Help!

[danaeris]

Ok, ok, as soon as I clarify how my insurance works, I'm going to go get referred to an allergist. But in the meantime...

Can anyone speak to the experiences I'm having, or offer advice on how to deal?

The hives on my inner thighs are gone, but now the rest of my thighs are itchy, even though there are no hives. My breasts are still itching too and the cleavage area gets hivey whenever it is irritated. This may be a reaction to my pentacle, which I have stopped wearing for that reason. My stomach is slightly itchy. My armpits are pretty itchy, especially after I took a hot long shower last night.
I feel like most of these regions have little creepy crawleys crawling over them making me want to scratch. Scratching actually makes it feel better, not worse. But then it goes back to the way it was (but not particularly worse, and relief lasts longer than with hives).

Theories? Recommendations? Suggestions? Thoughts

Comments

[tikva.livejournal.com]

Uh, yeah. You need a dermatologist and/or an allergist. Are you on any new meds? Have you recently switched detergents? Fabric softeners? Does Benadryl help at all?

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

No new meds. No new detergent. Don't use fabric softener because I'm often allergic to them. I'm not sure if the Benadryl helped the hives I had before on my inner thighs. I went through a whole box before they went away, and now I'm not sure if they went away on their own or if the Benadryl helped. Now I'm out of Benadryl and this new itching issue is just starting up.

I have two new pairs of pants, but they were both purchased after the hives started, and there's itching on my upper body too. I haven't started eating anything new. The only thing I could think of that had changed was that I had gotten a bunch of old clothes out of storage, and maybe the clothing had nasty dust on it or something. But I've washed all the stuff I've been wearing since then.
It could be a manifestation of stress that I'm under. I'm not sure.
The cat at my current place apparently has fleas, but I'm itchy in places where there is minimal hair, and the cat is not allowed in my room/the door is closed at all times.

I know I'm allergic to dust mites. So its possible that unseelie's bed or sheets are the problem. Dunno. That's a solveable if expensive issue

[tyrsalvia.livejournal.com]

Consider changing your bathsoap and detergent/fabric softner. It could be one of those things.

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

I haven't been using bathsoap recently. When I do, it has been ivory. Ivory and Dove are the most mild bath soaps which can be had. I've also been using some antibacterial soap which is designed to prevent bad skin issues which a dermatologist once referred me to to precent icky red bumps after shaving. Hibiclens.

I've been using tide, no softener. I've been using tide for a long time. I don't think that's it, but it could be.

[geekosaur]

Without hives, there's another possibility which I often get: itching due to stress. Antihistamines don't help at all in that case.

[gaaneden.livejournal.com]

It sounds like either hives from stress, then scratching which irritates and sticks around after the stress has gone. Or, a form of prickly heat caused by swollen pores that sweat. A doctor would be a good choice. A cool bath and benedril sounds like a good second bet.

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

Heh. I'm thinking that's it. The overall itching didn't happen until right after I found out that our housemate choice had turned us down Friday. And as time has passed it has gotten worse and worse. I hope that's it. Doctors are expensive, and my insurance is just barely set up.

In other news, I JUST figured out where I know you from. Sorry it took me so long, but you've been added to my friends list. :)

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

A cool bath. Another good idea. or at least, a cool shower. I don't LIKE cool showers and baths, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do... thanks for the suggestion!

[bluepapercup]

Sometimes you can develop an allergy to a certain detergent after using it for a long time. Happened to me! I find that an aloe spray cools the skin a bit, as do tepid/cold baths.
Also, how about conditioners? My skin is very allergic to alot of conditioners, I have to rinse/condition my hair upside down sometimes as to ensure it doesn't get on my soft skin (chest, back, etc).

good luch in any case!

fleas

[chrisla.livejournal.com]

Has a Dr. Told you that you do not have fleas?
Our cats seem to have them at the moment..
(we are looking into flea stuff for them)

[friode.livejournal.com]

When I found out I was allergic to dust mites, one of the first things I ended up doing was to simply wash the sheets, blanket, comforter, matress pad, and pillowcase in hot water. That right there made a noticable difference. Probably not as much difference as I got by also spending about $300 on matress and pillowcase encasings, but it was a relatively simple step that did make a difference. (Of course, this assumes that you have stuff that you don't mind washing in hot water; if there's stuff that's expensive that shouldn't be washed in hot water, then you need to find an alternative.)

I also got rid of most of my rugs at that point; I have one small rug left that fits in a washing machine if I bother to put it there.

If unseelie's bed is a particular problem, can you sleep somewhere else for now?

On the other hand, your symptoms are very different from mine; my dust mite allergy very clearly caused sinus congestion, but it's never been clear that it caused any amount of rashes. (I've on fairly rare occasions had relatively minor rashes, and never paid much attention to them.)

Is it "new, improved" Tide?

[lillooet.livejournal.com]

I've had allergy reactions from "new, improved" detergents several times over the years. Lately I've been using Tide, and have been itchy for about the last week. I thought it was from tramping around in thick underbrush, but now I'm not so sure it isn't "new, improved" Tide. Hummmm.....