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#100182 - 07/21/08 03:29 PM Alergic To Cold Water !Help!
green73brc Offline
newbie

Registered: 02/27/08
Posts: 2
My Wife is Alergic to Cold water and I am looking for some help.

I am trying to find the best wicking base layers for hot and cold season. Specifically bottoms. from what I understand polyester does better than wool. Read bellow for more info if you want

***
We enjoy snow camping and backpacking (usually avoid hot/crowded summer months. Starting memorial day weekend my wife started breaking out in hives when either

cold water (rain/melted snow) came in contact with her skin and
her sweat stayed on her skin for any extended period of time

This has happened just from sprinkler spray walking around in the evening. It is very itchy and painful for her and we are trying to figure out how best to handle it. There really is no way to treat it besides avoiding contact and antihistamines.

I am not looking for a magic bullet but I am looking for the best wicking layers. Mostly focusing on her legs since that is the only thing so far that has broken out.

Right now she owns 2 Base layers a marmot set and smart wool set
Thanks!
***

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#100183 - 07/21/08 06:06 PM Re: Alergic To Cold Water !Help! [Re: green73brc]
fecamel Offline
newbie

Registered: 05/13/05
Posts: 4
I prefer a poly base for wicking. I have wool base layers, but they are so hot, that I never wear them, even when it was -50. My poly boxer/briefs keep me nice and dry all season long, I think they have a very small % of spandex.

On a side note, has she seen a doctor? I assume she has a form of urticaria? It can be induced by several factors, including many diseases and medications. Usually it is cold in general that aggravates the condition, not just water, though it most evident with water exposure due to the rapid chilling effect. I would imagine a light, tight-fitting poly base for her legs would help a lot if the condition is indeed not related to a physical cause or medication.

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#100184 - 07/22/08 11:48 AM Re: Alergic To Cold Water !Help! [Re: fecamel]
green73brc Offline
newbie

Registered: 02/27/08
Posts: 2
Yes she has seen a doctor. It appears she fails the ice cube test. We think it is only brought on with excersise, her heart rate needs to not be at resting. It is completly physicall as she is on no medication at all (we are against most forms) At this point the doctor said take a benadryl or claritin before going. We are going to try and get an epipen just in case but luckliy it only effects the lower half of her body.

And yes she has Cold urticaria. For her it is associated with liquids (sweat, water)

I just did not know if some brands are better than others. So far i have read that under armor is crap. Other than that I have not found anything.

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#100185 - 07/22/08 04:53 PM Re: Alergic To Cold Water !Help! [Re: green73brc]
fecamel Offline
newbie

Registered: 05/13/05
Posts: 4
Wow, what a unique case.

Anyhow, I actually like the cheaper stuff better. I had some under armor gear and it didn't seem to breath or wick as well as some of the thinner, cheaper stuff. I really liked the Duofold stuff, but I'm not sure if it's still around.

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#100186 - 09/17/08 11:33 AM Re: Alergic To Cold Water !Help! [Re: green73brc]
bulrush Offline
member

Registered: 04/19/07
Posts: 132
Loc: Michigan
Quote:
Yes she has seen a doctor. It appears she fails the ice cube test. We think it is only brought on with excersise, her heart rate needs to not be at resting. It is completly physicall as she is on no medication at all (we are against most forms) At this point the doctor said take a benadryl or claritin before going. We are going to try and get an epipen just in case but luckliy it only effects the lower half of her body.


Benedryl and Claritin are for controlling histamine reactions. How does your doctor know this is a histamine reaction for sure?

Has she ever had a blood test for a food allergy? A skin prick test is not sensitive enough for food allergy testing. (My personal, extensive experience.) Once I was diagnosed with a food allergy and avoided that food, all my skin problems went away.

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#100187 - 09/18/08 04:55 PM Re: Alergic To Cold Water !Help! [Re: green73brc]
Spock Offline
member

Registered: 01/10/06
Posts: 679
Loc: Central Texas
You are describing a skin allergy to cold. I've experienced it and my former wife did as well. It is a histamine reaction. Benadryl worked for us.

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#100188 - 09/23/08 08:18 PM Re: Alergic To Cold Water !Help! [Re: Spock]
JudgeSails Offline
member

Registered: 09/10/07
Posts: 35
Have a very close relative undergoing care for other conditions that cause her to have a need to avoid cold and cold consumables 1 or 2 weeks out of the month. It is the medicine that is causing this.

Is it possible your wife is having a reaction to something she is taking for an unrelated condition.
_________________________
should be smails not sails but the m key on the keyboard sucks

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