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Suggest Treatment For Dermatographic Urticaria
Question: My Dr. told me that I have Dermagraphial and has been treating me since Aug. with Pregnisone 5 mg tabs Starting with 25 mg and working down to Zero. Everytime It begins to be under control, it flares back. Got to Zero mg and by the second day it was back. Do not want to be on Steriods for the rest of my life. Also take Zyrtec to try and help.
Brief Answer:
Unfortunately very limited options available, but listed them all ma'am
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. I am sorry to hear that you were diagnosed with demographia, but I hope you also understand that the treatment approaches for demographia are all very unspecific. Let me go ahead and list all the remedies put forward for your reference:
+Check reaction to hot showers, if they make things worse then you should avoid them as much as possible
+Taking anti-histamines: Usually best when taken in combination (e.g. cetrizine and cimetidine). I understand how you must be tired of popping pills, but sadly this condition is all about an allergic reaction and cannot do without anti-histamine
+Elaborate allergy tests to find various allergens causing dermatographia and avoid them completely
+Hypoallergenic soaps and laundry accessories
Steroids can be avoided completely if at all the condition is well controlled with the above listed approaches, and it is in my opinion vital to identify all the allergens and completely avoid them. The use of steroids only helps mask the symptoms, and so it would be important to reach the root cause and avoid that.
I hope you find my response both helpful and informative. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Unfortunately very limited options available, but listed them all ma'am
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. I am sorry to hear that you were diagnosed with demographia, but I hope you also understand that the treatment approaches for demographia are all very unspecific. Let me go ahead and list all the remedies put forward for your reference:
+Check reaction to hot showers, if they make things worse then you should avoid them as much as possible
+Taking anti-histamines: Usually best when taken in combination (e.g. cetrizine and cimetidine). I understand how you must be tired of popping pills, but sadly this condition is all about an allergic reaction and cannot do without anti-histamine
+Elaborate allergy tests to find various allergens causing dermatographia and avoid them completely
+Hypoallergenic soaps and laundry accessories
Steroids can be avoided completely if at all the condition is well controlled with the above listed approaches, and it is in my opinion vital to identify all the allergens and completely avoid them. The use of steroids only helps mask the symptoms, and so it would be important to reach the root cause and avoid that.
I hope you find my response both helpful and informative. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
This is a condition I have had off and on since the 1970s. When t first appeared, the Doctor I was going to went the route of elemateing current soaps, cleaners, perfumes
bug spray, hair products and laundry products. These things were all eliminated one at a time. None made any difference. The season of the year, also no difference.
Two of the many dermatologist that I went to over time were both sure it was Lupus. Each sent skin samples to two different labs and both were negative for Lupus.
Finally was diagnosed with Dermagraphia in the late 1980s. Treated with Steroids each time it reoccurred. Treatment lasted only about a week and all was well until the next time it started again. Went for almost 10 years with no flar ups. Just with-in the past 2 years has stared again. I have never taken steroids for this long with so little results.
Yes, my Dr. also has me on 180 mg of antihistamine a day.
Is there no answer? Has my body gotten so used to the steroids that it just doesn't work any longer or is Dermagraphia something that just gets worse as one gets older.
Thank you for your answer
bug spray, hair products and laundry products. These things were all eliminated one at a time. None made any difference. The season of the year, also no difference.
Two of the many dermatologist that I went to over time were both sure it was Lupus. Each sent skin samples to two different labs and both were negative for Lupus.
Finally was diagnosed with Dermagraphia in the late 1980s. Treated with Steroids each time it reoccurred. Treatment lasted only about a week and all was well until the next time it started again. Went for almost 10 years with no flar ups. Just with-in the past 2 years has stared again. I have never taken steroids for this long with so little results.
Yes, my Dr. also has me on 180 mg of antihistamine a day.
Is there no answer? Has my body gotten so used to the steroids that it just doesn't work any longer or is Dermagraphia something that just gets worse as one gets older.
Thank you for your answer
Brief Answer:
Sincerely apologetic for what you are experiencing :(
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again ma'am.
I am really sorry to hear about this, usually in most cases I have read about and seen patients find the cause for the reaction and are able to control the condition. Far ups do occur every once in a while, but they are rare enough and short-lasted to be tolerated.
Unfortunately, in your case they seem to be occurring more often and after a successful 10 year absence, they seem to be recurring. I would like you to try to concentrate on any factors that may have been reintroduced to your lifestyle, like weather, stress, etc; that may have caused the recurrence.
As for the steroids, long term use or repeated use of steroids can lead to the development of tolerance and this in my opinion is what you are experiencing ma'am, unfortunately.
As for the cure, there is no specific cure mentioned, it is more about precautions with Dermographia, and it does not get worse with age ma'am, just gets worse when the root cause is in contact more often. :(
I am really sorry you have to experience such a condition, and feel awful for not being able to provide you with a complete solution/cure to rid you of this condition, I truly feel horrible, and am sincerely apologetic for the same. I hope and pray things get better, and are only uphill for you from here on.
Best wishes ma'am.
Sincerely apologetic for what you are experiencing :(
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again ma'am.
I am really sorry to hear about this, usually in most cases I have read about and seen patients find the cause for the reaction and are able to control the condition. Far ups do occur every once in a while, but they are rare enough and short-lasted to be tolerated.
Unfortunately, in your case they seem to be occurring more often and after a successful 10 year absence, they seem to be recurring. I would like you to try to concentrate on any factors that may have been reintroduced to your lifestyle, like weather, stress, etc; that may have caused the recurrence.
As for the steroids, long term use or repeated use of steroids can lead to the development of tolerance and this in my opinion is what you are experiencing ma'am, unfortunately.
As for the cure, there is no specific cure mentioned, it is more about precautions with Dermographia, and it does not get worse with age ma'am, just gets worse when the root cause is in contact more often. :(
I am really sorry you have to experience such a condition, and feel awful for not being able to provide you with a complete solution/cure to rid you of this condition, I truly feel horrible, and am sincerely apologetic for the same. I hope and pray things get better, and are only uphill for you from here on.
Best wishes ma'am.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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