I’m a 24-year-old who has had cholinergic urticaria for about six months now. It is horrible when my body warms up, whether it’s from the sun or when I get nervous, or even walking through stores. I’ve take antihistamines like hydroxyzine and cetirizine, and it doesn’t seem to help. I’ve tried sweat therapy in steam rooms and sauna and hasn’t helped much.
I feel like my life is evolved around CU, as if I go here will it get warm and cause me to break out in hives and if I do this will I get that prickly hot itch that is unbearable. Before this, I went to school for personal training and fitness. Working out was my life.
Cholinergic urticaria has taken control of this, and I haven’t been able to work out in the six months. I have had CU and have gained about 40 pounds and lost myself. At times it’s depressing, but for some reason I always have hope and think this will be gone someday.
As for now, hope is running low, so I figure just try and work around it. Any one have suggestions to be able to workout and actually break a sweat without the CU symptoms?
Thanks,
CA kid
megcolors says
I use Zyrtec, and at one point donating plasma helped as well. I was completely Symptom-free no matter what I did when I donated 2x a week
Nathan says
Hey there bud, I can definitely relate with your story mate I had the same issues too but the one thing which is really good is that you’re staying positive because that honestly makes a huge difference! You will overcome this and it will be gone! My advice from my experience is try and have a healthy diet then by eliminating fats and sugars and try your best to exercise, I know it’s tough but after the first few sessions the body gets used to sweating again and it becomes easier. Hope this helps mate!
Anonymous says
Prednisone and Benadryl and gave platelets and foot detox works for me. Same problem you have to the T
David says
Hi CA kid.
Hang in there. I know it’s easier said than done. I was your age when I first experienced CU. I am now 46 and still dealing with it. Although I did have a 10 to 12 year period where I did not have any symptoms at all. But out of nowhere it came back about 2 years ago. So there’s always a possibility this crazy condition can go dormant at some point. I joined a local gym and use the sauna there. As long as I’m sweating a few times a week, I’m usually ok during the colder months.
Do you sweat at all when using the sauna?
CA kid says
When i get into the sauna and warm up is when the itchy hot prickly heat comes into play and im running out or jus taking the hot burning sensation through my back, chest and face. I do sweat quite a bit though.. Ive tried two weeks straight and it still doesnt seem to help.
David says
Cakid,
You will experience some itching in the sauna which is normal but it shouldn’t be as bad as the itch you get from trying to break a sweat from doing cardio alone. The reason being is because of the high heat from the sauna makes you sweat rather quickly.
If I try cardio alone the time it takes my body temp to increase to break a sweat is about 15 minutes. The itching is too intense.
David
Ella says
Zyrtec and other antihistamine drugs cause withdrawal symptoms like intense itching if you try to quit cold turkey. Try tapering the dose
CA kid says
I was taking only 20mg of ceterizine(zyrtrc) a day and i would still get outbreaks. Dermatologist said i can raise up my dose to 40mg a day so ill take 30mg in the morning on the way to work then 6 hrs later wen the hives come back i take another 20mg. And that barely helps
Jmoney74 says
Stop taking the antihistamines (if your doctor approves). They slow your body’s ability to heal.
The problem is inside. I had h pylori which caused me to have I guess people call it a leaky gut.
Go get that checked out first. Eat a clean diet. Easy to digest foods. No alcohol. Caffeine. Sweets. Acidic foods including citrus. Takes awhile but works.
Isabel says
Hi CA Kid! I am so sorry for your suffering. Have you tried taking in salt? The correct electrolyte balance is very important and it might be that with all the excercising that you do not have enough salt in your system… abd it took a while to deplete …Salt is a natural antihistamine. Salt is important in keeping your cells hydrated and thus stabilising mast cells.