When I was in the hospital for six days, I lost my usual itchiness. Since I had brought my pillow with me, and was eating bread and dairy, my best guess is that it's my wet basement at home that's setting me off--I'm also worse when there are a lot of wet, rotting leaves on the ground during a rainy autumn. I think it's mold that really gets me, and maybe dust. Our wood stove certainly doesn't help, I'm sure--but there's no way we can afford oil, so I'm going to live with that.

That sounds really sensible to me, what you say about noticing that you feel worse after bread...I don't. Bread sits really well with me. So, maybe it's unnecessary to disrupt my life like this (I find it so hard to change daily habits!).

I once had the allergy test where they prick your arm, and I tested positive for everything. I'm basically allergic to anything organic: grass, trees, dust mites, mold, cats and dogs...But I was never tested for food allergies.

Abby

I am not sure how accurate those prick tests are. someone told me they lost favor because they were not very specific. (eg-people would appear to be allergic to everything when they aren't really). I think that people who are allergic or sensitive to something can easily recognize it. In fact even much less sophisticated animals then us learn to avoid noxious material.

It is just that people are made by those around them to doubt themselves and their natural instincts. I remember for instance that when my first son was born, I insisted on breast-feeding him. The pediatrician tried to convince me to give him baby formula because he was not gaining enough weight and I did not have enough milk. He said to me that I am starving my baby with my "crazy" ideas. I thought it was not reasonable that I would not have enough milk to feed my baby, and ignored what he said, just following my instincts like a cow would. within a short period we got adjusted. I ended up having so much milk that I could give some to another baby if needed. I breast fed him until he was 10 month old.

it is now well recognized by most pediatricians that breast feeding is the best possible option. (which makes perfect sense, as this is what babies were designed to feed on).

what you say about dust and mold sounds very reasonable to me. And it is true that there is a limit to how much we can control our environment. It is also possible that you had less itching when receiving IVIG because of the antihistamines that you probably got with it.

I personally try to be reasonable about it. I avoid what ever I feel is making me significantly worse, but tolerate more minor discomforts. After all I am not the only person around.