I have A Chronic Illness, Here's What Life Is Like With It
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

I Have A Chronic Illness And Here's What Life Is Like With It

I started living my life day by day.

481
I Have A Chronic Illness And Here's What Life Is Like With It
personal photo

Since I was born, I have had what is called Chronic Urticaria living in my body. Chronic Urticaria is a terrible version of hives that less than 1% of the population has. Around 20% of people get hives...you know, those itchy lumps on your skin that come up when you come into contact with allergens. Mine can be that way, itchy bumps that emerge when I come into contact with things I'm allergic to, but mine also can get into my joints and get into/under my skin. When y hives emerge, I am an essentially a vegetable. My fingers can't move and are red and irritated, my breathing slows to a near stop unless I get help, and sometimes it can lead to anaphylactic shock.

Web MD says, "About 20% of people get hives -- itchy red or skin-colored welts also known as urticaria. They're often caused by an allergic reaction to a food or drug. Usually, they go away quickly.

For a small number of people, though, hives come back again and again, with no known cause. When new outbreaks happen almost every day for 6 weeks or more, it's called chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU).

One percent or less of people have it. It's most common in people between the ages of 20 and 40. With CIU, a single outbreak usually lasts no more than 24 hours. After that, new hives form.

What Causes It?

Experts don't know. The immune system seems to play a role. Some people get chronic hives at the same time that they get other problems like thyroid disease, hormonal problems, or cancer.

What Are Some Common Triggers?

Even though doctors can't say for sure what causes CIU, they do know things that can lead to flare-ups. They include:

  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Tight clothing
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like aspirin and ibuprofen
  • Exercise
  • Cold
  • Heat"

My illness is incredibly dangerous and effects my everyday life. I have to be careful whenever I go outside because one bug bite can send me into the emergency room. On vacations, I can't put any part of my body into the ocean without coming out of the water as a giant hive. I have lived with this illness my entire life and I have had many scares to the point where I inform every person I begin to date about how serious my illness is just in case they aren't ready for the responsibility.

I think most people look at me and see this happy, carefree girl, but they don't know that I live my life day by day anymore. I live y life to the fullest every single day because I can't promise that I'll be okay tomorrow. I try and love my life every day and make people realize their true potentials because sometimes I worry about my own. I have had to drop activities and people I care about because of my illness and it has made things incredibly difficult. I think what the world needs to learn from my story is that you never truly know what is happening in a person's life until you try and look for it. Love everyone while you can because who knows, they could be uncertain about tomorrow just like me.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

Theories Of Motivation

Some things other than coffee to motivate you

1522
Theories Of Motivation
Motivation refers to the psychological processes that drive and direct behavior towards achieving goals. Several theories of motivation have been proposed by psychologists and researchers over the years. These theories attempt to explain why individuals are motivated to act in certain ways and what factors influence their behavior. Here is an overview of some prominent theories of motivation:
Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

Writer of the Month: Emily Templeton

Get to know Miami University alumni and top creator Emily Templeton!

3420
Writer of the Month: Emily Templeton

The talented team of response writers make our world at Odyssey go round! Using our response button feature, they carry out our mission of sparking positive, productive conversations in a polarized world.

Keep Reading...Show less
Content Inspiration

Top 3 Response Articles of This Week!

Do you know what's trending this week?

3689
Top 3 Response Articles of This Week!
c1.staticflickr.com

Happy Memorial Day from Odyssey! We're excited to welcome in the summer season with our creator community. Each week, more writers are joining Odyssey while school's on break- and you could, too! Check out the bottom of the article to learn how.

Here are the top three response articles of last week:

Keep Reading...Show less
We Need More Than Memorials this Memorial Day
Cape Cod Irish

When I was a child, I used to look forward to Memorial Day Weekend from the time I returned to school after Christmas vacation. It was the yearly benchmark announcing the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation. It meant I was one step closer to regattas, swim meets and tennis matches.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

5 fun Summer Vacations that won't break your bank

Enjoy the sun, relax the wallet - here are the estimated costs

4635
5 fun Summer Vacations that won't break your bank
Endless Ocean
We compiled the costs related to 5 enriching summer vacations for this year in the thrifty sense:
Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments