I was announcing a football game when my lower lip started to tingle and then swelled up. I went to the ER and they gave me some Benedryl and it cleared up. Since then, I've experienced random swellings just about all over my body. Both lips, chin, on my wrists, behind my ears, below my gut, and near my butt. It's usually the same thing, tingling, then swelling up. To add to the fun, my hands have been extremely red and felt like they were burning and very itchy. I take Benedryl and it swellings disappear but very slowly so I'm not sure if it's Benedryl working or it clearing up on it's own.

I can't figure out if this an allergy to something or something else.

Thanks for your help.

Tom

[Dr Steve]

Dr Steve,

About 3 months ago, my wife gave me an all-natural cold medicine. I was announcing a football game when my lower lip started to tingle and then swelled up. I went to the ER and they gave me some Benedryl and it cleared up. Since then, I've experienced random swellings just about all over my body. Both lips, chin, on my wrists, behind my ears, below my gut, and near my butt. It's usually the same thing, tingling, then swelling up. To add to the fun, my hands have been extremely red and felt like they were burning and very itchy. I take Benedryl and it swellings disappear but very slowly so I'm not sure if it's Benedryl working or it clearing up on it's own.

I can't figure out if this an allergy to something or something else.

Thanks for your help.

Tom


Sounds like Urticaria, commonly known as "hives". Hard to say if the cold remedy caused some kind of sensitization, or if the virus that you used it for was the culprit.

I would wax eloquent on Urticaria, but this mayo clinic article is quite excellent:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hives-and-angioedema/DS00313

let me know if this doesn't fit. If Benadryl causes you to become sleepy, try Claritin or one of the other "nondrowsy" antihistamines. They'll last 24 hours, and won't make you goofy (generally).

If it's getting worse rather than better, an allergist is the next place to visit.

your pal,



steve

[Dude!]

doc, his post was 19 days ago

he's swelled to death by now

[opie's twisted balls]

he's swelled to death by now
He's not dead....just painted himself white and gotten a job as bib the michelin man

[jackportd]

Hey guys. I just discovered this forum so I figured I would see if anyone could help me out with my situation. As I'm writing this, both hands are complatetly swollen, so please don't mind any typing mistakes.

Anyway, I'm a 23 year old male, 5'10 and 205 lbs. Over a year ago I started getting weird swellings on my body. It started on my feet, and then occured anywhere such as: legs, knees, ***, scrotum, upper body, hands, fingers, lips, eyes, and behind the ears.

The thing I realized after is that it started right after I fell off my bike and hurt my arm a bit. It just scraped my arm, but stupid me I kept aggravating the injury.

I've gone to see a few different doctors, and an allergy specialist... and none have any clue what it could be caused by. I am on 20mg Reactine daily to help control it, but sometimes it happens anyway (like right now).

The funny thing is how localized it is sometimes. For instance, just 1 finger might be swolen... or 2 fingers which arent even right beside each other. Today my whole right hand swelled up but my ring finger wasn't as bad as the other fingers for some reason. Also sometimes if it happens on my upper arm... it will look like a small purplse circle, and throughout the day it will get larger and larger till my whole arm is coloured a bit, and then its gone by the next day.

The skin also gets really itchy, and the joints are impossible to bend. Sometimes I suspect that its almost caued by some sort of trauma. Once I cut my finger a bit and then it swelled the next day. Also, my hands have never been as bad as they are now... and both hands are sunburnt because I was away on vacation last week. Not sure if its a coincedence or not.

I hope I included everything. If not, I will update it with more info as I remember. Also, I took some pictures of my hands this morning and will post them when I get home from work.

Please, if anyone can help me out, I'de be very grateful.

Thanks.

[Contra]

Sorry, the doctor is out, permanently it seems.

[S0S]

What is Rheumatic fever?

symptoms?

[Furtherman]

Major Tom, if I were you, I'd take your protien pills and put your helmet on.

[disneyspy]

i wonder if showerbench is hot