Celiac Disease and Hives (Chronic urticaria)

[mh94]

Hi all,

So I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. I had my blood test (positive) a few weeks ago and had an endoscopy and biopsy to confirm on Saturday. I have been experiencing many of the common symptoms as suspected but wanted to see if anyone else has had hives that they believe is associated with their celiac disease. To make it clear, it is definitely not Dermatitis herpetiformis. The hives come on very quickly I after I begin exercising, I am a pretty active person, tennis/football/running. But performing these activities is now not enjoyable. Sometimes if I take an antihistamine an hour or so before exercising the hives don't come on.

 

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem? I am gluten-free as of today so hoping this will make a difference, (and to the other unpleasant symptoms also), but worried it might be happening as the result of something else. Thank you!

[RMJ]

Hives that respond to an antihistamine are from IgE antibodies, whereas celiac is IgG or IgA.  One can respond to wheat with all types of antibodies - you might have an allergy plus celiac.

[ravenwoodglass]

I had a lot of hive incidences before I was diagnosed. I would get them from pressure. Even just running my fingernails lightly on my skin could cause them.  I also was allergic to 98 of 99 things that they did skin prick testing for before diagnosis. After I was found to be celiac and had been gluten free for a short time the hives resolved completely. My allergist said that because of the undiagnosed celiac my immune system was in hyperdrive and once I got the diet under control much of my suffering would resolve. He was right. In reality out of all those positive reactions I only have real allergies to a couple plants, my cats and my dog. Even those aren't severe enough now to even feel I need an antihistamine. I can't promise your experience will be the same as mine but I hope the hives resolve for you soon.

[Fbmb]

10 hours ago, mh94 said:

Hi all,

So I have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. I had my blood test (positive) a few weeks ago and had an endoscopy and biopsy to confirm on Saturday. I have been experiencing many of the common symptoms as suspected but wanted to see if anyone else has had hives that they believe is associated with their celiac disease. To make it clear, it is definitely not Dermatitis herpetiformis. The hives come on very quickly I after I begin exercising, I am a pretty active person, tennis/football/running. But performing these activities is now not enjoyable. Sometimes if I take an antihistamine an hour or so before exercising the hives don't come on.

 

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem? I am gluten-free as of today so hoping this will make a difference, (and to the other unpleasant symptoms also), but worried it might be happening as the result of something else. Thank you!

Developing hives during exercise is a relatively common occurrence. "Exercise-induced urticaria is directly caused by your body having an allergic response to exercise. Cholinergic urticaria is caused by sweating that results from a rise in your body temperature. Exercising in hot weather makes you more susceptible to cholinergic urticaria. You may also notice these hives while taking a hot bath or when you have a fever." I don't get hives when I exercise but I do itch when I'm hot. I also have dermatographism (a mild form) and my GI specialist said that it has nothing to do with my Celiac. I thought it would go away after I quit eating gluten but it hasn't. My dermatologist said that it's also common and caused by histamines. Hopefully for you the hives do calm down with being gluten free.     

[knitty kitty]

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Chronic urticaria is linked to Celiac Disease and low vitamin D

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Hope this helps.

[cyclinglady]

Celiac Disease is under the unmbrella of Hypersensitivity.  There are four types.  This is from Wikipedia, but it explains it well:

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You can have more than one type of hypersensitivity.  Since is is an immune response, if you trigger one , it can lead to triggering another.  At least that occurs with me.  My last gluten hit, result in not only increasing my “celiac” antibodies, but also my thyroid and other IgE responses.  I suffered with chronic autoimmune hives daily for about six months.  Eventually, when my body calmed down, the daily hives resolved.