Update!!!

[bottleblond]

Hi again,

I seem to be the resident moaner at the moment and it's grinding me down!

I posted not long ago about me having URTICARIA, a nasty skin allergy which basicly covers the body in a red blister like rash. Well it didn't want to budge at all to i made the move today and called the doc for advice, she read my notes from when i had it the last time (3years ago) and very kindly left me a prescription for Desloratadine 5ml tabs and Fexofenadine 80ml tabs, but i made the mistake and asked the doc if what i had was life threatening, she said not unless you get face swelling too and a compromised airway!!

Well i am up the pole now coz i did have a really puffy eye with it at the weekend and the last time i had it i got a swollen eye and a swollen lip!! ok you got it.......i'm petrified incase i develop the airway thing, although it's never happened yet when i have had this! i'm so paraniod, i keep feeling my lips and eyes to see if they are even slightly swollen, and i keep looking in the mirror to see if i still look normal! my anxiety is through the roof and i can't get my mind on anything else! i just keep thinking i'm going to die and am a bleedin wreck!!

soz to rant!! but i'm not a happy bunny at the moment!!


Love Lisa
xxxxxxx

[Lilith1980]

Hi Lisa :hugs:

Sorry to hear you're feeling so anxious at the moment.

I am sure you will be fine - continue taking the medication (I assume this reduces the swelling?).

You will be ok just as long as you get it seen to right from when it starts in the future. Dont leave it because you're worried about bothering your GP or because you think it might go away, because it has proved it wont without medication.

How is your eye now? From what the doc said, I would assume she meant the whole face and not just one part of it.

Try not to worry hun, if you are concerned though call your GP again and just ask for things to watch out for. GPs are there to reassure us about medical conditions so you wont be putting her out ;)

Jo xxxxx

[Piglet]

Hun it's what we do best cutting out all the middle ground and going straight to the worst case scenario!!!

Everytime you feel these thoughts rising and you think you are getting carried away imagine a lollipop ladies stop sign and change your thought or distract yourself forthwith!!!:hugs:

Love Piglet :flowers:

[Emira7]

I can help.I suffer from Chronic urticaria. I had angiodema (swelling of the face) and dermographisim.

If you are on medication, what I was told from the dermotologist, that it would not go into my airway, as that was the first thing I worried about. I have now had Chronic Urticaria for over 5 years, and I have yet to prove her wrong.

Have they tried you on Zirtek?

Emira
x

[bottleblond]

OMG you ladies have just made my day!!

Lilith, thanks ever so much hun! i only had the swollen eye for like A morning on Saturday! :blush: i just don't get ill very often but when i do, my health anxiety goes through the roof!!


Piggy!!
Again many a wise word from you! i WILL follow your advice, that is a promise. Thankyou ever so much for your reply.


Emira
Thank god you replied, you have made my day tenfold. i have never met anyone who has had severe urticaria like me!! i don't suffer all the time, mine seems to come every blue moon. Yeah i did get a course of Zirtek but it didnt budge it!!

Emira, can i ask you a couple more questions please? i'd like to know what causes it? can it be stressed related? what do you take for yours? blah blah blah!! lol soz, i'm just over the moon to know of someone else who suffers??


Thankyou all soooo very much!!!! i appreciate it like you would never know!


Loads of Love

Lisa
xxx

[bottleblond]

Awwwwwww Donna mate!!! thankyou...I hope you are ok!! and i'm sooo gonna foot your botty if we don't catch up soon!!


Loads of love

Lisa
xxxx

[chalky]

Hi Lisa,

Moaning Minnie......?? lol
:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:
You are Miss Support Everyone Else!!!
Yes,you do have a serious condition but it would be a lot worse if it was undiagnosed or untreated.
With proper management between you and the Doctor,you WILL be fine.
Gurning sounds better than moaning!!
Keep positive,mate.
Best wishes,
Chalky

[Emira7]

Hey

Well mine came on in the middle of the night, 2 months ater i had my son. i was itching all over and just coming up in weals. my eye swelled up, lip the lot.
so i went to a & e and i had iv steroids.it kept coming back and i kept going to the docs with no avail.In the end I went to a&e and they finally referred me to a dermatologist!! i started on a cocktail of antihistamines/steroids, 16 tablets a day! Plus cream with menthol in it, a god send.

I believe it was bought on through post natal depression and i also believe its a reaso for my health anxiety to

xx

[bottleblond]

Lmao Chalky!!

trust you to make me bleedin laugh! Thanks me darlin xxxxxxxxxxx

[pink daisy]

:hugs: hugs :hugs:

[bottleblond]

Emira

OMG... WOW hun you been through it!!! my doc said today i maye have to have steroids!! eeeek!!!

i goon see if you are still here and have a chat to you

Thanks hun xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Piglet]

Piggy!!
Again many a wise word from you! i WILL follow your advice, that is a promise. Thankyou ever so much for your reply.




:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

Love Piglet :flowers:

[bottleblond]

Grrrrr i'm having another freakout,

Woke up this-morning with really itchy hands, and when i checked myself, i had spots under my chest and armpits. I'm on steroids and allergy tabs so surely i shouldn't have another break out. Of course i freaked and ran to the mirror to see if my face, lips or tongue were swollen (mega phobic about this now). I did call NHS but the woman seemed to think i was fine and didn't need to be seen.

God i was just beginning to calm down and now i'm a wreck again!!

boo!

xxx

[manmoor]

Oh Lisa :hugs: you have been through the mill lately hun :hugs: I so know what your going through with your health anxiety as when mines at its worst its awful so I sympathise :hugs: As the lady from the NHS told you you were fine hun please take this as the reasurrance you need to keep you sane hun I know its not easy and we say but what if they are wrong this time but I honestly think the more you stress and worry about this the spots will pop up everywhere with yer poor nerves hun. I'm here if you wanna gurn, moan or giggle ok :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: xxxxx

[bottleblond]

Thanks mandy hun!! lol what am i like??? jings, sure ain't i turned into a huge big worry wart!!

xxxxxxxx

[chalky]

Hi Lisa,

You are tackling a serious health issue head-on.
You are getting help from your Doc.
When you worry about it,you are Posting and seeking support.
You are doing everything right!!
A few years ago,this would probably have been enough to have had you at the undertakers getting measured up!!
The fight and strength you have within is amazing.
You will conquer this as you have other issues.

:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:
Keep believing in yourself.
You will see this through.
Best wishes,
Chalky

[Nibbles]

Aw have a big hug Lisa! :hugs: In fact have two lol! :hugs: :hugs:

I'm sure these little spots are nothing to worry about and are completely innocent. Perhaps it could be a little bit of a heat rash which is very common and completely harmless. Maybe if you wear loose fitting clothes for a while until it clears up. The NHS lady knows what she's talking about though so I would look on everything you've done as huge progress and reassurance.

Oh and the itchy hands... that's because it's nearly time for the quiz! :roflmao:

Take care,

Mike x

[bottleblond]

Mike, bless you me darlin mate!!



Love Lisa
xxxx

[Dying_Swan]

Ok Lisa young lady!

Chalky is correct - you are doing everything right!

NHS Direct have their uses - I wont say much about that :winks: BUT, if they are even remotely worried about you, they tell you to be seen straight away. They even phoned me back once after finishing the call and told me to get to A&E. They always err on the side of caution in case they get it wrong and get sued. Don't listen to me really - I'm a cynic and you should follow their advice! Just to make the point though, that if they told you not to worry about being seen, they obviously didn't have any concerns. If they thought for ONE second hun that there was a risk of your airway blocking off, they'd have an ambulance out to you straight away.

From what I have read, Chronic Urticaria is a little different to acute episodes (like allergic reactions). The important point here is that airways block with allergies (severe), not with rashes. So if the cause of your rash is not an allergy, there is no reason why your airway should fail.

I'm gonna give you a few quotes off t'internet for more information:

"The cause of chronic urticaria is often more difficult to identify. Most cases are called chronic idiopathic urticaria, which means they're caused by the body's unexplainable development of antibodies to itself (auto-antibodies).......Tissue swelling, called angioedema, may occur with urticaria. This affects the lax tissues around the eyelids, lips, neck and groin.

Ok so that explains the swollen eye and lip - and if you look, it doesn't mention airways! So it's the whole allergic reaction that can cause blocked airways, NOT urticaria itself. Although it's the bloomin' last thing I want to tell you, I have to tell you that there is a risk with angio-oedema (the eye/lip swelling) of airway obstruction. That just means there is a risk, it doesn't mean it will happen or is even likely to happen.

This might be important:

"Urticaria is generally caused by direct contact with an allergenic substance, or an immune response to food or some other allergen, but can also appear for other reasons, notably emotional stress."

"Urticaria is not a life-threatening disease"

Ok so lots of bits and bobs to read there! And I'll shut up for a bit! I think you should carry on with the antihistamines and steroids, and have a GP review fairly soon. Personally I'd want a referral to a specialist.

Hope you are feeling better soon

xxx :flowers:

http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic443.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/allergies/allergicconditions_urticaria.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urticaria

[bottleblond]

Mary I LOVE YOU for that gal!!!

Yup i woke up this morning with swollen eyes, bit of the lip!! freaked out, called my mum, she took me to a n e, sat for two hours, saw triage and had my obs done, back to the waiting room, called back 20mins later and said they had made me an app with the after hours doc, 3 and a half hours later. So i came home and from then till i left to go back to see doc i was climbing the wall. got to see doc, he said i have to take an extra allergy tab at night, make an appointment with me doc to have tests done. He did say though it's NOT ana anaf....erm that thing!!

I'm just so drained and damn tired, i can't eat, sleep, concentrate on anything, i'm a bag of nerves constantly and i just want it all to go away now.

Thanks for everything and all the advice! appreciate it

Love Lisa
xxxx

[Dying_Swan]

Lisa Lisa Lisa!

I think you did the right thing to get checked out. The word you're looking for is anaphylaxis lol. That is a severe allergic reaction which is very, very fast and life-threatening if not treated quickly.

The fact that they got you to see on on-call GP suggests that they aren't especially worried, or they would have seen you in A&E. Let that reassure you hun. If GP's are worried they send you back to A&E.

Do what they say and take the extra tablet. Don't do it routinely though - only when the Doctor tells you to.

I agree with you - I think you should ask for some tests to see if they can find out what is going on. From what I've read, they may well not find the cause, but a specialist can at least give you proper information and advise you best on how to manage it.

You need a good night's sleep. Relax. Why should your airway block if it hasn't up until now? Think logically - you will also have an extra dose of your antihistamine tonight which should help.

I think you should see your own GP quite soon - tomorrow if possible. Not because I think you will stop breathing, but because the worry is having such an effect on you. I think once you start to get more answers you might feel a whole lot better about it.

Take care and hope you're feeling better now

xxx :flowers:

[bottleblond]

Ok! i'm being good. I've made something to eat and i'm attempting to eat it as i sit here.

I'm defo going to make an appointment to see my GP tomorrow because this is driving me insane and i think the sooner they find out what's causing it, the better!

Swanny....YOU should be a GP hun, you make more damn sense than alot of them. You can book me in for my first appointment tomorrow please, oh and can you have the latest copy of "Hello" for me to peruse whilst i'm in the waiting room?

Thanks again!! your a gem :hugs:


Loads of Love

Lisa
xxx

[Nibbles]

Hi Lisa,

I'm really glad that you're going to see the doctor because I'm sure they'll help put your mind at rest. Hopefully they will do some tests and refer you to a specialist but until then try not to worry. If it was something serious then the people you have already seen would have referred you urgently. It's understandable that you feel really anxious at the moment and it's difficult to stay rational. There is no reason for your throat to close and although it's horrid, nothing terrible has happened or will.

You're a brave lady and I think you're doing great. :hugs:

Take care,

Mike :)

[Dying_Swan]

Lisa :hugs:

Hope you managed to eat something and are now taking a well-deserved rest.

I hope you get on OK with the GP - don't take any crap! As for Hello magazine...nooooooo! How about something nice like Homes and Gardens?:winks:

Sleep well hun

xxx :flowers:

[bottleblond]

Thanks again folks!

Ok, been to the Docs, gave me MORE meds and some info sheets, i'm going for blood tests tomorrow morning and i just hope to god that it DOES show something up, least that way i would hope they could treat it better coz nothing has been very effective so far.

Anyone who thinks i'm just being a cry baby, check this out lol

http://www.urticaria.thunderworksinc.com


There are pics on there!!

gulp!

Love Lisa
xxx

[seeker]

you have my sympathy - I had a really bad allergic reaction to something earlier this year, and got a hideous rash everywhere that was insanely itchy and swelled up impressively. no cause was found - very bizarre. It took just over six weeks for it to go totally. I put loads of calamine lotion on, which helped a bit, and slept with a cold water bottle on it, whch also helped a bit.

[bottleblond]

Thanks seeker!! sorry you had such a bad time.

They got no idea if mine is an allergy or not, so i just got to plod on with it till they find something!

Thankyou for the reply

Lisa
xxx

[seeker]

Yeah, they don't really KNOw mine was an allergy, they just guessed. As I had eaten nothing unusual, used no new cleaning products etc, the only possible cause was that I brushed against a tree by the river, but I have brushed those trees all the time! Is it getting any better? Mine didn't seem to get better for sooo long, and then one day I noticed they had gone down quite a lot, and then I just didn't notic them again. it did take blummin ages though!

[bottleblond]

Awwww thanks hun!!!

Did you have them on your face too? i'm just really interested in all this now!

Love Lisa
xxx

[seeker]

Yes, I did, and up my neck, shoulders, arms (worst of all), and my legs. I'll try and post a picture! it was so bad (and noticeable!), that even secondary school kids where I teach were like 'Miss, you should go home' and 'Uuuuur, Miss, what's that?!'. They were quite sympathetic, though, surprisingly!

[bottleblond]

OMG you poor thing. Yeah try to post a pic, if not you could check out the link i put up and see if any of them are similar.

I have a funny feeling you may have had something the same or similar.

Oh and MISS...excuse me spelling and grammer! lol

Love Lisa
xxx

[seeker]

Hopefully, some pics are attached for your delight (not!). Hopefully also I am non identifiable from them...:winks:

[bottleblond]

Yup that does looks very similar, espesially the second one.

Did the doctor give you anything for it at the time?

Love Lisa
xxx

ps. awww your not shy, are you? you should get your pic on the gallery with the rest of us gal. lol

[kazzie]

:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: Blondy

Seekers post has just jogged my memory :ohmy:

My Neice had this........no obvious cause but turned out she had just moved to a house with an overgrown garden and it was an allergy to Ivy!!!

Just a thought:shrug:

Kaz x x x:hugs:

[seeker]

No, i'm too afraid of a kid or parent recognising me, i'm afraid. in today's climate, you never know what they might do with the info I have revealed on here!

the doc didn't give me anything, despite my very impressive reaction! told me to take anti-histamines (just over the counter jobbies) and hope it went away! They were right though, it did go away, and in the end it was all rather amusing. thank goodness it happened just AFTER I got married...!

[seeker]

Yes, kazzie, my Mum came out in a very similar rash to ivy - she had spent the day pulling it off the house, though. She also suffered a similar reaction to her pet rat, and had to get rid of him in the end...to a good home, I might add!

[bottleblond]

Jings, i think i have opened a can of worms here. lol

Seeker, you are quite right not to put a pic up if your not comfortable with it. I can understand with you being a teacher.
I can't believe a doctor would leave you in that state and not give you anything for it. I hope you changed docs, i certainly would have.


Kazz mate, i recon it's turning out to be a tad more common that i thought. I can handle the rash no problemo, it's the swollen lip and eyes that really gets to me.

Nightmare!! I have been on meds now for weeks and there is still no shifting it.

Love Lisa
xxx

[kazzie]

Blondy:hugs:

My Neice was back and forth to hospital and gp for weeks before she got to bottom of it!!!

Of course all the time she was doing the garden which was adding to it!!!!

I do hope you sort it soon Blondy:hugs:

Kaz x x x:hugs:

[bottleblond]

Thanks Kazz, i hope so too mate.

xxxxx

[Dying_Swan]

Awww Lisa :hugs:

Well done for getting to the Docs. Hope the tests show something up and the new meds help soothe it.

Thanks for the link, and thanks Seeker for the pics. I love a good rashy photo! I can't imagine how awful it is to be a teacher with a big rash! respect!

My mum had some sort of allergic reaction today. She's had it 4 times in the past month and don't know what's causing it yet.

I don't think you're a cry baby - it's scary not knowing why you have it. Once you figure that out (if you do), it will probably be a whole lot easier.


I'm going away in a few hours (hence me being on here on my birthday!) so I'm not ignoring you by not replying! Hope you feel lots better and will catch up with you when I get back :hugs:

xxx :flowers:

[seeker]

Actaully, I didn't mind them not giving me anything - they reassured me it would go away, and if I was going to have had a massive (ie anaphylactic) reaction, it would have happened very quickly. They did say to go back in a couple of weeks if it hadn't got any better, by which time it had started to stop getting worse, so I just left it. If I had to have put steroid cream on (which is what they would give you), it would have covered half my body! And steroid cream in itself can be quite unpleasant. and finally, my body was only responding as it wasmeant to - the lumps are histamine cells that try to get rid of the invading allergen. When I scratched them, it released the histamine, causing the itching and swelling. It's quite cool when you think about it! So, no I didn't change docs, and it did (eventually ) go away. I'm sure yours will too, but obvoiously I understand how pants it is! I had a swolleneyelid for a while, too - incredibly itchy and frustrating. my hubby rejoiced in calling me lumpy and quasimodo for a while...hilarious. not! Let us know how you are feeling over the next few days.
Seeker

[bottleblond]

Awww Mary, hope you had a fabulous birthday mate! xxx Glad you enjoyed the rashy pics lol, horrid eh?

Well the plums at the health centre managed to get my blood tests times mixed up, it wasn't today afterall but tomorrow.

But....

I woke up today with hardly any rash, ok a few patches on my legs but that was it :yesyes:. Long may that last.


Seeker, i hope you gave hubi a good old wallop for calling you names! lol!! bless, Lumpy is quite sweet really, like the bloke out of scrooged, his true love called him that!!!

anyway!

Love to all and i'll keep you up dated on me plague lol

Lisa
xxx

[seeker]

Hurray! i'm glad it's going away - it's so weird though, isn't it? You'll have forgotten about it before you know it!

[bottleblond]

Thanks hun....i hope your right!! xxxx

[bottleblond]

Hi folks

Wanted to bump up this old post of mine because we have had so many new members since i created it and was wondering if anyone has the same.

I am now convinced that mine is caused by stress. Or at least brought on my stress.

I woke up this morning and i was covered. No swelling 'yet' but the rash was everywhere.

This is the first major flare up i have had in years but when i piece together the past couple of months, i think it definately stress realted.

House move was put off because repairs needed done in other house.
The day before christmas eve my mum, son and brother were in a car accident. The car was written off but thank god they were all ok apart from whiplash.
House move is now back on and i am packing up. Got boxes and crates everywhere and the house is a tip..blahblahblah....

Does anyone else suffer with this condition?

Lisa
xxx

[daisycake]

Yeah I've had that - triggered by certain fabrics and sometimes just by scratching/brushing my skin against things.. Never a bad flare up, never lasts for more than an hour or so at most but it's so insanely itchy it's awful! Skin is crawling just thinking about it so I really feel for you.. Must admit I've never told a doctor but I think I must have very sensitive skin or something... Hope you feel better soon - as far as I know it, like excema, can be triggered off by stress :hugs::hugs:x

[bottleblond]

Thanks Daisy.

Yup it's an utter nightmare.
Yours definately sounds like your sensetive to something. :hugs:

xxx

[jessicalittler79]

Hope u get well soon. Xxxx