1 year, only 23 lbs, but means the world to me.

Lisah8969

You look GREAT! That 23 lbs lost certainly works on you! I've never had hives (knock on wood), but your story had me squirming in my seat feeling imaginary itches all over. Sorry this had to happen to you and hope they go away soon and permanently!

readthat

Congrats to you! I have had Chronic Autoimmune Urticaria and have Dermographism. So I feel your pain! It definitely effected my quality of life for awhile. I had the chronic hive thing two different times, lasting about a year or so both times. At one point I was on two different antihistamines one in the morning, and one at night and I would still constantly carry benadryl cream around with me. They made me constantly tired and I think added to my weight gain! It's MISERABLE. Hang in there though, because it does fade away. After going through all the testing and all the focusing on it, I decided to just STOP focusing on it. It's hard to explain, but I tried hard to ignore it and eventually it went away. I still have the dermographism and I learned to live with that. I just try not to itch anything (it just creates more hives right?!) I also try not to take Ibuprofen. It can up the chance of hives and it sticks around in your body for a long time. I did get off all the meds, they don't really help anyway. I also get hives if I get too cold or if I am wet for two long.

I still always wonder if there is SOMETHING in my system that it doesnt like, but for now, its much more tolerable. Good luck! Feel free to message me if you have any questions or just need support from someone that has been there done that!

ktrn0312

Fabulous job!

silvergurl518

In 365 days, I've lost 23 lbs.

My loss may not be as drastic as most, and I'm still not finished, but lessons I've learned here through the amazing and helpful people on the forums and on my Friends List are invaluable.


November 2011 - Joined the gym (I go 4x a week and try to do something active on the days off) and joined MFP. Eating 1200 calories & exercise cals

December 2011 - Wake up covered in hives. After a few weeks they still haven't gone away. Go to the doctor and get told I need to see a specialist.....next available appointment is Oct 2012

January 2012 - Start seeing a naturopath to look for relief from the hives and constant fatigue I've now acquired. Upped cals to make sure I was getting enough to fuel my body.

March 2012 - Get taken off about 15 different foods from the naturopath to help control the hives (yes, at this point I still have them every day)

Summer 2012 - Hives are only present every few days. Up my cals to 1600 plus exercise cals

October 2012 - See Specialist, tells me I have Chronic Autoimmune Urticaria and Dermographism and there is nothing I can do but wait it out as it usually only sticks around for a few years. Sends me for a bunch of blood tests as there are other Autoimmune diseases that cause hives. I go back in January to discuss the results with him. Yes, at this point I'm still getting hives a few times a week.

Novemeber 2012 - Been at a plateau for just over 2 months, up my calories to 1800 and stop worrying about what I'm burning at the gym (kinda relaxing actually)


Now, what do hives have to do with weight loss? If you've never had the JOY of having hives, they are not dangerous, but they affect your quality of life. I can't tell you how many nights I didn't sleep because I was on the couch with cold towels on my legs and stomach. Or how many times I woke up in the night scratching so hard that my skin was bleeding. And of course, the more you scratch, the more they spread, and the itchier they get. You'll be at work and your legs/back/stomach/arms will be so overwhelmingly itchy that you just want to cry.

So going to the gym sometimes was put on hold for a day or two so I could catch up on sleep. Protein became a small issue since I could no longer have eggs, dairy, or soy ( i'm also not allowed beef but I don't eat it anyways) and I wasn't a big meat eater (I've had to start eating more chicken and fish).
*I have been drinking Soy lattes lately since my hives are bad right now anyways, ha ha

So for me to get through this year and still come out of it 23lbs down is amazing for me. For other people I know 23lbs isn't much. But for me, it meant the world.



Started at 185ish (I say this because I was probably more but hated the scale)


Around 170


165


Last week at 162.5 (And honestly, i look better than I did 5 years ago at my lowest of 155. I you strength training)



So thank you to everyone who has given your time to give me a little piece of advice, or left a message for me on my wall on a not-so-awesome day. Diet and exercise are the most import part of getting healthier, but without support that information means nothing.

you are one of my oldest friends on MFP and i you dearly.

now, please, go pick up a 25 lb plate or barbell at the gym. heavy, right? that's just a tad more than what you've LOST!!! puts it in perspective, huh? BE PROUD OF THOSE 23#! love you!

misskerouac

Awwww:blushing:

Thanks girly!!!

You are amazing and i love having you on my newsfeed every day :happy:

Fox_n_sox

Awesome job! you have lost more than the people sitting on the couch wishing the weight would melt off. Great job and continuing your journey through your hives!

mayer178

Congratulations on your weight loss!! I've never posted anything before, but I know how devastating chronic hives can be that I felt I had to share my story. Other than weight struggles, I have been very healthy my whole life--never needing medication for anything that I can remember. I developed chronic idiopathic urticaria in 2002. After seeing specialists and many tests, steroids & antihistamene treatments were recommended. I was told that 2% of people will develop chronic hives at some point in their life for no apparent reason and they may last from 6 weeks to 5 years. I had hives for 9 years. During those years, my weight climbed because I was always lethargic because of not being able to sleep through the night because of the itching. When I worked out, the hives increased because I was sweating. It wasn't life-threatening, but it was awful.

In October of 2011, I became a subject in a study at the Dean Foundation in Madison, WI. I was injected with Xolair which is an asthma medication. My hives disappeared. I have since lost 23 lb. The study finished in the spring of last year. I was told it may take a year until Xolair would be approved for this use. Please check into this medication.

misskerouac

Congratulations on your weight loss!! I've never posted anything before, but I know how devastating chronic hives can be that I felt I had to share my story. Other than weight struggles, I have been very healthy my whole life--never needing medication for anything that I can remember. I developed chronic idiopathic urticaria in 2002. After seeing specialists and many tests, steroids & antihistamene treatments were recommended. I was told that 2% of people will develop chronic hives at some point in their life for no apparent reason and they may last from 6 weeks to 5 years. I had hives for 9 years. During those years, my weight climbed because I was always lethargic because of not being able to sleep through the night because of the itching. When I worked out, the hives increased because I was sweating. It wasn't life-threatening, but it was awful.

In October of 2011, I became a subject in a study at the Dean Foundation in Madison, WI. I was injected with Xolair which is an asthma medication. My hives disappeared. I have since lost 23 lb. The study finished in the spring of last year. I was told it may take a year until Xolair would be approved for this use. Please check into this medication.

9 years??? ugh i can't even imagine. Currently i'm waiting on an appointment with a rheumatologist in March as I had a positive ANA test and apparently with some other things going on with me they want to rule out Lupus.

I agree, it's not life threatening or really even that harmful health wise, but it's the stress it puts on the rest of your life that really takes a toll. They are getting manageable now (this post is a few months old). I only get them about 2 times a week with taking anti histamines every day.

Timshel_

Joo loo'king gooood!

happyheart15

You look great! I love your outfit in the last picture.