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In feb 2000, I was only 10 years old. I’ll never forget the burning, itching and stinging my whole body felt. Finding a pair of scissors in the bathroom, wearing just a towel, I used the sharpest point to scratch from head to toe. 20minutes later, I was found covered in blood and rushed to the doctors. It was then I was put on a 4 week course of antihistamines. My GP presumed I had an allergic reaction. After the course ended, everything seemed okay till 2001.
Play fighting with my older sister, I was then 12. Sat watching telly when my mum began panicking. ‘whats happened to your arm?!’ looking down I saw a perfect red, swollen handprint. It looked like I had been severly slapped, even burnt because it had came up in welts. A week later the constant itching returned. Once I scratched an area, it came up in a lumpy patch. You could clearly see where my nails had scratched. I was again taken to doctors and finally a diagnosis was made.
I was diagnosed with Dermatographic urticaria, also known as dermographism or ‘skin writing‘. Its a skin condition that affects 4-5% of the population. The skin easily becomes raised+inflamed when scratched, rubbed and slapped. Its causd by mast cells in tha surface of the skin releasing histamines without the prescense of antigens due the prescense of a weak membrane surrounding tha mast cells. The antihistamines releasd cause the skin to swell in the affectd area.
It’s a stressful skin condition to live with. Without taking antihistamines daily, I think i’d be lost and stuck. Its had me crying, I have scars from the itching and due to taking antihistamines, i’m constantly getting heartburn. I’m now 21 and happily married with a 18m old son. Sadly he has symptoms and will need testing. The only fun I have with my ‘writing skin’ is playing noughts+crosses on my arm to pass the time at the waiting room at doctors.
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About The Real Supermum
Can this happen at any age? Cause recently my oh has got raised marks like nettle rash on his body when he scratches x
I’m so pleased to have finally found someone else with this – I’ve had it for many years and its horrible. Like you,I’m also on several antihistamines daily to help control symptoms xx
And I thought having exema was bad enough but after reading this I’ll never complain again!
Aww hunni so sorry to hear about your condition. It sounds very painful and very itchy but it’s excellent to see your not letting it run your life an that you’ve had a child. Massive hugs xxx
That sounds awful, i though having exzema was bad enough, wish you lots of healthy happy wishes to you and your little boy xx
Wow i feel for you hun, its good to show awearness to thins, i’d never heard of it before but sounds aweful, i hope you and your little boy a healthy future x x
Aww honey. I feel your pain!!! Taking antihistamines daily is awful. The heartburns a pain but how do you deal with the drowsiness?? I feel like a walking zombie. (I’ve got allergies to nuts, animals, money and penicillin) xxxx good luck to u. X
awww this must be living hell
i feel for you i do, glad you dont let it control your life, good or you 
x
Oh god, this sounds so strange. Sorry you have to live with it. Good luck to you and your son x
Sounds awful hun glad you have found some medication to help. x
Wow I’d never heard of this condition before, can’t imagine how difficult it must have made teenage years, I had bad excema especially on my hands and arms and it made teen years hell so it must have been a hard one to explain to people, I hope things get easier with time!
Wow, I had bever heard of this before! You must be very strong to cope with the day to day struggles of living with this. xx
never heard of this b4, must be hard to live with, glad theres things you can take to keep it at bay tho.
Never heard of this before, hope that your LO’s tests come back negative & he doesn’t have it!!! Is it something that can be diagnosed at any age as my Mam got eczema when she was 47 or is it something that you have from birth?
xXxXx
ive never heard of this before either;.. bless you.. really doesnt sound very nice hope your lol tests come back ok. xx
his must be a nightmare hunni…. ive never heard of it b4 hun… hope yur tests come back ok hun xxx