My Cholinergic Urticaria History and What’s Helped Me

The following is a story shared by a reader:

I am now 26 and it is hard for me to remember when this started. I believe it was around when I was 16. One of the hardest things about this is that people don’t really understand how painful it is. In their mind it is just a little itch. I have had people tell me that everyone itches when they start to get warm.

One time my dad said he thought it was all in my head. I have scabs all over my body from scratching to hard. When it is really severe I start to shake and spasm. I hate when people ask me about it because it is hard to explain. Then when they do ask it will usually cause an outbreak. It sucks staying in the house trying to move as little as possible for fear of causing an outbreak.

I have lived most of my life in Texas. It is hot during the summer and gets fairly cold in the winters. I noticed that during the summer when I would sweat a lot, I didn’t have any problems. Half of the year I was good and the other half I was miserable. I think for me the key is to sweat. I lived in Brazil for 18 months. In Brazil it was always hot and humid so I was sweating all the time. I was even sweating in my sleep.

This was the best 18 months that I can remember. Almost no outbreaks. The ones that I did have lasted a couple of seconds and were not severe at all. I am now living in Alaska (a terrible place for someone with this condition). I have found that the only way to help me with my symptoms is to keep up the sweating. Thankfully the gym I work out at has a Sauna. The Sauna has saved me.

I usually go in the morning before work and on my way home after work. It is miserable the first few minute. Once I break out in a good sweat then I am good for about half the day. During the summers here I can reduce the days I go. Usually only once a day. If you haven’t tried the sweat therapy I would recommend it.

I would be interested in what other people have tried and has worked.

-Michael