...so what is wrong with me NOW?

[baratron]

Tired. Itchy. Irritable.

Let's see: I have eczema all over my body. I've never had eczema before. I've had a strange allergic rash for years and years, but I was pretty sure that wasn't eczema because it didn't look like other people's rashes.

My eyes and nose are both streaming, as if I have hay fever. But it's November, and I'm in the northern hemisphere. Hrm. I keep having low-grade asthma, too.

My stomach is still being evil, intermittently.

Since the clocks went back, I've gone from needing to sleep for 10-12 hours per day to sleeping for 12-14 hours a day. This seems very non-optimal. If I felt more down than I do, I'd say I was depressed - but I don't feel depressed. I feel fine all the time I'm sitting under bright lights, and lousy all the time I'm not.

I'm wondering if some of my allergy problems are related to the excessive sleep. Apparently, mattresses more than 10 years old are more likely to be full of dust mite, which causes asthma and ezcema. But my mattress is one of those ridiculously expensive latex ones that's supposed to be better for allergies - it was £500 11 years ago. I can't possibly afford a new mattress when the one I have isn't worn out yet - I can't even afford the bills I have at the moment. I could try vacuuming my mattress, but I had a feeling you weren't supposed to vacuum latex mattresses because that shakes up the dust mites, or something.

Damn it. Damn it all.

Seeing the doctor tomorrow. Hoping he can fix me.

Comments

[adjectivegail]

i don't know if this'll be much help, since it's going to be quite vague, but - one of my cousins has an allergy to dust mites, and since she's in boarding school there's no telling how many people have slept on the mattress that would be on her bed. i know she got a new mattress, but i also seem to recall that my aunt found some special sheets as well, which are supposed to help reduce the effects of dust allergies. they go under your normal bedsheets, next to the mattress, and whatever it is that's special about them is supposed to help prevent the dust mites and their droppings from getting through.
but even despite that, i wonder if an extra layer of clean sheets between you and the mattress (or a blanket?) might help?

[lizw.livejournal.com]

Don't you have a latex allergy, or am I misremembering? If so, is it possible that for some reason your sheets aren't doing a good enough job of isolating you from the latex? Could the latex be deteriorating in some way that isn't apparent to the eye?

[baratron.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I seem to be allergic to latex condoms, but I don't know whether that's the latex or the spermicide. I don't get wheezy from being touched by latex, though, which is the usual reaction for people with a latex allergy.

I'm having a load of allergy tests done next week, and my doctor has suggested a way to find out for certain what in condoms I'm allergic to, so I'll know then.

Thorough hoovering

[ailbhe]

If you want to borrow a Dyson with a new filter, let me know. I don't have a car, but we can figure something out. I find it invaluable for my mattress and armchairs. My dust allergy is fairly mild, though, and I've been more or less ok since removing the bedroom carpets.

The Dyson was a godsend when we had fleas, too.

Re: Thorough hoovering

[baratron.livejournal.com]

I think meeping and Peter have a Dyson that I could borrow. Peter is quite badly asthmatic (I can't remember if he's on 4 or 8 x the dosage of brown inhaler that I am!) so it must work for them. That's a good thought, though - I'll ask them to bring it round.