Strange allergic reaction?

Question

I have never really had allergies. Besides bee stings, poison ivy, and slight seasonal allergies. However I just moved 8 hours from home and am now in Iowa and my eyes keep swelling up and I don't know why. Its nothing to do with makeup or anything like that and when I talked to my grandma about it she said it could be stress induces which makes sense because every time it has happened I have been extremely stressed and usually to the point of crying. In fact whenever I cry its about 10x worse but the strange thing is that its only around my eyes mostly. Every once in a while the rest of my face will get puffy and ill have a fews red blotches on my face but nowhere else. Does anyone know if it is stress induced or what I should do about it? When I went to the doctor, all he said was it seems you've had an allergic reaction to something but most of the time you'll never know what causes it.

Answer 1

Hi,

A few things it could be:

1. did you change your detergent at all? like generic laundry detergent is different per each store brand....in which case if you were crying and wiped your sleeve over your eyes (which I REALLY doubt is the case)...but, worth asking to rule out.

2. TISSUES....is it the SAME brand/kind as before you moved? Another thing that I am not thinking it is, but, again....just trying to rule it out.

3. STRESS can cause uticaria (hives). I get this when I am nervous, or stressed, or anxious. I used to have to lecture or give reports to docs, and the number of times I was asked about my hives......ha ha ha. I also have TRUE allergies, so, usually I can tell the difference....my stress ones....dont itch--they may feel HOT to me, but, I dont usually itch like I do with the others...at least not that bad.

4. My actually suspicion in your case is "intrinsic uticaria". It is rarely thought of, and can be related, although NOT always is one having to be present to have the other to "exercise induced uticaria". (yes, someone CAN be allergic to exercise). What happens is the body mistakes your stress as an allergen, and begins to attack it. You can look it up on the internet....try to seek out true medical sites preferably (medline, medicine net, webmd) for more accurate info, and if it sounds at all like what you were experiencing, considering discussing it with your doctor. You may need to go on a histamine blocker. I have had a patient that went into anaphalaxic shock from this---luckily, this was AFTER I had already heard about this, and when she told me she was "allergic to herself", I knew it sounded hilarious, but, I was fairly sure what she was trying to say. So, I asked, and it was true. I had to explain it to ER docs---3 of them at a MAJOR medical center, as they had NEVER heard of it....and kept asking me WHAT did she eat, WHERE was she stung?? I had to explain...it wasnt how it worked....

good luck to you.

miss medic---ems since 1989

Answer 2

Allergic reactions are not caused by stress. There is something different in the environment where you live now that was not present where you lived before. Usually, puffiness and allergies that show up around the eyes and face are allergies caused by food or something in the air. Most people notice food allergies because they tend to occur soon after eating, and the pattern is usually obvious. If the allergies occur seasonally, then its a good bet that its caused by some type of pollen. If the allergies seem to coincide with windy days and stormy weather, an allergy to mold is likely. If the allergy typically develops overnight, or on days when you do dusting or vacuuming, then dust mites are a likely cause. People sometimes have multiple allergies, so one or more patterns may be present.

If the allergies are something you want to get rid of you can visit an allergist. Your doctor isn't exactly correct - many common allergies can be identified through an allergy test, but not all allergies can be identified.

I am guessing that this problem is probably dust mites. You could start out by making sure you have a hypoallergenic pillow, with a zippered cover that cannot be penetrated by dust mites. Down pillows are notoriously bad for allergies. You should also make sure you have a decent vacuum sweeper - one that at least has a microfilter bag, but ideally one that has HEPA filtration (such as Eureka Boss).

Answer 3

I agree you have to look at the environmental factors in your new home and surrounding factories, bakeries, anything that emits anything into the air.

Is there something grown on surrounding farms in the area that wasn't present where you lived before? Certain trees? What kind of house do you live in?

Do you have a mouldy wooden house? Is it damp or dusty? Do people burn their field waste? You'd be surprised how smoke and other emissions from factories etc. factor into allergies.

Do a little investigation and find out. You can't afford to live like that and there really is nothing you can do about what you are allergic to other than avoid it.

Stress doesn't cause puffy eyes, if it did mine would be swelled shut! ;~)

Are you sleeping on new bedding? Did any old furniture come with the house? Indeed feather pillows and even wool can cause bad reactions. Aside from being a breeding ground for mites and even mould they should be avoided. Do get allergy covers for your pillows and mattress and remove carpet, drapes, and any dust collecting items like stuffed animals, books, etc. from the room you sleep in. That should be your haven as you spend a minimum of 8 hours or more in your bedroom. Buy one of those ioners things they help keep the dust from collecting and settling etc. and keep your room clean. Your immune system weakens with allergies so the more you can keep it healthy by avoiding allergens, the less reactions you will have hopefully. Stay indoors with windows closed on those bad air days, unless the problem is inside your home.

Find out exactly what you are allergic too. You can always develop NEW allergies at any time in your life.

Answer 4

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