Mum with rare condition suffers 'excruciating pain' when she showers or washes hands
A mum-of-one who is allergic to water says taking a shower or getting caught in the rain feels like someone has "taken a lighter to her body".
Kendall Bryce, 25, has aquagenic urticaria - a rare condition which causes her skin to swell and break out in hives whenever she comes into contact with water.
She says she feels pain whenever she tries to wash her hands or her body, and feels her throat "burning" when she drinks water.
"It really is a daily struggle. I can only have a bath or take a shower twice a week because of how excruciating the pain is - so I constantly worry I stink," says Bryce, who is pregnant with her second child.
"I've never been able to give my one-year-old son a bath. My mum has to do it for me."
Recommended reading
I'm allergic to more than 40 things including water (Yahoo Life)
Minnesota woman's rare allergy turns exercise into a life-threatening risk: 'I'm allergic to working out' (The Independent)
Parents And Kids With Allergies Are Going Through Hell – A New 'Allergy School' Hopes To Change That (HuffPost)
Bryce, from Durham, is also affected by rain water and very humid days, meaning her life is "dictated by the weather".
"I check the forecast every day and stay home if it's raining or going to rain. But if I get caught out by surprise - my body reacts and it's really painful," she says.
Doctors have been unable to find any medication which works for Bryce, who says her GP "didn't have a clue what to do" about her condition.
The stay-at-home mum is speaking out now in the hope that someone somewhere will be able to provide her with a long-term solution.
Bryce first discovered her condition when she was 15, as she began breaking out in hives whenever she took a bath.
Initially, she could treat her symptoms with Piriton - an antihistamine medicine - but her condition has since deteriorated, with her pain becoming so bad in the past few years her body can go into shock.
"When it started, it felt a bit like I was getting nettle stings all over my body. But now it feels like someone has taken a lighter to my body. It's excruciating," she says.
"I'll be in agony for about half an hour after washing - but it feels like it's two hours. I cry throughout.
"It's actually so bad that my body can go into shock - so it's dangerous. It means my mum has to sit with my son whenever I have a bath."
Click below to see the latest North East headlines
Kendall was eventually referred to a dermatologist at the University Hospital of North Durham - who finally diagnosed her with aquagenic urticaria in 2021, but she is yet to find any effective medication.
"At the moment, there are only so many things I can try as I'm pregnant. Once I give birth, we'll try more. But the thing is, the doctors just don't know what will help," she says.
"I really hope an expert might get in touch and know what to do. At the moment, it all feels quite degrading. I just want a normal life where I can go out in the rain, have a shower, and give my son a bath."
Aquagenic urticaria is a rare condition in which a person's skin develops red, itchy hives after exposure to water.
Itchy hives appear on the skin, usually on the chest, abdomen, pelvis, back or arms after exposure to water, according to the Allergy Asthma Network.
The condition, first reported in 1964, most often affects women. It commonly arises during or after puberty, with an average onset age of 19, Medical News Today reports, although it can occur later in life.
To give an idea of just how rare it is, a 2020 study estimated the number of cases worldwide to be less than 100.
People with aquagenic urticaria can experience hives when they come into contact with rain, snow, sweat and tears, and the temperature of the water makes no difference to their reactions.
Symptoms normally start within 30 minutes of exposure to water, can last between 30 minutes and two hours, and usually go away on their own.
Reactions do not typically occur when drinking water because the water doesn't touch the skin, the Allergy Asthma Network says, but some people may experience symptoms like swelling or irritation on the inside of the lips or mouth.
It is not known exactly what causes aquagenic urticaria, but theories include an allergen or chemical in the water (rather than the water itself), or water interacting with something on the skin.
While there is no cure, antihistamines are often recommended as medication, as well as topical creams which can form a barrier between the skin and water.
Phototherapy, where UV light is used to reduce inflammation, has been used to treat aquagenic urticaria successfully in some patients, although relapses are still common.
Doctors may also recommend asthma medication omalizumab, or prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Weight-loss drugs were said to be a game changer. Turns out the benefit might be thinner than thought
Common GLP-1 weight loss drugs - including Wegovy and Ozempic - may not work for everyone in a 'real-world' setting, Cleveland Clinic researchers said Tuesday. The reason is that patients may take lower dosages or discontinue their treatment, negatively impacting the ability to control blood sugar levels in those who are pre-diabetic. The findings may have implications for people considering using the drugs, that are taken by more than eight million Americans every year. They've offered an alternative to traditional and taxing weight loss methods, such as diets and fitness. 'Our study shows that patients treated for obesity with semaglutide or trizepatide lost less weight on average in a regular clinical setting compared to what is observed in randomized clinical trials,' Dr. Hamlet Gasoyan, a researcher with Cleveland Clinic, said in a statement. 'According to our data, this could be explained by higher rates of discontinuation and lower maintenance dosages used in clinical practice, compared to randomized clinical trial settings.' Gasoyan was the lead author of the study published on Tuesday in the Obesity Journal. 'Semaglutide has been extensively examined in robust clinical development programs, large real-world-evidence studies and has cumulatively over 33 million patient years of exposure,' a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told The Independent. 'Semaglutide's efficacy and safety have been extensively demonstrated in people with obesity/overweight with robust evidence for improving health outcomes. Semaglutide has demonstrated improvements in cardiovascular death, stroke, and myocardial infarction.' A request for comment from Eli Lilly was not immediately returned to The Independent. The study focuses on drugs with the active ingredients semaglutide and tirzepatide; they include the U.S. Food and Drug-administration approved type 2 diabetes medications Zepbound and Mounjaro. The authors studied their effects on weight loss and blood sugar regulation in a real-world setting. They noted that previous randomized clinical trials have shown the efficacy of those medications. The authors monitored the health of nearly 7,900 adults who were severely obese. Of those, more than 1,300 had pre-diabetes at the study's start and were at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes: a chronic condition that affects a person's ability to use insulin and keep blood sugar at normal levels. Participants took the shots between 2021 and 2023. The researchers sorted patients who discontinued their obesity medications into two groups: those who did it within just three months and by three months to a year. The study's follow-up period ended last December. The most common reasoning for discontinuation of treatment in the real-world setting was due to the steep cost of the drugs and insurance, side effects and shortages. Notably, since the study's, prices have started to fall. Of the participants, more than 20 percent discontinued their medications early and 32 percent discontinued their medications late. Furthermore, the authors noted than more than 80 percent had been on the lower dosages needed to sustain a therapeutic effect. For semaglutide, that's equal to or less than 1 milligram and equal to or less than 7.5 milligrams for tirzepatide. Following a year of treatment, the average weight reduction was 3.6 percent among participants who discontinued their treatment early, compared to 6.8 percent for those who discontinued their treatment late. But, those who did not discontinue treatment and were on the highest dosages necessary lost the most weight, at up to 13.7 percent with semaglutide and 18 percent with tirzepatide. Participants had higher odds of achieving 10 percent or greater weight reduction after one year of treatment if they did not discontinue their medications or did so late, were on the highest dosages needed for a therapeutic effect, received tirzepatide, and were women. Tracking the maintenance of blood sugar levels in those with pre-diabetes, the researchers said just a third of those who discontinued their treatment early experienced normal blood sugar levels compared to 41 percent who discontinued their treatment late and 67.9 percent who did not discontinue treatment. Lastly, the researchers observed that while patients who discontinued obesity medications lost significantly less weight compared to those who did not, their weight trajectories remained relatively stable. They said that would be the subject of additional research. 'Our findings about the real-world use patterns of these medications and associated clinical outcomes could inform the decisions of healthcare providers and their patients on the role of treatment discontinuation and maintenance dosage in achieving clinically meaningful weight reductions,' explained Gasoyan.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Goodbye, dad bod: Weight loss medications are changing fathers' physiques — and their relationships with their kids.
Neal Bland has done Ironman competitions and marathons. He's given countless personal training sessions over the course of his life and has always prided himself on staying in shape, especially given that obesity runs in his family. But by age 52, time and genetics had begun to catch up with Bland (who asked that we not use his real last name for privacy reasons). His blood pressure and blood sugar were climbing, his body mass index was hovering in the low 30s, and his joints were aching. Then, during a photo shoot with his wife last year, the photographer told Bland he 'looked good for a dad bod.' Bland knew the photographer had 'meant it as a compliment,' he tells Yahoo Life, 'but it really stuck.' He was still maintaining a rigorous diet and exercise regimen at the time, but it wasn't working for him. So, in March of 2024, he started on the GLP-1 medication tirzepatide. He's lost 45 pounds in a phase of his life he's dubbed his 'dad bod reboot.' Let's be clear: There's nothing wrong with a dad bod. In fact, the expectation for men to have chiseled abs — at any point, but especially in middle and older age — can be harmful. But for the 38% of American dads who are obese, their bodies may be putting them at risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other potentially life-threatening medical conditions. Some of these fathers have started taking GLP-1 weight loss medications, a decision that can bring about not just changes to their 'bods' and health indicators, but also to their lives as parents. We spoke to some of them about what it's like to be a dad, minus their former bods. Thirty-seven-year-old father of two Noah Wiggins is taking his nursing board exams and looking forward to beginning his new career in health care. 'But I looked in the mirror and thought, I can't expect patients to be healthy and maintain a healthy weight if I can't,' he tells Yahoo Life. Plus, Wiggins loves coaching his children's sports teams, but he found himself getting winded and sore when he tried to demonstrate athletic skills for the kids. While he could shed pounds for a time with the help of various diets, he couldn't maintain a healthy weight long-term. So Wiggins talked to his own health care provider, who agreed that GLP-1 medication could be a good option for him. He started taking Zepbound in January 2024. The medication, along with the support of his two children, has helped him lose more than 80 pounds since then. 'As I started to lose weight and get more active, they started making comments and encouraging me to make healthy food choices … without judgment,' says Wiggins. His daughter, who is about to turn 16, has been especially vocal, keeping Wiggins accountable when he picks up an unhealthy snack or tries to flake on going to the gym. 'I've had to fight the urge to say, 'I'm the parent, I'll go when I want to,'' says Wiggins. But ultimately, he's grateful for the tough-loving support from his kids. 'I think it's been a growing moment for them and for me,' he says. Wiggins's children have also noticed that he has more energy and can just be more fully present for them. Despite his progress, Wiggins still struggles with his body image. Like others that Wiggins has spoken to within the GLP-1 community, he half-expected that once the scale reached a certain number, he would feel satisfied with his body and appearance. 'But I don't know anyone who actually hits that number and feels like that,' he says. 'I look in the mirror and am happy with how I look and especially how I feel, but body dysmorphia is a real thing, and a lot of times you don't know you have it until you've lost weight.' At his lowest weight, Wiggins was tempted to lose another 20 pounds to make his reflection match the idealized version of himself in his mind, but he knew that would have put him below a healthy weight. That's when Wiggins realized that it wasn't about losing more weight. He needed to make a conscious effort to improve his mental health and confidence to help him feel content in his own skin. It's an important lesson that he wants his children to learn: how to 'be comfortable in your body, but balance that with good health,' Wiggins says. He's pushed himself to talk more openly with his kids about his own journey toward striking that balance. 'The best thing to do was just have more conversations with them about all of that, and they'll actually take the lead on those conversations once you start them.' Twenty years ago, when Ryan Rasmussen and his wife, AnnaLyn, were young newlyweds, they wanted desperately to start a family. After three years of trying, AnnaLyn got pregnant with quadruplets. But tragedy struck: None of the four babies survived more than about an hour after birth. The Rasmussens managed to pick up the pieces of their shattered hearts and eventually went on to have four children, born individually. But even as someone moves on, grief can linger in the body, wreaking havoc. For Rasmussen, the loss of his newborns quietly ate at him and, in turn, Rasmussen now recognizes he ate to cope with his grief. He reached nearly 300 pounds, he told Yahoo Life for our series On My Weigh. For those intervening 20 years, Rasmussen tried the Atkins diet and various other low-carb eating plans. He'd lose a little weight, then gain back as much or more. In the meantime, his family stayed active and went on ski trips. 'Annalyn is a marathon runner, and she's kept [the kids] in shape, but I think they've probably worried about me,' says Rasmussen. He tried to join their athletic activities, but skiing and hiking were hard on his overburdened joints. Two of his sisters, who also struggled with their weight, found success with GLP-1 medications. Impressed with their progress, Rasmussen tried the new class of weight loss drugs too. Within a year, he dropped 80 pounds. 'Being there for my family was the goal,' he says. Not only can Rasmussen now join the family ski trips, but hiking and spending time outdoors are day-to-day ways he bonds with his kids. His weight loss 'has definitely allowed us as a family to do more healthy activities,' Rasmussen says. Plus, his good habits have rubbed off on his children. Desserts, once a staple, are reserved for special occasions, and the household's midnight snacking has all but disappeared. Rasmussen's new body has also allowed him to get back in touch with his fashion sense. 'I like to look good and dress well, but when you're big, [that's] difficult,' he says. Now that he's lost weight, 'being able to dress with purpose in the morning has probably been one of the best things for me and my mental health,' says Rasmussen. And he's not the only one who's noticed his new look. One of his daughter's friends used the viral 'hear me out' cake trend on TikTok as an excuse to show some appreciation for Rasmussen. 'She said, 'hear me out, but Charlie's dad is attractive,'' Rasmussen explains. 'But [Charlie] was a good sport, she laughed about it.' Bland's now adult children grew up knowing him as the ultra-fit dad, who was always on the go for his job as a pharmaceutical researcher, or hitting the gym to train for his next big event. But he was always fighting against his genetics. 'I come from a long line of fluffy people,' Bland says. He spent his own childhood watching his mother constantly watch her weight. Despite avoiding smoking and drinking and maintaining a reasonably healthy diet, she eventually had to have both of her knees and one hip replaced and also suffered a stroke, 'all of which can be attributed to [extra] weight on your frame,' says Bland. Recognizing his family's propensity to obesity was part of what drove Bland to be so disciplined. 'But my genetics eventually outran my lifestyle,' he says. Even with the same routines in place, Bland gained weight in his early 50s, saw his A1C and blood pressure rise, and had inflammation in his hips and knees. And Bland admits that vanity was also a factor. The shirtless man in his vacation photos no longer looked like the version of himself he expected to see. 'I gained about 35 pounds in 10 years; it was the classic 'man-o-pause,'' he says. Though he didn't meet the clinical qualifications for brand-name GLP-1 medications, Bland tried compounded tirzepatide, suspecting that it would not only help him keep weight off but also reduce the inflammation in his joints. Once he started the medication, 'it was literally like somebody flipped a switch,' says Bland. The food noise (constant, intrusive thoughts about food) disappeared. He no longer ate just because he was bored. The joint pain was barely noticeable, and his workout recovery time improved. He also started to look more like himself in gym selfies. Bland didn't initially tell his children that he was taking GLP-1 medications. But one of his adult sons noticed that Bland was looking pretty shredded in some of his photos; in fact, he was a bit concerned. He told his father, 'You've lost so much weight and went from really fluffy to really not. Are you sure you're not ... taking PEDs,' meaning performance-enhancing drugs, recalls Bland. Though Bland, now 53, has been taking testosterone replacement therapy for years, that and the GLP-1 have allowed him to return to the weight and energy levels of his younger years. And he's now switched to a very low maintenance dose of tirzepatide to make sure he doesn't lose too much weight. 'It's been a little bit of a return to what they were used to when they were kids,' he says of his new — or, maybe more accurately, restored — bod. 'And I feel like I'm back to the person that my wife married,' Bland adds.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
New Covid Variant Causes Sore Throat That Feels Like 'Razor Blades'
A new variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 is circulating, and is believed to be more contagious than previous mutations The variant, NB.1.8.1, has been informally dubbed "Nimbus," and causes a severe sore throat that's been likened to "razor blades" This latest mutation has been called a "strong candidate for the summer surge" of Covid casesA new variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 has already caused a surge in cases in Asia — and its signature symptom is a severe sore throat that feels like 'razor blades.' Covid variant NB.1.8.1 — which has informally been dubbed 'Nimbus' — is being monitored by the World Health Organization as this latest mutation of the wildly contagious virus already makes up more than 10% of cases in Asia, Salon reports, adding that it's now been detected in the United States, Europe, and Canada. The variant has a high 'immune evasion, supporting its potential for future dominance,' according to a pre-print study that has not yet been peer-reviewed. This strain, Salon reports, causes 'razor blade throat,' or a severe sore throat; Other symptoms include traditional flu-like symptoms like congestion, fatigue, a mild cough, fever, and muscle aches, and more infrequently diarrhea and nausea, The Independent reports. Per that outlet, WHO says global risk is 'currently low, and existing Covid-19 vaccines are considered effective in preventing severe disease.' But as Dr. Rajendram Rajnarayanan, of the New York Institute of Technology, told Salon, 'NB.1.8.1 is a strong candidate for the summer surge.' 'I know that everybody wants to forget about this disease, but it's not going to allow us to,' Dr. Janko Nikolich, Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunobiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine said, according to ABC Action News. The news comes amid the Trump administration, under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., rolling back Covid vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women. Newborn babies are better protected against the virus if their mother receives the vaccine, Dr. Steven J. Fleischman, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement, per NPR. "The science has not changed," he said. "It is very clear that COVID infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic and lead to major disability." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Read the original article on People
