Anyone get exercise induced hives?

2

Replies

  • MCRogers1997
    MCRogers1997 Posts: 3
    I do!

    The first time was really bad, I did not know what it was so continued exercising. I went into anaphylactic shock, blacked out, had to go to the hospital in an ambulance. NOT fun.

    I have learned that, for some people, it is a combination of allergens mixed with the increased circulation that exercise brings. Things that your body does a decent job of fighting, but can't when its defenses are down while exercising.

    For example, I have a mild peanut allergy... No effects when I eat them. BUT if I eat them right before working out, it is guaranteed I will get hives. Another trigger is seasonal allergies... Once again, my allergies are not bad enough to require daily medication. But if I wake up in the morning and I have any kind of symptoms (stuffy nose, itchy eyes), I have learned to take a Zyrtec before working out.

    If all else fails, and I feel the hives coming on while exercising, I will take it down a notch. If that does not help, I pop a Benadryl ASAP and things are good. :)

    My recommendation is to look at things in your diet/environment that you might slightly be allergic to...
  • MCRogers1997
    MCRogers1997 Posts: 3
    Holy cow! You might be on to something with the peanut butter! Sometimes when I'm hungry before a workout I eat half a peanut butter sandwich to tide me over. It's filling and I don't burp it up throughout my workout. I'm wondering if THAT'S the days I get the hives?! I'll have to check it out- thanks!
  • erinjack231
    erinjack231 Posts: 12 Member
    I thought i was the only one who had this problem, thats why i googled if it was normal. If i start out slowly and make sure i keep the fan on me it helps. It only happens when i run not when i walk. and its because of the heat not anything to do with sweat because i can sweat all day long and not get the hives but if i run then i get them. Neem oil stinks so bad but its great for itching, so is tea tree oil. Rosemary , basil oils are also good. Go to a health food store and ask. But i cant put it on while im running at the gym and by the time i get home its gone. i had this problem when i was in highschool so the teacher only made me walk. Ive been doing pretty good so far this year but lately ive been having problems with it again and it makes me nauseas and then im constanly scratching while runing that im falling all over the treadmill.
  • erinjack231
    erinjack231 Posts: 12 Member
    Hey thanks for that but rememebr the wikipeda is not always accurate. anyone can edit the information but alot of the times it is correct just find another resource. but im going to google about that because i break out in hives when i workout
  • erinjack231
    erinjack231 Posts: 12 Member
    You just took the words right out of my mouth. Thats exactly what happens to me and the fan thing helps. I dont get the bumps but i get itchy on my chest and on my but. Its gotta be the heat. I think it has something to do with Raynoids diease ( misspell) its where you body temperature does not regulate properly. Do you ever get very very cold feet in the winter where they turn blue and are in pain and in the summer they get so hot they itch? because thats part of it. its your cardiovascular system not working properly. thats what i gather. Im not completely sure . but because my body doesnt regulate temperature properly thats probaly why i get so itchy working out. My body is in shock with the change in temperature. that makes sense
  • jimtryingtoslim
    jimtryingtoslim Posts: 31 Member
    take a Zyrtec 30min before mate works for me
  • erinjack231
    erinjack231 Posts: 12 Member
    People People please do not take algery meds they are only a band aid. Like a cover up. the problem still exisits after it wears off ad stop listening to the idiot doctors .they dont crap!! Go see a natural pathic or talk to your chiropractor. Go to a health food store or a nutrional shop. Google natural cures. Like I said before it has to do with your body temperature not being regulated properly. We ve got to find a way to regulate it. Figure out how your body does that and what to do to jumpstart and that might be a way to cure it. I have the same problem. I get super itchy it almost makes it hard to breathe and makes me nausea
  • b_bartay
    b_bartay Posts: 3
    This has happened to me several times. It first happened in my third year of college. I was doing wind sprints and broke out in hives, got anaphylaxis, blacked out, and went to the ER. Is only been that bad two more times, but I figured out that I didn't need to go to the hospital so I waited it out. Usually I can tell when it's oncoming because the back of my head starts to itch and I immediately stop running and go take a shower. The weird thing is I played rugby for four years in college and it never happened to me during a game or practice and we routinely ran several miles over the course of both. As a precaution I pretty much gave up running and stick to lifting weights (never happens while lifting) but unfortunately I have to take fitness tests for my job that include a mile and a half run. I avoid eating at all before I take the test and take a couple Benadryl. So far I've been fine. I thought it was the dye in my laundry detergent so I switched to the free and clear kind but that doesn't seem to be it. My second thought was nicotine in my blood stream but so far I haven't been able to test that theory (I'm trying to quit). I'm interested in the wheat theory and I think I'm gonna get a skin test to see if I have a minor food allergy that running triggers. There is a lot more information on the Internet now then when this first started happening to me so I'm glad to know that this is gaining more attention.
  • b_bartay
    b_bartay Posts: 3
    This has happened to me several times. It first happened in my third year of college. I was doing wind sprints and broke out in hives, got anaphylaxis, blacked out, and went to the ER. Is only been that bad two more times, but I figured out that I didn't need to go to the hospital so I waited it out. Usually I can tell when it's oncoming because the back of my head starts to itch and I immediately stop running and go take a shower. The weird thing is I played rugby for four years in college and it never happened to me during a game or practice and we routinely ran several miles over the course of both. As a precaution I pretty much gave up running and stick to lifting weights (never happens while lifting) but unfortunately I have to take fitness tests for my job that include a mile and a half run. I avoid eating at all before I take the test and take a couple Benadryl. So far I've been fine. I thought it was the dye in my laundry detergent so I switched to the free and clear kind but that doesn't seem to be it. My second thought was nicotine in my blood stream but so far I haven't been able to test that theory (I'm trying to quit). I'm interested in the wheat theory and I think I'm gonna get a skin test to see if I have a minor food allergy that running triggers. There is a lot more information on the Internet now then when this first started happening to me so I'm glad to know that this is gaining more attention.

    And I don't think it has to do with pollen allergies or something in the air because of the three times I had anaphylaxis, twice were in Connecticut (once indoor, once outside) and the other time was in South Carolina. I've also broken out in hives in Texas and Virginia. Clearly there's different allergens floating around those parts of the country.
  • pet1127
    pet1127 Posts: 572 Member
    any antihistamine should work and put the oatmeal in a nylon as the otherposter said so it doesn't cake hard in the drains when it dries you will get quit the pluming mess eventually
  • wordena
    wordena Posts: 177 Member
    My legs, especially my calves will develop hives sometimes. Ive learned not to scratch at that first itch and it usually will not develop into full hives. Then of course I shower quickly. Generally I feel I develop it due to grass and pollen allergies, even if indoors.
  • PinkAnchors
    PinkAnchors Posts: 4
    I have that same problem. I could be just walking in the heat during the day or the cool at night and my body breaks out into these ugly, itchy, rashy bumps. I'm like this when I exercise as well, when I take a cool down I'm in pain for an hour with breaking out in the hives from sweat. I try using baby power and gold bond which made it worst. A cool shower doesnt stop it either. I wish I had relief from these hives every time I sweat while exercising.
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    I got exercise induced herpes once.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    If so, what do you do to make it less miserable?

    No, I'm sorry.

    I get exercise induced rage though. I kinda dig it. It keeps me super focused when I'm at the boxing gym.
  • dianadow
    dianadow Posts: 1 Member
    I had no idea so many people were bothered by this. I have found that if I exercise more than 20 minutes at a time I break out in a rash and my eyes start swelling. I also have the same reaction when I'm under sudden stress of any kind and even just getting too hot without any exertion. It makes it difficult to exercise like I would like. I use lavender essential oil that gives some relief to my eyes but can't ward off the problem if I let myself get too hot. I use Benadryl if it gets out of control.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i used to get these before i started wearing appropriate clothing with moisture wicking. i always got the welts worse on days when there were drastic differences in temperature between the outside and my body.
  • RebeccaHite
    RebeccaHite Posts: 187 Member
    Thats shingles from the chicken pox virus comes out when you sweat
  • lessoftam
    lessoftam Posts: 1
    I have had this condition my entire life. It took 20 years for an observant doctor in LA to diagnose it. It is indeed called "exercise-induced urticaria". He told me that my body is allergic to the histamines it produces when I exercise. Benadryl does help reduce the affects. So, for the doctor that laughingly told someone they were allergic to exercise, in fact, you are! When I do cardiovascular activity, my skin gets itchy in the crease of my inner arms, on the upper chest, stomach, on the upper legs, buttocks. If I scratch I get welts. It feels extremely hot and my face gets really red. I absolutely don't believe it's the sweat irritating the skin externally. It feels too interior for that. It's definitely not detergent cause I use soap for sensitive skin. Don't be fooled by "guesses". The condition has a name. Some say that the more exercise you do, the more the condition can be reduced or managed. (I guess your body adapts over time). I can also get really itchy if walking when it's really cold outside and remember some horrific walks to school in -20 C temperatures. For me, just understanding that it was an allergy was so helpful. I avoid exercise because I know what the outcome will be, but with support and Benadryl, it has become better over time.
  • ericduckymorris
    ericduckymorris Posts: 1
    got this for the first time today. i freaked out but after an Antihistamine it was gone in about an hour. this is the first time it has ever happened and the only thing that changed is my diet. i had a lot of salt right before i worked out. i don't know if that is coincidence or a secondary cause.




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  • sa2uk
    sa2uk Posts: 1 Member
    Hi,

    Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth in the hope that it could helps someone.

    I too itch when exercising, and I have discovered a few things.

    1. For me, it's not related to sweat. I sweat a lot, and if it's not when I'm exercising, then I don't itch.

    2. It is worst for me when it is cold - if the air outside is really cold, then I can itch even after a few minutes of walking.

    3. It is also worse in spring when there is a lot of pollen in the air.

    4. The following things help:

    - H1 blockers - i.e antihistamines - these are usually all I need if exercising indoors
    - H2 blockers - these are usually used to reduce the amount of acid made by your stomach, eg. Zantac - I take this WITH antihistamines if exercising outdoors
    - If it's cold, I usually wear 2 pairs of running tights, or tights under tracksuit pants to reduce the coldness against my skin.

    I still can't control it absolutely, however, but the above things have definitely helped! If I ever find an answer I'll be sure to tell the world! :smile:
  • b_bartay
    b_bartay Posts: 3
    http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/allergic-running?page=single

    Pretty good article about it.
  • franklinberger
    franklinberger Posts: 1
    Super aggravating condition. Comes on only when it starts getting cold out. Feels like 1000 bees lightly attacking you from head to toe. It goes away after 10 or so minutes of working out. Histamines, the docs tell me, are stored in our bodies and released naturally when it's nice and warm out, so, you never get these symptoms in the summer. When it's cold, these stored-up histamines jump out of your body when you work out and heat up (that's why anti-histamines work so well, they stop the release of histamines, and thus stop the urticaria).

    Nothing worked for me (except of course Zyrtec, Benadryl, etc.) until I gave up WHEAT for a few months. I had the condition for 3 years (it just came on out of nowhere one day while on a simple morning run in the late fall in Illinois), now it's gone. And, I'm back eating wheat. It's been two years (but I keep reminding myself to search for this and post until EVERYONE is cured :)

    Not sure what was happening or why, but I don't care. It was the worst, and now it's gone.

    Hope this works for you.
  • strongrun
    strongrun Posts: 1
    My hives are completely related to eating too soon before a run. I have to run on an empty stomach. If I'm hungry, I usually just drink something light, like orange juice, to tie me over. It took me awhile to figure out the cause. At first, I thought it was a certain food, but I soon realized that it was after any substantial meal. I hope this helps others, as I have no problems now.
  • lowBP32
    lowBP32 Posts: 3
    Be careful with this! I have very low BP and as a result - I have POTS ( postural tachycardia syndrome) Do you have poor circulation/ cold feet, thyroid issues/ Raynauds ?

    I do. I went to dance exercise in a chilly poool and got this and it lasted almost all summer long last yr ! NOTHING helped and drs were stumped.
    I did not relate it to the pool. Just did it again last week (the prior was LAST suummer) Same thing happened. DRS thought it was chlorine, but they even admitted it made no sense as I only have it on the chest area, where I was not submerged ( where I was more chilly!) It is a problem with THERMOREGULATION and yes, it is caused by exercise, sudden chhanges in temps etc ..

    I *Was* exercising (powerwalks) prior to this, but now that the rash has bloomed , when I walk it flushes and flares. :>(

    I will be seeing a specialist ( months fom now)

    be careful...start slow.,..no sudden temp changes.
  • lowBP32
    lowBP32 Posts: 3
    Be careful with this! I have very low BP and as a result - I have POTS ( postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) Do you have poor circulation/ cold feet, thyroid issues/ Raynauds ?

    I do
    . I went to dance exercise in a chilly pool and got this and it lasted almost all summer long last yr ! NOTHING helped and drs were stumped.

    I did not relate it to the pool.
    Just did it again last week (the prior was LAST suummer) Same thing happened. DRS thought it was chlorine, but they even admitted it made no sense as I only have it on the chest area, where I was not submerged ( where I was more chilly!) It is a problem with THERMOREGULATION and yes, it is caused by exercise,( your body temp INCRS) sudden changes in temps (Cool pool) etc ..

    I *Was* exercising (powerwalks) prior to this, but now that the rash has bloomed , when I walk it flushes and flares. :>(

    I will be seeing a specialist ( months fom now)

    be careful...start slow.,..no sudden temp changes.
  • lowBP32
    lowBP32 Posts: 3
    Sometimes mine looks like hives/other days the rash changed to a more pimply look. It's all the same thing - caused by poor circ. histamines, chilliness with exercise etc ... be careful.
    Use compression stockings, stay warm ( but not hot!)

    It is not sweat related at all.

    I was in a chilly pool shoivering...not sweating.
  • brandon_hofmann
    brandon_hofmann Posts: 3
    I have been getting this for the year and it is so annoying. I get it sitting in a warm room. I get it all over my back and at night when I go to bed it is even worse. I am seeing a dermatologist but have still got to relief Good luck.
  • kjgarcia
    kjgarcia Posts: 104 Member
    I get exercise induced hives, BIG, itchy ones!!
    It isn't everytime I exercise, it's not if I'm outside, inside, or doing a particular activity, it's just totally random. I can always feel them starting to come on on my back/shoulder area first.
    My PCP couldn't figure anything out so she sent me to an allergist. The allergist did alllllll sorts of allergy testing and couldn't figure out anything. Their plan is for me to take a Zyrtec everynight before bed. I have still broken out a few times since I started that, so I dunno really. I know that isn't very helpful, but just wanted to add my experience.
    I don't "cool" very well when I exercise and I always wonder if it has something to do with body temperature....although the dr. looked at me like I was crazy when I suggested that?
  • kjgarcia
    kjgarcia Posts: 104 Member
    Just wanted to add that mine are actually Hives, not just a rash, or being itchy. I even had taken a pic to show my PCP and allergist.....they said they were "impressive"....gee thanks LOL
  • dnfenton
    dnfenton Posts: 24 Member
    I USED to break out in awful hives every time I would get hot. After a good workout was the worse. It turns out I am actually allergic to pet dander (I had cats at the time) but my body wouldn't react to the dander in my system unless I became over heated. This took me a good year to figure out since I wasn't having any other issues with my cats in the house.

    Unfortunatly I found the only way to prevent my hives was to rehome my pets and super scrub all my furntire and drapes. It still took a good 6 months to work it's way full out of my system. But now that the underlying cause is gone I no longer fear my workouts!
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