Life with Cholinergic Urticaria

Firstly, good news: it genuinely doesn’t last for ever, but it does come back to haunt. My experience started when I was 15 back in 2000, and I was in school. I was studying for my exams, and I realized I started having the feeling of being stung, and the more you rub, the more places start to itch. At first I thought it was in my mind – there was no rash – and trying to explain to anyone was much more difficult.

Eventually, it got worse – and although not pleasant – I was happy when a rash started to show, as I could actually say, ‘LOOK! THIS IS REAL!’ I went to the doctors, and other than recommending antihistamines, there wasn’t much to do for it. I got a note from the doctor to say I could leave the class room if I should need to cool down, and I was also allowed a separate room to take my exams in (with a fan), which was always cooler than a big hot sweaty school hall.

After around 3 or so years, the symptoms died down, and I would say life was back to normal. The faintest of symptoms would often re-appear occasionally, usually when I had a cold during winter.

However, then comes along 2017, and in the autumn I started back with the symptoms. I thought it was just as I was starting with a cold. However, that wasn’t the case. The attacks have progressively worsened again and just today – is the first time the rash is beginning to appear – one of the hives actually forming the classic tiny pale top. So I’m bracing myself for another couple of years and a bit of annoyance (since I’m a good 4 months in now).

I’m going to be shortly (in the next hour) popping to the chemists to go and get some antihistamines. But as for advice for others – my allergies tended to be worse during the winter months, when the differences were more exaggerated between inside and outside temperatures. Going from a cold environment into a warm environment is always asking for trouble, though unfortunately that’s how everyone lives their lives!

Going on holiday to warm climates…well, my experience of that when I was younger was that as you acclimatize to the temperature there, (in my example it was Spain) you tend to have much less of a problem with the symptoms, as everywhere generally is warm. However, I’m actually due to go to Lanzerote in a few weeks time, so I’ll have a more up to date experience I can share then.

Back when I was at school, I knew no one who had the same problems, and the internet was still pretty much in its infancy – so at least here I know there are others out there with the same crazy problems I have 😉

-Rocky