Wow. I never thought that my body would be the thing to bring me to my knees after my very stressful first year of 6th form. I’m 16 and I think I’ve had cholinergic urticaria for around 2-3 years. I didn’t really pay too much attention to it until around January last year. Fortunately, I don’t get the hives, but a day with 15℃ and no breeze (anything above that will trigger the itch regardless of a breeze) will make me itch like I’ve got a hundred needles moving around inside me.
I’ve resolved to staying inside all summer, which is a problem considering I need to do things to be able to write a viable personal statement for university. I was supposed to do a lot to improve and make myself happier this year, but the itch worsened to ridiculous levels about a month or two ago, completely putting a stop to the plans that were supposed to bring me out of an unrelated feeling of chronic sadness (I wouldn’t go so far as to call it depression. I know the symptoms).
What I’m trying to say is that I feel like my life is over before it’s even begun, and I have no idea what to do about it…
-Dante
Hivesguy says
Dante,
I know that it is 100% normal to feel like your entire life is over, but it’s not. The key with this disorder is that you can’t give up hope, and you have to keep trying things to see what will work best for your body. It could be diet, antihistamines, sweat therapy, or a number of other treatments that many people have found to help them live a normal life.
My best advice is to start trying things one at a time to see what works best. Of course, talk to a doctor to make sure whatever you decide to try first is safe for you. As hard as it is (and believe me, I know it’s hard), you’ve got to maintain an “I’m going to beat this” attitude, and know that this is not how the rest of your life will play out.
Hang in there.