I Need Urgent Advice.
Hi everyone,
I’ve been part of this Reddit community for a few years now, and it’s genuinely reassuring to know there are other people going through the same condition and finding treatments that help.
I’ve had cholinergic urticaria (CU) since I was 13, and I’m now 27. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become better at managing it because I understand it more. That said, I’ve always brushed it off. Whenever I’ve tried explaining the pain to family or friends, it hasn’t really been taken seriously, so over time I convinced myself not to make a big deal of it either. Looking back, that probably wasn’t the best approach.
Only recently have I realised just how much this condition has affected my life. It’s impacted my relationships, work, and social life. Before I go anywhere or do anything, I have to think about whether my CU is going to flare up, and more often than not, that stops me from doing things altogether. It’s honestly incredible that I’ve lived like this for so long. Summer is especially difficult, and with UK summers getting hotter and lasting longer, I find myself feeling really low during that time of year.
I’m seeing my GP tomorrow, but if I’m honest, I’m not expecting much. I hope I’m wrong, but after dealing with this for 14 years, it’s hard not to be sceptical.
A few days ago, I read a post from someone who said they only developed CU after moving to the UK from Africa, and they wondered whether the climate played a part. That really got me thinking because when I visited Africa at 17, I was convinced the heat would make my CU unbearable. Instead, I didn’t have a single flare-up during the two weeks I was there, despite temperatures being between 30–40°C most days. It makes me wonder whether climate, humidity, or something else in the environment could be involved.
The only thing that consistently helps during bad flare-ups is smoking a very small amount of weed. It almost completely takes away the intense prickly sensation. The problem is, I don’t actually enjoy smoking, and I don’t want to rely on it just to get through the day.
At this point, I just want my life back. I’m tired of planning everything around this condition. If anyone has been in a similar situation, found an effective treatment, or has any advice about what I should discuss with my doctor, I’d really appreciate hearing from you.
I posted here once before but didn’t get any responses, so I’m hoping this time someone might be able to point me in the right direction.
Thanks for reading.