Cholinergic urticaria is probably getting better

Hello, everyone. (My English is not very good…sorry. Google translate will help me.)

I’m a boy of 17 years who lives in southern France. I’ve suffered from cholinergic urticaria since November 2017. The first time I saw cholinergic urticaria was when I was running to catch my bus. I saw some little button on my wrist. I had no idea what it was.

I continued to see buttons that itched sometimes, and I noticed that it was when I was hot. But as winter was coming, I didn’t take this seriously, and I didn’t tell anyone at the beginning.

The first time I had a big attack of cholinergic urticaria was when I was going to run with my parents during the winter. The heat provoked an attack, and it was horrible and very painful. After this, I saw a doctor, who prescribed me an antihistamine medic (Inorial), but I think we all know antihistamine drugs do nothing.

The attacks continued, and it became complicated to live. I took other antihistamine drugs ( Xyzall, kestin), but they did nothing. Temperatures were getting better and CU was getting really worse. I stopped going outside to play with me friend, and going back and forth from school was a torture. The worst was the sports classes. I literally stopped going to sports at school.

When June arrived, I was forced to leave my house for the french of the BAC. Finally I did not have an attack during the tests, but only before and after. Then my birthday has arrived It was very hot, and I went with my mom in her car to go to my house. I had a big attack, but fortunately there was water in the car so I could cool myself.

When summer arrived I tried to find techniques not to suffer too much, and one of them was wet a t-shirt and put a jacket over it to stay cold when I go to the beach with my friend. At first it worked good, but when temperatures start to be very hot, it did not work anymore.

One thing I noticed was that when I went into the ocean and then got back on the sand, I could stay at the sun for a long time before the hives come out (like 30-60 mins.). I had no choice but to live with cholinergic urticaria.

My friends and I have planned holidays from August 6th to 10th, and I was determined to fight CU. I tried sweat therapy, but I could not bear the pain. I would have liked to start an elimination diet, but I live with my parent; so I can not decide what I’m going to eat. In addition, I have a lot of food allergies, so it’s hard to find an elimination diet.

Finally, a week ago I chatted with someone who has CU, and he told me all the drugs he takes. He told me he stop deodorant. I was my last chance, so I stopped deodorant (I smell not very good actually but it’s good for French stereotype ^^) and I replaced my shower gel with organic soap.

Two days after this, I begin to take an other drugs ( Virlix ). And guess what? My cholinergic urticaria is getting better. I am less sensitive to CU. I tried to do a little sport at home, and the only thing that appeared some scratching on my skin, but something bearable. And I SWEAT a little, too.

I was very happy when I saw that I did not have an attack. Just before I wrote this, my cat jumped on my bed and made me jump, and not one little scratch appears on my skin. Today I go to the beach with only a t-shirt and he was not wet. When I arrived at my friend’s house, and I waited in front of his house, I didn’t have an attack, just little scratch.

I left my motorcycle at is home and we walk to the beach. Nothing happened. I was very happy. I hope it’s not just a period of remission and that CU is really leaving.

Thanks for reading this. I hope we will all heal from cholinergic urticaria.

-Loic