The breaking out and swelling continued off and on for several days, which prompted me to contact an allergist. Dr. A. ran the typical allergy tests... foods, dust mites (yes), etc... and discovered that I was allergic to those nasty mites and corn. She decided to put me on a pear, lamb and rice diet... perhaps the same diet your DOG was on when suffering from skin irritations. I had to log my meals for 30 days to see if we could detect any additional triggers.

The random outbreaks continued. There was no consistent pattern that would help us identify triggers, and after 90 days on my "doggie diet" the only thing apparent was the 30 pounds I had lost after dumping all of my favorite foods and gnawing on lamb bones and white rice. Next, the doctor added plain yogurt (yuck) to my diet in hopes that some "good" bacteria (probiotics) might bring some balance to my immune system (talk more about that later). She prescribed 5mg of Zrytec, daily, which she would bump up to 10 mg after six months. The angioedema and the uticaria seemed to vanish after the dosage upgrade... for the time being anyway.

I returned to eating "people" food and proceeded to gain most of weight I had lost within a few months. AND THEN...

INTRODUCTION

Up to 25% of the population will encounter the Angioedema & Urticaria Curse at some point in time in their life.  Urticaria is a common allergic reaction that results in hives.  Raised skin welts and itching can be caused by an allergenic substance, an immune response to food, or even stress.  

 

Angioedema, often associated with Urticaria, causes deep swelling in the skin's tissue.  The lips, eyes, tongue, hands, and feet are areas where the swelling may occur.  Urticaria (hives) and angioedema are usually not life threatening.  If the problem is idiopathic (causes unknown), and you are unable to find those triggers, you may find yourself banging your head against a wall.

 

I have dealt with angioedema and urticaria for the past 10 years.  I am not a medical expert, but my background in dealing with the problem and my extensive research may shorten the path between diagnosis and treatment for others trying to cope with the physical, mental and social challenges.  I truly believe that "sharing is the gift that helps us endure the challenges in life".  This is my story...

The Angioedema & Urticaria Curse

The "curse", as I refer to it, appeared nearly 10 years ago. I awoke with a fat lip that looked like someone just punched me in the mouth. It was swollen. It itched. It was ugly! Somewhat anxious, and knowing that I would have to face 25 10 year-olds within the hour, I showered, got dressed and headed out the door.

That 15 minute drive was spent thinking of an excuse to tell my students... who don't miss a thing... especially if their teacher shows up at school with a new "facial".

"I bumped into a wall."
"My dog jumped on my lap and pawed me on the lip."
Or, "I woke up this morning with a fat lip, and I have no idea what this is. Why don't you write a journal entry and tell me what you think happened boys and girls."

Always looking for that teaching moment.

I pulled into the parking lot about 20 minutes before the bell. J.B., his two siblings and mom pulled up right next to me. I gathered my previous night's homework from the back seat, and as I turned toward mom to greet her, J.B. got a quick glance. His eyes widened, and with mouth agape, he ran across the parking lot yelling, "Hey Chuck, check out Mr. L's lip. He got punched or something."

To be continued...
Next: The Shocking News from the Doctor!