Cholinergic Urticaria stinks! Even today, my wife & I made a quick run to the store, and just walking from my car to the store, I started getting itchy & prickly. It can be so frustrating, and I found myself trying to hurry to the “freezer” section so I could hurry up & cool down. I can’t wait until fall, because that is probably the best time of year for me.
At that time, it isn’t so hot outside anymore-so I don’t tend to breakout when going outside. Yet at the same time, most stores & buildings don’t have the heat blasted to 90 degrees (like they do during winter-which almost makes it as bad as summer). So I can’t wait for cooler weather! Maybe we should all move to the North Pole? lol
Anyways, whenever I get stressed or aggravated from the hives (which is almost every day), I try to keep my mind focused on the positive. I try to remind myself that others are a lot LESS fortunate than me. Sure, it sucks getting itchy, and basically having your life changed, and stung by the prickly sensation anytime I do anything that remotely causes me to get hot, but hey, it could be worse.
Last night my wife & I were watching “Medical Mysteries” on television. I enjoy watching that show when I catch it on, because I can relate to a lot of the people who have these strange conditions/diseases. Also, some people have made the comment on the Cholinergic Urticaria forum that one of us CU sufferers should go on that show. I totally agree. It would be nice to get national attention to this condition so that maybe a breakthrough or at least definite cause could be figured out.
Maybe someone one here should call them up & volunteer to be on the show? I bet they probably pay you at least a couple of thousand? I am sure they pay at least something…
The Man with Tree Bark Warts:
Anyways, they had a guy on there last night called the “Tree Man.” Why was he called that? Because he had a rare condition in which warts (yes warts) grew uncontrollably all over his body.
The Cause of His Tree Bark Warts?
Apparently, he has the HPV virus (the virus that causes warts that many of us have with no major problems), and doctors suspect he has some kind of rare genetic flaw or flaw in his immune system that has allowed the warts to grow out of control. He has had several surgeries, but they grew back every time even faster!
The poor guy had to quit his job, lost his wife, and more. It is really sad. Fortunately, doctors finally tried a new treatment & surgery to hopefully rid him of most of these terrible warts over time.
The good thing is that he said they don’t itch or hurt in any way. They are just “heavy” and he can’t move his hands. So I guess maybe they feel kind of like our fingernails feel: hard, but don’t really hurt or itch. But they are all over his hands and feet. But wow I can’t talk about how sorry I felt for the guy.
I got me thinking…I have had so many ideas & theories over the past few years, I just wonder what the heck causes CU. Perhaps we have some kind of genetic flaw, and some virus has messed with our system & created more mast cells? Or maybe we have a microscopic fungi or bacteria blocking our sweat pores? Or maybe diet/candida? Who knows? It would sure be interesting to find out one day!
Let’s just keep hoping that our magical day occurs soon when they just “mysteriously” go away forever! I pray for that day!