It's Always Going To Be Something With You, Isn't it? "Joe vs the Volcano"

chenheart
chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello Kindred Spirits!

Well, I SHOULD be back from my 4th of July trip to Lake Tahoe. I SHOULD have already posted about my awesome trip visiting one of our BC sisters last month! Alas, though, I had a GRAND vacation, and the 4th was a celebration worthy of epic poetry~ I am not home yet.

And why, you ask? You didn't ask, again? Oh well, you know I am going to tell you, anyway!

Something I ate, drank, breathed in, touched, or otherwise came in contact with, caused a severe allergic reaction. Yesterday AM I started out sorta itchy, and progressivly, my entire body ( grand land mass!) eyes, lips, neck, oh EVERYTHING was an itchy, red, hot, swollen welt!

Of course, my sweet Reggie took me to the local ER where I spent the better part of 3 hours. The doc was great! Told me that wheareas unless I knew I had a definate peanut or shellfish allergy, or at least something I KNEW I was allergic to, hives are almost impossible to diagnose as to cause. But fairly easy to treat. So, your 50'woman has been taken down a notch in the Vanity department, and I am on 4 meds! For itching, swelling, nausea due to meds, and something else I have already forgotten. ( obviously, not one for memory loss!)

Side effect of mega anti-histimines is of course,"drowsiness"...what a cute word! I am a walking zombie, afraid to eat or drink anything! And to top it off, one of the contra-indications? CAFFEINE OR ALCOHOL! Now the wine I can see 100%...no biggie. I am not a pop pills followed by a beer chaser kinda gal. But no morning coffee??? Talk about adding insult to injury!

So, again, I am not at home~ and sooo want to be there and in my own bed and surroundings!

Just a quick check in with you~ my favorite people on the planet. I will post when I finally make it back to nearby to Neverland!

Love you all!

Hugs,
Claudia
PS..you all know how cranky my computer is; I have givwen up preveiwing and spell check in the hopes things will just POST! So, forgive the errors, pls!
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Comments

  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    Good grief!
    Oh, dear Kindred Spirit...

    So sorry this nasty allergic reaction to ? (whatever) has befallen you. Sending my heartfelt good wishes that the hives will subside very soon, and that you'll then be feeling much better.

    Now, go take a nap, drowsy one that you are...

    Kind regards, 12/25
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159

    Good grief!
    Oh, dear Kindred Spirit...

    So sorry this nasty allergic reaction to ? (whatever) has befallen you. Sending my heartfelt good wishes that the hives will subside very soon, and that you'll then be feeling much better.

    Now, go take a nap, drowsy one that you are...

    Kind regards, 12/25

    Thanks, sweet 12/25 for the
    Thanks, sweet 12/25 for the post and the PM...I knew I couldn't be alone in cyber-world! I am actually getting in the car ( NO! Not as the driver, but a passenger!) If I were at home, all snuggled in my own comfy bed I would stay there, but I am feeling like being WITH Reggie, and being a drowsy pasenger seems somehow comforting. That doesn't need to make any sense, It just is! :-}

    Thanks again, Kindred Spirit~

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    Sorry you are having a
    Sorry you are having a reaction. I had one once to poison ivy. My eye swelled shut and welts all over. Now I have to be very careful not to touch anything that someone else might have touched with it. Once I broke out when I washed my husband clothes and he had gotten the poison ivy on his clothes. He didn't know it. Just love Joe and the Volcano.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    I'm sorry you are having troubles, dear soul!!!!
    Take care of yourself, give that big man of yours an even BIGGER hug, and save one for yourself (gentle, of course...NO SCRATCHING!!!!!)

    Hugs, Kathi
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    KathiM said:

    I'm sorry you are having troubles, dear soul!!!!
    Take care of yourself, give that big man of yours an even BIGGER hug, and save one for yourself (gentle, of course...NO SCRATCHING!!!!!)

    Hugs, Kathi

    Oh Claudia ...
    Just reading your post made every inch of my body itch. Feels like things crawling all over me. I can't imagine how icky you feel with all the rest of that stuff going on ... especially the nausea. What a bummer way to end your vacation. But ... thank goodness you've got your Reggie there to take care of you.

    hugs.
    teena
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    Oh Claudia, that's just
    Oh Claudia, that's just awful. My husband had hives for a month. Yes, you heard right!
    From neck to ankles. Dying down and flaring up throughout the day. Ended up on prednisone. He had no allergies but had just started taking the "Lakota joint formula". I wrote the company asking if they could think of anything in their product that might have caused it but never heard from them. When I went to their website I found a list of ingredients that were not on the label. I took the list to a doc and he said it could be any number of "proteins" found on the list. There was some strange stuff listed and I don't mean herbs. Sometimes we don't know what we're ingesting. Good luck to you and glad you are on the mend.
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159

    Oh Claudia, that's just
    Oh Claudia, that's just awful. My husband had hives for a month. Yes, you heard right!
    From neck to ankles. Dying down and flaring up throughout the day. Ended up on prednisone. He had no allergies but had just started taking the "Lakota joint formula". I wrote the company asking if they could think of anything in their product that might have caused it but never heard from them. When I went to their website I found a list of ingredients that were not on the label. I took the list to a doc and he said it could be any number of "proteins" found on the list. There was some strange stuff listed and I don't mean herbs. Sometimes we don't know what we're ingesting. Good luck to you and glad you are on the mend.

    Yikes! The Dr actually gave
    Yikes! The Dr actually gave me low dosage Prednisone last night; I think I have a weeks worth~ that coupled with the rest of the arsenal hopefully will do the trick. It is frustrating not to know what the cause is: I am "afraid" to wash my clothes, eat food, drink cofee, wear cosmetics~ anything I did is now suspect in my mind! And I imagine your hubby was frustrated as well by the not knowing part of the equasion.

    Odd you mentioned joint compound. Though I did not use that, in particular, I did buy "100% pure" aloe skin cream at a street faire a few days ago. I wonder...

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143
    chenheart said:

    Yikes! The Dr actually gave
    Yikes! The Dr actually gave me low dosage Prednisone last night; I think I have a weeks worth~ that coupled with the rest of the arsenal hopefully will do the trick. It is frustrating not to know what the cause is: I am "afraid" to wash my clothes, eat food, drink cofee, wear cosmetics~ anything I did is now suspect in my mind! And I imagine your hubby was frustrated as well by the not knowing part of the equasion.

    Odd you mentioned joint compound. Though I did not use that, in particular, I did buy "100% pure" aloe skin cream at a street faire a few days ago. I wonder...

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    Oh my!
    So sorry for your reaction. What an unpleasant way to end a great vacation. I wonder about that "100% pure" aloe. Anything else you ate, ingested, or applied out of the ordinary?

    I'm sure you'll feel better once you're in your comfy pjs and in bed. Speedy recovery!!

    Mimi
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    wow Claudia,
    you sure do know how to enjoy a vacation don't you???
    Well just make sure your sweet Reggie keeps an eye on you while eating, we wouldn't want you to fall asleep in your plate of food.
    Prednisone and benadryl, what a combo, that should keep you up down up down up down.
    Hope you quit itching soon
    =^,,^=
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    chenheart said:

    Yikes! The Dr actually gave
    Yikes! The Dr actually gave me low dosage Prednisone last night; I think I have a weeks worth~ that coupled with the rest of the arsenal hopefully will do the trick. It is frustrating not to know what the cause is: I am "afraid" to wash my clothes, eat food, drink cofee, wear cosmetics~ anything I did is now suspect in my mind! And I imagine your hubby was frustrated as well by the not knowing part of the equasion.

    Odd you mentioned joint compound. Though I did not use that, in particular, I did buy "100% pure" aloe skin cream at a street faire a few days ago. I wonder...

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    Claudia, I hope the
    Claudia, I hope the "arsenal" is kicking in and you are feeling some relief. I think it's hard to understand just how wretched itching skin makes you feel until you experience it. What a frustrating end to your wonderful vacation. I'm glad that your Reggie is there to comfort you.

    A few years ago, I inexplicably started itching all over. It was terrible--I couldn't think of anything else. Tried OTC stuff and went to the doctor. He diagnosed allergic dermititis but couldn't tell me what had caused it, just like your situation. Very frustrating. Finally, I figured out it was a pretty, deep green shirt dress I had recently bought and wore without washing first. (Found it later that green dyes are more likely to cause a reaction.) The only way I realized this was from the timing of the itching and wearing the new dress. It was the only "new" thing I had used or been near.

    Anyway, dear 50-foot woman, I'm wishing you fast-acting itch relief and fun memories of your vacation.
  • bfbear
    bfbear Member Posts: 380
    cats_toy said:

    wow Claudia,
    you sure do know how to enjoy a vacation don't you???
    Well just make sure your sweet Reggie keeps an eye on you while eating, we wouldn't want you to fall asleep in your plate of food.
    Prednisone and benadryl, what a combo, that should keep you up down up down up down.
    Hope you quit itching soon
    =^,,^=

    I feel sooooooooooooo sorry for you!
    I have really sensitive skin, and I get atopic dermititis all the time for inexplicable reasons. So, trust me, I know what it means to be tortured by The Itch!!

    I hope all your drugs work fast and well, and that your body returns to normal very soon.

    xox,
    Debi
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    Claudia.......
    Oh my dear, I'm so sorry that this has happened to you! Frightening and miserable!

    My grandson and I have allergies also. Mine did not develop until I was in my 40's.
    I'm allergic to grass pollen, tree pollen, dust, mold....oh, and DOGS!! Can you imagine! I take Zyrtec every day, and so far, I just get the nose & runny eye thing. Sometimes some itching. I live in fear that I will come across something someday that I will have a reaction to, that I don't know about. Especially foods.

    On the other hand, my grandson has severe reactions and we all keep an epi-pen with us for him. Very scary! The two main culprits for him: Rabbits and GOATS. Both of which we have.

    Take your meds and don't scratch! I hope things clear up soon!

    Love ya!

    CR
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    Claudia.....awwwww
    so sorry this happened to you. One tidbit to pass aslong. Drink lots of water while you are taking the prednisone (of course it will make you pee alot!). It will increase your thirst and your cells need to stay hydrated for the best advantage. I hope you get over this quickly!! :) Pammy
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    Yikes
    I am stomping up and down my road with my sandwich board that I've handpainted in my best lettering: UNFAIR TO CLAUDIA. So sorry to hear about your hives. When my son was an infant, we were out shopping and inexplicably he broke out in hives. I rushed to Walmart and the pharmacist got some Benadryl into him before it was even paid for. Luckily, that did the trick. But SCARY?!? Like your experience, everything became suspect (not fun). It happened one other time when he was around 6 or 7. Cause still unknown. Hope that you are home safe and sound and soon! Lynn
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    chenheart said:

    Yikes! The Dr actually gave
    Yikes! The Dr actually gave me low dosage Prednisone last night; I think I have a weeks worth~ that coupled with the rest of the arsenal hopefully will do the trick. It is frustrating not to know what the cause is: I am "afraid" to wash my clothes, eat food, drink cofee, wear cosmetics~ anything I did is now suspect in my mind! And I imagine your hubby was frustrated as well by the not knowing part of the equasion.

    Odd you mentioned joint compound. Though I did not use that, in particular, I did buy "100% pure" aloe skin cream at a street faire a few days ago. I wonder...

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    Claudia....
    I am soooooo 'contact allergic' to aloe vera...I get hives and VERY itchy, red skin...

    I react so much that it's on my allergy bracelet whenever I go to the hospital

    I tease Hans that if he wants to do away with me, he could lace my coffee with aloe...lol!

    You may be on to something!!!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    Oh Poopy!!!!
    Dear dear dear Claudia, I am so very sorry you are puffy and itchy no fun at all! That certainly is not how I envisioned your visit to Lake Tahoe. I hope your meds kick in soon and your swelling checks out even sooner. You are beautiful no matter what so don't worry about it too much you will be back to you 50 ft beauty queen non itchy status in no time.

    A multitude of hugs,

    RE
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    RE said:

    Oh Poopy!!!!
    Dear dear dear Claudia, I am so very sorry you are puffy and itchy no fun at all! That certainly is not how I envisioned your visit to Lake Tahoe. I hope your meds kick in soon and your swelling checks out even sooner. You are beautiful no matter what so don't worry about it too much you will be back to you 50 ft beauty queen non itchy status in no time.

    A multitude of hugs,

    RE

    Hope you are
    Claudia,
    Hope you are feeling better.
    Something like that happened to me a few years ago--it was something I ate. The doctors gave me 175 mg of benedryl--100 mg of that was intramuscular and I was flying around for days. I looked like a blow fish-they tell me. I couldn't open my eyes to see myself.

    Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

    Hugs,
    Margo
  • taleena
    taleena Member Posts: 1,612 Member
    Oh Claudia...I am so sorry
    Oh Claudia...I am so sorry to hear that your vacation had to include a trip to the emergency room... that is a total bummer... But it is nice to know that you are doing well... I remember a couple of years ago, we were on vacation in S. Padree Island in Texas, I woke up one morning and looked in the mirror, I had a rash (that itched) all over and had swollen up like the pilsbury dough boy!! A quick trip to the urgent care clinic and a shot in the tush... two days later I felt much better....

    I hope you are feeling better, and that Reggie is taking good care of you... have a safe trip back to the comfort of your own home.

    Hugs,

    ~T

    PS who cares about preview and spell check.... it was just nice hearing from you!
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    taleena said:

    Oh Claudia...I am so sorry
    Oh Claudia...I am so sorry to hear that your vacation had to include a trip to the emergency room... that is a total bummer... But it is nice to know that you are doing well... I remember a couple of years ago, we were on vacation in S. Padree Island in Texas, I woke up one morning and looked in the mirror, I had a rash (that itched) all over and had swollen up like the pilsbury dough boy!! A quick trip to the urgent care clinic and a shot in the tush... two days later I felt much better....

    I hope you are feeling better, and that Reggie is taking good care of you... have a safe trip back to the comfort of your own home.

    Hugs,

    ~T

    PS who cares about preview and spell check.... it was just nice hearing from you!

    So sorry Claudia! I hope
    So sorry Claudia! I hope that you get over the hives very, very soon!

    Take care!
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    Jeanne D said:

    So sorry Claudia! I hope
    So sorry Claudia! I hope that you get over the hives very, very soon!

    Take care!

    Claudia
    I hope they figure out what the allegy is to..i would hate to see you deprived of coffee or wine! Your in my thoughts and healing prayers.
    hugs, jackie