My son has suffered daily for the past 3 years with itching

Patient: My son has suffered daily for the past 3 years with itching over his entire body and at one point covered in hives. He has seen just about every type of doctor except an immunologist. He is currently being treated by a dermatologist in NYC and has been for the past year. He has been on a regiment of antihistamines which have run their course it seems. He just started a prescription for Cellcept. After reading the possible side effects I have been totally freaked out. He started taking this 3 days ago and this morning said he feels worse than ever. His entire body from the top of his head to his feet is bothering him. At one point this dermatologist said his body was producing antibodies that were attacking an infection that was not there. Does this sound right to you, and should he be seeing perhaps an immunologist ? I am sick just watching him suffer every day, going broke with endless medications that don’t seem to work and may possibly do more damage.PLEASE HELP!

Doctor: Hello & welcome to Health.is.edu ,

Just wanted to know of a few things before we deal with your answer:

How old is your child

Has any trigger point evaluation been done for him

Any other illness

Have you sought a second opinion

Thanks.

Patient: Hello Dr. James

My son is 27 years old. He has had numerous blood work tests, only factor out of range was TSH at 6.83, done by a few different doctors; GP, another dermatologist who gave him steroids that didn’t work, many topical cortisones until they realized it was systemic. He has been tested for allergies, tried a bland diet of chicken, rice and water for 6 weeks, with no change. Otherwise healthy thank God except for slight thyroid deficiency which he is being treated for with 50 mcg of Levothyroxine.

Doctor:  Your son has ‘chronic urticaria’, which is not amenable to steroids. It is time that why it happens – the ‘trigger’ should be searched and excluded. For this allergen testing is required and common allergens will be tested one by one. Hopefully one shall be found and thereafter your son will be free from chronic urticaria. Sometimes it becomes difficult to know the precise cause and then maybe he will have to see an immunologist.

I am placing a link from the Mayo Clinic’s site on the subject which will provide you more authenticated information. Please have a look.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chronic-hives/DS00980

Best wishes.

One Reply to “My son has suffered daily for the past 3 years with itching”

  1. Hello Dr. James,
    This is such a helpful website! It’s nice to know that there is still good people on this planet. I’m trying to find some info on the Lupus disease.
    I have typed the word Lupus in the search box with no result.
    If you have some info on the symptoms that is, I’d like to read it please.
    Thank you
    The Lupus Symptoms seeker

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