Hypersensitivity - do other people feel as if their body is becoming more intolerant and sensitive to everyday things.

[viv112]

I could write a long list of things which affect me and I try to avoid, and the reactions include getting tight chested and wheezy, feeling nauseous, watering eyes, scratchy throat, sore irritated skin and nerve pains. I guess these are symptoms of having an autoimmune condition. I feel as if I am getting worse and my reactions are becoming more intense. Does any one have any advice?

[laserlight]

Hi Viv

You'll see a lot of symptoms on this site that are understandably but sometimes erroneously laid at the door of one autoimmune condition/syndrome/hell or another. Some are certainly true but if all these symptoms were laid end to end, they'd fill an Olympic size swimming pool as big as Wales. Sorry to Rhod Gilbert and everyone else in Wales but you get the picture.

To sort out your suspicions, one idea might be to look up all your symptoms on a symptoms website. There are loads of them but try:

nhsdirect.nhs.uk/CheckSympt...

Don't expect any of your symptoms to be attributed to your particular autoimmune condition. Lots of clinicians haven't even heard of them, hence the blank looks we all get! If your symptom is attributed to your autoimmune condition(s), tell us and we'll all rejoice and fall over!

The results on symptoms websites should always be taken with a pinch of salt and beware of the sponsor; are they trying to sell you something?

Good luck, John.

[MaryF Administrator]

Hi there, Once I started treating my slow thyroid, I became a little bit better with allergy, and after I cut out gluten totally, I lost severe sneezing attacks which would give me nose bleeds and put me in bed for up to three days, having pulled every muscle in my body. I hardly take an allergy pill now! I still do have to take the odd one, but at times i was getting through maximum dose of phenergan several times a day, for long periods of time.

Mary F x

[viv112]

Thank you for your suggestions. My thyroid tests come back normal, and I've never had a significant reaction to eating gluten. I would be prepared to totally cut it out if I felt it would help. The food ingredient that gives me the worst reaction is citric acid which seems to be hiding in everything these days and anything with monosodium glutamate or corn starch.

The only antihistamine which helps me with itchy skin rashes and rhinitis is acrivastine made by Benadryl which is more expensive than cetirizine and the GP won't prescribe it. I can't use eye make up or colour my hair because of sensitivity reactions. I avoid visiting friends with dogs and cats, and can't stand dusty, damp or mouldy places. I didn't used to be like this!

[GinaD]

Ditto above. If your rheumatoid blood factors are up that would give you a bit of unassailable clinical evidence, and would also give rheumatologists an insight into effective treatment options.

And yeah, steroids might be a good scatter gun approach.

[Hidden]

I have definitely become increasingly intolerant to every day things over the past 2 years. that's mainly what brought me to this site to get a comparison. I live in Greece, and the economic problems have made the whole city seem overly sensitive to everything both physical and mental.

For example, I've been suffering from regular brief but debilitating anxiety attacks (probably caused when I'm dizzy and having weird visual problems + background stress from unemployed husband - no benefits - thus keeping my job essential budgeting problems, having to live with in laws etc. + fertility problems (nightmare) + EVERYONE around me from family to strangers in street has a tiny fuse and a lot of anger, so I'm shouted at in and out of the home - this has been going on for over 3 years) As many of these factors are not hughes, and are effecting everyone else too, its not surprising doctors have zero tolerance for my 'whining' that I can hardly cross a road without having a panic attack. Complaining about stress here and now just makes others angrily shout - me too!

What I want to say is, we may have hughes, but how to differentiate that from other stuff would need an idyllic life.

good luck reducing your symptoms.