New Nurse keeps breaking out in hives!!!!

[brookorrn]

I just began working in a Veteran's Home, and for some reason, I keep breaking out in hives. I mean I get them everywhere and I don't know what is causing them. We wear the aloe green gloves and non-latex, non-powder gloves, use the alcohol hand cleaner as well as washing our hands with anti-bacterial soap.........does anyone have any ideas which one of these products is doing it or has experienced the same thing? We also crush pills for our patients and I am not sure what is giving me the hives! Help, I am miserable! I itch all over with huge welts everywhere, even on my ears! I have never gotten the hives from nerves...so I don't think it is that causing them. The only thing that helps is to come home, take a shower and then take a benedryl. If anyone has experienced this or has any ideas, please let me know.........I am desparate! I love my job!

[2008nurse2b]

When my brother was getting married and my father had a heart attack my mother did break out in hives from all the stress, it had never happened to her before but it happened then.

[KJRN79]

Around the time that I turned 40, I got hives. They stayed and went, stayed longer and went, came back and stayed and stayed.......I ended up at an allergist and found that I was allergic to most of my life: feathers (had featherbed), cats (had 2), dustmites (not dust itself), dogs (most of my friends had dogs), BEER!!!! and grass. For goodness sakes. My doc put me on Zyrtec twice a day and I started allergy shots. I now have a cat again, a housekeeper, and my son does the lawn. I can have about one beer at a time, but I sure do miss it!!!

My suggestion is to see a doc and get tested to find out what is going on!

[loricatus]

Get allergy tested ASAP. Be careful that you do not have a latex allergy that will react worse upon each subsequent exposure (eventually leading to anaphylaxis). Employee health should be notified of your hives and should take the appropriate steps to ensure your safety in the workplace. Take care of yourself.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I have suffered from chronic hives for over 3 years. I'd been to the allergist multiple times, and he could not come up with a reason as to why they were occurring. Everytime I'd arrive to his office for allergy testing, I'd have too many hives on my forearm to properly complete the test. He basically controlled the hives with Zyrtec and Allegra. However, I was in royal trouble when my body developed tolerances to those 2 drugs, because Claritin did not control my hives as effectively.

I went to an endocrinologist, who finally unveiled some of the shroud of mystery behind my hives. She stated that the hives were hormonal, a symptom of my malfunctioning thyroid. Since I had been hyperthyroid with Graves disease for 7 years with no resolution, I decided to undergo a radioiodine ablation. About 2 months after the ablation treatment, the hives stopped altogether.

I still get hives very occasionally, but they are not as ferocious as before. Three years ago, my throat and lips would swell, my whole body would be itchy and on fire, and I experienced plenty of sleepless nights due to the horrendous discomfort associated with the hives. Now, they are manageable.

Go to an allergist as soon as you can. Also, get second opinions from an endocrinologist.

[cherokeesummer]

I have suffered from chronic hives for over 3 years. I'd been to the allergist multiple times, and he could not come up with a reason as to why they were occurring. Everytime I'd arrive to his office for allergy testing, I'd have too many hives on my forearm to properly complete the test. He basically controlled the hives with Zyrtec and Allegra. However, I was in royal trouble when my body developed tolerances to those 2 drugs, because Claritin did not control my hives as effectively.

I went to an endocrinologist, who finally unveiled some of the shroud of mystery behind my hives. She stated that the hives were hormonal, a symptom of my malfunctioning thyroid. Since I had been hyperthyroid with Graves disease for 7 years with no resolution, I decided to undergo a radioiodine ablation. About 2 months after the ablation treatment, the hives stopped altogether.

I still get hives very occasionally, but they are not as ferocious as before. Three years ago, my throat and lips would swell, my whole body would be itchy and on fire, and I experienced plenty of sleepless nights due to the horrendous discomfort associated with the hives. Now, they are manageable.

Go to an allergist as soon as you can. Also, get second opinions from an endocrinologist.

Hey there, just popping in. I have hives, the condition they are calling it is dermagraphia (skin writing) basically when anything of some pressure/light pressure touches my skin, I break out in a hive. Just talking about it makes me itch LOL. I am still trying to figure out what that is related to. I'm seeing a rheumy for some other things (joint pain, positive ANA titer) and they will be looking in to that too I think. I"m diabetic, type I since age 12, never thought it could be endocrine related (the hives) but that is interesting. The next time I see my endo I will ask about that. Thanks for sharing.

[MIA-RN]

maybe the elastic banding in your pants, socks, or shirt cuffs? Maybe your stethoscope? What about the nickel in your jewelry, or the back of your watch?

My son used to break out in hives a lot and they were considered more or less idiopathic. It would be a week or so of off and on breakouts, then much longer without, and then they'd start up again. You can get idiopathic urticaria. We also tied the worst outbreaks to those bracelets everyone wears, like for Armstrong (yellow) etc. We had all got red ones from L&L society/gilda's club and son broke out with them, although they were latex free. Just a thought if you wear something like that.

I do get them from nerves, the worst during a test in nursing school! :) Even now, when I get stressed, I get some on my neck. Thats an adult-onset thing, so I think you might not want to dismiss the nerve thing totally.

Good luck.

[psalm, RN]

ARe you working in a newly-remodeled area, new paint and/or wallpaper? Sometimes new stuff makes me itch like crazy, and I sneeze, wheeze, tear and turn red and have to get the inhaler out. My rast was negative so doc says I have latex sensitivity.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

please report this issue to employee health.

itch + huge welts= allergic reaction to exposed substance if only occuring at work.

what does aloe green glove box say is type of glove material???

each subsequent exposure increases risk anaphylaxis.....nothing to fool with.

what are the symptoms?

symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include:

• itchy, blotchy, raised rash called hives
  
• feeling dizzy or faint
  
• trouble breathing, including wheezing
  
• trouble swallowing
  
• tightness in the throat, or chest
  
• nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  
• stomach cramps
  
• swelling of the lips, tongue, throat or another part of the body
  
• red, watery eyes
  
• sense of doom
  
• change of voice.

sometimes the heart may stop beating.

see:

understanding latex alergy

selecting the right glove - understanding latex allergy and glove ...

medlineplus medical encyclopedia: allergic reactions (pictures)

[color=#0000cc]severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) symptoms, causes, diagnosis ...

anaphylaxis

[bethin]

Please see your dr asap.

I've worked in healthcare for over 6 years. Always wore latex gloves. Two years ago after a TB test I suddenly developed hives. Bad bad hives. My eyes swelled shut and they wouldn't let me work d/t looking so bad. I had them in places I dare not say :) Come to find out I developed a latex allergy. You have to be careful as each exposure can make the allergy worse. You may start out with hives but it can lead to trouble breathing if you do not stay away from latex.

BTW, I had hives for 6 months, was taking allegra, zyrtec, and 90mg of prednisone daily with no relief.

Tell your employer to provide latex free gloves. Start eliminating the obvious culprits one at a time and see if you get any relief. If you do, then you know what may be causing it.

[Becca608]

If latex goes on my hands, my whole body starts itching.

Use non-latex gloves for clean procedures.

Use powder-free gloves for sterile procedures.

Keep Benadryl on hand and don't forget that the hand sanitizer contains 'perfumes' that may be initiating the reaction.

Please don't disregard the previous posts about getting tested. There may be some in the environment that may be affecting you...and possibly your clients. Everything is suspect until you locate the source of the problem.:welcome:

[brookorrn]

Just an update..........it was the job! It was getting to where I could not function because I had hives soooooo bad............job was extremely stressful........no true training.......thrown into supervisory position as a new grad........I had to quit...........it was killing me internally as well as externally.............haven't had hives since.....................must have been nerves.........even stressing over bills has not given me the hives.......but bright future, had an interview today at a very reputable hospital with, get this, SIX WEEKS TRAINING........think I can handle this one! Thanks for all the help though, may need it in the future should the hives come back.:sofahider