Age: 53.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: COVID19
Symptoms: Urticaria
Clinical narrative: I received my Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccine (Pfizer FH8030) on Dec 6th 2021 at Primary Health facility and my rashes/hives began to occur that evening; approximately 6 hours after receiving the shot. These first began in the lower portion of my back. They are raised bumps and seem big. Sometimes, I would get many of these bumps in cluster forms and these clusters tend to become very problematic since they don't seem to heal. More of these bumps tend to raise up in the clusters continuing to make them larger and harder over time. However, I also get several bumps that would seem to rise up in certain areas at a time. Such as getting several on the back of my neck, then on my upper legs, then, my lower arms, etc. Throughout this time, the old ones didn't go away so as new ones kept coming, there was not any area of my body that didn't end up with these rash/hive like large raised bumps. They itch a lot, especially when some were about to break through the skin, which would often occur each evening. When I would run my finger over the newly affected area, it would sting. One week after receiving my booster, I went into Primary Health facility to have them looked at my skin condition. Since I also had this experience after I received my second portion of the vaccine earlier in the year (I will also explain that), the doctor agreed that it seemed that it was the vaccine that triggered this allergic response. He checked me for any signs of anaphylaxis, and everything seemed fine at that time. He provided me with a prescription of Prednisone 20mg tablets on a taper (60mg for 3 days, 40mg for 3 days, and 20mg for 4 days). The Prednisone made the condition reside, so I had hopes this was enough to clear it all out. However, after I was done with the treatment on Dec 23rd 2021, the rash/hive bumps all rose back up and began to spread again. At this time, I decided to go see my dermatologist, but since it was now the holidays, I couldn't get in for another week. On Jan 6th 2022, I was able to see my dermatologist who after examination, provided me with a 6 week taper shot of Kenalog (Triamcinolone). This treatment was what finally resolved this allergy skin reaction last time, so I have hopes it clears it out this time. Previous reaction: My previous experience with this allergic skin reaction began 3-4 days after I had received the second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer EL9266) on Feb 23, 2021. My first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer EL9269) was received on Feb 2, 2021. The only reaction I had to the first dose was that my left arm was freezing cold for nearly 30 minutes after the dose. So, I was monitored by a Dr. there until my arm warmed up. Both doses were received at Primary Health facility. The above description is very similar to this earlier experience. The main difference is the timing of treatments and the lack of connecting the rash/hives to the vaccine. I have never had any allergic reaction to any medications or foods before, so personally, I didn't make the connection. When I finally wondered about a connection, the doctors I spoke with didn't think it was connected, so we brainstormed other different things I may have been using that week that may have triggered the rash/hives. At that time we all decided that Tea Tree Oil must be it, since I began to use it one day before the rashes began. Therefore, I never mentioned it in these check ins. However, the rashes did not subside when I stopped using the Tea Tree Oil after the one day. But, I figured they would clear up on their own. It was 3 weeks later after my body had become covered by these rash/hives and I had a rash cluster covering nearly the entire lower portion of my right arm and hand (even though I had all my vaccines in my left arm). I was miserable and could feel my body fighting hard against this allergic response. At this 3 week point of having the relief, went in to the Primary Health facility to have them looked at my skin condition. At this time, they placed me on a PredniSONE taper (These were 10mg tablets, so the taper was something like: 40mg for 3 days, 30mg for 3 days, 20mg for 3days, 10mg 1 days). At the end of this treatment (last day of treatment: Apr 11, 2021), my rashes had slowed, but not subsided. I was also referred to Dermatology Center where I was seen on Apr 8, 2021, who prescribed a 0.1% Triamcinolone Acetonide ointment. He was certain that the rashes would clear up and had no connection to the vaccines. A week after completing the PredniSONE, the rashes/hives began to spread intensely again, so I went back to the Dermatology Center on Apr 20, 2021 where they then prescribed me with a 6 week taper shot of Kenalog (Triamcinolone), as well as 0.05% Clobetasol Propionate solution to be mixed in with CeraVe skin cream. This treatment was what finally resolved this allergy skin reaction. This entire first experience with the rash/hive allergic reaction lasted a total of 3 months and was quite miserable. I also want to mention that I was not utilizing anything different during my second rash outbreak on Dec 6th 2021, so the only thing I could correlate to the allergic reaction was the vaccine. I apologize for the length of this description, but I want to be sure all the facts that pertain to this (that I can recall or collect) are included.