About 3 weeks ago, whenever I exercised, the top of my chest would get slightly itchy. I assumed it was nothing and would slap a bit of water and carry on. However, in the last week it has got significantly worse.
The itchy red rash occurs all over my body after excessive. It also occurs after only about 3 minutes in the bath or shower. I have been to the doctor and have prescribed a moisturizer to wash with and some antihistamine pills; however, they seem to be doing no good.
I would like to know if there are any other alternate cures or potential ways to help the condition. I am a national tennis player and am due to start my upcoming season in february so am trying to find help fast as this could ruin my life 🙁
Thanks for any replies 🙂
-Fred
Lisa says
Everyone’s C.U. is different. The Cholinergic Urticaria book available from this site was SUPER informative and I’m so glad I bought it. It listed many things different people with C.U. have done that have worked for them (and not worked for them). Antihistamines, exercise, stress, diet are all discussed. Praying for you as you learn more about your condition and that you’ll find what works for you!
PS: My 21-year old son started having this condition one year ago and has, for the most part, gotten it under control, with only occasional flare ups.
Nathan says
Hi Fred, with my experience with cholinergic urticaria I found constantly exercising can help with controlling it. I also took a test to see what I was allergic too since that helped aswell. Best of luck with your tennis! Don’t give up! Hope this helps 🙂
Helen says
My daughter also plays tennis. She got this condition in 10th grade, and she is now a senior. We tried different medications and herbal products. I think the thing that helped her most is cutting out nightshade foods. Look on this site to read about it. Best of luck!
João says
I cut fructose out of my diet and in two months I was cured of my urticaria. I lost some weight and my acne also disappeared. Take out table sugar, honey, fruits and high fructose vegetables and you might get better. I’m also a low fat vegan so I focus on potatoes, lentils, rice, oats, spinach, turnip greens, and spices like turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper.
I also play tennis and it has been amazing for me. Maybe it will work for you too! Good luck!
PS.: You will probably feel bad in the first few weeks, with symptoms like fatigue, bloating, constipation and gas. Your body needs time to clean itself of all the bad bacteria and parasites that the sugar feeds.
Bob says
Hi Fred,
I am sorry to hear that you are suffering from CU.
Please see my post from October 24th. I was cured of CU by adopting a whole-food, plant-based (“vegan”) diet. My lengthy post explains that modern science is slowly identifying the mechanism behind this–the relationship between fiber intake, the gut microbiome, and the immune system appears to be the key.
Good luck–I hope you find a solution which works for you.
Bates says
Hey Fred,
Your best bet is to break the barrier ASAP everyday. I found when my CU was getting real bad, I would force myself to sweat in the morning with a hot shower and that would keep me comfortable the rest of the day. It was extremely uncomfortable in the morning but at least it was in the comfort of my home and privacy.
Now that winter is upon us I can feel my CU trying to return. I am actually keeping it at bay for the most part with spicy foods. It’s almost like spicy foods is helping keep my heat and sweat tolerance above normal, so if I keep a steady a diet of them, my CU has a massive threshold it has to cross before I have an outbreak. Sadly this will not be a solution for most people.
This condition is rough because it varies for each person. Sometimes you have to try a few different things and see what works best for you.
A common solution for people who have it bad is a personal sauna box.