I Have Cholinergic Urticaria

I too suffer from cholinergic urticaria. My case is very severe at times and has affected me to a great degree. I had to drop out of college footbal a couple months ago and I am beginning to miss class more frequently because of this condition. I have been to a regular doctor at an urgent care clinic nearby, a neuro surgeon because my mom was dealing with him at the time and he offered his help, and recently I saw a dermatologist about it. All were basically no help except the dermatalogist who agreed that I have cholinergic urticaria although I had already come to that conclusion. He prescribed me cyproheptadine and I am starting the medication today. Hopefully this will provide me with some relief.

I myself am a very active person, who has many hobbies and interest. From football, paintballing, fishing, surfing, sailboarding or whatever. I live in so cal along the beach so there is always something to do. As I suffer from this condition I am cut off from all of that. Bout the only thing I can do is sit at home on the computer or go to the movies with my gf. Parents are not much help as they don't understand the severity and pain caused by an attack and they cannot understand why I cannot go to work or why I am missing classes. It seems to me I am on my own and I have been doing a lot of research on the condition. There are numerous antihistamines and other drugs that claim they can aid in the treatment of chronic urticaria. It the cyproheptadine does not work, I play on trying to get a prescription for hydroxyzine and acrivastine as well. I'm willing to try anything at this point to get my life back.

It is also very disturbing to hear the condition lasts at an average of 5-7 years. Onset being about 16 years of age and peak being about 22. I am 20 years old and I remember getting small attacks very sporadically at the age of 16 so I guess I meat the description pretty good. My email is pai ntballrdude@yahoo.Com if you have any questions or if you would like to know how the treatment has been going just send me a message and i'll be glad to talk. I hope I helped and i'm sorry if what I said was disapointing.

Hey cfm7, I also suffer severely from cholinergic urticaria. They have yet to stop my life as much as they have yours, but then again I have very accepting friends and i've come to terms with looking sort of weird every now and then. As far as living with it I really haven't i've had it since about grade 11 and i'm now in my 2nd year of university. I was hoping by now they would have disappered because I am a very active person with snwboarding, jogging, weight-lifting, soccer, and just life as a teenage guy in general, but no luck. Recently with the end of winter, they have gotten much worse but I believe it is due in part to the thawing of the ground, putting all the crap that was frozen in the snow airbourne. Also the budding of trees and renewal of growing season for most allergenic plants probably worsened the reacitons, which now occur in severe forms over 3 times a day. As far as a cure, well i've seen every specialist and tried every method and nothing works. I am soon entering homeopathic regimens and i'll keep you posted with the results. As far as medicational regimens depending on seasonality the following worked for me:

1. Winter: zaditen (ketofen fumuarte) 6 tablets daily - 3 before bed, 3 mid-afternoon
2. Rest of the year: benadryll (3 a day) and allegra (24 hour non-drowsy - 2 tablets before bed and 2 mid afternoon)

hope some of this helps you and at the least gives you comfort knowing you are not alone.


Sincerely
... Pim brouwers

Benadryl and all the antihistimine make you very desensitized. Please see my other post about using baking soda to wash all your clothes.

I went to the doctors for the second time today and she was useless. Prescribed me the same drug as is in piriton which I have already tried. I told my parents about it today and they didn't seem to understand how much this condition effects someone. It doesn't sound that painful when described but an attack to me is extremely uncomfortable and distressing. I'm going to try stocking up on vitamin b and c and also shower with hot water frequently to release the histamines. Has anyone tried acupuncture?

The itching aside, one of the main problems with this condition is that people really just dont understand it, I think its a case of, if you havent experienced it yourself you can never understand how much of a disability the condition is.
A message for frustratedgirl: I personally wouldnt take hot showers or baths, mainly beacuse it will wash /burn away all of your bodys natural oils and moister.
I think with this condition antihistimines may control it but theres nothing you can actually take to provide a 'magical cure' and eventually it the suffering wont be as bad and/or it will go away alltogether. I have come to the conclusion whereby I just accept that I have cu and I try to avoid things that set me off.