DAY EIGHTEEN

Hmmm, I feel as though things are heading backwards again.

I’m only just starting to work out my triggers (when your skin is covered in angry red rashes all the time, coming in contact with a trigger will go unnoticed, but when your skin is clear a triggered reaction is glaringly obvious), and something evidently wriggled into my day yesterday that my body didn’t like.

My GP won’t refer me for a food allergy test (patch test for non-food allergens came out totally negative) because he says there’s no link in the literature he’s read between eczema and food. However, the more I read, learn from other sufferers and observe in myself, the more I think that that could possibly be a fat load of bull. I’m compiling a food diary – I always thought they were silly, but it’s strange how you don’t notice connections until you begin to log your food and symptoms. I also experience symptoms in my gut which I never realised were as routine as they are on the daily.

I’ve tried reducing high-histamine foods like chocolate and tomato, cutting out dairy (rice milk is uh-mazing) and most alcohols (especially red wine and beer, but I’m allowing myself white spirits as they don’t make me itch as badly). I also tried to embark on a gluten-free lifestyle and stocked up on lorry-loads of free-from foods, but my body isn’t a fan of something in them as most of the foods I bought result in me almost doubled over with cramps before I even finish eating.

So anyway, I’ve come into contact with something that was definitely a trigger for me yesterday. I’ve had a proper scratch at my legs and upper body isn’t looking as clear anymore (although nowhere near the severity of flares I used to get). On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst I’ve ever had, I’d give this a 2.

In fact, I’ve just taken some pictures of my arm and belly and I can’t believe it’s got to the point where I’m actually making a fuss about this:

I’m also finding that where I’ve itched but not managed to break the skin, I’m getting fat-ass bruises. Is it possible that I’m itching hard enough to bruise?! Really?!?! Someone tell me I’m wrong.