Hives!!!! I'm dying here! :(

So, uh, yeah. I have an extreme case of hives. My hands and feet are even swollen. I'm so extraordinarily itchy, I've never been so miserable in all of my life. I just want to cry all the time, it's seriously getting me down. Can anyone recommend a topical product to try? I'm using calamine lotion, but I even itch through that and the prescribed antihistamines. I'll try anything!!!! 

I can't recommend anything but I wanted to say- eeeps!  That stinks major league!  Hope it goes away very soon.

I remember getting a bad case of it and it lasted for 7 days 

I read something about making a paste out of oatmeal and water and applying that, but I never did try it.

Hope it clears soon!

Oh, man, I used to get hives. Put me in the hospital once (well, that was mostly my mother panicking). I can so sympathize. Maybe it's just growing up with them, but I find hives trigger extreme anxiety for me, too.

If oral antihistamines aren't doing it...ye gods, I hate to think.

Dh got a bad case of something the Dr never did find out what it was though.  he had a red spots all over his upper body an he was super cranky & itchy all the time. the Dr first gave him some prescription strength cream that was used 2 times a day an that didn't help. Next Dr visit he was high dosage of Antihistamine that didn't work either. then the next Dr visit Dh was put on steroids for nearly 2 weeks along with the Antihistamine & he still used the cream 2 times a day. once the steroids were in Dh's system he started to finally clear up whatever he had. it has finally gone away an the Dr still has no clue what caused it either. we didn't do Anything different than what we had been doing so we are baffled what caused it.

My college roommate had a bad case of chronic hives for many years. For her, washing all of her bedding and clothes in that free/clear detergent helped as well as not using any kind of scented soaps and lotions. YMMV, of course, but it's worth a shot.

Try getting betnovate cream on prescription from the doctor, its helped my hand exczema over the years. Hope it clears up soon

Ouch, sorry to hear!  Sounds awful!

Sometimes, a cold shower would work for me, or at least some cold washcloths over the worst affected areas.  Or, as mentioned earlier, an oatmeal paste.  I distinctly remember my mom doing that to me when I got hives as a child.  Can't remember how well it worked, but perhaps worth a try?

Hope it resolves soon!!

Bath with baking soda sometimes helps.  You need to rinse in the shower after though.

If you've not found out what caused them, I'd suggest changing your detergent (as people have suggested).  Biological based detergents (which seem to be the default here) can cause problems for people.  I can't use them or even wash my clothes in a machine that has used them without washing the machine out.  I use Fairy or non-bio own brand.  Ecover is also non-bio, but I don't find that it is strong enough to deal with Mr A's stuff.  Plus it is really expensive.

Oh Jewlz, I'm so sorry! I was in a similar situation once, it was the absolute worst. Don't have much advice to offer because anti-histamines usually do the trick for me, but I did find that ice helps with particularly itchy ones, at least for a little while.

I hope they go away soon! 

Oh that is awful. after I had Nye, I found out I was allergic to the anti biotics they gave me and had a bad case of hives. My doctor gave me oral antihistamines and a steroid cream. So I guess I would say go back to the doctor if just the antihistamines aren't working.

I have also heard about the bath with baking soda.

I hope you get some relief and feel better soon.

A very, very hot steamy shower has worked for me. Something about heat releasing the histamines.

No advice Jewlz, but ouch!!!!  Maybe you'd want to go back to your GP if the antihistimines aren't working?   Hang in there!!!

What type of antihistamine did the doctor give you? You could get some Nytol tablets or the Boots Sleepeaze brand. They have the same ingredient as US Benadryl. Will put you to sleep, obviously, but I find that particular antihistamine works the best.

Try getting betnovate cream on prescription from the doctor, its helped my hand exczema over the years. Hope it clears up soon

OMG Betnovate is magic in a tube. I used this when I had a bad case of graft-vs-host hives, and now I keep a tube in my purse at all times for the eczema spots associated with accutane (though hopefully this is a problem that's now going away).

I agree that you need to see your GP if these don't go away in the next few days...