Question about hives

[mjn]

My wife gets a bad case of hives after diving in the warm clear waters off Grand Cayman. They seem to center around her middle and normally go away with a dose of benedyrl. They are painful and sometimes cause a fever. They occur while she is wearing a wet suit with and without a lycra suit. Any suggestions?

 

[DocVikingo]

We could benefit from a little more information. For example:

1. Does this only happen on Grand Cayman, or other venues as well? Does it occur at all times of the year?

2. Does it only occur when a wetsuit is worn?

3. How do you know that the eruptions are hives rather than an envenomation of some sort, like sea lice? What do they look & feel like? How long does it take for them to resolve?

4. Does you wife have a known allergy to latex, or to other products? If so, which ones?

5. Where around her middle do they center? Do they ever appear in other locations on the body?

6. Does she develop any other signs or symptoms than those you have indicated?

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[mjn]

As far a we can detemine these are hives. She gets them around the middle of her stomach area. She gets them with a neoprene wetsuit and with a lycra dive skin. She does not have any problem with latex. After the hives appear a dose of benedryl normally relieves them, in short time. It seems she gets these hives only in Grand Cayman. She does get a fever on occasion and stomach upset when the hives are worst than normal. Thanks for your help. I gather you live in the mid atlantic we are from Salisbury, Md.

 

[DocVikingo]

Given that her suits cause problems only in Grand Cayman and no where else, I'm at a loss to provide any very confident thoughts on what may be transpiring.

If I had to pursue something, it would be the allergic reaction hypothesis as your wife's complaints are very suggestive of such a process.

Some individuals do develop allergic reactions to neoprene wetsuits, or to the additives & adhesives used in the manufacture of such suits (some of which may contain latex).

Lycra fibers do not contain rubber products, but products containing latex are sometimes used in the finishing of the material. Also, some skins may use natural rubber elastic in cuff & leg openings. Your wife's dive skin doesn't by some chance have an elastic snugging band around the middle, does it?

In any event, you may wish to discuss this situation with a dermatologist. Patch testing could prove informative.

Sorry that I couldn't offer more.

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

DocVikingo

PS: I'm about 2 hours away.

 

[mjn]

Hello again my wife said the hives or whatever are from her midriff to her hips. The hives appear as reddish-blue bruises. Some other symptoms are moderate itching, painful if scratched, and ocular migraines. They last about three hours and occur one to three hours after diving. Thanks for your interest.

 

[DocVikingo]

You got me.

Please let us know what the dermatologist had to say.

Best regards.

DocVikingo