What's in My Chronic Hives Emergency Kit?I'm sure you've heard the expression, "Expect the unexpected," which applies to life with chronic hives. The word "chronic" is misleading. The hives aren't always there but decide to rear... By Christy Amos2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Planning to Travel with MedicationsWelcome to my summer travel series. Today I want to talk about packing for a trip or vacation with chronic illness. Packing can be the most important part of the... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments1 comments
Can You Scratch Too Much?Hives are itchy. I mean really itchy! Miserably itchy. And what do we do when we itch? We scratch. And scratching feels good. Itching feels bad and scratching feels good... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Will Immunoglobulin Replacement Therapy (IGRT) Work For Me?Along my journey to diagnose and treat my chronic hives has been Dr. W. You can read more about him and how I was diagnosed. Dr. W is an allergy/immunology... By Christy Amos2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Coping Strategies for Medical Test AnxietyI always get anxious when it comes to medical issues, but even more so when looking into a new diagnosis and the medical tests that usually come with it. Back... By Christy Amos2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Considering Heparin-Based Blood ThinnersThe body is complex and the more I learn about it, the less I feel like I know. I dreamed of being a doctor when I was younger. I wanted... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Talking To My Doctor About JAK InhibitorsIn my previous update, I shared some backstory critical to understanding my next few treatment options. So if you haven’t read that one yet, be sure to go back and... By Christy Amos2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Coping With a New Diagnosis: The Glass PuzzleWhen I returned home for Christmas break during my first year of college, I found a white elephant gift that my mom had received at a work party. It was... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Why Not Having Hives Causes Me Anxiety!Hives cause me a lot of anxiety, and if you’re reading this, they probably cause you anxiety too. I worry about my appearance, whether my medication is working and if/when... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Treating Chronic Hives is ComplicatedI feel like it’s been a really long time since I’ve written a treatment update. Maybe if you’re just finding Chronic-Hives.com, you are reading the series back to back, or... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Storing My Refrigerated MedicationsThere are a few medicines used to treat hives that need to be stored in the fridge. Injectable medications, like Xolair, Dupixent, or Adbry should all be stored in the... By Christy Amos1 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
Surgery Gave Me HivesHives and stress go hand in hand. A quick Google search reveals nearly 9 million results when “hives and stress” are entered into the search bar. There are numerous articles... By Christy Amos2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Sewing is One of My Coping SkillsI don’t have to tell you that living with chronic hives can be difficult. If you are reading this article, I assume that either you or someone you love is... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
On to the Next Medication!It’s been a few months since I posted a treatment update. When last I left you, I had just heard from my doctor that I had to stop my immune... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
But I Don't Have Hives!Have you ever questioned whether or not you fit in? I don’t mean that feeling you probably had as a teenager in high school where you just didn’t know where... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Eeny, Meeny, Miny, MoeDrug allergy, allergic reaction, hive flare, or stress. I’ve been unlucky enough to find myself in the emergency room a couple of times in the last week and a half... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Chronic Hives 101How do you explain chronic hives to someone who has never heard of it? What pieces of information are important and how can you describe the disease so that someone... By Christy Amos2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
My Hate-Hate Relationship With LotionI’m not a big fan of summer. I get overheated very quickly and get tired of taking showers all the time. We are finally at the end of summer where... By Christy Amos3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Adhesives and Sensitive SkinHaving hives also comes with having sensitive skin. In addition to being incredibly reactive to certain adhesives, my skin is so fragile that it will tear when it's removed. So... By Christy Amos2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
The First Time I Noticed My HivesI still remember the first time my hives developed. It wasn’t actually the hives, but my face starting to swell. I was an inpatient at a hospital in Philadelphia getting... By Christy Amos2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments