Friday 26 April 2013

Topical Steroid Addiction & Allergies to Animals

Hope everyone's eczema isn't too bad? Mine is actually brilliant today. It's still there, and most prominent on my arms with scabs left all over my face, neck and chest but today has been the first day in such a long, long time where I haven't had a shower and I don't feel horrendous for skipping it. It's quite a big step given how my eczema has been manifesting itself recently, to the extent that without a shower I don't feel life is worth living so this is a MASSIVE development as it isn't often at all that I'm able to appreciate this luxury.

Today I had an appointment with my GP who I very seldom see as I usually just go straight to the dermatology department at the hospital as they're more understanding of my needs. I came out with an Epi-pen in the hope that it will be an added reassurance for when I go to see my Mum next week. I have severe allergies to fur bearing animals but have never gone into anaphylactic shock so wasn't sure if I would qualify, but my reactions are so severe that I warrant immediate hospital attention. My entire face swells, with my eyes swelling shut; I become incredibly itchy from head to foot, with a very prominent red rash; my skin begins to weep even if I don't scratch it and I have a severe asthma attack (and this is without even touching the animal!). It's gotten worse and worse every time I've been back there but I need to look through my belongings in my old bedroom to see what can be chucked and what kept. I'm just frightened that one day I will have an anaphylactic fit, so at least I now have a necessary precaution if it was to occur.

I was quite annoyed by the doctor's attitude to the situation. He told me I shouldn't enter a person's house where there will be a fur bearing animal, yet surely there will be a time where I will unknowingly and unwillingly go into someone's home who does have a fur bearing pet. What on earth do I do then? I mean I obviously understand why he said it, as it's my health that needs to be kept in check at the end of the day, but still, I can't completely avoid animals when the majority of people I come into contact with on a daily basis do own fur bearing pets.

It's hard enough as it is at work accepting returned clothing where you can visibly see it is completely covered in animal fur. Obviously I go and wash my hands directly after I have dealt with the customer for fear of touching my face and having a bad reaction, but it's not an unavoidable thing for me to actively do. Even friends and family end up being covered in animal fur and it isn't as though I can wear a bubble suit whilst acquainting them. It's a bloody annoying allergy to have and it makes me despise my body. I love animals a huge amount but my body has decided that it doesn't. So sad.


Do you have severe animal allergies? How do you deal with them?


 
My Mum's gruesome twosome!

Cats are my favourite animal ever :( My life is shit.

8 comments :

  1. Hi Jenny, so glad to hear you are having a good week.It makes a huge difference.Wow, your pet allergies are frightening... I hope you can enjoy time with your mum without that added stress. I am also allergic to dog dander buy I just could not get rid of (as suggested by my GP) my dog of 17 years old this month who lives inside.Exactly half my life with me!!Well done to your partner on his wonderful walk.Great achievement. I read with interest your post on being away from home and coping with the skin routine.If I go somewhere without a bath I nearly cry as that is essential. Anyway I am not too bad this week. Now that Summer time is looming, that is another problem as cannot take heat/eyes watering (not that we get heat here in Ireland!).Take care and keep up your brilliant posts. I love them:) Aoibheann x

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    1. I was having a good week up until this evening where my skin has just gone BOOM! Grr. My cat allergy is quite strange as I've grown up with at least 1 cat always present so the fact that I am now unable to share a room with one is just mind blowing. I do admit that I've always suffered from sinusitis but I just put it down to hay fever and the like, I didn't know I had any allergy whatsoever until it came up in blood tests.

      He didn't walk, he ran :p hehe! But thank you anyway. I'm proud of him too! He's got another run tomorrow whilst I'm having to work so good luck to him.

      Yeah, summer is literally my idea of hell too :( not fair. Wish we could be the lucky people who's skin gets better in the summer months! Oh well! :p

      Glad you're alright anyway xx

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  2. I know quite a lot of people who have eczema, it seems common, and most times you never know because there are a lot of products out there. Do they work for you?

    I have no allergies that I know of, well, except sometimes when I eat tomatoes raw my outer lips start itching a little, it's weird!

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    1. Thanks for your comment :) Apart from steroid creams and rigorously applying white soft paraffin, I haven't been able to find anything that helps me, annoyingly. My eczema will always come back for one reason or another. I am looking into possibly trying acupuncture in the future but I don't have any money to do it right now.x

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  3. I've always had animal allergies, which started with dog allergies as a child. I do have a pet cat, and I'm not too bad with her, but I dont let her sleep on my bed and I wash my hands after petting her. We did have a rabbit, which I was very allergic to, but she lived in the garden. When I cleaned her out, I would sneeze and cough for about an hour afterward!

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    1. Hi Louise :)

      Thanks for sharing your experiences! When I was younger the cats were never allowed in my room and I'd very seldom pick them up because I'd get sneezy but now it's just ridiculous :( rabbits are the worst for me! I remember being about 8 and picking up my friends' rabbit and my eyes swelled shut instantly. I couldn't see for ages! So yep, never touched a rabbit since.

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  4. I'm very sneezy and itchy around any furry animals, sad cause I love my families cats.
    When you say you use White soft paraffin do you just mean like Vaseline? xx J

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    1. Yep, it is essentially just Vaseline :) though I get it on prescription in a 500g tub just under the name "white soft paraffin". xx

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