Allergic reaction, seek help or is that ridiculous?

[getmetothebeachplease]

Accidentally picked up the wrong laundry detergent yesterday and did 3 loads of washing. Wore something from that washing to bed and woke up feeling like my skin was on fire with awful hives all over my body. Went to pharmacy who gave me some piriton and anti itch cream. Things seemed to get slightly better.

Then got home and about an hour later everything has flared up again, now spreading up my neck and face as well as all over my body. Taken more piriton and it's made no difference.

Obviously it's not an emergency because it's not effecting my breathing or anything but would I be unreasonable to seek help?

Contact dermatitis would be an isolated area of inflammation where the allergen touches your skin. Your reaction is spreading to areas that you didn’t touch with the clothing, like your face.

I had allergic reactions last year. Just a couple of them where my face swelled up and I looked horrific (okay, hilarious). Unfortunately the first was on Christmas Day and as I'm the mum, Christmas would have been buggered had I left to go to A&E so I made a gin, laughed at my ridiculous face and got on with it. Then during the following year I had multiple incidents of one side or both sides of my throat swelling up. Every time I phoned the doctors or 111 and they told me over the phone that it was just tonsillitis (despite no Pain, no white gross tonsils, no temperature or illness) and again, I didn't go to A&E.

The final time it was my face again and I decided, sod it and went to A&E. The doctor was pretty f*ing mad I didn't go for all the other times. Got a big lecture saying the more allergic reactions you have the worse and quicker they can get. He also said if my throat decided to close, it would be minutes, not hours. And A&E is 3/4 hour drive away!

Never did find out what I was allergic to but I won't brush it off again. Straight to the hospital for me. Better overreacting than dead.

Hope you are OK, OP.

I had this with my child before and we ended up in a+e needing oral steroids for 3 days, and monitoring for an hour to make sure the first dose of steroids stopped the hives from spreading further

My anaphylaxis started off as hives all over then eventually would reach my mouth. Hope you’re ok OP. How scary.

How are you doing OP?

@getmetothebeachplease hope you're doing ok nkw

[quote PurpleyBlue]@getmetothebeachplease hope you're doing ok nkw[/quote]
Much better now thank you! My reaction started coming down a little after I posted and although it's taken a few days it is finally gone now x

Glad to hear it

That’s great!

I’m glad you’re ok. It might be worth a routine GP appointment for advice about what to do if it happens again. They could recommend you a treatment plan for taking antihistamines as most over the counter says “one a day” but you can take more - they could tell you how many go safely take and also tell you when to seek medical attention, ie hives on throat or face, it might not be as basic as if you struggle to breathe.