Anaphylaxis, or "I am allergic to Texas"
For the last few months, I have had a theory that the high doses of chlorine in the Dallas water supply was making me ill. Nausea, diarrhea, weight loss and abdominal cramping are the main symptoms of chlorine poisoning, as well as what I now know to be the main symptoms of ingestion of an allergen. When I stopped drinking city water and switched over to bottled spring water, and the symptoms went away, I knew I was right. What I didn't count on is that it could also kill me.
Last night, after taking a long, hot bath (the chlorine content in the city water is so high here that your bathroom, shower, even your
skin smells like a public pool for hours after) and taking a walk, my head began to itch. Just a little at first, and then fiercely. Then, my palms began to itch like crazy, and within the next few minutes, my entire body was broken out into hives, and my face began to swell. Not ever having had an allergic reaction before, I asked my husband to call the ambulance. It's a very good thing I did as soon as the swelling began, because what I was experiencing is called "
anaphylaxis" (severe allergic reaction defined by hives and facial swelling, which without immediate medical treatment often progresses to bronchial swelling, cessation of breathing and shock/death).
The two associated conditions are anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock. They are basically the same condition, the shock being what happens when the reaction is not treated immediately with steroids, antihistamines (Benedryl) and epinephrine. So, what happened to me last night which led me to call the ambulance was anaphylaxis - had I not called, it would very likely have progressed to shock, then death, often within a matter of less than 10 minutes. Everything I have been told by the paramedics and doctors and what I've read says that hives by themselves do not indicate a serious reaction, but swelling of the face, neck, lips and/or tongue defines it as anaphylaxis and requires immediate medical attention. The doctors said that when the face begins to swell, the next part of the reaction is bronchial swelling (closing of the throat, often to the point of closing it completely and preventing breathing at all, or administration of CPR, which requires a tracheotomy and intubation to maintain breathing). In short, if I had waited even 3 or 4 minutes to call the ambulance (which got here in less than 2 minutes - we must live close!) it's very possible this could have killed me ~ or at the very least, made emergency treatment a whole lot more uncomfortable than just the IV meds I received. Anaphylaxis can occur after immediate exposure to an allergen (such as a bee sting or snake bite) or after long-term or consistent exposure to an allergen over a period of time. It can take between 5 seconds and 5 hours to set in after the most recent triggering exposure.
This is really bad, and is not a normal allergic reaction. It is the kind of reaction that can worsen with each exposure, making the time available for successful treatment shorter and shorter with each episode. The ER doctor suggested I see an allergist in the next week to discuss getting an EpiPen (self-administered, metered-dose epinephrine shot) to carry with me if this happens again, so I can start the process of reversing the reaction immediately while waiting for the ambulance.
If the allergy is chlorine (which does exist but is relatively rare ~ it is usually just a "sensitivity", not a full blown allergy which in severe cases causes what I had lastnight) it very likely means I will not ever be able to swim in chlorinated water again. The nurse lastnight said that in Texas, in the summer months or when it's warm (which here is above 70 degrees, or more specifically, March to November) the chlorine content of the city water is raised significantly. She says this could already be happening, which could explain the reaction. Chlorine is especially dangerous because it is a Type 4 Allergen, which means it can cause a reaction in every possible way: through ingestion, inhalation, skin contact, etc. and also because it is found in everything from cleaners to water to dish and laundry detergent. Since we just cleaned our closet out and washed all our clothes, it is also possible that going to walk/work-out and sweating allowed even more to be absorbed through my skin from my clothing ~ I was walking lastnight after my bath when the reaction began. Chlorine is also bad because it interacts with your body on a cellular level, because of it's chemical make-up. She said if I had also shown signs of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, they would be pursuing a food allergy as the cause, because those symptoms are almost always present in the case of ingestion of the allergen (the very same symptoms I was experiencing from day one of moving here up until early January when I started drinking bottled water and the symptoms quickly diminished). However, my overall exposure rate is what determines the severity of the reaction, with each exposure causing a more serious reaction. I have been advised not to bathe or expose myself to chlorine, bleach, etc. for the next week. I bought chlorine-free laundry detergent and dish soap, and more bottled spring water. I also bought sensitive skin baby wipes to use to clean myself since I am unable to bathe or shower while under treatment. They said that rebound reactions are very common in the first few days after the initial reaction, (even without new exposure) which is why I am on a high dose of steroids (60 mg as opposed to the usual 5 mg-10 mg dose), and antihistamines for the next few days.
In closing, this is NOT GOOD and could be something that prevents me from living in densely populated living areas and/or big cities which use chlorine as their main water purifier. I have more research to do, but what I've come up with so far says that the water filters for showers and baths only remove 10-20% of the chlorine, which may not be enough. The suggestion is to purchase a "whole house filtration system" that works on reverse osmosis rather than carbon filtering (which is the method used by Brita as well as many other filter companies).
This reaction may have happened due to my living here for 4 years before, being very ill, and then leaving, which desensitized me because of the removal of constant exposure to high levels of chlorine. Moving back to Portland may have saved me from having this reaction before, and moving back here may have reactivated my immune system to a higher degree, since this is the second instance of prolonged exposure. To put it bluntly, I may not be able to live here, and I may have ruined my ability to use swimming pools, hot tubs and cleaners which contain chlorine, for the rest of my life.
