Girl has ‘excruciatingly painful’ one in 230,000,000 allergy

A mum who’s allergic to water says having a shower or getting caught within the rain seems like somebody has ‘taken a lighter to her physique’.

Kendall Bryce, 25, has aquagenic urticaria – a uncommon situation which causes her pores and skin to swell and escape in hives at any time when she comes into contact with water.

The mum-of-one from Durham, who’s presently pregnant along with her second youngster, says her life is a ‘day by day wrestle’ as she suffers from ‘excruciating’ ache at any time when she tries to scrub her arms or her physique.

She can be affected by rainwater and really humid days, which means her life is dictated by the climate. Just one in 2,300,000 individuals have the allergy.

Medical doctors have up to now been unable to seek out any treatment which works for Kendall – and so she has been compelled to proceed dwelling her life in ache.

‘It truly is a day by day wrestle. I can solely have a shower or take a bathe twice every week due to how excruciating the ache is – so I continuously fear I stink,’ she mentioned.

‘My life is dictated by the climate as I’ve to keep away from rain – and even scorching humid days. I verify the forecast every single day and keep house if it’s raining or going to rain.

‘But when I get caught out unexpectedly – my physique reacts and it’s actually painful. I’ve by no means been in a position to give my one-year-old son a shower. My mum has to do it for me. And I even really feel my throat burning after I drink water.’

Kendall says the ache has escalated over the previous few years – to the purpose the place it turns into so unhealthy that her physique can go into shock.

She mentioned: ‘When it began, it felt a bit like I used to be getting nettle stings throughout my physique. However now it seems like somebody has taken a lighter to my physique. It’s excruciating.

‘I’ll be in agony for about half an hour after washing – but it surely feels prefer it’s two hours. I cry all through. It’s truly so unhealthy that my physique can go into shock – so it’s harmful. It means my mum has to sit down with my son at any time when I’ve a shower.’

Kendall first found her situation when she was 15 and began breaking out in hives at any time when she took a shower. Initially, she might deal with her signs with Piriton – however over time issues deteriorated.

Kendall was later referred to a dermatologist on the College Hospital of North Durham – who lastly recognized her with aquagenic urticaria in 2021.

Nevertheless, she continues to be but to seek out any treatment that helps her situation.

She mentioned: ‘They’ve tried a number of completely different drugs however I saved reacting. I nonetheless haven’t discovered one thing that helps. In the mean time, there are solely so many issues I can strive as I’m pregnant. As soon as I give delivery, we’ll strive extra. However the factor is, the docs simply don’t know what’s going to assist.

‘In the mean time, all of it feels fairly degrading. I simply desire a regular life the place I can exit within the rain, have a bathe, and provides my son a shower.’

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