16 Comments
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Elissa Altman's avatar

This made me teary. I remember years ago hearing about Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria—in other words: stress hives. If you’re “allergic” to a person, a place, an emotion, it can come on. I believe we can get hives from grief and sorrow just as easily as we can get them from stinging nettle.

Rukmini Iyer's avatar

Me too - and then one is stressed about the hives and it gets WORSE.

Elissa Altman's avatar

I don’t want to like this. But I totally get it. Awful.

Moira's avatar

Me too, always on the insides of my wrists…

India Knight's avatar

Like, instantly.

Anne Wareham's avatar

When we lived in London I used to feel as if I was experiencing all the misery in the houses and flats around me, like a fog.

Becky's avatar
2dEdited

Ah Lucy. I don’t have any great advice I’m afraid. It’s so difficult when you just have that feeling you don’t feel at home - and I’m with the ones who say this sounds like a stressy reaction. Much love xx

Moira's avatar

You articulated this really well, Becky, I couldn’t find the words.

Becky's avatar

Awh thank you ☺️

Helen Taylor's avatar

So sorry you’re itching Lucy. Hideous. Start necking the antihistamine. And re the unsettled - I get it. When my darling husband died (aggressive brain tumour - you know) ( I had just turned 50), I found myself pinging between Suburban Surrey and our home in Chichester Harbour. Couldn’t settle in either place and lots of time in what always felt like the wrong place. Made the BIG MOVE 3 years ago and haven’t looked back. Still love my odd days out in London but my community here is closer, kinder, more nurturing and doors are sooooo much more open. You’ll decide what works for you but the transition can be tough…. On a gardening note, you’ve taken me down a veritable rabbit warren this evening. Joyful few hours reading your posts and making gardening notes for the garden I’m planning to renovate - wow impressed, so much knowledge so quickly (I need to raise my game) - and of course I am so sorry about David. No words. A huge, huge loss where you have already experienced so much of it. I hope in some small way the gardening adventure is soothing your spirits and bringing moments of peace, beauty and quiet reflection ❤️

Zen Frog's avatar

As someone who gets mysterious rashes too, I feel for the itchiness! The sense of being between two worlds is a very difficult thing to process. I take antihistamines to help with itching. But for the rest, I hope things start to feel more settled and comfortable. I hope you get to a better internal place. 💚 Zen

Katy's avatar

Gahhh I am very sorry about the itching - so stressful. I hope it resolves quickly. Xx

Deborah Vass's avatar

I lived in Brixton for years, and then suddenly 25 years ago, I felt hemmed in and all the things I loved about it began to seep away. As soon as you described the smell of a summer's night in London, I knew exactly what you meant, and love to go back for a day, but I am glad I left. I hope the awful itching soon passes.

Veronica Hill's avatar

Sorry about the itching. Sounds horrible. The weather is cold and miserable here, I want to be in the garden, but I have a beastly cold. Haven’t had one for 3 or 4 years. Caught it from a friend.

When I returned from living in Singapore for 2 years, in 1973, I returned in March. From a green and tropical land with frangipani and flame of the Forrest trees outside the front door, & bull frogs croaking in their deep resonant way at night. A nearby yacht club. An Amah who looked after my 2 Young children. To March in the UK. I hate change.

I hope things settle soon, particularly the itching.