‘MY HELL AFTER GETTING A WATER ALLERGY’
A YOUNG mum who became allergic to water after giving birth to her daughter says the rare condition has turned her life in to a “nightmare”.
Cherelle Farrugia, from Cardiff, gave birth to baby Willow in November 2017 but six weeks on she developed a painful rash every time she had a shower.
It took doctors three months to diagnose her with aquagenic urticaria, a rare condition which leads to hives developing rapidly after the skin comes in contact with water.
As a result, the Cardiff and Vale College student is unable to take her daughter swimming and even has to cover up her body when it rains.
There is currently no cure for the severe allergy which is thought to have affected just 35 people worldwide, but medics believe it is linked to changes in Cherelle’s hormones after giving birth to Willow.
“About six weeks after having my daughter I realised that every time I got out of the shower my skin would be really itchy,” she said.
“I initially thought it must be caused by the soap I was using. Then I thought it was the temperature of the water.
“But I tried all different temperatures: cold, hot, luke warm and body temperature, but my body reacted to all of them.”
Cherelle, a former Cantonian High School pupil who lives in Fairwater, also crossed chlorine allergy and bacteria in the shower head off her list of possible causes.
“I was still reacting to everything, but I didn’t think it could possibly be a water allergy. I’d never heard of such a thing.
“The first doctor I saw told me it was impossible, but the second doctor I saw had heard of it and referred me to an allergist.
“The waiting list on the NHS was five months so I decided to go private.”
Cherelle, who is training to become a mental health counsellor, said she developed postpartum depression after the birth of Willow, which is likely to have triggered the allergy.
“It was horrific and it hit me out of nowhere. I was borderline suicidal,” she said.
“I couldn’t get out of bed, I couldn’t leave the house and I was convinced something was going to happen to my daughter. I wouldn’t let anyone hold her.
“But I am very fortunate to be super close to my mum and dad and my partner is amazing.”
Despite her condition, Cherelle is continuing to shower every day but is very regimented over how long she stays under the water.
“I have OCD, so this condition is a nightmare for me as I always want to be clean,” said Cherelle, who is fine drinking water as the allergy does not affect her internally.
“I make sure I dry the water off my skin really quickly.
“It usually takes between 30 minutes and an hour [for the stinging and hive to subside].
“I always make sure there’s someone in the house with me when I shower now as I’ve been told I could go into anaphylactic shock.”
She believes the condition is more common than the figures suggest and is urging people with similar symptoms to contact their GP immediately.