Allergy frustrations

[laureen227]

sweetie, i REALLY feel for you! i've only had welts a couple of times [i tend to sneeze non-stop or get migraines, not skin reactions] but it was SO unpleasant! & those weren't nearly as bad as what you've described!
i think, assuming the cute Russian doctor didn't find something else, that it's most likely related to the leaking, since that's the most obvious thing that's changed in your life.
i'd suggest some treatments, but you can't do anything right now - altho, for welts, itchiness, etc. i've found that cool [not cold] moist packs gave the most non-medicated relief. if you can stand it, a cool soak in the bathtub would probably help [with or without oatmeal or baking soda in the water - altho those would help, too (unless you're allergic to oatmeal!)].

 

[ladyhitchhiker]

Oh I so envy people with tubs. I would so be soaking. Unfortunately in my tiny apartment we only have the shower. Alas and alack.

I was so surprised by my husband's reaction to Dr. Igor. He actually said, "he was so cute". My husband has never said that about another man in his life. Adorable that we were on the same page. And he was adorable. Not in the "I want to take him home and molest him" way but adorable like he was a really genuine doctor who hasn't been affected by the bitterness of the medical field - we all know them - and not overly snooty, and he used big words, but made sure we understood them. Like when he used the word "somulent" I knew what he meant, but I explained it to my husband, and other words I looked lost at him about he explained in his thick cute Russian accent. I have programmed his phone number in my phone under the name "Nuclear Wessels". Couldn't resist. So if I have a call from Nuclear Wessels I know it's from his office.

So exciting news. The welts have cleared up so far for today. So maybe it will be a good day?

Dr. Igor's office called. My glucose level is high but they figure that is because of the prednisone. On the plus side, I am hypoglycemic, so I haven't been having to monitor my foods as much as I usually do - other than food journalling - because I have not been crashing so that has been nice to not worry about crashing as much lately!

And when I crash I crash hard so the last year I've been making sure I've been eating every 3-4 hours to prevent that, so just eating when I'm hungry has been a short-term blessing. Unfortunately, the prednisone also makes me extra hungry, but that's okay. I've been eating whatever I want for now. I figure I'm probably allergic to something I eat, so I might as well enjoy the foods I like for now, and worry about figuring out what to eat and what not to eat later. (Well except oranges because I know those will put me in the hospital).

Generally just itchy, but that's okay. No painful welts! Wheeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

Soooo cross your figglers. Tomorrow's the big tests... Hopefully we'll narrow some of this jazz down.

 

[libby74]

Got my fingers crossed for you! Hope the tests show exactly what the problem is, and Dr. Igor can find the cure.

 

[ladyhitchhiker]

Thanks! I need the goodmind. It's not like I can study for these tests! LOL

Well off to work ladies and gents.... Hope you all have a beautiful peaceful day.

 

[ladyhitchhiker]

I will write a lot more later when I'm not so itchy and icky but here's the verdict:

*drum roll please*

Dust mites!

That's the consensus. And because the roof is leaking it is providing a moisture level that is well over 50% for our apartment which makes the dust mites breed even better, like rabbits... Who could have thought some microscopic bug's poop could make someone so sick???

Yeah.. write more later about all sorts of neat interesting stuff he said. But not now.

 

[lauren_miller]

I'm sorry you're having a hard time.

 

[elayman]

Can you get back on depo now and start taking iron supplements with something seriously healthy like Vitamin C pills for the anemia ?

 

[libby74]

Dust mites?!

You poor thing, I hope Dr. Igor can get things under control soon.

 

[ladyhitchhiker]

Felt like I was run over by a truck after work. My ears hurt, my throats hurt, welting on my gums which has now spread to swell my chin out, but that doesn't hurt right now because it must have hit a nerve and now instead it's swollen and it's numb. So I'm having trouble talking.

Whereever I broke out was extremely painful so I was icing myself through the night.

I'm extremely frustrated. This morning my husband was mad at me because I didn't cook dinner for him last night. He didn't even ask me too, but he was mad he didn't have a hot meal after his 12 hour shift.

Then this morning when I was dropping him off, he said, "Well it just would figure I would pick someone else who was defective." I started crying and said, "I just want to be normal." And he said, "Well you are abnormal. Abby normal." trying to make a reference to his brother's psycho kitty like that would make it okay that he called me defective, then he said, "well we all have stuff wrong with us. Like me, my foot I want to chop off."

Abnormal. Defective. Thanks.

Gonna go. Write more about treatment later. Too emotional right now to write about this crap anymore. Will answer all questions later when I'm feeling a bit better.

 

[elayman]

Try to avoid prednisone as that is so very hard on your body over the long-term and seriously accelerates the aging process. Have you tried something like cimetidine ? Cutting out artificial sweeteners ? Or even Xanax with an anti-histamine?

And this is not being facetious. Maybe on a deeper level chronic hives are anxiety-related or stress-triggered because I have heard it does clear them for some people.

This is all I can remember from the experience of a couple acquaintance I have known with similar issues.


Hope you can feel better soon !!

 

[laureen227]

it's also been my experience that some allergies only make their appearance when your others are in high fling.
think of it like a barrel. during the winter, your 'blooming' allergies are not affecting you, so your barrel is about 1/3 full of 'allergy' - this being the dust mites, since they are a year-round indoor allergy.
then spring comes, & things start blooming, & more 'allergy' goes into your barrel - now 3/4 full.
then, something weird happens - like the roof leak - & adds on either an allergy you never suspected or helps exacerbate a mild one that's never bothered you before - & your barrel is suddenly overflowing [like the buckets in you bathroom

].
this is a theory an allergist told me, & i've found it actually does seem to work that way. i've had times when i chose not to eat something i usually really like because it just smelled BAD! [i have a lot of food allergies, too]. mind you, this is something that, usually, i LOVE the aroma of!
i tell you all of this, because if there's anything w/in your power to diminish some of your other allergens [even if they don't typically present w/welting] then that may alleviate the symptoms of this one. worth a shot, anyway!

 

[elayman]

Originally Posted by LadyHitchhiker

Dr. Igor's office called. My glucose level is high but they figure that is because of the prednisone. On the plus side, I am hypoglycemic, so I haven't been having to monitor my foods as much as I usually do - other than food journalling - because I have not been crashing so that has been nice to not worry about crashing as much lately!

And when I crash I crash hard so the last year I've been making sure I've been eating every 3-4 hours to prevent that, so just eating when I'm hungry has been a short-term blessing. Unfortunately, the prednisone also makes me extra hungry, but that's okay. I've been eating whatever I want for now. I figure I'm probably allergic to something I eat, so I might as well enjoy the foods I like for now, and worry about figuring out what to eat and what not to eat later. (Well except oranges because I know those will put me in the hospital).

Generally just itchy, but that's okay. No painful welts! Wheeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

Soooo cross your figglers. Tomorrow's the big tests... Hopefully we'll narrow some of this jazz down.

After looking into this a little more...apparently there is a strong relation between thyroid autoimmunity and hives. Have you been tested for other autoimmune conditions besides hyperglycemia and anemia ? Perhaps the inflammatory response isn't environmental or idiopathic but simply your immune system being overactive. Antibodies more than dust mites or food allergens could be what is triggering the release of histamine, against normal substances in the body.


My theory is even if the doctor knows more than you about your conditions, it's still good to do your research, so that you can speak your doctor's language and discretely alert them to things they might not have previously considered.