On Itching a Scratch

I'm off my meds. This is fair warning.

My antihistamine meds, that is - I believe it has now been a week. I am torn between waiting to see what happens when they wear off entirely, and running back to my nice, nice little white pills. (That do not taste at all of frogs. Just want to be clear on that).

Weirdly, they seem to be taking much longer to wear off than they used to - whether that's some side effect of years of taking antihistamines, or because Cetirizine just works better for me (Razene did nothing, although some people swear by it; Loratadine was fine, but I had apparently been taking it more than it should be taken).

I haven't been sneezing hardly at all; no cat hair or hayfever attacks. Course, that could be because it's the middle of winter and I just de-furred the surfaces in my room. But it's weird.

More importantly, the dermographism is extremely annoying and itching and burning but still not completely back. So I am wondering if there's simply a lack of allergens around, or if it's just lingering antihistamines. Or if severely cutting down on dairy (mostly just cutting out the milky stuff; smoothies, cocoa and so on) is actually helping.

Thing is, I'm pretty sure it took this long last time, and when it did fully return, it was far worse than it had ever been, with welts lasting over an hour. 

So the scientist in me (you know, the bit that sticks fingers in light sockets and lies to people to see how long it takes them to realise), wants to see if that's still the case. (Being able to prod yourself and see what happens can be quite fun).

The prankster in me is dying to scare the people who've not seen my dermographism yet (although the constant explaining is tiresome). Plus, semi-instant Harry Potter scar.

And the artist in me has been sulking over the pictures I got last time, and wants to make better ones (although taking photos is really hard - might have to conscript someone, as you have to hold the camera one-handed, and my Pentax is a little heavy for that, but I need it for the macro focus. And lighting. Indoor lighting = terrible weird skin colours that don't show the welts much in the photo).

And the rational coward in me is going "Oh god, no! No! REMEMBER THE EVIL LIST OF EVIL BAD ITCHY HURTY THINGS"


On the same subject, sort of, the polls on my dermographism page are getting quite interesting. I want 200 responses in each poll (currently it's from 80-274, WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER ALL THE POLLS PEOPLE?) and then I'll post the results. And analyse them.

Skin Writing, Lens Writing, Lens of the Day!

I opened up my email to find it flooded with comments this afternoon - turns out that my Dermographism lens received Lens of the Day!


I am now fighting the urge to run over and compulsively start trying to tidy it up.

Some Dermographism Pictures

I got caught without my antihistamines this New Years, so I took the chance to take some photos of my dermographism welts and add them to my lens (...amazingly, I had never managed to take my own photos for that page!).

Oddly, my welts are lasting a really long time - an entire hour,, even. Actually, I've got some slightly faded ones down my arm where I leant on sharp edges (plugging my ethernet cable in!) that have lasted over two hours. It's mostly the welts inside my forearm, the rest seem to still be fading within 10-30 minutes. Anyway, I think I've got enough photos - it is really hard  to both draw on yourself when you can't see any of the lines yet, and then hold the camera. I almost have to hold my camera right handed (and focus and zoom as well!) and so have nearly everything on my left arm, which then ran out of space, and because everything's lasting so long, I can't create new versions.

Another irritant discovered with dermographism - crisps, popcorn and anything remotely sharp or crunchy. My poor mother! On the plus side - my sister bought me a truly awesome steampunk watch for Christmas that is both tiny and hangs on a chain, so I can wear it without fear (except of strangulation).

Anyway, boring. So I did pictures (I wanted to do interesting things but the lack of canvas space meant I couldn't try again... so have a bog-standard, easy heart symbol, and some other stuff. I did a skull and crossbones earlier that I'd have liked to repeat).

Ranty List Of Stuff That Sets Off My Dermographism

Aaargh. The problem with visiting my parents is that I am allergic to the New Zealand bush, and the mould in the walls, and my antihistamines run out a lot faster. I'm already feeling that tell-tale light burn in my palms from picking up the rubbish bag and carrying out to the garage. Which is really annoying.

So this is just a post about all the random things that set off my dermographism, when I'm not swallowing pills.(Dermographism - weird allergy that manifests in welts when pressure is applied). This is why I have a weird fear of doorhandles (along with the disorientating terror of walking down an unmoving escalator - that one gets me a lot!)

So yes,the random ranty list.
1. Doorhandles. Especially stiff ones, or heavy doors. (All that concentrated pressure in one place means really sore, burning itchy hands that I walk around cradling gently and going oooooowwwwwww)
2. Running, or standing on pointy rocks. (The soles of your feet are impossible to scratch. And yes - even through shoes. Barefoot is right out).
3. Any kind of tight clothing, buttons that poke inward, elastic. (... yeah, Ouchy).
4. Watches. I don't wear one anymore. (This is really annoying, actually. And constant - the watch just got too annoying to be worth having the time on me. Too loose, and it rubbed everywhere, too tight, and it got really itchy and welty)
5. Hairbrushes.(They scratch your head! For years I thought I must have headlice)
6. Leaning on anything. (Like backwards - cue for several minutes of agonised wriggling as I try not to scratch)
7. Carrying anything slightly heavy. (Like shopping bags - my poor fingers)
8. Putting pieces of paper into envelopes, especially if there's several and I push them with my hand rather than carefully holding with thumb and finger. Also add shuffling pieces of paper straight. (Straight, thin itchy lines across my hands)
9. Mosquito bites. (Itchy scratching! Must not scratch! It only leads to blood))
10. Lying down and turning over. (FRICTION!)
11. Carrying a pile of books up from the bookdrop to be checked in. (I end up with huge welts across my arms - usually alarming the newest co-worker who hasn't 'met' me without my pills)
12. Brushing my teeth.(Itchy gums are not fun)
13. Eating anything remotely hard or that pokes back. (Gums again) Also, biting my lips, very bad.
14. Towels. (Friction! Ouch!)
15. Banging my knee on anything (seriously - I don't bruise much, but a hard impact leaves a welt a couple of centimetres high)

And worst of all? Knowing that standing there waiting for it to go away is pointless, as is complaining, because it will come back again as soon as I have to open another door/keep walking/sit down/cut up carrots. So I just get on with picking up couches and stuff *sighs in a martyred way*...

Disclaimer : when I've got my antihistamines, I'm fine, and sympathy is embarrassing cause there's nothing really wrong. The few times when they run out, I spend my time trying to think up a way to convey exactly how much agony and frustration I am in, the depth of my suffering, without actually sounding like I'm complaining. I haven't found a way, yet ;D But this list of examples is what I want to start running through, or tend to suddenly come out with - along the lines of 'aaargh, I just leant back on that bench!' or 'I don't want to help carry the shopping, it huuuuuurts!' *whine* or hanging around pitifully, cradling my hands and being useless.

But if you know someone who's developed dermographism (and they aren't one of the rare people who it doesn't really hurt) then have sympathy and buy them a tonne of antihistamines as fast as you can.

What Helps With Dermographism?
Antihistamines, obviously.
Cool things. The activity of the welts generates a lot of heat, and coolness on the skin seems to help.

If it's really, really itchy or painful, put moderate pressure on in lieu of scratching (as little as possible, but until it contains it) and then very slowly release it (so that the worst of the reaction is over by the time you are only applying light pressure. It's a tricky balance, obviously, but better to spread out the pressure, than to scratch).

Salves - they'll stop the itching. But only of welts that already exist, so you'll be constantly applying it.