Massive Hives All Over My Body -- Could It Be Stress???

I returned to work this past Monday after having been off exactly 4 weeks for surgery.  I had a great day at work ... busy, but I felt great!  Just came home tired.  That night, I broke out in massive hives all over my body, combined with chest pain, cramping, cold sweats, and nearly passing out in my doctors office. I ended up going to the ER yesterday and they gave me an IV ****tail of steroids / benedryl / antihistamine, then sent me home with Prednisone, Zantac and OTC Benedryl.

I can't quit itching!!!  I left the ER at 5pm; took my dose at home of Zantac / Benedryl (2 pills) at 9pm.  Now it's 4 hours later (1am), and the hives have flared up again.  I'm miserable!  They're on my stomach, back, legs, arms, hands, neck and face. 

Initially, the docs thought I was having an allergic reaction to a liquid form of Vitamin D I was taking.  However, I heard from a Facebook friend last night who happens to be a past classmate from High School; she is now an ER nurse.  She told me that she had two friends who had the RNY, decided to go back to work TOO early when the body wasn't able to handle the stress yet, and they, too experienced miserable, out-of-control hives accompanyied by chest pain, stomach cramping, cold sweats, and lightheadedness.  Could it be that simple?  Could it be I just put undue stress on my body/system too early?  I don't know what to do!  When I went back to work on Monday, I basically terminated  my short-term disability.

HELP!!!!!

Sounds liike quite a reaction for it to be just stress. I would hold off on taking that VIt D to make sure it's not the source.
Also..if it's been 4 hours maybe you should take more benadryl.
I hope you feel better soon.
Deb T.

Regarding STD you can reopen your existing case with (I forgot the official term) but it's when you return and go out again on the same illness.  Most policies allow for this.  Contact your carrier.  I have Hewitt and they allow for that.  Hope you feel better.

I was diagnosed with chronic hives 3 yrs ago, ended up seeing allergist after trial and error ended up on allegra 180 2x day and singulair tablets, bendry and zantac didin't help. Allegra is now available OTC but i don't think you can combine it with Zantac.I also found an ice pack and a cool shower helped.  Good luck I know how misrable they are.

 Interesting!!

I had my RNY 3/10/11.  I left the hospital with a bad cough that turned into pneumonia. They put me on levaquin a few days after I got out. Despite having been on that antibiotic 3x before, 5 days into it, I ended up with hives, all over- badly!  The doctor took me off of it, put me in the hospital and gave me IV antibiotics and I've recovered from the pneumonia, and my hives improved. 

As soon as I got back home, I had hives, head to toe- so itchy!! I was on several antihistmines, but the only thing that actually helped me was rest- but I have 4 kids, including 2 toddlers. Rest? LOL! Right. My doctors SWEAR that I'm allergic to the antibiotics, but I was dubious before, and now I'm really wondering! 

This same thing happened to me after I returned to work after 6 weeks.  It was horrible I couldn't stop itching. It was def stress for me.  It went away after a week, but I was is so much missery. I feel your pain!