Itchy/Scratchy
So, remember my awesome dermagraphia and hives and the h1/h2 anti-histamine blocker saga? No? That's okay. If you do, you may be interested to know that the promised "It will burn itself out eventually--90% of cases do in a year," remained untrue for 2 years. Or was it 3? I don't even know anymore.
But, per my allergist's suggestion, I kept going off the meds once a month or so and waited for the hives to reappear.
Well, cross your fingers and spit real high, I still get pretty itchy on occasion--but maybe once a week, on my arm or whatever, for ten minutes, instead of Hours of Raging Inflammation Across My Back. Likewise, I don't seem to welt up all over my face randomly at work eight times a day. Right now, my upper arm has four itchy scratch-welts, so I just thought about it, and how minor it is, compared to previous times.
Now, what interests me is that when they were testing me for whatever triggered it--and came up with nothing--the doctor said, "Oh, so you had a really bad respiratory infection? Oh? And the hives started up the same month? Yeah, that's how it is sometimes." Basically, my immune system got all pissed off at that point. Hyper-sensitized or something. I don't know, I'm not that great at explaining it, but it all made sense to me.
Interestingly, and perhaps entirely coincidentally, I had a really bad respiratory infection this year, the first time since the advent of the hives, and kblam, my skin started being about three dozen times more normal afterward. I'm not saying it means anything, but I sure do wonder if my immune system reset itself or something then. However that stuff works.
Anyway, that's my random health update. In other news, I still have bonespurs like nobody's business.
But, per my allergist's suggestion, I kept going off the meds once a month or so and waited for the hives to reappear.
Well, cross your fingers and spit real high, I still get pretty itchy on occasion--but maybe once a week, on my arm or whatever, for ten minutes, instead of Hours of Raging Inflammation Across My Back. Likewise, I don't seem to welt up all over my face randomly at work eight times a day. Right now, my upper arm has four itchy scratch-welts, so I just thought about it, and how minor it is, compared to previous times.
Now, what interests me is that when they were testing me for whatever triggered it--and came up with nothing--the doctor said, "Oh, so you had a really bad respiratory infection? Oh? And the hives started up the same month? Yeah, that's how it is sometimes." Basically, my immune system got all pissed off at that point. Hyper-sensitized or something. I don't know, I'm not that great at explaining it, but it all made sense to me.
Interestingly, and perhaps entirely coincidentally, I had a really bad respiratory infection this year, the first time since the advent of the hives, and kblam, my skin started being about three dozen times more normal afterward. I'm not saying it means anything, but I sure do wonder if my immune system reset itself or something then. However that stuff works.
Anyway, that's my random health update. In other news, I still have bonespurs like nobody's business.