Until I had my daughter nearly 2 years ago, my only allergy was penicillin. I could slap just about anything on my skin, eat just about anything except cheese (causes stomach cramps)
Then I had my baby and BAM! Any kind of face cleansing wipe or product, pretty much any make up other than a very tiny amount of BB cream on top of moisturiser makes my skin angry, red and itchy. Perfume brings my skin up as though it’s been burned. Heat and my own sweat bring me out in a rash. Sun cream makes my skin red and inflamed. All of a sudden I’m really vulnerable to fungal type infections. I have to keep a really close eye on anything itchy to stop it developing. I’m also having more problems with medication side effects. I was given propranolol and it made me so dizzy it felt like I was on a ship in a storm. Now I have a chest infection and, surprise surprise, doxycycline makes me violently sick.
Is this getting older? (I’m 35) Or is it something to do with going through pregnancy? Is there any prospect of it settling down again?
I’m struggling to lose the baby weight (is it that??) and now I can’t wear make up or perfume and have to make sure all my skin is covered as I’m prone to sunburn and can’t put sun cream on. I feel desperately resentful of my body, which let me down badly enough during birth and attempting to breastfeed. Now it seems to be actively trying to undermine my confidence by reacting to anything that runs any risk of making me feel good about myself! WTF?!