Hives -- Could It Be From Wine?

[Marie1976]

OK so I broke out in the worst itchy hives last night, about four hours after dinner which I ate with a couple glasses of crappy white zin (2 buck chuck). Husband thinks it's the sulfites in the wine that made me break out in hives. I took an antihistamine which helped. I still have some hives today but not nearly as bad as last night. I've never had this reaction before. The only thing I could think of was that it might be because there was spinach in my dinner and I think I read something about iodine in spinach...? Could this be dh or is it more likely that I've suddenly developed a wine allergy? (I don't think I've accidentally eaten any gluten lately.)

[ravenwoodglass]

I don't think the antihistamines would have helped if it was a DH reaction. At least they never did for me.

[GFreeMO]

Your husband may be right. Sulfates can do that to people. Breaking out in hives is what happens with a sulfate allergy.

[pricklypear1971]

I notice my rash itches more when I drink, red wine especially.

I think alcohol is a "tipper". If you're on the edge, it tips you over.

[Marie1976]

Interesting... Thanks. That must be it. Does that mean I can't drink wine now?? Grrr. The only other thing I can think of that I did differently is I started exercising again -- one hour walking on the treadmill. I actually read that some people get hives from working out. Maybe I'm allergic to exercise, ha ha!

[kitgordon]

Sweating makes me itch - not full-out hives, but uncomfortable. I find more things irritate my skin and make me itchy premenstrually - don't know what's up with that. You could try organic wines, which shouldn't have sulfates. Good luck.

[pricklypear1971]

Oh yes, pms does it to me too. That reminds me, hey, maybe that's why the dang rash won't go down!!!

[alex11602]

Does that mean I can't drink wine now??

My husband and I were talking about sulphates in wine last night since he just started working at a winery and he said that at least that winery does not add sulphates to all their wines, only certain ones.

[mushroom]

Well, it is pretty apparent that something you ate probably is not agreeing with you any more, if they are all things you have tolerated previously. Unfortunately this does happen sometimes after you quit eating gluten. I never had hives until my post-gluten days. They could be caused by something you are eating more of now than before you went gluten free, or just another intolerance finally manifesting itself. I had eaten potatoes for well over 60 years, but they gave me hives post gluten . Try eating the spinach and drinking the wine at separate meals and see what happens - in fact (after they have gone down) try each of the foods you ate that night without any of the others until you find the culprit.

[livelifelarge24]

I am allergic to sulfates and in turn can't drink wine. If I have antibiotics with sulfates in them I get SICK... hives, fever, etc. But if I have wine I get a much more mild reaction, headache or migraine, itchiness, etc. Do you react to other things with sulfates in them? Lemons get me sick too if I have too much. If I take an allergy med it DOES help, I don't think it would help if it was a gluten thing. You might try drinking a sulfate free (organic) wine to see if you react to that as well? I just stay away from wine altogether now. And yes, you can become allergic to something anytime, anywhere, even if you could always have it before. Good luck figuring this out!

[Marie1976]

Good ideas everybody, thanks!

[Marilyn R]

I break out in hives from most OTC cold or allergy medications, and have for years.

I used to love wine and have a rack of it in my galley kitchen. I haven't been able to tolerate wine since shortly after I went gluten-free 1 1/2 years ago. (So now I dust it, vs. drinking it.)

I'm almost ready to give wine another whirl. My gut is tolerating things that used to create havoc. In the meantime, I've not had a problem with potato vodka and mixer of your choice that you can tolerate, like cranberry juice or other fruit juices. (Maybe tonic, but the corn syrup was an issue for me.) We're all different, so this advice may not be good for you.

DH is different than hives, unless you're describing hives as little blisters vs raised red bumps/spots on your chest, back, stomach.

Mushroom's advice is very good, as always. Good luck to you.