Unexplained Reactions - all my life

I'm new to this forum... I've come here hoping to find an answer - or at least a starting point for research into - to a problem that I've suffered from my entire life. I'm 23 years old, and I have unexplained allergic reactions. They are random - I could have several in a week or just one over the course of a couple of years. They always, without fail, happen when I lay down to go to bed at night, just before I fall asleep. They come out of the blue. They will start with a severe stomach pain, then my lips and mouth will start to itch and tingle. The itching and hives will spread in this order: lips/mouth-->behind ears/whole head-->behind my knees, inside my elbows, groin area-->whole body, heading downward. My throat will swell up and my breathing will get more difficult and wheezy. I just take a few benadryl and wait it out. Every time I've ever had one.. I'd guess between 30 and 50 over my lifetime... I've gone over carefully where I'd been and what I'd done and what I'd eaten and drank that day, and there's never anything that is unusual or out of the norm. My mother and my uncle both suffer from the same problem. My mother's have gotten increasingly severe and she now has to carry an EpiPen at all times. What on Earth could be causing these reactions? They are incredibly unpleasant and I'm worried that they will get more severe as I get older, as my mother's have. Unfortunately I cannot afford to see a specialist and my insurance will not cover it... besides no doctor has ever been able to tell me what it could be. I would appreciate any help that you could provide.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

How are you?

From your symptoms, it seems that you are allergic to dust mites. These are microscopic organisms, which are related to spiders, live in many homes. Too small to see with the naked eye, dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments — eating dead skin cells and nesting in dust-collecting bedding, fabric, carpet and furnishings.

The residue that dust mites leave behind in the form of their feces and decaying bodies mixes with dust and becomes airborne. If you aren't allergic to dust mite residue, it's not harmful. But if you are, inhaling the residue can cause bothersome allergy symptoms, including wheezing, sneezing, watery eyes and runny nose.

Usually it is hereditary. Diagnosed by skin ***** or patch tests. In these tests, a small amount of allergen (dust mites)is injected into your skin by a doctor. If you are allergic to dust mites then you will develop a red, itchy bump on the site if injection. Confirmatory test is by blood tests (RAST).

Treatment includes avoidance of allergen. To reduce dust mites in your home, remove drapes, feather pillows, upholstered furniture, non-washable comforters and soft toys. Replace carpets with linoleum or wood. Vacuum soft furniture and curtains as well as floor Wash carpets and upholstery with special cleaners, such as benzyl benzoate or tannic acid spray. Wash all bedding in hot water (hotter than 130°F) every 7 to 10 days. Don't use mattress pads. Cover mattress and pillows with plastic covers. Lower the humidity in your home.

You can use antihistaminics like benadryl,zyrtec, decongestants and corticosteroids. In severe cases, Immunotherapy is advised.
Pls consult an immunologist for confirming the diagnosis and starting the treatment.

Take care and God bless.