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Dealing with whole-body allergic-type reaction

WereBear

License to Weird
V.I.P Member
I went too far.

Had some afterhours assignments, picked up a couple of freelance gigs that were demanding in public places, and just did not rest like I should. Wound up with my limbs and much of my torso COVERED in massive itchy hives.

They started small and I worked on them with OTC cortisol cream and improved my sleep but they kept creeping bigger and appearing in new places and finally it got to be waaaaaay too much. Showed up at the doctor's office and one of the things you don't want to hear from a medical professional is "Wow."

Guess what? Massive itching does not respond to painkillers. Or much of anything else.

So I'm cruising on a mid-level dose of an oral steroid and a high-strength cream for topical relief and things are improving. Took three days off work with a doctor's note, which leads into the weekend and my first step down in my steriod dose and I have just got to do less.

Like it or not.

One of my challenges since my diagnosis is figuring out when I'm heading for a crash before I actually crash. Obviously, I still need to work on that :)

Stress makes our bodies release too much stress hormone, like cortisol. So much our body is forced into defense against such high hormone rates; it resists taking in more cortisol to the point where things don't work right. This is Corticol Resistance; like insulin resistance, only worse.

Gotta get a grip on it, obviously. When the brain don't work, it gives confusing signals.
 
You know your body and neurology better than anyone else.

Good luck with the recovery as you come back to balance.
 
You must have a hell of a lot of determination/motivation/stamina to be able to work yourself into that kind of physical condition. I wish you good luck and a speedy recovery.
 
I hope you recover swiftly and smoothly! I can relate.
Myself, I am also just learning how much I can work.
Self care skills/executive functioning falls apart with too much work.
I’m unable to self-monitor well. So, if I can possibly learn how much I can manage safely, I hope to stick to that.

My hope is that you feel stronger, calmer, more balanced soon.

Just a note: For myself, I find very strong OT helps, like swinging quite vigorously and hard on a swingset for about 20 minutes, several times per week. I’m working tomorrow, so I’m off to go get sensory swing time in. Sending you healing vibes!
 
Oh, crap.
I hope you manage to get proper rest and to relax a little so that you recover promptly.
I'm not good at staying within my own boundaries either, so I feel for you. Can't offer any advice on how to relieve some of the pain and itchiness, sadly.
 
Thank you all!

You must have a hell of a lot of determination/motivation/stamina to be able to work yourself into that kind of physical condition. I wish you good luck and a speedy recovery.

All swords have two edges :) I just have to use my superpowers for GOOD.

I think I got so good at ignoring unpleasant environmental input that I don't realize when I am shutting down vital feedback. Like now that the itching is finally subsiding, I am realizing just how much it was creating background pain and draining already depleted energies. I can't put out a fire by running back and forth from the sink with small cups of water because I'm afraid of getting water all over my stuff.

It does not help that my health issues are being caused by a challenge I cannot share because of prejudice, which has to reach a horrible point before medical science will notice and treat it, and I don't get any help or understanding until the fire is burning the place down. If I try to prevent the fire, I look like a lazy, anti-social, slacker because most people mistake me for "normal."

Just a note: For myself, I find very strong OT helps, like swinging quite vigorously and hard on a swingset for about 20 minutes, several times per week.

My bro is coming for a visit and he will help me assemble my new mini-trampoline. (DH is in a health low point himself and not up for such.) Our winters are pretty harsh, and I need an indoor option. I usually get a hike in a couple times a week, but that's going to be tougher now we are at the end of fall.
 
I can relate, I am the unfortunate owner of a skin that breaks out in massive hives all over my body for no apparent reason, other than to be as much of an inconvenience as possible. Said hives are obviously also therapy-resistant.
 
Random thought, do you think the reaction was caused by some kind of physical exhaustion, or rather by a reaction to stress?
I mean, you did mention overworking yourself, but I'm wondering if maybe there have been additional factors such as pressure, some fears and whatnot that may have contributed.
I just recalled that 20 years ago I went through half a schoolyear of "selective" hives that began 10 mn before German class, and wouldn't stop itching until after the class was over. Turns out I was so scared of the teacher that this was my reaction. And I wasn't paying attention properly while I was trying not to scratch the skin off of myself, my grades were falling behind, so more hives; it only ended after my mother met with the teacher, who was actually very understanding, designed a program to help bring me afloat, and the hives left as they had come.
Obviously, I'm not advising to have some PTA meeting ;) But maybe there are some deeper causes you can find that you can have an effect on, for example by switching up some of the processes or settings, or maybe just by being more mindful and trying to listen to yourself a bit more.
 
Random thought, do you think the reaction was caused by some kind of physical exhaustion, or rather by a reaction to stress?
I mean, you did mention overworking yourself, but I'm wondering if maybe there have been additional factors such as pressure, some fears and whatnot that may have contributed.

I'm sure it's a combination of factors, prominent is the fact that my favorite boss is going to be leaving, this makes another, awful, boss more likely to give me a hard time, and then I worked extra hard to try to head off awful boss possible criticism.

Hives are definitely a sign of stress, because of an over-production of cortisol. My hormone reset techniques do work (supplements, fasting, good sleep) but I have to be careful not to run ahead of them :)
 
I can see how your favorite boss leaving soon could add on the other elements, I'd be worried sick as well.
Wishing you much luck navigating the transition of bosses.
 
This situation highlights ways I need to learn to process my anxiety better. I had fallen back on a previous strategy of “being superhumanly good at my job.” Which being an Aspie/misunderstood~genius makes possible :D

But it’s a strain. Just being my normal Excellent should be enough and Perfectionism is part of the problem. Fact is, JerkBoss is gonna annoy no matter what I do. It is an illusion to think my goodness can shield me from that stupidity.

I have to not care. I am sure we all know that feeling that we will simply be twice as good as those around us to attempt to deflect criticism, but that doesn’t work with Stupid. I have to not care about Stupid. Stupid should not become my problem.

At this point, my Self Care has to become my priority. I don’t know if it is the extra effort and/or the extra worrying that tripped this crisis, and slacking off on my supplements like progesterone and niacin was likely part of my mistakes. I hope I get back that “feeling so good I think I’m well” feeling again, only this time, I will maintain it.
 

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