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Anyone have a Water Allergy?

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Posted 7/26/2007 2:53 PM (GMT -6)
Hi, i'm new here. But i'm desperately trying to get help with an allergy i have. Everytime I take a shower, my chest and neck fill with red welts, similar to 'hickies'. The warmer the water, the worse it gets. The welts last about an hour after each shower. The only way I can sometimes get away without the marks is if i shower in cold water with fan on and the door open. I dont know if this is something anyone else deals with, please let me know if you've ever experienced this. I'm not sure if I should see a doctor or if its just something I have to live with. I'm including some pictures of my neck after a shower, and my face with the marks on it as well. Any information anyone has would be greatly appreciated.
Posted 7/26/2007 4:19 PM (GMT -6)
It sort of sounds like you have cholinergic urticaria which is basically chronic hives brought on by heat or temperature change. Do they itch or burn? If they bother you, usually a antihistamine can help block the body's reaction to the heat. Take a look at this website - you will need to copy and paste to your webbrowser and see if this is what you are experiencing. Either way, any sort of hive type rash should be brought to the attention of your doctor.

http://allergies.about.com/od/urticariahives/a/cholinergic.htm
Posted 7/27/2007 5:57 PM (GMT -6)
Here is another option, my aunt who is a nurse but cannot practice due to severe allergies has to do this. As far as drinking water she even has to boil bottled water or she has an allergic reaction. As for her bathing she had a shower water filter contraption that was purchased at Whole Foods. The filter she said gets approx 1 year use before changing the filter. This is with 2 people showering one time a day. It helps that her husband works for Whole foods giving them a 20% discount but if it keeps her well price isnt as important
Posted 7/30/2008 3:36 PM (GMT -6)
hi. my name is rachel cho and im 14 years old. i suffer with the same condition. but if your red spots do not itch or sting you dunt have it as severe as other people with the same allergy can. mine isnt so severe. i only get it on my face. this condition is called aquagenes urteciera (not sure of the spelling). it is a condition when you are actually allergic to water. Unfortunatly there is no cure. coldness helps it to relieve the spots but doesn't actually make it go away. you just have to live with it.
Posted 7/30/2008 5:06 PM (GMT -6)
But it could also be a reaction to temperature (heat), a reaction to chlorine or some other substance in the water, a reaction to the soap or shampoo, etc. Heck, I was reacting with a rash on my cheeks when I went out in the sun, if I used a specific brand of soap to clean my glasses or to wash my hands. The soap did not touch my cheeks, but the vapors may have, and it obviously traveled through my sinuses to my cheeks or through my body some other way to my cheeks to present the itchy rash. I thought I was having a sun-related autoimmune rash, but since discontinuing the use of the soap, I have not had one tiny hint of that sun-sensitive rash. So basically I would be surprised if a person could be allergic to pure hydrogen dioxide (aka, water)...
Posted 8/12/2008 12:15 PM (GMT -6)
All,

I was away from home for a week or so and now that I'm back, every morning when I shower I get tiny bumps on my stomach and buttocks. They don't itch, they're *not* red, they're not blotchy, and I can't really see them very well, but I can feel them all over within about 5 minutes of stepping in the shower. My soap and shampoo haven't changed, and today I tried turning the temperature down but they didn't go away. They're always gone within about 20 minutes of ending my shower.

Any thoughts? Also, can this rash hurt me? Nothing else happens - no wheezing or coughing or sneezing or anything but the tiny goosebumpy rash. I'm getting in to see my PCP tomorrow and am in the market for a dermatologist as well (I have terrible health anxiety and so always check things out thoroughly). One of the doctor's web pages indicates that he specializes in dermatologic immunology. Is that what I should be looking for?

percycat
Posted 8/12/2008 1:54 PM (GMT -6)
So sorry your having a hard time right now, you have my well wishes in hopes you find out whats happening to you soon!
Now with that said, if your still unsure what to do, FOLLOW Your Gut instincts and make a doctors appoint!
However, I would make it with a allergy/asthma doctor, as this is more under that speciallity.
soft hugz and prayers for you!
Posted 8/12/2008 2:08 PM (GMT -6)
Chartreux,

Thanks for the advice. I did see my ENT, who also specializes in allergies and asthma, today. She said this rash-type thing is definitely not in her line of expertise and suggested I look for a dermatologist. Silly me, I should have asked her for someone specific that she could recommend.

percycat
Posted 8/12/2008 2:53 PM (GMT -6)
blush Glad to hear you know who to turn to for help now. Just call your ENT doctor office or if your in the states try: www. webmd.com
Hope this helps and that it gets better soon. My face turns red after a warm shower so I use a moisturizer cream after showering...
soft hugz and keep us posted after your dermatology appointment yeah
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