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Face hives and wheals relative to a flare?

Started by Emics, March 02, 2017, 07:44:21 AM

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Emics

First of all, I feel sorry to ask about this topic because compared to the symptoms you expose here it's a nonsense. But I would like to know if it happens to you, and if you think it could be related to a flare.
I was diagnosed of Sjogren's few months ago because I had a sad pregnancy loss related to high anti Ro at 5 months. I have had eye dryness and parotid pain since 2009.
I have observed that when I am stressed and my eye dryness worsen, one or two little hives or wheals appear in my cheeks or chin, they are similar to mosquito bites and they itch a little bit. They last 4-8 hours and then disappear. It happens to me some years ago and I thought they were mosquito bites but now I am sure they aren't, and I associate them when I feel worse. But several doctors have told me that they are not aware these kind of skin lesions are typical in Sjogren's. They last few hours and they are very subtle, maybe these skin lesions aren't described in the scientific literature because anybody have place value on it as they are so subtle.
I would like to become pregnant again but I have the intuition that they are related with flares so I am scared the loss can happen again. That's why I am interested in knowing if anyelse have observed this, or maybe I have sensitive skin and they are not related to Sjogren's.

Thank you so much in advance.

LilliaT

Hi Emics,

I do not have a definite Sjogren's diagnosis (the rheumatologist is calling it possible Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder right now, with sicca symptoms), so this may not be helpful at all.  But I occasionally get similar hives or bumps on my face.  It's usually just one at a time.  They last less than a day (usually just a few hours) and are red and somewhat itchy. 

Separately, I sometimes will get a small red bump (itchy or sometimes slightly painful) on my inner forearm.  Again, these appear only one a time (and seem to happen when I'm not feeling great).  Unlike the ones on the face, however, these take a few days to go away completely. 

I have never been sure of the cause/effect situation for me.  What I mean is that I don't know if the bumps themselves are a sign of a flare, OR if they're a result of some other issue (stress, diet) that might coincidentally be triggering a flare at the same time.  (For example, I do think that diet affects the way I feel, and I've learned that I have a couple of random food allergies.  So I sometimes wonder if a particular food can both (1) make the dryness worse AND (2) cause some kind of reaction that itself isn't directly related to any autoimmune issue.) 

I hope you are doing well.  I remember your earliest posts on this board, and how heartbreaking the situation was, and I truly hope that things work out for you.

Early 40s. No diagnosis. Negative lip biopsy (maybe done too early?). Negative SSA/SSB, but positive ANA (just went up to 1:160, nucleolar). Dry eyes and migraines since teens. Dry mouth, fatigue, and now joint pains are new.  Aside from ANA, negative on all other autoimmune bloodwork.