Itchy and Scratchy
I saw the NP at my PCP's office last Friday afternoon. She said she most definitely thinks the itchy, strange rash I have is an allergic reaction to something. She met with me for quite a while actually, asking questions and talking things out with me.
She is wondering if it is something related to our Xmas tree, either the tree itself or something on the tree (they can carry mold). It always comes before Xmas, and goes along soon after. We talked about a food related thing, something I may eat more of during the holiday season (nuts, mint) but she said that given I eat those things at other times during the year and don't have an issue, she doesn't suspect those.
We reviewed the results of my allergy test from 15 years ago. They did check for various trees, but no pine/spruce/fir, so there is potential there. Even when Brian and I had a fake tree for a while, we would buy a wreath for inside of our front door so that we'd still have the nice smell. I'll be so sad if we have to go back to all fake in the house, but I do not enjoy this rash. I did have a documented mold allergy, so maybe it is not the tree but some kind of mold coming in with it. Either way, it would explain a lot of things.
She said my skin isn't dry, and doesn't see any excema signs, and doesnt' see any red flags about products I'm using. She referred me to an allergist for another test. The one in Wellesley (where my PCP's office is) wasn't free until February, but they were able to get me in to see another in the network in Boston in Post Office Square on Friday 1/3. They are going to do a regular skin test like the last time, but specifically check for things I may be encountering this time of year. The body can also change, so who knows what we'll find.
She said all I can pretty much do is try and treat the symptoms and figure out what's causing this so that I can take steps to avoid it in the future. She suggested I try an antihistamine, and I had the generic zyrtec at home. That helped a bit. I had also picked up a Nature's Gate Collidal Oatmeal lotion to replace the Kiss My Face stuff that surprisingly had some yucky stuff in it according to the cosmetics database (the Nature's Gate only rated a 2, where the Kiss My Face rated a 6 or something like that, woah!). I've stopped using my Jessi Curl detangler, because there were nasty things in there rating a 7 (preservatives known to upset allergies and to cause liver damage). I'm just putting extra conditioner in my hair after I get out of the shower and leaving it in there, a Jason no-fragrance product that rated a 2 or 3 on the cosmetics database registry. Even with dry/winter weather, its doing well. I'll be happy to be simplifying my products/routine.
Don't you feel better to know about all of this now?
I was so excited to get a real tree again, but my health/comfort/sanity is more important than all of that. I'm just glad we didn't give away our old fake tree already!
She is wondering if it is something related to our Xmas tree, either the tree itself or something on the tree (they can carry mold). It always comes before Xmas, and goes along soon after. We talked about a food related thing, something I may eat more of during the holiday season (nuts, mint) but she said that given I eat those things at other times during the year and don't have an issue, she doesn't suspect those.
We reviewed the results of my allergy test from 15 years ago. They did check for various trees, but no pine/spruce/fir, so there is potential there. Even when Brian and I had a fake tree for a while, we would buy a wreath for inside of our front door so that we'd still have the nice smell. I'll be so sad if we have to go back to all fake in the house, but I do not enjoy this rash. I did have a documented mold allergy, so maybe it is not the tree but some kind of mold coming in with it. Either way, it would explain a lot of things.
She said my skin isn't dry, and doesn't see any excema signs, and doesnt' see any red flags about products I'm using. She referred me to an allergist for another test. The one in Wellesley (where my PCP's office is) wasn't free until February, but they were able to get me in to see another in the network in Boston in Post Office Square on Friday 1/3. They are going to do a regular skin test like the last time, but specifically check for things I may be encountering this time of year. The body can also change, so who knows what we'll find.
She said all I can pretty much do is try and treat the symptoms and figure out what's causing this so that I can take steps to avoid it in the future. She suggested I try an antihistamine, and I had the generic zyrtec at home. That helped a bit. I had also picked up a Nature's Gate Collidal Oatmeal lotion to replace the Kiss My Face stuff that surprisingly had some yucky stuff in it according to the cosmetics database (the Nature's Gate only rated a 2, where the Kiss My Face rated a 6 or something like that, woah!). I've stopped using my Jessi Curl detangler, because there were nasty things in there rating a 7 (preservatives known to upset allergies and to cause liver damage). I'm just putting extra conditioner in my hair after I get out of the shower and leaving it in there, a Jason no-fragrance product that rated a 2 or 3 on the cosmetics database registry. Even with dry/winter weather, its doing well. I'll be happy to be simplifying my products/routine.
Don't you feel better to know about all of this now?
I was so excited to get a real tree again, but my health/comfort/sanity is more important than all of that. I'm just glad we didn't give away our old fake tree already!