Surviving without antihistamines - terrible ITCHING!
liz_h
16 years ago
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lindac
16 years agoliz_h
16 years agoRelated Discussions
Tomato skin itch
Comments (17)Hi all, I read this thread with interest; I have an itch after watering the tomato plants in my greenhouse. I get an itching feeling like hundreds of thunder flies are on my skin and this does not seem to matter whether I touch the plants or not. I have tried with various magnifying glasses to locate what definitely feel like microscopic bugs on my skin but have never found anything. It only seems to affect the exposed parts of my body i.e. arms, legs head etc never get a feeling under clothes socks trousers shirt etc.... thats why I had the ides that it actually was a tiny bug of some sort - never get anything like it outside the greenhouse or in other parts of the garden - the greenhouse for most part is closed off and a relatively separate atmosphere which (again my thoughts) could be an environment where something either flies or microscopic parasites could thrive. Some of the comments on here also make sense - an allergy to something in the plants maybe a component that is in the air in enough quantity due to the closed environment such that it can "land" on my exposed skin?? Tomatoes do have a rather pungent aroma on a hot day in a greenhouse. Although I am not really affected by this nor am I concerned that it is a major health issue I would appreciate any further thoughts....See MorePlease help! Poison Ivy SOS
Comments (32)budge1, The doctor may have warned me about HC creams ... don't recall. At the time I was mostly listening for what was best to use and that's it. However, I have since been wondering what too much use of the cream can do which is why when I posted I indicated a bit of concern that I'd waded my way through three tubes! of the stuff. I do have awful red scarring now but went through a burn stage too although I must say I attributed it to the poison ivy itself. It does seem to have ameliorated now - no blisters and barely any itching! What a tremendous concept not to be burning from the inside out! :-) blsdgal, yes my "freckle" was a melanoma. I didn't suspect it at all, but my doctor happened to catch sight of it at my annual physical last year and told me to see a dermatologist for it asap. I thought she was just being an alarmist and put off going to one until this July. Well, surprise! Also, while I'd heard the general alarms about melanoma, I never really did dig deep enough or pay close enough attention to understand that this is a cancer - and the dangerous skin cancer to boot. As a doctor who I had to see while my doc was out and who has enviable bedside manners put it to me none too delicately: "what is there to say to you? It is the most dangerous form of [skin] cancer there is. Make an appointment to do the full excision asap.". Gee, thanks for the details, doc. Must say that although I took decent precautions in the sense that I use sunscreen on my face and neck, I figured I only really needed to worry about the more delicate parts of the body. I'm an active person and as its hard to go hiking or to do 30-40 mile bike rides after sunset, I was routinely outside during the day. I'm going to have to have a think about how to indulge my passions while protecting myself. Maybe get up at 4:00am to go on those bike rides in what is left of the summer? Well, after I can stand to put some weight on my foot again. This is the one thing about this cancer stuff: even the final excision which biopsied all clean, no residual cancer cells, is extremely painful. I've never gone through anything where even 13 days after the surgery, the wound is still painful and delicate. (So poison ivy on top of all that was so unfunny, you have no idea). Although, I will say that I think mine may be more uncomfortable and debilitating because it is right at a joint - think of the ankle joint right at the base of the shin bone - and therefore can't bear to take any weight OR to stand any deflections. And, being at an extremity, much slower to heal than otherwise. So three times the fun. Anyhow, that was all a very long winded way of saying that you should get your daughter in to see a doctor. It will all likely be precautionary, but better to get into the habit than have to deal with it for real!...See More9 year old lab with allergies - food help!
Comments (21)Hi SG- thanks for the reference to Dr. Kummel. I will browse the vet library for her book. About the food trial and not being on meds- The problem with trying to assess a response to the food trial while the patient is on meds is that you'd expect the patient to get better because of the meds, regardless of the effect on food. And then you don't know if they got better because of meds or because of diet change. Truth be told, if food allergies are suspected, it makes sense to change the diet ASAP, and that's usually what happens. But you just can't assess the effects of the diet until the secondary problems (ear infection, hotspot, etc.) and meds (especially steroids) are cleared. When I was trying to get Aleksander's allergies under control, I switched his food while he was being treated for a hotspot and ear infection. He was on steroids at the time (he had food, environmental, and flea allergies- I have no idea which one set him off this particular time, but it was before he was allergy tested). His original diet was chicken and rice, and I knew beef didn't agree with him, so I switched him to lamb and rice. Because of the steroids, he wasn't itchy, and the antibiotics helped clear his ear infection and hot spot. But as soon as the meds were done, he blew up in a major way- worse he had ever been! Turns out, he was VERY allergic to lamb, and had been on it for a month while under treatment. But this time I switched him back to his original chicken and rice diet while he was under treatment for another hotspot/ear infection combo, and waited to start a novel diet after his treatments were done, and in the winter when his environmental allergies were not a factor. Turns out, he wasn't allergic to chicken or rice at all, and the first flare up was most likely due to environmental and/or flea allergies. I've seen similar things happen to other people too. Now when I suspect a food allergy with environmental allergies, I tell people to not bother doing an official food trial until whatever season the environmental allergies are at their lowest. But it doesn't hurt to switch foods before that, with the understanding that major flare ups in environmental allergies may require medical intervention and make us unable to judge the effect of the food....See Morecat scabs?
Comments (25)My male cat of 7 yrs. old has these scabs ALL over his body not one bit of him is spared. We had him on various meds- that only help for a bit. We bathe him every other week with Flea shampoo- then Tar shampoo- then condition him well. Then daily we spray him down with Alpha-Kerry Bath oil (you mix a regular size spray bottle- half with the Alpha- Kerry, and fill with water- shake very well) and rub it into his skin. When we do this and stick to it-- he gets again a lot better -and it lasts longer-- We are at our wits end- I cannot stand to see him suffering...so actually we just added in tonight 10 mgs of Predisone- 2ML Omega oils. On top of all we were doing- we plan on giving him 10 mgs of pred. tonight and tomorrow night -then go to 5 mgs daily for a week then 5 mgs every other day-keep weaning til 5mgs 1 time a week...OH also tonight we added in spraying his main sleeping areas in the room we keep him in at night--as he is also on a diet--(poor Boy) So we had to keep him out of the other cats -cat food-we have 3 more cats. plus the dog. We have gone through changing from food to food- all it did was waste money.... We somehow this summer- I swear on my life I have NEVER ever- had a flea problem like the one we are fighting now!!!! We have removed all pets from home and flea bombed every inch- putting 2-3 bombs (yes complete over kill) in each room. Did more laundry then a public laundry... vacuumed- steam cleaned rugs, - and we are literally ready to snap- I was a licensed-certified Vet tech...and I am addicted to education so I also received diploma's in Pet Nutrition- and Dermatology-(Just to keep this brief I will not go into all the degrees and certifications I have,,,,) BUT-- Thanks to severe back pain-- I ended up not only having to give up work all together and going on Disability.. BUT my point is I have been out of the field of animal medicine for about 10 years now- so I am sure that many things have changed. So I am here to see if anyone has any ideas- I am open to any and all suggestions- I am also a Researcher- and love to research- so if I find anything I will now that I know this site exists post my findings. I really want to add --that INDOOR cats outlive outdoor cats by 9-12 years. I volunteer with various rescue groups- and not only have I been taught it in colleges -heard it from Vets--but have seen it with my own two eyes..I beg you all to keep your cats indoors. Ok off my soap box.....See Moremboston_gw
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