Idiopathic, and four times the normal dose of cetirizine
Betzy's allergy panel came back clean on the day she was diagnosed. Here is why "allergic to nothing" and "prescribed high-dose antihistamines" are not a contradiction.
Betzy ·
- Living with it
- Less than a year
- Main trigger
- Unknown — allergy testing came back negative
- What helped
- Getting an actual diagnosis, and learning that high-dose antihistamine plans are standard practice
I was finally diagnosed with idiopathic dermatographia today.
My allergy test came back showing I'm not allergic to anything, which was strange to hear. If I'm not allergic to anything, why am I so itchy?
I was still prescribed four times the normal dosage of cetirizine — two in the morning and two at night — to treat the itching. My first reaction was that it seemed like an excessive amount, and I asked the group whether anyone else was dosing like this.
A lot of people are. It turns out that's a recognised approach for this condition, and it isn't the doctor guessing. Knowing that made me feel far less alarmed about the prescription in my hand.
"Idiopathic" is a frustrating word, but having a name for it after all this time was still a relief.
(Always follow your own doctor's dosing instructions rather than anything you read in a group.)
