Hey All,
I’m about to hit the 3 and a half year mark for having cholinergic urticaria. Although we all know it and experience it, it truly is awful. However, I thought it was something that I could grit my teeth and just live with. I started to dread fall/winter or stressful situations. It’s crazy how I thought I could deal with it and then it just gradually started to dictate my actions. Anyway, I didn’t do too much research because I initially saw there wasn’t any medicine or surefire cure for it, so I’ve just been coping with it.
However, after combing through a lot of the forum and discussions on this site, I think I’m going to try to “attack” it by exercising and attempting to sweat as much as possible. I moved to Canada recently for grad school, so I’m already started to feel the pain of the oncoming winter. Other than consistent exercise, is there anything else you all would recommend? I eat fairly healthy but have put on some weight this fall because I’ve been afraid of exercising with the cooling weather. Thanks for sharing your experiences and advice everyone!
-Andrew
Darnell says
Andrew,
I work out 4 days a week and I utilize a sauna and also a steam room right after my work outs. For about a month after I found out I had chronic hives, I didn’t work out. I was afraid to work out. My allergist recommended that I not work out because it would agitate my situation. I sat and gained weight, got depressed, took meds, slept and suffered in silence. I had to run after my dog one day when he saw a squirrel, and I was breathing heavy. I jogged back to the house and It felt so liberating. I jogged again and again. Afterwards, I waited and waited for the doom that my allergist promised. It never came. I was as stable as any other “stable day”. Although, I take Zyrtec four times a day, two in the morning, two at night and twice throughout the day. I also take Hydroxyzine and Zantac. Zantac twice a day, and Hydroxyzine at night.
Working out is wonderful because it reduces the stress levels and stress can bring on an outbreak. It heels the soul, and you can rest. Your immune system is in overdrive and when working out it lowers that overdrive and slows down some. You should see less reaction, but I’m continuing on this journey because I’m terrified of returning back to the way it was when I first began dealing with this. I was at the point of having suicidal thoughts. Good luck Andrew and keep positive, it seems to help. Now work it out like never before!