Two months with no antihistamines after a Hashimoto's diagnosis

Zeta's dermatographia arrived alongside Hashimoto's. Whole food, probiotics, vitamin C, red light and cold exposure took her off antihistamines entirely.

Zeta ·

Living with it
Less than a year
Main trigger
Clothing tags and pressure, plus blood sugar spikes
What helped
Whole-food diet, probiotics, vitamin C, red light and cold exposure — no antihistamines for two months

I thought this might be helpful. I've had dermatographia for around 6 months, starting at the same time as being diagnosed with Hashimoto's. The itching was horrendous, keeping me up at night if I didn't take an antihistamine.

I don't take any antihistamines now. I haven't for two months.

What I changed: my diet, mostly. Organic, whole food only. No alcohol, no processed food, no gluten, no dairy. I take a histamine-intolerance-friendly probiotic, a methylated multivitamin, and stinging nettle drops twice a day. I also use a red light therapy panel, an earthing sheet, and I do cold exposure. Plus 2000mg of vitamin C powder and organic black seed oil.

I know it seems extreme. The diet is the main thing I think, and the rest is more for the Hashimoto's — but I couldn't wear certain clothes before, especially anything with tags, and I just itched all day. It was a nightmare. Now there's no itching, and the red raised marks after scratching have calmed down so much.

It's early days and I'm hoping it goes away completely, but it doesn't interfere with my life or my sleep any more. One other thing I've noticed: if I spike my blood glucose I get some itching, so that may be part of it too.

Hope it helps someone.

Also about pressure & clothing

Normal skin for sixty-one years, then one hot week

Janet developed dermatographia at 61 with no clear cause beyond heat and stress. Cooler showers, antihistamines, and simply having a name for it helped.

What helped: Cooler showers, antihistamines, and knowing what it is called

Janet, 62

Less than a year

Read

Also about pressure & clothing

The first time a word appeared on my arm I thought something was wrong

Elaine writes about learning her own pattern over years: which seams, which pressure, which clothes, and how a daily antihistamine fits around that.

What helped: Learning her own pattern, loose clothing, and a daily antihistamine

Elaine

More than 10 years

Read

Also about pressure & clothing

Twenty-five years of sensitive skin before anyone named it

Elizabeth was bathed in oatmeal as a child and spent decades assuming that was just her skin. An allergist who took it seriously, Zyrtec and painting changed things.

What helped: Zyrtec, an allergist who took it seriously, and painting to manage stress

Elizabeth

More than 10 years

Read
Read all the community stories

You've got a story like this too.

Every story on this site came from someone who nearly didn't bother writing it.