Trying to identify red & white bumps

Toward the beginning of summer 2008, my palms and the bottoms of my feet started itching every so often.  It was a burning itch.  I just thought it was dry skin.  My eyelids also sometimes began to itch like crazy.  But, there was nothing to be seen on the surface.  I did go to India soon after the symptoms started, but they did start before India.  I doubt that India or the inoculations had anything to do with it because the itching started beforehand.  

Anyway, about mid-semester in the fall, the white bumps started on my palms.  They are mostly small and round, maybe an 1/8th to a 1/4 of an inch across.  Somtimes, they look bigger, but I think that is when two are right next to each other.  Lotion only makes the itching more intense and painful.  Several applications of Benedryl creme help somewhat.  Super cold water seems to be the only thing that really helps.  I think this is because it has a numbing affect.  I went to the school nurse as soon as the white bumps showed up (I happened to be on campus at the time).  She told me they were probably just stress induced hives (though they look nothing like the pics on this site of hives) and that as long as they don't open and weep I'm fine.  They haven't opened up at all.  

In the last week of the semester (early December), smaller (just larger than pinpoint) red bumps showed up all over my trunk (front, back, pits, breasts) and uper arms.  I went to see the nurse again who was puzzled.  She ruled out menenghitis because of how they looked (I was able to show her the ones on my arm) and suggested that it might be a reaction to food.  I had eaten some chocolate covered espresso bean and ate out at a German restaurant that weekend.  She told me to pay close attention to what I was eating.  She also discouraged me from using Benedryl over that much area of my body, and I agree.  Since then, my diet has returned to normal.  There is nothing out of the ordinary in my diet.  I'm a very limited cook, and we eat out at only the same restaurants.  So, if my diet hasn't changed in several years, that probably isn't it either.  

But, both the white bumps on my hands and feet and the red bumps on all the softer skin parts like trunk, neck, cheeks, arms, and legs still show up every so often, several times each week.  Sometimes, it seems linked to stress.  If I have a really bad day, the white bumps will show up within moments and/or the red bumps within several hours.  I do have enough ambient stress to choke a horse what with fulltime study, 2 mortgages, sinking debts because of the second mortgage, and my husband is trapped in a lousy job to make it all work.  Sometimes, the rashes seem to show up randomly.  I don't get it.  I can't find the pattern.  

I was reading the forums here about rashes and saw that some people have rashes with hypothyroidism and after having had a child.  Well, I haven't had a child possibly due to the hypothyroid (only clinical), but we don't have the money to get that checked out properly because insurance doesn't cover it.  Another stress.  But, I had no idea that rashes can come with hypothyroid.  Why?  How?  What do they look like?  I would gladly upload a photo of an arm and a palm if that would help if someone can show me how to do that on this site.  I also have asthma that started a few years ago after a sinus surgery, though every doctor insists those are unrelated.  I am allergic to animal fur, dust, and mold.  I have no pets.  I left the dusty state of Montana and moved to the moldy state of Oregon.  The allergy symptoms are much better now.  I also get massive headaches.  Could be TMJ.  Could be sinus related.  Could be the mystery of the ages.  I have no idea if any of this is related.  I can live with the headaches, have for years.  I can live with hypothyroid as long as we can afford treatment before I'm too old to have a kid.  I can live with the allergies, they're pretty minor.  But, the bumps have got to go!  Any ideas as to what they are?  Could it really just be stress?  When will it go away?  Could it be something more serious?  My insurance *****, so I don't really relish the idea of going to the doctor.  But, if I have to, I have to.  I'd appreciate any thoughts on what this might be.  Thanks so much.  

[SuperGimp]

bump.  Sorry, I didn't realize that would be considered an inappropriate word.  Let's say my insurance stinks.